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When to Surrender in Blackjack | LeoVegas Blog

Blackjack Surrender : Complete Guide

Summary: Blackjack Surrender is a rule in blackjack that allows players to forfeit half of their bet and fold after seeing their initial two cards and the dealer's first card. It is not available at every blackjack table, but understanding it can enhance overall game strategy.

Table of Contents:

What is Blackjack Surrender?

When a blackjack hand looks downright unfavourable, surrender gives you an out. Surrender allows you to fold your hand, keeping half your bet while forfeiting the other half.

Players typically surrender when they have poor cards against a strong dealer upcard. For the most part, it’s advantageous, but timing is crucial. Surrendering too often can increase your losses, while never surrendering means you’re likely missing out on chances to cut losses when odds are against you.

In this guide, we’ll take you through Surrender basics and strategies, so you can better determine how, and when, to make use of this action.

Blackjack Basics

Blackjack is a classic casino game that pits you against the dealer, where your goal is to get closest to 21 without going over. Go over 21, and you’ll bust.

A game of blackjack starts with each player receiving two cards face-up, while the dealer gets one card face-up and one face-down. When it’s your turn, you have your choice of actions:

  • Hit - take another card
  • Stand - stay, sticking with the hand you’ve gotDepending on the table rules, you can also Double Down - double your bet for one final card, or Split - create two hands from a matching pair, which also requires an additional bet equal to your first.

Assuming you’re playing with standard blackjack rules, the house holds a 0.5% edge - one of the lowest you’ll find on the casino floor. Note, however, that the house edge can fluctuate depending on the specific blackjack table rules. Some blackjack tables pay 6:5 (instead of the standard 3:2) which spikes the house edge by 2% (so of course, try to avoid those tables when you can!). Surrender can also help reduce the house edge by around 0.1%. It may not seem like much, but it is still mighty.

Types of Surrender in Blackjack

Early Surrender

Early surrender lets you forfeit half your bet before the dealer checks for blackjack. At this point, one of the dealer’s cards is up, while the other is facing down. Looking at your cards and the dealer's upcard, you can evaluate your position and determine if surrender is needed. This advantage is particularly valuable against dealer's Aces or ten-value cards, where blackjack is more likely.

Here are a few examples of using early surrender:

  • Your Hard 15-17 vs Dealer’s Ace
  • Your Hard 14-16 vs Dealer’s 10 (J, Q, K)
  • Your Pair of 7s vs Dealer Ace (it’s not optimal to split here)Of the two types of surrender, early surrender is preferred as you’re working within that sweet spot when the dealer has yet to hit a possible blackjack. Given it’s favours the player, you may be hard pressed to find it on the casino floor. Most casinos offering surrender opt for late surrender instead.

Late Surrender

Late surrender lets you forfeit half your bet, but only after the dealer checks for blackjack. This differs from early surrender, which allows you to act before the dealer's blackjack check. A small change, yet a significant one.

The key with late surrender is timing - you'll want to surrender when the probability of winning is low - usually under 25%. Common situations for late surrender include:

  • Hard 16 vs Dealer’s Ace
  • Hard 15-16 vs Dealer’s 10 (J, Q, K)
  • Hard 16 vs Dealer’s 9While you can’t use late surrender to protect yourself against a dealer's blackjack (as you can with early surrender), it’s still a valuable tool.

The Strategy Behind Surrendering

Surrender’s Mathematics

The house edge in blackjack sits around 0.5% but drops when surrender is available. While it might seem counterintuitive to give up half your bet, smart use of surrender can help protect your bankroll and reduce the house edge by about 0.1%. Sure, it's a small nudge, but a mighty one over time.

Let’s look at the math. When you surrender, you lose half (50%) of your bet. If your winning probability falls below 25%, your expected loss from playing the hand would be greater than 50%, making surrender the better option. Here’s an example using a Hard 16 vs Dealer's 10:

  • Probability of winning: 23%
  • Probability of losing: 77%
  • Expected value of playing: -54% of bet
  • Surrender value: -50% of bet

Since surrendering loses less (-50%) than playing (-54%), surrendering is mathematically the correct play here.

Surrender in Single-Deck vs. Multi-Deck Games

When playing single-deck or multi-deck blackjack, you’ll need to adjust your surrender strategy as the number of decks directly impacts the probability of specific cards coming your way. So, let’s talk about these two styles of play:

Single-Deck - Surrender strategy here tends to be more conservative, usually used when a hard 16 (excluding pairs) is up against a dealer’s 9, 10, or Ace. Because of the higher likelihood of drawing specific cards, single-deck games tend to offer fewer opportunities for surrender compared to multi-deck games.

Multi-Deck - With more decks in play, card tracking becomes trickier. You may find yourself using the surrender tool more so than in single-deck gameplay, usually with a hard 15 vs 10, and hard 16 vs 9, 10, or Ace. With more decks, you’re on the defence, likely using surrender more to help manage your bankroll and reduce losses in dismal situations.

When NOT to Surrender

Now you’re talking Corey Hart's ‘Never Surrender’ language! We’ve all been there, seated at a blackjack table where one player abuses the surrender rule, hurting their bankroll in the process. So, when should you never surrender? Here are the key scenarios:

  • Pair of 8s – Always split these to maximize your chances of winning both hands.
  • Soft hands – Never surrender a soft hand, they’ve got more flexibility and a better chance to improve, so giving up on them is almost always a mistake.
  • Vs Dealer's weak upcards (2-6) – If it’s not looking good for your opponent - the dealer - play out your hand instead.The most common mistake? Letting emotions override strategy. Emotions, like frustration, can always trump logic, but stick to your game plan and blackjack basics. As a rule of thumb, go with surrendering only a hard 15-16 against a dealer's strong cards (9, 10-value, Ace) - your odds are better playing out any other hand than giving up half your bet.

Situational Surrender Strategies

Dealer Upcard and Player Hand Analysis

All surrender decisions begin when you see the dealer’s upcard. As blackjack is a game that pits you against the dealer, their upcard can be a pretty good indicator of who will get the closest to 21 without going over.

Strong Dealer upcards: If the dealer shows a 9, 10 or Ace, consider surrender as the dealer has a good shot at a strong hand, or even blackjack.

Weak Dealer upcards: If the dealer shows a ‘dealer bust card’, 2 through 6, play on.

Hard hands: Surrender hard 15 or 16 against a dealer’s strong cards of 9, 10, or Ace. It’s just not looking for you, and surrender will help minimize your losses here.

Soft hands: There’s generally no need to surrender here. Play these hands out and take advantage of the flexibility here, and the many chances you have to draw a winning card.

The Role of Dealer Rules in Surrender

The dealer rules at your blackjack table of choice, specifically whether they hit or stand on Soft 17, should be factored into your surrender decision.

Dealer hits on Soft 17 - an Ace + 6 hand or soft 17 gives the dealer a good shot at making a strong hand. Surrendering your hard 15-16 here is a good bet, as your chances are slim-jim.

Dealer's Ace - particularly dangerous because of potential blackjack or strong hands (17-21). The dealer will make 17 or better over 70% of the time when showing an Ace, which makes surrendering hard 15-16 against a dealer’s Ace a solid choice.

Common Misconceptions about Surrendering

Is Surrender a Weak Move?

There are some gamblers out there who enjoy the ‘gamble’ factor to its core, and those are likely the folks who see surrender as a weak move. Seasoned players however, understand that surrender is about smart bankroll management.

Consider this: When holding Hard 16 against a dealer's 10, you'll lose 77% of the time playing it out. Surrendering here means losing exactly half your bet instead of probably losing it all. That's not giving up – that’s letting go and making a calculated decision when the odds aren’t in your favour.

Surrendering as Part of a Winning Strategy

Professional blackjack players view surrender as a valuable tool at the blackjack table. For these seasoned players, it offers a chance to preserve their bankroll for more favourable conditions. Card counters, in particular, use surrender quite selectively - they'll play more hands when the count is favourable but surrender more frequently when it's not.

Mastering Surrender in Various Blackjack Variants

Classic Blackjack and Surrender

At a traditional blackjack table, surrender is a strategic option that allows you to cut your losses when the odds aren’t in your favour. After receiving your first two cards and seeing the dealer’s upcard, you can choose to forfeit half your bet and walk away from the hand. There are two types of surrender: early surrender, which lets you surrender before the dealer checks for blackjack, and late surrender, which only becomes available after the dealer's check.

While late surrender doesn’t hold the same house edge advantage as its early surrender cousin, it can still help minimize your losses in the long-term. If you’re holding a weak hand - such as a Hard 16 against a dealer’s 9, 10, or Ace - your chances of winning are slim. Cutting your losses by surrendering here is the smartest move and can help preserve your bankroll for better situations.

Surrender in European Blackjack

In European Blackjack, there is never an early surrender opportunity. The rule in European Blackjack is that you must decide whether to surrender before you know whether the dealer has blackjack. Now, you might be thinking European surrender is similar to late surrender - but, here’s the difference - if the dealer flips over blackjack, all bets lose (even if you had already surrendered).

Blackjack Switch and Surrendering

Blackjack Switch is a fun variation of blackjack that adds a little more pzazz to your strategy. In Blackjack Switch, you play two hands with the ability to swap cards between them. This makes surrendering less valuable, as you can often improve weak hands by swapping cards, rather than giving up half your bet.

Spanish 21 and Surrender Rules

In Spanish 21, all 10s are removed from the deck, leaving fewer high cards. This makes it harder to improve weak hands, so surrender becomes more valuable here, especially against a dealer's strong upcards. For example, hands like a Hard 16 against a dealer's 9 or 10 are tougher to improve, making surrendering a more appealing choice to minimize losses.

Online Blackjack and Surrender

How Surrender Functions in Online Platforms

Online blackjack games typically offer more consistent surrender rules than brick-and-mortar casinos. In fact, if it’s an option it will be much more clear in an online blackjack game. When the option is in play, a surrender button will appear during your turn, making it easy to know exactly when it’s time to make the decision. This set-up is uber player friendly, and is a great advantage to offline casinos where surrender rules can be less obvious.

Using Surrender Features in Live Dealer Games

Live dealer blackjack tables combine online speed and convenience with a real casino vibe. However, the surrender option works more like a regular online blackjack game, rather than a live casino experience. If it’s available in your blackjack game, the surrender button will activate after the dealer checks for blackjack - usually giving you about 15 seconds to act.

Tip: Don't let the time pressure or social element of live dealer blackjack rush your surrender decision. Stick to basic strategy even during this immersive live dealer experience.

The Pros and Cons of Surrendering

Advantages of Surrendering

Surrender can cut your potential losses in half when facing highly unfavourable situations. Instead of risking your entire bet on hands with a low probability of winning, you save half for better opportunities. Smart use of surrender can reduce the house edge by about 0.1% - it may seem small, but small nudges like this can help your profits in the long-run.

Disadvantages of Surrendering

Surrender is a great tool in blackjack, so long as it’s not overused and abused! Misusing surrender can cost you more money in the long run. So, in the words of the great Corey Hart, here are a few key situations you'll want to ‘never surrender’:

  • Avoid surrendering soft hands: Soft hands (e.g., soft 17) have multiple ways to improve, so surrendering them is usually not a good idea.
  • Don’t surrender against a dealer’s weak cards: If the dealer shows a 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6, you have a better chance of winning, so surrendering here is not advised.
  • Don’t surrender pairs that should be split: Pairs like aces and eights should be split, not surrendered, as splitting gives you a better opportunity to win.

In short, while surrender is a useful option in some situations, it should be used wisely and in line with basic strategy.

Blackjack Surrender FAQ

Is it good to Surrender in blackjack?

First up, let’s remember that when you Surrender, you’re forfeiting half of your bet and folding – so there’s a zip, zero, no chance-lance of winning. But, given you’ve seen your two cards and one of the Dealer’s, you can make an educated choice if the timing is right to use this rule. It’s always good to factor in the size of your bet too – is it worth the risk if you’re holding a bad hand, especially if the Dealer is showing a 9,10-value card or Ace?

Is it worth it to Surrender in blackjack?

If you’ve got a big bet on the table and your hand has a slim, let’s say 50% or less chance of winning, then yes. Since you have the benefit of seeing one of the Dealer’s cards, you can make a solid guesstimate based on odds. For many, it also comes down to the stakes they’re playing. We know money is money, but you may be more grateful for the Surrender Rule when you’re betting $200 rather than $2.

Can you Surrender any hand in blackjack?

This all comes down to the ‘when’ factor. When you’ve seen your first two cards and the Dealer’s first, that’s your chance to Surrender. Once you’ve continued with an action – a hit, stand, double or split, the Surrender window of opportunity is closed.

Can you Surrender a split hand blackjack?

We don’t want to sound negative, but the answer is no. The Surrender Rule is available only before you take action on your cards. A split hand is already one action deep into play - as you’ve taken your one hand and made it two. Therefore, the Surrender Rule is no longer an option to either of your newly created hands.

Can you Surrender in blackjack after hitting?

In this situation, a mob boss would say ‘you know too much’. Once you take a hit on your hand, the Surrender Rule is no longer an option. You’ve gone too deep and there’s no retreat!

Can you Surrender in Atlantic City blackjack?

You’ll find the Surrender Rule intact in Atlantic City, but not the Early Surrender. Late Surrender can be found at tables, however, allowing you to forfeit half your bet and fold only after the Dealer who’s holding a 10-value card or Ace has scanned for a possible blackjack.

Can you Surrender in Vegas blackjack?

Yes, apparently Surrender goes on in Vegas, and stays in Vegas! To find Surrender on a Vegas casino floor, hone in on the six and eight deck shoe tables.

Do all blackjack tables allow Surrender?

No, some tables go by the rules of Corey Hart’s classic, Never Surrender. All joking aside, there are many blackjack tables that won’t allow Surrender. So, if you’re keen on having it available, be sure to check in with the Dealer when taking a seat in a live game, and the details of your online table before jumping in. It’s out there, you just have to find it!

Do you lose money if you Surrender in blackjack?

Yes, you’re losing half of your initial bet. But, since you reach out to this rule when you strongly believe a win isn’t possible, a player with a glass half full perspective would view it as losing half as much as they could have!

Is Surrender the same as insurance in blackjack?

Not quite, but to get to the heart of this question, let’s give you the 411 on each option. Insurance is available when the Dealer is showing an Ace. It’s a side bet by definition that pays 2-1 if the Dealer ends up having blackjack.

Surrender is a different beast, and yes, there’s beauty in this beast too! Surrendering half of your bet is an option when you’ve been dealt your two cards and the Dealer has one.

You can then make a strategic decision based on your percentage to win, whether or not you’d like to play out your hand.

What is the difference between early and late surrender?

Early surrender allows you to forfeit half your bet before the dealer checks for blackjack. This gives you the advantage of making a decision based on the dealer’s upcard, without risking losing your entire bet if the dealer has blackjack.

Late surrender, on the other hand, is only available after the dealer checks for blackjack. If the dealer has blackjack, all bets lose. While late surrender can still reduce your losses in unfavourable situations, it’s less advantageous than early surrender, since you may already lose your full bet if the dealer has blackjack.

When is the best time to surrender in blackjack?

Surrender is best when you have a weak hand (like 16) against a dealer's strong upcard (like 9, 10, or Ace), where your chances of winning are less than 25%. Most common surrender scenarios: hard 16 vs dealer's 9-Ace, and hard 15 vs dealer's 10 or Ace.

Can surrendering improve my chances of winning?

You can frame the act of surrendering as damage control - it's not about winning, it’s about losing less. Surrender doesn't help you win hands, but it helps you lose less money when the odds are against you.

Are there specific blackjack variants where surrender is more common?

Late surrender is standard in Atlantic City and European blackjack rules, but you may find it difficult to track down at a Vegas table or single-deck game.

How does surrender affect the house edge?

Surrender in blackjack can lower the house edge around 0.1%. While this may seem small, every advantage matters in blackjack.

Is it always offered in blackjack games at casinos?

Not always Surrender in blackjack is not a standard offering, but it is out there. While it may be somewhat rare in Vegas, you may find it on Atlantic City and European blackjack tables.

Why do some players avoid surrendering even when it’s beneficial?

For many players, emotion often trumps logic. Many players avoid surrendering because they prefer the excitement or essentially don’t want to ‘give up’.

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