All About the Surrender Move in Blackjack
Surrendering is one of several moves you can make in blackjack. However, it’s not too well known because it’s not available in most versions of the game. Find out what it involves and when you may use it.
Find out about surrendering in blackjack © englishlikeanative, Pixabay
What Is a Surrender in Blackjack?
When playing a typical game of blackjack, there are several moves you can make. These include hitting (receiving another card), standing (taking no more cards) and doubling down (doubling your bet then standing).
A move that isn’t mentioned in a lot of blackjack guides is surrendering. This is because the surrender move is only available in a few blackjack games. It can be found in both real-life and online blackjack games.
There are two versions of the move: early surrender and late surrender. We’ll cover both in this guide. When you’ve finished reading, join one of our recommended blackjack casino sites and see for yourself how surrendering works.
How Surrendering in Blackjack Works
A surrender in blackjack is a move you can perform once you receive your first two cards. It lets you leave the game but keep half of your bet and is intended for when you don’t think you’ll win.
The time when you’re allowed to surrender depends on which rule the game is using. If the early rule is in place, you’re allowed to surrender before the dealer checks their hole card, i.e. their face-down card.
If the late surrender rule is in place, you can only surrender after the dealer has checked their hole card. In both cases, you surrender before it’s your turn, and you make moves affecting your hand.
When the dealer checks their hole card, they could end up getting a natural, i.e. a hand worth 21. For example, their face-up card could be an ace, and their face-down card could be worth 10.
If this happens, the game ends so there’s no opportunity for you to surrender. When the late rule is in place, you can only surrender if the dealer’s two cards don’t add up to 21.
When Should You Surrender?
It’s important that you have a good idea of when to surrender in blackjack. After all, it is a game where every decision you make matters and it’s crucial that you make the best ones.
Generally speaking, you should surrender if your first two cards are particularly weak, if the dealer’s face-up card is strong, or if both of these are the case.
The fact that half your bet is returned to you when you surrender means that this move can be worthwhile. If the odds are against you and you decide to surrender, you’ll earn half your bet back.
Below are situations when you should surrender in games of eight-deck blackjack where the dealer may have to hit on a soft 17.
- Your hand is worth 15 and the dealer’s face-up card is 10 or A
- Your hand is worth 16 (not a pair of 8s) and the dealer’s face-up card is 9, 10 or A
- Your hand is worth 16 (8+8 only) and the dealer’s face-up card is A
- Your hand is worth 17 and the dealer’s face-up card is A
Below are situations in standard eight-deck games that have the hard 17 rule, where the dealer has to stand when their hand is worth 17 even if it contains an ace.
- Your hand is worth 15 and the dealer’s face-up card is 10
- Your hand is worth 16 and the dealer’s face-up card is 9, 10 or A
Whether the dealer has to stand on a soft 17 or not, you should never surrender if you have a soft hand worth 13 or more. This is because you can count the ace as 1 instead of 11.
The advice for when to surrender is slightly different for single-deck blackjack games. Here’s when to surrender if the dealer may have to hit on a soft 17:
- Your hand is worth 14 (7+7 only), and the dealer’s face-up card is 10 or A
- Your hand is worth 15, and the dealer’s face-up card is A
- Your hand is worth 16, and the dealer’s face-up card is 10 or A
- Your hand is worth 17, and the dealer’s face-up card is A
Here’s when to surrender in single deck blackjack games, where the dealer has to stand on a 17, whether hard or soft.
- Your hand is worth 14 (7+7 only), and the dealer’s face-up card is 10
- Your hand is worth 16, and the dealer’s face-up card is 10 or A
In all the examples listed above, when we say 10, we mean any card worth 10, e.g. 10, J, Q or K.
Consider Using the Surrender Move
You should now have a good idea of what a surrender in blackjack is. If you want to use this move in online blackjack, find a game to play and check its paytable to see if the move is available.
If it is, some text should explain what to do if you wish to surrender. As always, reading the paytable before playing a casino game is a good idea.
This is because rules, payouts and other key factors can vary from one game to the next. Even the slightest of changes can affect how likely you are to win and how high a payout can be.
If you play a blackjack game offering the surrender move, consider using it if the odds are against you. Getting half your bet back is better than losing and not getting any money back at all.
