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Low Pair Strategies For Online Blackjack Explained

 

In an earlier article the optimum blackjack strategy for starting with high pairs was discussed. In this article the strategy for starting with low pairs is being discussed. Low pairs are pairs from 2s to 7s. As explained in the earlier article, these are broad indicative blackjack moves. Ideally you should look at blackjack strategy card for the exact variant that you are playing and pick up the moves from there.

When you start with a pair of 2s or a pair of 3s, the dealer’s face up card becomes very important. If this card is 2, 3, 8 or higher, then the dealer is in a relatively strong position. He is likely to end up with a hand value of close to 20. Under these circumstances it is not advisable to place the extra wager and risk the extra amount. The best option is to hit. For other face up cards, the dealer’s hand becomes relatively weak. Therefore the risk of splitting 2s and 3s is worthwhile. You will be at a slight advantage if you start with 2 or 3 rather than 4 or 6.

The advantage of starting with 8 is much more than of starting with 4. Starting with 4 is likely to put you in the no man’s land of a hand value of around 14 after the next card. Starting with 8 you are likely to end up in the comfortable zone of around 18. Therefore do not split a pair of fours, but hit irrespective of the dealer’s face up card. This argument gets even stronger when you start with a pair of 5s. A hand value of 10 is as perfect as can be and puts you in line for a final hand value of 20 or 21. Therefore splitting 5s cannot be considered. The optimum strategy says that you should double a pair of 5s before you hit.

A pair of 6s and 7s gives you a starting hand value of 12 and 14 respectively. This is not a good place to start. But starting with a 6 and 7 is not very much better. Therefore, again the dealer’s face up card comes into play. You do not risk the extra wager if the dealer is in a strong position with 8 or more. Standing is of no use. You have to take a chance with hitting. For the other dealer’s face up cards, optimum blackjack strategy says that you must split pairs of 6s and 7s.

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