Blackjack Surrender: When to Give Up Half Your Bet
What surrender is
Surrender lets you give up your hand and get half your bet back. You lose 50 cents on the dollar, but you avoid playing a hand that is likely to lose.
It sounds like quitting, and it can be the smartest move you make. On a few hands, playing on loses more than 50% of your bet on average, so folding early is cheaper.
Late vs early surrender
- Late surrender is offered after the dealer checks for blackjack. If the dealer has it, you lose your bet. This is the common form, if it is offered at all.
- Early surrender is offered before the dealer checks. It is far more valuable to the player, and it is rare.
Our trainer models late surrender. It lowers the house edge by 0.07, a small but free gain if you know when to use it.
Exactly when to surrender
Only a handful of hands qualify. In a 6 or 8 deck game where the dealer hits soft 17:
- Hard 16 against a 9, 10 or ace.
- Hard 15 against a 10 or ace.
- Hard 17 against an ace.
- 8,8 against an ace.
If the dealer stands on soft 17 in a 6 or 8 deck game, drop the last two and 15 against an ace. Keep 16 against 9, 10 and ace, and 15 against a 10.
Single deck is different. Do not surrender 16 against a 9, and split 8,8 against an ace instead of surrendering. Surrender 16 against a 10 or ace, and 7,7 against a 10. If the dealer hits soft 17, also surrender 15 against an ace, 17 against an ace, and 7,7 against an ace.
When surrender is not allowed, the fallback is: hit 15 and 16, stand on 17, and split 8,8. The chart codes Rh, Rs and Rp mean "surrender, otherwise hit, stand or split." See the 6 and 8 deck chart.
Why it works
Hard 16 against a 10 is the classic case. Hitting busts about 62% of the time, and when you do not bust, you are still behind most of the time. Surrendering costs you exactly 0.5 units. Hitting costs more than that on average. Hard 15 busts about 54% of the time when you hit, which is why it also falls on the surrender list against a 10.
Common mistakes
- Surrendering hands that are not on the list. If a hand is not clearly losing more than half your bet on average, play it.
- Surrendering 12, 13 or 14. Those hit or stand, depending on the dealer card.
- Forgetting that you must surrender before you take any other action. Once you hit, it is too late.
How to signal it
Tell the dealer "surrender." Some tables use a hand motion of drawing a line behind your bet with a finger. The dealer takes half of your bet and removes your cards. Do not do this in a game that does not offer it.
For more rules that shift the odds, see the rules overview, and drill these in the trainer with surrender turned on in Settings. The misplayed hands page covers 16 against 10 in more detail.
Common questions
Is surrender worth it?
Yes, when you use it on the correct hands. It saves a small amount over a long session.
Can I surrender after splitting?
Usually not. Surrender is normally only offered on your first two cards.
Do all casinos offer it?
No. Many tables do not, so check the rules before you play.