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Playing 8,8 in Blackjack

 

As you well know, 16 is the worst hand you can be dealt. Your hopes of improving this hand by hitting are the weakest of any hand: 5/13 (38.5%). At first glance, your only hope is to pray for the dealer to bust. But then you look at your cards again and realize you have two 8s. Hitting 8-8 is a foolish choice. Because it is a 16, hitting will give you a return of -$0.41 to -$0.54 for each dollar you invest in the hand. There has to be a better option.

You guessed it, splitting is the way to go. If you split when the dealer has a 2 through 7 exposed, the return is a positive $0.07 to $0.41. For the stronger 8 through A, the return is -$0.02 to -$0.48, still far less than your chances when you hit. You will want to always split your 8s, regardless of what the dealer has.