Double Down
A blackjack option to double the original bet in exchange for receiving exactly one additional card.
Detailed Explanation
Doubling down is one of the most powerful options available to a blackjack player: after viewing the initial two-card hand, the player places an additional bet (up to and equal to the original wager) beside the original chips and receives exactly one more card. No further cards can be drawn after doubling. This option is most valuable when the player's total is 9, 10, or 11 and the dealer shows a weak upcard.
Correct double down strategy: Always double hard 11 against dealer 2–10. Double hard 10 against dealer 2–9. Double hard 9 against dealer 3–6. For soft hands: double Ace-6 (soft 17) against dealer 3–6; double Ace-5 and Ace-4 against dealer 4–6; double Ace-7 (soft 18) against dealer 3–6.
Double-after-split (DAS) is an important rule variant — when allowed, it significantly reduces the house edge (approximately 0.14%). Always check whether DAS is permitted before playing, as it affects splitting strategy. Some casinos restrict doubling to hard totals of 10 and 11 only, which increases the house edge.
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Exchanging a stack of lower-denomination chips for fewer higher-denomination chips of equal total value.
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