Blackjack Surrender

The option to "Surrender" in Blackjack is one that is offered by some but not all online casinos. It's an interesting option for players but most do not understand how to use it effectively. The following article explains the Surrender rule, when & why to use it, and will strengthen your overall understanding of the Blackjack game.

Like most betting options in Blackjack, if you know and understand when to use the Surrender option correctly, it can be a great advantage to the player. Of course if you misuse or neglect the option to surrender then you are simply increasing the edge of the house.

So what is the Surrender option and how does it work?

If Surrender is offered, after receiving your initial two cards, you will have the option to surrender and forfeit your cards. The hand ends and you will receive half of your original wager back while the house wins the other half. So essentially if you are dealt a poor hand you can get half of your wager back if you want to forfeit the chance to gamble and win the hand.

So is Surrender a cowardly option? So much in gambling is based on taking a risk, so surrendering a bet seems like a weak option for many players. Why give up and let the casino win half your bet? Often these side bets are good for the house, but in the case of Surrender it can actually be a profitable play for the player.

Surrendering should be thought of as "saving" half a bet, instead of "losing" half a bet. It's far better to save half a bet than lose it all. Over the long term these saved bets can soon add up.

The best time to surrender in Blackjack is obviously when you have the lowest chance of winning. This occurs when you are dealt a poor hand, such as a 15 or 16, and the dealer's up card is a strong card such as a ten or ace.

If we analyze the situation mathematically we can prove why the Surrender play shows positive expectation over the long term for the player. Say you hold a 16, the dealer is showing a ten and your table offers the option to surrender. Statistically you have about a 23% chance of winning the hand if you played it out. So if you wagered $10 per hand and ran through this hand 100 times, the outcome would be as follows:

Win Hand: 23 times * $10 = +$230
Lose Hand: 77 times * $10 = -$770
Overall Profit = -$540

So you would expect to lose $540 if you ran this scenario 100 times.

Now if we consider what would happen if we took up the option to Surrender the hand. You would receive back half your wager every time:

Surrender Hand: 100 times * $5 = -$500
Overall Profit = -$500

So in this situation you would save $40 if you simply surrendered your hand rather than play it out!

So when should you surrender? You should consider surrendering if:

You hold a hard 16 when the dealer shows a 9, ten or ace.
You hold a hard 15 when the dealer shows a ten.

The exceptions to the above are if you have a pair of eights or a soft hand (i.e. a hand which contains an ace) in which case you are better off to play the hand out according to basic strategy.

The option to Surrender is a good one for knowledgeable players. The casinos still make money from this option because many players either surrender too easily or never surrender at all. Correct use of the basic Surrender strategy will add money to your bankroll so make sure you understand and apply it wisely!

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