When learning how to play double deck blackjack, a regular question that arises is if double-check blackjack is different from playing six- or eight-deck blackjack. The truth is the rules for how to play double-deck blackjack are the same as those for playing blackjack with a single deck or with several decks.

The one peculiarity is that a double deck uses two regular 52-card decks, which in turn decreases the house advantage over the player because the fewer decks there are, the smaller the casino’s house advantage.

In double-deck blackjack, the objective remains the same: to get as close to 21 as possible without exceeding it or having a number higher than the dealer.

How to Play Double Deck Blackjack: Standard Rules

1. It only uses two decks.
2. The dealer doesn’t have any hole cards.
3. At a soft 17, the dealer always takes a stand.
4. If you don’t have a natural Blackjack, you can choose to hit, stand, or double down.
5. There is no surrender option; only insurance is used.
6. Doubling after splitting is permissible.
7. To beat the dealer, you must get as close to or as close to 21 as possible.

Since playing double-deck blackjack is similar to playing regular blackjack online; listed below is how to play double-deck blackjack in its most basic form: 

• Place Your Bet 

Placing your bet is always the first action a player takes after choosing a physical casino or an online casino to play double-deck blackjack. Players must place their bets before the dealer begins dealing cards to each player.

Furthermore, compared to single-deck blackjack, where the minimum bet is $10, double-deck blackjack has a $1 minimum wager requirement.

• Cards Dealing

The next line of action is for the dealer to deal two cards to each player, with the dealer’s first and single card dealt facing up and the other pair for each player facing down. After receiving your cards, you can choose whether to hit, stand, double down, or split.

You’ll receive a second card if you decide to keep hitting, allowing you to reach nearly 21 without exceeding it. You only keep your current cards when you stand (no more cards are dealt).

• Card Evaluation

The total value of the cards in your hand must first be calculated before deciding whether you defeated the dealer or lost.

You win if your total hand is closer to 21 than the dealer’s, but you lose if the dealer’s score is higher. A bust occurs when you exceed 21, and the dealer wins that round. If the total of your cards equals 21, then you have won that game round. It is known as a “Natural Blackjack.”

Each card in blackjack has a value, and a player needs to comprehend these values to know how to play double-deck blackjack. 

– The value of a number card is represented by the number on the card. 

– Face cards have a value of 10. 

– An Ace card has a value of either 1 or 11.

Strategy for Soft and Hard Hands in Double-Deck Blackjack 

The fundamentals of how to play double-deck blackjack have been covered. We’ll now look at the double-deck blackjack soft and hard hand strategies and what they include below: 

Soft 17

In the double-deck blackjack game, the dealer must stand on any total of 17, whether it is a soft 17 or a hard 17, according to the general rule. A hard 17 is a hand with a total of 17 and an Ace card with a value of 11, whereas a soft 17 is a hand with a total of 17 but no Ace card.

You should always hit if you are dealt a soft 17, regardless of what transpires. You could be worried that you might lose your money, but since an Ace can be worth either 1 or 11, you can take risks without worrying. If you always hit, regardless of the situation, your outcome would be better than the dealer’s. As a result, unless the result is a bust, always count your aces as 11.

When you play online real blackjack, and you have a soft hand, take the following strategies:

• Hit when: 
  • The soft total is 17 or less.
  • The face-up card of the dealer is 9, 10, or an ace.

• Stand when:
  • The dealer’s face-up card is not above but between 2 and 8, and the soft hand is at least 18.

• Double down when:

• The dealer’s face-up card is 6, and the soft hand is at least 19. 
• The face-up card of the dealer is 5 or 6, and the soft hand is 13–18. 
• The dealer’s face-up card is 4, and the soft hand is between 15 and 18.

• Split when: 
  • The soft hand contains two Aces.

Hard Hand 

The hard-hand strategy of knowing how to play double-deck blackjack can be a little complicated compared to the soft-hand strategy. More so, you risk a bust if you keep on hitting with a hard hand, unlike a soft hand, so you have to be more careful in your approach.

Below are some strategies for you to take when dealing with hard hands:

• Hit when
  • The hard total is between 5 and 8. 
  • The dealer’s face-up card is between cards 2 and 7 or an ace. 
  • The dealer’s face-up card is a 10, and the hard-hand total is 10. 
  • The dealer’s face-up card is confirmed to be an Ace, and the hard-hand total is 11. 
  • The dealer’s face-up card is an Ace, 2, 3, or 7, and the hard-hand total is 12. 
  • The dealer’s face-up card is between 6 and 10, and the hard total is between 13 and 16.

• Stand when
  • The dealer’s face-up card is between 4-6, and the hard-hand total is 12. 
  • The dealer’s face-up card is between cards 2 and 6, and the hard-hand total is 13 to 16. 
  • The hard-hand total is between 17 and 21.

• Double down when
  • The hard-hand total is 11. 
  • The dealer’s face-up card is 2, and the hard-hand total is 9 or higher. 
  • The dealer’s face-up card is an Ace, and the hard hand is 11.

• Split when
  • It is a pair of 7s. 
  • It is a pair of Aces. 
  • It is a pair of 8s.

Other strategies you can make use of to know how to play double-deck blackjack effectively are:

• Avoid attempting to place even bets or take insurance.
• Know when to hit, stand, double up, or give up.
• Attempt to split your hand if you can.
• Have enough cash on hand to place a wager, which, of course, should be a wager you can afford to lose.
• Practice enough at online casinos, and follow the blackjack rules card, you can visit the Slots Paradise Casino School to ensure a good practice time.

Final Thoughts

We hope that the guide above may help you make a better decision while playing the exciting Slots Paradise casino double-deck blackjack so you’re not confused about when to hit, stand, or double down in double-deck blackjack.

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FAQs: Double Deck Blackjack