Splitting pairs
Is it ever right to split 10s?
No. Stand on two 10s against every dealer card. A 20 is too good a hand to break up.
These answers are for a 6 deck game where the dealer stands on soft 17, blackjack pays 3 to 2, and you can double on any two cards, including after a split.
Why
Two 10s make 20, a hand that wins most of the time. Splitting turns one strong hand into two hands that each start from 10, and that is worse even against a weak dealer card.
Stand on the 20 against every dealer card. Two face cards of different ranks, such as a King and a Queen, count the same way.
The play against every dealer card
| Dealer shows | Your play |
|---|---|
| 2 to Ace | Stand |
Questions players ask
- Is it ever right to split 10s?
- No. Stand on two 10s against every dealer card. A 20 is too good a hand to break up.
- What does a pair of 10s count as?
- Two 10s count as 20 if you do not split them.
- Should I split 10s against a 10?
- No. Stand on 20 against a 10.
Related answers
- Should I split 9s?
- Should I split Aces?
- When to split in blackjack
- What does double after split mean?
- Blackjack basic strategy chart
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