When blackjack first made its way onto casino floors worldwide, there was little variation in the rules from table to table. But much has changed over the last sixty years or so. Nowadays, not only will blackjack aficionados encounter different rules from one gambling venue to another, but they will often find variations at different tables within the same casino.
The most common rule variation concerns the number of decks in play. The deck count is one of the most important factors to consider when you choose a blackjack game because it affects the advantage the casino holds against players. As a rule of thumb, the more decks are in play at a given blackjack table, the larger the house edge, which in turn results in smaller returns for players.
That being said, most blackjack pros avoid single-deck games because their rules have been crippled to the point of being nearly unplayable. But what about double-deck blackjack? Is it any good? This article explores the good, the bad, and the ugly sides of double-deck 21 and introduces the favorable rules you should seek while searching for decent pitch games.
The Basic Rules of Play in Double Deck Blackjack
The first thing you will notice when you approach a double-deck blackjack table is that the cards are pitched. In other words, the dealer holds the two packs in one hand and tosses the cards face-down to each player. In pitch games (also called hand-held or face-down games), each player picks up their two starting cards with one hand only and never takes them off or under the table.
Players use hand gestures to signal their decisions. These include scratching the felt with your cards to request a hit and sliding them face-down under your chips to stand. We have covered all hand signals for both pitch and multi-deck games in our Blackjack Rules article, so feel free to check it out.
The premise of the game is the same as that in all other blackjack variations. Your goal is to obtain a total as close to 21 as possible (and higher than the dealer’s) without going over. When the dealer and player have the same total, the hands push and the player collects the original bet or lets it ride. Once the cards are dealt, you can hit, stand, split pairs, or double down.
Double Deck Blackjack Additional TipsWhen the dealer’s upcard is an Ace, players are offered insurance, which, if accepted, costs half of the original stake. Surrender, where you forfeit your two-card hand in exchange for half your bet, is generally not available at double-deck tables.
After all players have acted, the dealer completes the hand and settles the payouts before a fresh round starts. The two decks are usually cut near the middle, but different establishments may allow different deck penetration. Next, we distinguish between the favorable and unfavorable rules for double-deck games.
Double Deck Blackjack Gameplay
Double Deck Games with Advantageous Rules
The first rule variation we will examine concerns the dealer’s standing total. In optimal double-deck games, the dealer stands on all totals of 17, soft or hard. Examples of soft 17s include A-6, A-2-4, and A-3-3, where the Ace can count as 1 or 11. Soft totals occur more frequently in pitch games because each card’s removal has a greater effect when fewer decks are in play.
Ideally, you should choose a pitch game where the dealer stands on soft 17 (S17). This may sound counterintuitive because the dealer already has a completed hand, but remember that the dealer is always the last to act at the table.
When the dealer hits soft 17 (H17), they have the chance to improve their total. The S17 rule removes that possibility, preventing the dealer from outdrawing you with a 2, 3, or 4. This single rule reduces the house edge by about 0.22%.
The ability to double down on any two-card total is equally important. Some strategy decisions in double-deck games rely on this option. In two-deck pitch games, the optimal strategy calls for doubling down on soft totals of 13-18 when the dealer exposes weak cards 5 or 6.
The strategy also recommends doubling on soft 18 against a dealer 6. Restricting doubling options prevents you from making optimal moves. The ability to double down on any two cards reduces the casino’s advantage by around 0.11%.
The rules pertaining to splitting also deserve consideration. A solid double-deck game lets you split any pair and resplit up to four hands. An exception is usually made for pairs of Aces, which can be split but not resplit in most double-deck games. However, resplitting Aces (RSA) is a very valuable option for the player, albeit one that is rarely found in most double-deck versions of 21.
Being able to hit split Aces is another beneficial rule. This allows you to take full advantage of splitting your Aces and eliminates the possibility of getting stuck with poor totals like 12-16, where you can win only if the dealer busts.
Such poor hands should be hit when the dealer’s upcard (such as 9 or 10) puts them in a strong position. However, if the dealer exposes a weak card that increases their chances of busting, you might want to stand on your poor totals instead of hitting your split Aces.
Having the option for late surrender is another beneficial rule, but double-deck tables that still allow it are rare these days. When surrendering, you forfeit your starting hand in exchange for half of your stake.
| Common Rules in Double-Deck Blackjack | |
|---|---|
| Dealer Stands | Dealer stands on all 17s |
| Blackjack Payout | 3 to 2; some versions pay 6 to 5 or even money if dealer shows an Ace |
| Double Down | Only on totals of 9, 10, or 11; some variants allow doubling down only on 10 or 11 |
| Splitting | Allowed on any pair; split Aces draw only one card |
| Resplits | In most cases resplits are not allowed |
| Doubling after split | Allowed |
| Insurance | Yes |
| Insurance | Yes |
| Insurance Payout | 2 to 1 |
| Surrender | Not allowed |
If allowed, double-deck players should always surrender totals of 15-17 (including a pair of 8s) when the dealer shows an Ace. Similarly, the optimal strategy for double-deck games requires you to forfeit starting hands that total 16 or 15 when the dealer exposes strong cards 10, J, Q, or K. The presence of the late surrender rule also reduces the casino’s advantage, albeit by only 0.04% to 0.07% when all other rules are favorable.
Doubling down and splitting are often discussed together because some variants of 21 allow players to double after splitting pairs. This rule, commonly abbreviated as DAS (Doubling After Splitting), can be quite useful, especially when combined with the option to resplit. One prominent example is when the player is dealt a pair of 3s and splits against a dealer 5. DAS enables you to benefit fully from the favorable situation, as you might catch a 6, 7, or 8 for a total of 9, 10, or 11 to double on. The presence of DAS reduces the casino’s advantage by around 0.13%.
We also have the peek and hole-card rules. In most double-deck games, the dealer peeks (checks for blackjack) only when their upcard is an Ace. However, some variations require the dealer to peek for naturals both when showing an Ace or a ten-value card, which is even better for the player.
A decent double-deck game uses hole cards, allowing the dealer to peek for blackjacks before the player acts. The rule affects the player’s doubling and splitting decisions and reduces the house advantage by around 0.11%. Now, let’s summarize the optimal rules for a favorable double-deck game so you have them all in one place:
- Dealer stands on soft 17 (S17)
- Players can double down on any two-card total
- Players can split all pairs, resplit to four hands, and hit split Aces (the last rule is nearly obsolete in double-deck games, though)
- Doubling after splitting is allowed (DAS)
- Late surrender (LS) is allowed
- The dealer checks for naturals before the player acts on their hand
- Blackjacks pay 3 to 2
Double Deck Games with Disadvantageous Rules
Since double-deck blackjack is easy to count and yields a smaller house advantage than six- or eight-deck games, most casinos have tweaked the rules to gain a larger edge over their players. The most common changes concern the dealer’s drawing rules on soft totals of 17.
As explained earlier, a dealer hitting soft 17 works against the player because it increases the likelihood of the dealer improving the total by catching small cards like 2, 3, or 4. This single change takes away 0.22% of your advantage. It may not seem like much, but the effect adds up when you play 10,000 hands or more.
Restrictions on doubling down have a pronounced negative impact on your long-term profits. In many double-deck variants, the player may double only on starting totals of 9, 10, and 11. This yields a 0.11% advantage for the house and forces you to deviate from optimal strategy because you can no longer double on soft totals of 13-18 against a dealer 5 or 6.
Optimal play also calls for doubling on hard 9 against dealer upcards 2-6. This play is impossible in double-deck games where doubling down is restricted to totals of 10 and 11 only. These restrictions increase the house edge even further, by around 0.22%.
In some double-deck variations, players may split ten-value cards only if they are identical, such as Q-Q, K-K, J-J, and 10-10. While basic strategy players are generally advised not to split such pat hands, these restrictions hurt advantage players (hence the joke that only fools and card counters split tens).
In games with poor rules, resplitting may not be an option. The same goes for hitting Aces after they have been split, which is commonly unavailable in double-deck games. The absence of DAS (Doubling After Splitting) is also unfavorable for the player, especially if resplitting to four hands is allowed, because more split hands create more doubling opportunities. No DAS equals 0.13% in favor of the casino and many missed opportunities to profit when the dealer is at a disadvantage.
On top of that, some double-deck games do away with the surrender option entirely. This is harmful to players, especially when stuck with hard totals of 15 or 16 against the dealer’s ten-value card. Without surrender, your only choice is to hit, risking a bust.
Finally, there are double-deck variants like European Blackjack where no hole cards are in play. Here, the dealer receives only one card first and draws a second after everyone else has acted.
This rule may concern the dealer, but it also affects your decisions. Without a hole card, the dealer cannot check for blackjacks when showing an Ace or a ten-value card, forcing you to act before knowing whether the dealer has a natural. This is particularly harmful to your doubling decisions.
The most obvious play that suffers is doubling on 11 when the dealer shows a ten-value card or an Ace. You have no way of knowing whether the dealer has blackjack. If the dealer peeks, they reveal the hole card immediately, sparing you from wasting money on an unnecessary double. Now, let’s review the poor rules in brief:
- The dealer hits soft 17 (H17)
- Players can double down only on two-card totals of 9, 10, and 11 (or worse, on 10 and 11 only)
- Players cannot split dissimilar pairs of ten-value cards (like Q-J, 10-J, K-J, and so on)
- Resplitting is not allowed
- Doubling after a split (DAS) is not allowed
- No surrender is available
- The dealer does not peek for naturals when showing an Ace or a ten-value card
- Blackjacks pay 6 to 5 or even money
Payouts in Double Deck Blackjack
Now let’s discuss payouts. In double-deck blackjack, most payouts match those in multi-deck games: winning hands pay even money and winning insurance side bets offer the usual payout of 2 to 1.
One exception involves the single most important payout in the game, that for a blackjack. To boost their advantage, many casinos (especially in Las Vegas and Atlantic City) pay 6 to 5 for blackjacks on their double-deck tables instead of the standard 3 to 2.
What is the difference, and why does it matter? Let’s illustrate with a simple example using $10 bets. Naturals are the most profitable hands because they occur roughly once every 21 hands or so (a fitting coincidence for a game also called “21”).
A standard game that pays 3 to 2 for naturals gives you more value because you collect 1.5 times your initial stake. If you wager $10 and receive a blackjack, you earn $15 on top of your original $10.
With 6-to-5 blackjack, the payout drops to 1.2 times your bet, so you earn only $12 on top of the original $10.
This rule alone has a greater negative impact than all other unfavorable rules combined. By reducing the blackjack payout to 6 to 5, the house gains an additional 1.40% edge over its players, even when they play optimally.
A $10 flat bettor who goes through 100 hands per hour will incur expected losses of about $14 per hour. Many double-deck tables carry a $25 minimum, so hourly losses can be even higher.
You may wonder why people still flock to 6-to-5 double-deck tables. It is a marketing ploy: casino operators promote pitch games as the best blackjack options, especially when compared to six- or eight-deck variants. What they fail to mention is that, in reality, you are playing a far worse game than any six- or eight-deck blackjack variant.
Even if all other rules in a double-deck game are favorable, they cannot offset the severe impact of the reduced payout. You should never play 6-to-5 blackjack (double-deck or not) even if no 3-to-2 tables are available where you live. You are better off playing craps or single-zero roulette.
Some pitch games also offer even-money payouts for your blackjack when the dealer shows an Ace. This is essentially the same as taking insurance, which we strongly advise against if you are a basic strategy player.
We discuss this subject in detail in our Single Deck Blackjack article, so we suggest you check it out for a deeper explanation of why accepting even money for your naturals is a bad idea.
Our Final Verdict on Double Deck Games
And now for our final verdict. Is double-deck blackjack a yay or nay? Double-deck games can be a real treasure for blackjack players provided they offer favorable rules and pay 3 to 2 on naturals, especially if the players have taken the time to master perfect basic strategy, which we also discuss in this guide.
In our experience, many online casinos offer double-deck games where blackjacks return the standard 3-to-2 payout. Two examples that come to mind are Microgaming’s Vegas Downtown Blackjack and Premier High Streak Blackjack, where the virtual dealer stands on soft 17, which is great for the player.
Some rules have been adjusted even in online versions. If you have no option but to play on H17 double-deck tables, look for games where doubling after a split (DAS) and resplitting Aces (RSA) are allowed. The most profitable double-deck games follow the favorable rules outlined above. Above all, do not fall for the 6-to-5 ploy. Avoid those tables (double-deck or not) like the plague!