Doubling down in blackjack far too often; Gaming guides; Sudoku Word

It is considered the “money” move in basic blackjack, a way to make twice as much profit with one flick of the wrist. Dealers and pit bosses refer to it as “reaching deep.” For the rest of us, it’s known as “doubling down.”

And, to be honest, most of us do it way too often.

Before you get all riled up at that last statement, before you run cursing to the nearest odds card, allow me to explain.

For starters, and for novices, let’s review what “doubling down” is. After you’ve been dealt your first two cards in blackjack, you have an option of doubling your initial bet — but you get only one additional card.

Next, let’s make sure we agree on when it makes the most sense to “double.” Because the object of the game is to beat the dealer, because the highest score you can earn is 21, and because there are 16 different 10- value cards in a single deck, doubling is the most statistically advantageous play if your first two cards equal 11 or 10.

It’s also widely acknowledged that doubling is the right play when the dealer shows a bust card ( a 5 or a 6) and you’ve got an ace and a2, 3, 4, 5 or 6. The primary thinking is that when you double your hand, there are more cards in the deck that can help you instead of hurt you. Of course the secondary thought is this: The dealer has a bust card showing anyway.

Beyond these basic rules, however, the strategy behind doubling down gets complicated.

Many players in today’s casinos jump at the chance to double down when their first two cards equal 9 and the dealer is showing anything

except a 10. According to odds experts all over the world, unless you’re playing single- or doubledeck, this strategy will cost you serious cash over time.

( In those games, it’s only a good idea to double on a 9 against a dealer’s 2,3, 4, 5 or 6.)

Some players also will opt not to double when they receive two 5s against a dealer’s 5 or 6 — instead, they’ll split ’ em and play the cards as separate hands. This, too, is an error. As tempting as it might be to split your 5s, the rule is to treat them like any old 10 and double. The way I see it, this is a classic case of not being able to see the forest through the trees.

The bottom line: Doubling down is a great strategy, but legitimate opportunities to do it are not as common as one might think. Pick your spots poorly and you’ll go home a loser. Choose wisely and you have a better chance of coming out ahead.