When to Surrender in Blackjack
The few hands where giving up half your bet is the best move.
Surrender gives up half your bet for certain. It is only right for a handful of hands, mainly hard 15 and 16 against a dealer 10.
When to surrender
With the dealer standing on soft 17, surrender only these hands, on your first two cards (the chart at the end of this section shows this case):
- Hard 16 against a dealer 9, 10 or ace.
- Hard 15 against a dealer 10.
If the dealer hits soft 17, also surrender:
- Hard 15 against an ace.
- Hard 17 against an ace.
- A pair of 8s against an ace.
In every other case, play the hand normally. Do not surrender hands like soft totals, 14 or lower, or a pair of 8s against anything but an ace.
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | A | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | S | S | S | S | S | H | H | H | R | H |
| 16 | S | S | S | S | S | H | H | R | R | R |
| 17+ | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S |
Why it works
Surrender makes sense when the hand is so weak that playing it loses more than half your bet on average. A hard 16 against a 10 loses about 57.5 pence in the pound if you hit or stand. Surrendering loses about 54 pence. It does not feel like winning, but it loses less. These are exact averages for an infinite deck with a dealer who checks for blackjack.
| Hand against dealer | Best play without surrender | Average result | Surrender |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hard 16 v 10 | Hit | −£0.575 | −£0.539 |
| Hard 15 v 10 | Hit | −£0.543 | −£0.539 |
| Hard 16 v 9 | Hit | −£0.509 | −£0.500 |
| Hard 16 v A (dealer stands on soft 17) | Hit | −£0.666 | −£0.654 |
| Hard 15 v A (dealer hits soft 17) | Hit | −£0.659 | −£0.654 |
| Hard 17 v A (dealer hits soft 17) | Stand | −£0.665 | −£0.654 |
The savings are small on any one hand, and surrender is worth less than a tenth of a percentage point of house edge overall, but that is real money over many hands, and it costs nothing to learn.
Rules to check
- It is a late surrender rule. You can only surrender after the dealer has checked for blackjack, so if the dealer has blackjack you lose the whole bet.
- Only on your first two cards. You cannot surrender after hitting, and not after a split.
- Many games do not offer it. It is common in some casinos and online games, and absent in others. If it is not offered, just play the hand using the normal chart.
In the calculator, switch Surrender on in the rules to see the surrender moves.
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Frequently asked questions
When should I surrender in blackjack?
With late surrender allowed and the dealer standing on soft 17, surrender hard 16 against a dealer 9, 10 or ace and hard 15 against a dealer 10. If the dealer hits soft 17, also surrender hard 15 and hard 17 against an ace, and a pair of 8s against an ace.
Should I surrender 16 against 10?
Yes, if surrender is allowed. It loses about 54 pence per £1 compared with about 57.5 pence for hitting or standing.
What is late surrender?
Late surrender lets you give up half your bet after the dealer checks for blackjack. If the dealer has blackjack, you lose the full bet and surrender is not an option.
Can I surrender after hitting?
No. Surrender is only available on your first two cards, before you take any other action.
What if my game does not allow surrender?
Play the hand using the normal chart. In nearly all of these hands the move is to hit, or to stand for hard 17 against an ace.