When to Double Down
Every hand and dealer upcard combination where the mathematically correct play is to double your bet.
Hard totals. Double these hands:
| Your hand | Double against |
|---|---|
| 9 | vs dealer 3 |
| 9 | vs dealer 4 |
| 9 | vs dealer 5 |
| 9 | vs dealer 6 |
| 10 | vs dealer 2 |
| 10 | vs dealer 3 |
| 10 | vs dealer 4 |
| 10 | vs dealer 5 |
| 10 | vs dealer 6 |
| 10 | vs dealer 7 |
| 10 | vs dealer 8 |
| 10 | vs dealer 9 |
| 11 | vs dealer 2 |
| 11 | vs dealer 3 |
| 11 | vs dealer 4 |
| 11 | vs dealer 5 |
| 11 | vs dealer 6 |
| 11 | vs dealer 7 |
| 11 | vs dealer 8 |
| 11 | vs dealer 9 |
| 11 | vs dealer 10 |
Soft totals (Ace-high hands). Double these:
| Your hand | Double against |
|---|---|
| Soft 13 | vs dealer 5 |
| Soft 13 | vs dealer 6 |
| Soft 14 | vs dealer 5 |
| Soft 14 | vs dealer 6 |
| Soft 15 | vs dealer 4 |
| Soft 15 | vs dealer 5 |
| Soft 15 | vs dealer 6 |
| Soft 16 | vs dealer 4 |
| Soft 16 | vs dealer 5 |
| Soft 16 | vs dealer 6 |
| Soft 17 | vs dealer 3 |
| Soft 17 | vs dealer 4 |
| Soft 17 | vs dealer 5 |
| Soft 17 | vs dealer 6 |
| Soft 18 | vs dealer 3 |
| Soft 18 | vs dealer 4 |
| Soft 18 | vs dealer 5 |
| Soft 18 | vs dealer 6 |
Pairs. Double after splitting into these:
| Your hand | Double against |
|---|---|
| 5,5 (as 10) | vs dealer 2 |
| 5,5 (as 10) | vs dealer 3 |
| 5,5 (as 10) | vs dealer 4 |
| 5,5 (as 10) | vs dealer 5 |
| 5,5 (as 10) | vs dealer 6 |
| 5,5 (as 10) | vs dealer 7 |
| 5,5 (as 10) | vs dealer 8 |
| 5,5 (as 10) | vs dealer 9 |
Why doubling down matters
Doubling down means doubling your bet in exchange for exactly one more card. It's only correct when your hand has a strong chance of ending up close to 21 and the dealer is unlikely to beat it, which is why hard 10 and 11 double so widely, while doubling on a weak hand like hard 8 is never correct.
Want the play for your exact hand?
Use the free Blackjack Odds Calculator. Pick your cards and the dealer's upcard to get the correct Hit, Stand, Double, or Split instantly.