By all accounts, online blackjack is one of the most popular casino games around and one of the easiest table games to get the hang of. It is classy, packs in the suspense and drama by the bucketful and can be quite rewarding.
It is also an old game with lots of terms that might not be immediately familiar to players, especially new ones eager to get in on the action. One of the more obscure online blackjack terms is Early Surrender.
Now, while such a term has a faintly military connotation in online blackjack, it describes a fairly ordinary option available to blackjack players. Read on and get a detailed explanation.
Early Surrender: An Explanation
The Early Surrender is an online blackjack term used in reference to certain betting options that are available to players of some blackjack versions. If a player is in a casino where ‘Blackjack surrender” is offered, then such players will be aware that they are permitted to opt for an early surrender, when the gameplay experience gets too intense for them.
The way it works, players surrender well before the dealer checks his/her card for Blackjack. This sort of option is used by some players when they feel that the hand they are holding is not that good and have witnessed the dealer showing a strong initial card.
Should the above be the case and players opt for an early surrender, the dealer claims the surrendered cards, as well as half their wager. This sort of play is employed by astute players and guards against the big losses that are possible should players insist on playing their possibly inferior hand to the end.
Opting for an early surrender in online blackjack is totally dependant on the strategy of players and their gut feeling. Most casinos do not support the early surrender rule, so most blackjack professionals have not developed strategies to deal with such eventualities in gameplay.
Early Surrender is more than a gimmick and can prove quite useful in online blackjack. If provided, players might be wise to make use of it. An example of when early surrender would be appropriate is when the dealer has an ace, with the player possessing only a hard 5-7 or an equally hard 12-17.
Early Surrender is a worthwhile concept that prevents players from losing their whole stake and is a necessary strategy in cases where they face a powerful starting card. Should that be the case, the dealer in all probability will emerge a winner. But by utilizing an early surrender, players can show some maturity and foresight, apart from being able to walk away with half their wager.
Late Surrender
Also, quite a few casinos have something called a “late surrender”. This is essentially the same with the early surrender, with the prime difference being that the dealer can check his/her cards for blackjack before players can opt for a late surrender.