Early and Late Surrender in Blackjack is two common playing strategies in the game. Based on your playing techniques and conditions, you would need to apply the right gaming strategies. As a player, it is important that you get a good idea of the two terms and the difference between them. This will help you to choose the right strategy accordingly.
In simple terms, a late Surrender is an option where a player can surrender the cards and forfeit half of the bet after a dealer looks at the cards. On the other hand, Early surrender refers to the situation where you can surrender your hand right after dealing your cards even before the dealer looks into them.
Late surrender is effective if implemented properly
Late surrender is a gaming strategy that is based on the house rules of the casino. Because it takes place at the later point of the game after the dealer looks at them, the house rules and payout ratios play a significant role in implementing the strategy. The hand values of the game determine the player to opt for this gaming technique. Some of the instances when the scope for late surrender takes place are when the player hits a hard 16 against the dealer’s 9, or a hard 15 or 16 against the dealer’s 10. In this case, you would need to forfeit your hand in lieu of the half of the original bet.
In case the dealer has a natural Blackjack, then you will not be able to do the surrender. Moreover, you will also lose the original bet. Late surrender is quite a gaming strategy that applies to different variants of the game. In the case of land-based casinos, you will need to ask the dealer whether this form of strategy is allowed. In the case of online casinos, you can get an idea from the rules and regulations of the particular game. Refer to the respective terms and conditions of the particular game to get a better idea of the same.
Know the right time to opt for late surrender
- Players should have an idea of the right situation when they would need to opt for the late surrender strategy. This will help them to reap the best benefits out of the strategy.
- If the dealer shows an Ace card or a 10-valued card, the hand total will be 15
- If the dealer shows an Ace card or 10-valued card, the hand total will be 16. It will also include a pair of 8’s
- If the dealer shows an Ace card, the hand total will be 17
However, there are also certain situations where you should be extra careful while opting for late surrender. For example, in the game of single deck Blackjack, if the dealer stands on soft 17 or shows a 9, 10 or an Ace card, you will have a hand total of 15. In this case, do not opt for surrendering. In the same way, if the dealer shows a 9 along with a hand total of 16, you should not go for this gaming strategy. Moreover, this technique should not be used if the dealer stands on soft 17 with a hand total of 17.
In case of Early surrender, the player forfeits the hand and half the bet even before the dealer checks them. In most cases, it takes place in the following gaming situations:
- Dealer ace versus hard 5-7
- Dealer ace versus hard 12-17
- Dealer ace versus a pair of 3’s, 6’s, 7’s, or 8’s
- Dealer 10 versus hard 14-16
- Dealer 10 versus a pair of 7’s or 8’s
In some Blackjack variants, players are also allowed to surrender their hands once the game starts if they feel there is almost no chance of winning.