1. If the dealer has blackjack, the same stands, surrendering is no longer an option. To signal, simply announce to the dealer ‘surrender’, or use the hand signal drawing from left to right on the table with your finger.
2. The Surrender Playing Decision in Blackjack Additional Tips If you are looking to surrender your hand, you must do so at the very start of the round before you have drawn any additional cards. Players are also required to use the correct hand signal when surrendering.

Late surrender, explained above, refers to being able to do so in hole card games, only after the dealer has checked for a blackjack. It is the most common option at all types of casinos. If the dealer checks and does indeed have a blackjack, surrendering is thus made unavailable.

Blackjack is a game which emphasises concentration and focus in order to win, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t time to learn the important rules of table manners (get it?). First and foremost, you should be confident in your knowledge and understanding of the rules and terminology of 21 before joining a table. The choice of where and how you play is up to you, and your enjoyment should be the number one priority, but it’s equally as important to be respectful of other players and dealers so everyone’s experience is as smooth as yours.

Know the Rules…

While the casino environment is highly entertaining, we are dealing with real money and real people, and real money and real people need real rules. Casinos go to the utmost lengths to maintain control and ensure security.

Here are the basic and more important rules to adhere to when playing 21:

• Buy chips between hands only, and have your money ready to present to the dealer.
• Never ask to convert small denomination chips for larger ones.
• Never touch or change your bets after the first card is dealt and placed on the table.
• Place additional chips next to your original wager rather than on top of it.
• Cards dealt face up cannot be touched at all.
• Cards dealt face down can be touched but with a single hand only.

Most dealers and other players are helpful in providing instructions should you forget a particular hand signal or misunderstand a rule, for example. However, needing constant help and reminders on how to play can unfairly slow down the game. Other players may become impatient of such inexperience, and the dealer has more important things to worry about than constantly teaching someone the rules they should already know. So brush up on the everything you need to know before hitting the tables.

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…and Hand Signals

•If you’ve mostly played blackjack online or if you’re new to the game, it’s understandable if you are rusty on the hand signals used within B&R casinos. Each signal varies depending on whether the blackjack game played is face-up or face-down, but all are easy to remember:

• In face up games, the hand signal used to indicate a hit is a tap on the table next to the cards. In face down games, gently scratch your cards across the felt.
• In face up games, a wave of your hands over the cards signifies a stand. In face down games, slide your cards under their initial bets.
• In face up games, if you want to double down, simply voice your intentions and place another stack of chips (equal in value to your original bet) directly next to your initial bet on the table. If you also want to perform a hand signal, although not necessary, hold your first finger up indicating you only want one more card (this applies for face down games, too).
• In face up games, if you want to split, you also are required to voice your intentions and place another stack of chips (equal in value to your original bet) next to your initial bet on the table, slightly further apart than you would when requesting to double. The hand signal for a split, which applies for both face down and face up games, is to raise your index and middle fingers in the shape of a ‘V’.
• There is no standard hand signal for surrendering, but if a player wishes to surrender, they can place an index finger above the table and draw an imaginary horizontal line from their cards to the dealer’s cards. But you need to voice your intentions first.
• If you bust in a face down game of BJ, simply lay down your cards face up beside your bet. Don’t throw the cards in frustration, as much as you might want to.

Note: If you are dealt a matching pair, it is important to make your intentions clear, because you may wish to double or split; so hand signals are quite useful. Having said that, you still need to verbalise what you intend to do.

If might sounds obvious, but make sure you know whether you are playing a face up or face down game of 21 prior to commencing, in order to avoid any confusion.

Respect the Dealer

The dealer is not your enemy, nor is he/she someone to expect any favours or sympathies from. The dealer is there to handle the game on behalf of the casino. Friendly banter and conversation is fine, but you should always remain mindful of their primary role as a dealer, and be respectful when playing at their table.

If you want, you can ask a dealer for some advice on what your next move should be, but don’t make a habit out of it. They may provide you with an insightful answer, they might give you a vague answer, or they may refuse to offer any advice at all. Whatever they choose to do, chances are they will be polite about it, so you should too. If you choose to follow any advice given which doesn’t pay off, you can never blame the dealer for your misfortunes, as any advice given will most likely be based on basic strategy, which as we all know, doesn’t always work.

I have witnessed a few players express strong frustration with a poor hand, displeased at the dealer and expecting some sort of favour. Seriously. Your hand is your hand and nothing can be done to change the cards dealt, so enjoy the game and make your next decision based on careful thinking. We know you will, we’re just here for some reinforcement.

Observe From Afar

If you happen to come across a blackjack table you’re more inclined to watch rather than join, observe and enjoy the game from a distance to avoid interfering or distracting the participants. If you’re staring at a player’s cards behind their back it can be rather agitating or invasive for those who are concentrating, and it can be a distraction for others. If there’s an empty seat on the table, be mindful to leave it available for other potential players.

Note: Most casinos allow you to bet behind a player (back betting). This means you can bet on another player’s hand, but that player remains in control of the hand. If they win, your bet also wins, and the same goes for a loss. So if you don’t wish to sit at a table, but opt to bet behind someone, you can do so by placing your chips behind the controlling player’s chips.

Control Your Drinks

Remain in control of your drinks while you’re at the BJ table. We all love a night out on the town with a few drinks and some great games, but it’s important to be mindful of your behaviour and avoid excessive drinking. Drunken behaviour will turn other players away from a table and is almost guaranteed to get you escorted.

If your casino serves drinks on the floor, be respectful of other players and decide on what drinks you want in between hands. There are few things more irritating than waiting for a player deciding whether to order a beer or a bourbon and coke. Most casinos are going to allow you to place your drinks on the table while you play, so just be careful not to spill them. We obviously aren’t immune from mistakes, but we can try our best to reduce the risk of knocking over a drink by staying alert. I’ve seen spillages happen numerous times before, and it’s a bloody hassle for employees and all players involved when the table gets soaked in alcohol, as there is always going to be a lengthy pause before play can restart.

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Let’s face it, sometimes we are just having an off day, with bad hand after bad hand. And sometimes, surrendering is our best bet; an occasionally viable tactic in games of blackjack which allow the player to do so. Surrendering, as we explain in our glossary of blackjack terms, refers to the offer in some games styles of blackjack (mainly American versions) which allows players to forfeit their hand in the current round and get back half of their original wager. The option to do so is offered by some land-based casinos, and the majority of online casinos.

If you have a hard hand of 14 and the dealer has an Ace on show, surrendering in order to retrieve half of your bet instead of quite possibly losing it all can be appropriate. Surrendering is a feasible option if you are dealt a poor hand and the dealer has a strong hand, but it has to be used in the right situation. Otherwise, it’s money down the drain that could have won.

Available Surrendering Options

Surrendering is only available as a first decision of a two-card hand. It is usually only offered in hole-card games (but see below for variations), where the dealer draws two cards and may or may not peek at the hole (face down card), before players make their decisions. But in general, surrendering will usually only be available directly after the dealer has checked for blackjack.

The variations we speak of are early and late surrender. Late surrender, explained above, refers to being able to do so in hole card games, only after the dealer has checked for a blackjack. It is the most common option at all types of casinos. If the dealer checks and does indeed have a blackjack, surrendering is thus made unavailable.

Alternatively, early surrender is when you are allowed to surrender before the dealer checks (or if the dealer doesn’t check at all) for blackjack in hole-card games, or in a no-hole-card game, where the dealer does not draw a second card until all players have acted. As you can see, early surrender is significantly more favourable to the player than late surrender is, which is why early surrender is not often available.

When to Consider the Move

As mentioned above, surrendering can be an appropriate play if used at the right time. It may seem like a cowardly move which is not progressive or beneficial in the long-run, and it is if not used correctly: you’re wasting hands that have the potential to win. Only consider surrendering as a last possible resort on the very worst hands.

There are only a few hands in which surrendering can be considered (late surrender). If you are lucky enough to be playing with the rare early surrender option, this allows for more flexibility and you might consider surrendering medium to low strength hands if the dealer holds an Ace (and the hole-card has not yet been examined).

Poor Hands to Consider for Early Surrender

Blackjack Surrender After Split

• You hold a total of 12 to 17 against a dealer’s Ace.
• You hold a total of five to seven against a dealer’s Ace.
• You hold a total of 14 to 16 and the dealer has a Ten.
• You hold a total of 16 and the dealer shows a Nine.

Poor Hands to Consider for Late Surrender

• Your hand totals a hard-15 and the dealer holds a 10-valued card or an Ace.
• Your hand totals a hard-16 and the dealer holds a Nine, 10-valued card or Ace.
• Your hand totals a hard-17 and the dealer holds an Ace.

How to Surrender in Blackjack

At most land-based casinos, BJ tables will have rules on a placard for players to view, but it is still worth confirming with the dealer before playing, just to make be certain surrendering (or any other option for that matter) is available. Online casinos will typically label each game with the available options which can be checked before, during and after play.

To surrender at an online table, click the corresponding surrender button. To do so at a land-based BJ table, wait until you have the dealer’s attention after receiving your cards, and verbalise your intentions (with a possible follow-up hand signal). There is no standard hand signal for surrendering, but players will usually move a finger from right to left on the table above their cards (drawing an imaginary line). We suggest making your surrendering intentions clear by first saying so, because signalling a surrender with your hands can be sometimes be misinterpreted as a hit, so verbalisation is really the best way to go.

Blackjack Surrender Hand Signal

Once recognised, the dealer will remove your cards from the table, take half your bet and return the other half to you. Essentially, you have forfeited the opportunity to play out your hand and the casino keeps half of your bet while the other half acts as a push/stand-off/tie; whatever you want to call it.