It’s best to reserve surrender for scenarios with a high risk of losing
Using surrender in online blackjack can be a smart strategy to minimize losses, especially when you’re faced with a hand that likely won’t win. However, knowing when to use this option is key to making the most out of it. The surrender option lets you fold your hand after seeing the initial two cards, allowing you to get back half of your original bet. This option can be highly beneficial, but it’s only available in certain versions of blackjack, so it’s important to make sure the game you’re playing allows for it.
The most common situations where surrender is worth considering are against particularly strong dealer hands. For example, if you have a hard 16 (not a pair of eights) and the dealer shows a 9, 10, or Ace, surrendering is often the best move. These dealer cards give the house a strong advantage, meaning your odds of winning are very low. Rather than risking a complete loss, surrendering lets you recoup half of your wager and save money over the long run.
Surrendering can also be wise with a hard 15 if the dealer shows a 10. In this situation, the dealer’s high chance of winning makes it difficult for you to turn the hand around, so cutting your losses with surrender is a sensible play. These specific hand-dealer matchups—hard 16 vs. 9, 10, or Ace, and hard 15 vs. 10—are standard surrender situations recommended by basic blackjack strategy.
