What is Double Down?
A blackjack move where a player doubles their original bet after seeing their first two cards, in exchange for receiving exactly one more card. Strategically valuable when the player has a strong total (especially 11) and the dealer shows a weak upcard.
Real-World Example
Dealt 6 and 5 (total 11) against dealer's 6. Basic strategy says double down — place an equal bet and receive one card. If you draw a 10, you have 21 against a likely bust dealer.
Related Terms
Hard Hand
In blackjack, any hand that either contains no Ace, or contains an Ace that must be counted as 1 to avoid busting. A hard 16 (e.g., 10 + 6) is the most statistically difficult hand in the game.
Basic Strategy (Blackjack)
A mathematically optimal set of decisions (hit, stand, double down, split, or surrender) for every possible blackjack hand combination. Applied correctly, basic strategy reduces the house edge to approximately 0.4–0.6%.
Soft Hand
In blackjack, any hand containing an Ace counted as 11 without risking bust. A soft hand can never bust on the next card because the Ace can revert to 1 if needed.
Split
A blackjack move where a player with two identical-value cards separates them into two independent hands, each requiring an additional bet equal to the original. Basic strategy dictates specific situations when splitting is optimal.