Playing a Hand of 3 and 3 in a Blackjack Game

Knowing the right way to play a hand of blackjack will not only win you more hands. It will also help you conserve your funds and gain a better understanding of the return you make on each dollar you invest.

The basic blackjack strategy for playing a hand that consists of two 3's is very similar to the recommended way you should play two 2's. There are times when you should hit and times when you should split to make sure you minimize the negative return.

Let's take a closer look at this hand to make better choices on how to play it. Consider the consequences of splitting your hand into two hands of 3. If you do this when the dealer holds 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7, you will make a positive return on each dollar you've wagered. This return is approximately $0.05 to +$0.20.

However, watch how this positive return is turned into a negative return when the dealer holds 8, 9 10 or Ace. If you split under these circumstances, you will receive a negative return of -$0.23 to -$0.55 on every dollar you've spent.

Now let's look at hitting. Hitting on a total of 6 will always bring you a negative return. If you hit when the dealer holds 8 through to Ace, the return is -$0.22 to -$0.34. This becomes more favorable when you hit on the dealer's hand of 2 through to 7 (approximately -$0.01 to -$0.15.)

Taking the above into consideration, the recommended course of action when you start a game with two 3's is to split if the dealer holds 2 through to 7 and to hit when the dealer holds cards 8 and above.