Playing a Hand of 4 and 4 Against a Hand of 6 in Blackjack

Do you know what the right course of action is when you receive a pair of 4's in a blackjack game? What about when the dealer is holding a 6?

Firstly, consider your options. You can either hit, split or double down when you're playing this hand. But which choice is the most advantageous and which will minimize any potential negative return while protecting your initial wager?

Let's take a look at what happens when you split your hand into two separate blackjack hands. You now have two hands each containing a 4. You need to beat the dealer's 6 with one of your hands, which can be tricky when you're playing blackjack using multiple decks. Generally the dealer has a 43 percent likelihood of going bust when he holds a 6 in his hand, so you should be prepared for the odds to go against you.

If you decide to double down, you have a 49 percent chance of winning the hand and a 45 percent chance of losing. These odds are only slightly in your favor. So surely there must be a better way to play this hand!

Luckily, there is. Avoid splitting your two 4's. Instead, treat both cards as you would if you simply held an 8 in your hand. When you total both cards, you'll more likely to remember that when you hold 8 and the dealer holds 6, the best blackjack strategy is to hit. If you hit with two 4's, the averages will work in your favor. For every hundred hands you play, you will win 11 more hands than you lose. So not only is hitting on two 4's a better way of winning your hand, it is also a sound way of managing your bankroll.