Double down is an essential part of blackjack. If you want to win you have to capitalize on the opportunities to maximize your wagers while you have the advantage. Basic strategy tells you exactly that.

What does doubling down mean? Doubling down means that you double your wager by placing an equal wager next to your initial wager and you will receive one, card and one card only.

Before doubling down, you should always look at the dealer's up-card first. If the dealer's card is a 5-6 you should double your bet for one more card when you have a total value of 9,10 or 11. Five and 6 are considered the worst cards for the dealer, whereas a hand value of 9, 10, or 11 puts you in good standing to create a strong hand.

If you get a 10-card you can make 19-20 or 21, which is usually a winning hand against the combination of cards that the dealer needs to get when starting with a five or 6.

You will also want to double down on hands that you can not bust on and the dealer has a bust card. For instance, when you have an Ace and a three or an Ace and four (soft 14/soft 15). You can refer to the nrxhb.shop strategy chart for more examples.

If you have a soft 14 and the dealer has a six, that is an advantageous position. You can never bust by taking one more card because your Ace will simply turn from an 11 to a one to give you that new total.

Doubling down is crucial to the success of any gambling session. You need to know when to double and more importantly when not to double.

If you have an 11 you may think that it’s the perfect opportunity to double. In most cases, it is. You double that 11 on any card — except when the dealer has an Ace. The dealer Ace is extremely tricky. You only have a 30% chance of spiking a 10 on that 11. It is not enough because the Ace gives the dealer two chances to get a better score than you. So in this case, you simply hit the 11 and do not double.

Players, remember: always check the table rules for doubling down before committing any of your bankroll to the game.

So let's recap. Basic strategy on doubling down says you should:

• Double down when you have a total of 9-11 and the dealer has a five or 6 up-card
• Double down on soft 14/15 and the dealer has a bust card
• Do not double down when the dealer has an Ace

Check out more tips and tricks on basic strategy with nrxhb.shop's complete guide to winning more at blackjack.

Next up, we're looking at strategy charts and how they can help you deploy basic strategy in your blackjack games.