Settling "Can the blackjack dealer split?" means following a single hand from the deal to the settlement. Blackjack is a contest between each player and the dealer, and the aim is to finish closer to twenty one than the dealer without going over. Every hand follows the same order: two cards each, a round of decisions for the players, then the dealer's own draw under fixed rules. Knowing the options at each step, and when each makes sense, is most of what the game asks of a player.
Number cards count at face value, picture cards count ten, and an ace counts one or eleven, whichever helps the hand more. A hand holding an ace counted as eleven is called soft, because a further card cannot bust it, while a hand without that flexibility is hard. An ace with a ten value card on the first two cards is a blackjack, the best hand in the game, and it usually pays more than an ordinary win.
Doubling down doubles the stake in exchange for exactly one more card, and it works best on totals of ten or eleven against a weaker dealer card. Splitting turns a pair into two separate hands, each with its own stake, and is always worth doing with aces and eights under standard advice. Tens are kept together, since twenty is already a strong total. Table rules decide whether a split hand may be doubled or split a second time.
Basic strategy is a chart that gives the best decision for every player total against every dealer card, worked out by simulating millions of hands. It fits on a single card and is allowed at most online tables. Following it removes guesswork and keeps the game close to its lowest cost, while playing by hunch gives much of that back. Charts vary slightly with the table rules, so the right one matches the game in front of the player.
Other questions
What is the difference between soft and hard totals?
A soft hand holds an ace counted as eleven and cannot bust on the next card, whereas a hard hand lacks that flexible ace.
Is blackjack insurance worth taking?
Insurance, offered when the dealer shows an ace, pays two to one on a dealer blackjack but over time costs more than it returns unless cards are tracked.
When is doubling down on ten or eleven a good idea?
Doubling adds a second stake for exactly one more card, and it works best on ten or eleven when the dealer shows a weaker card.
How much is an ace worth in blackjack?
An ace counts as one or eleven, whichever helps the hand more, while picture cards count ten and number cards keep their face value.