The harsh truth is that double deck blackjack doesn’t automatically offer better odds: smart strategy is still essential. Many underestimate how quickly small mistakes or poor table rules can erase any advantage. This guide details the most effective plays, the impact of splitting and doubling, and how rule variations change the house edge.

• Double deck basic strategy charts
• Why follow the charts?
• Deck strategy tips for New Zealand players
• Should you play double-deck games?

Double deck basic strategy charts

• Dealer stands on S17

• Dealer hits on S17

Legend

• Hit – you ask for another card.
• Stand – you keep your current cards.
• Split – you break up your pair into two cards.
• D./Hit – Double, if possible, otherwise Hit.
• D./St. – Double, if possible, otherwise Stand.
• Sp./hit – Split, if Doubling is allowed after, otherwise Hit.
• Sr./Sp. – Surrender, if allowed, and Doubling after Split isn’t. Otherwise Split.
• Sr./Hit – Surrender, if it is allowed, otherwise Hit.
• Sr./St. – Surrender, if you are allowed, otherwise Stand.

Why follow the charts?

A chart summarizes the best decisions NZ players can take in each possible situation.

They are referred to as double deck basic strategy player charts since they only consider the information available within one round: your two cards, the dealer’s upcard, and the choice of Blackjack rules.

Regardless of whether NZ players are gambling on Blackjack online casinos or in land-based establishments, applying this basic strategy will reduce it from around 2%, down to 0.5%, for all game of Blackjack versions.

Does the 2 deck Blackjack strategy differ from others?

In both soft 17 rule game versions, the basic charts differ for hard hands and pair Splitting decisions. Here are the differences between the strategies for two-deck and multi-deck games.

Finding a table that offers a Blackjack 3 to 2 payout can further improve your odds and lower the house edge.

Dealer stands on S17 differences

• You Double, or otherwise Hit for a hard 9 against a dealer’s 2, instead of Hitting.
• For a dealer upcard of 9 and a hard 16 hand, you Hit instead of surrendering, even if possible.
• Hits for a pair of 6s against a 7 and a pair of 7s against an eight turn into Splitting if the mix of playing rules allow for doubling afterwards.

In specific scenarios, using Blackjack Surrender can be a smart way to minimize your losses in double-deck games.

Dealer hits on S17 differences

• A hard 10 against a 10 requires Hitting, rather than Doubling.
• All other differences for Dealers Hit on Soft 17 games are the same as for Stand on a Soft 17 versions.

Deck strategy tips for New Zealand players

1. Do not take insurance or even money bets.
2. To understand why insurance might not be the best bet, look at our detailed guide on Blackjack Insurance for more insights.
3. A 5-card pair acts as a hard 10 hand in the chart.
4. You should always stand on a pair of 10s.
5. If pair Splitting is not allowed, take the pair to be a hard hand. A pair of Aces acts as soft hands in this case.
6. If you can’t re-split Aces but can draw after Splitting, double for 5 and 6 dealer upcards and hit otherwise

Another approach some players consider is the Martingale Blackjack Strategy, which focuses on doubling bets after a loss to recover lost funds potentially.

Should you play double-deck games?

The number of decks directly affects the table game house edge, with fewer decks amounting to a lesser advantage. Games with only two decks of cards have better odds than most other game versions, with only games played with one deck of cards surpassing them.

In other words, single and double-deck games are always preferable since they provide the lowest house edge. However, double-deck games are more frequent in casino environments than single-deck games.

Check out our comprehensive guide on Blackjack Odds to better understand how deck numbers affect your overall chances.

House edge depending on decks

What’s your take?

A betting strategy can have different outcomes depending on the player that uses it. Leave a comment below with your personal experience using this approach and if it worked for you.

Looking to try these strategies at a real table? Check out our guide to the Best Land-Based Live Casinos to Visit in New Zealand.