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The GameThe MovesHard TotalsSoft TotalsPairsSurrender & RulesLive HandCard Counting

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Lesson 2 · Pairs

TT and 55 — Never Split

Never split pairs of 10s (T,T) or pairs of 5s (5,5).

TT = hard 20, nearly unbeatable. 55 = hard 10, great for doubling. Breaking them up is a costly mistake.

Examples

TT vs 6
Q♦Q♦Q
Q♥Q♥Q
YOU
VS
6♦6♦6
DEALER
✓ Stand

Stand — hard 20 already wins, don't risk losing that advantage.

55 vs 9
5♣5♣5
5♣5♣5
YOU
VS
9♠9♠9
DEALER
✓ Hit

Hit (not double, not split) — treat 55 as hard 10.

Common mistake

Splitting tens 'while the dealer is weak'. That trades a winning 20 for two mediocre hands. And 5-5 isn't a pair to split — it's a 10 that wants to be doubled.

Guided practice

Try 8 hands from the category you just studied before the quiz.

Pair
K♥K♥K
K♥K♥K
YOUR HAND
VS
Dealer
7♦7♦7
DEALER

Quiz

Answer 8 out of 10 correctly to continue.

Check this hand on the full chart →