Dealing With Blackjack Pushes
In blackjack games, it’s you against the dealer. Whoever has the hand that’s closest to 21 wins the game, but pushes or ties can happen. This post looks at blackjack pushes and discusses how to deal with them.
A push in blackjack means you don’t lose money. © englishlikeanative, Pixabay
What Is a Push in Blackjack?
Blackjack is a card-comparing game where your objective is simple: get closer to 21 than the dealer, but without going over 21. While many people can take part, everyone plays their own game against the dealer.
It’s possible for a push to occur. Also known as a tie, this is where your final hand total is of the same value as the dealer’s, e.g. you have both reached 19.
A push can also occur right at the start of a blackjack game. This is because it’s possible for both you and the dealer to have opening hands worth 21.
After receiving your cards, you check to see what their combined value is. If you have any card worth 10 (10, Q, J or K) and an ace (worth 1 or 11), you have 21.
One of the dealer’s cards is usually dealt face-up. If this is worth 10 or 11, they check to see what their other card is worth. This could bring the total value of the dealer’s hand to 21.
Getting 21 with your first two cards is known as a natural blackjack. If this happens to both you and the dealer, it’s a push, and the game doesn’t continue.
When a push happens, you don’t win or lose any money. This is because your wager is returned to you. Pushes, therefore, don’t affect your balance at all.
Bear in mind that at some land-based casinos, there’s a special rule that if there’s a push, the dealer wins. Before playing blackjack, check the rules so you know exactly what happens in the event of a push.
Even though pushes aren’t likely and you don’t lose money from them, it’s important that you don’t treat them as losses. If you see them as a negative, this could affect your approach to blackjack.
What About Split Bets?
If your starting hand contains two cards of the same value, you can split it. To do this, you double your wager, separate the cards into two new hands and add a card to each new hand.
You now have two hands instead of one. You treat each hand independently, one at a time, and the cards they contain don’t affect the other hand in any way.
Each hand can still win, lose or push as normal. You could end up with two pushes, a win and a loss, a win and a push – any combination is possible.
What Are the Chances of Getting a Push?
The chances of getting a push in standard blackjack games are quite slim. You’re much more likely to win or lose than have a game result in a tie. Below is a list of the odds of a push happening:
- Both players get a natural blackjack: 0.23%
- Both players draw to 21: 2.3%
- Both players draw to 20: 2.5%
- Both players draw to 19: 1.5%
- Both players draw to 18: 0.7%
- Both players draw to 17: 0.5%
The list above stops at 17 because the dealer has to hit when their hand is worth 16 or less. Once the dealer’s hand reaches 17, they stand and receive no more cards.
Can You Prevent a Push?
Whether you’re playing at a land-based casino or at one of the many blackjack casinos online, there’s nothing you can do to prevent a push from happening. This is because luck determines the cards you and the dealer receive.
While blackjack is a game that requires you to make decisions, there’s always an element that you can’t do anything about. You could make the best, most optimised decisions, but luck will always have a role to play.
No matter what you do with your first two cards, there’s always a chance the dealer will end up with the same total hand value as you. Pushes are a natural part of blackjack and should be expected.
Conclusion – Having a Push Isn’t That Bad
When a push happens in a blackjack game, it’s not exactly the end of the world. After all, while you don’t win any money, most importantly you don’t lose any money.
But the thing is, a push may disrupt your strategy. If you play in a particular style or use a strategy (e.g. basic blackjack strategy), you might feel like reconsidering things when a push happens.
Obviously, you want to win. When a push happens, it’s natural if you want to change the way you play to potentially give yourself a better chance of winning next time.
The next time you play blackjack, don’t worry about pushes too much because they’re bound to happen from time to time. Remember to play responsibly and don’t go over your budget.
