Top Strategies & Rules for Playing 6-Deck Blackjack

Blackjack is a classic casino game with many variations developed over the years. A popular feature of online blackjack games seen today is the use of multiple decks, typically between four and eight decks.

If you’re interested in playing blackjack, my quick 6-Deck Blackjack online guide will reveal the best tips, strategies, and will detail how to use a basic Blackjack 6 Deck strategy chart for a game with this many decks.

When to Surrender When Playing 6-Deck Blackjack?

Surrendering is an option offered on some blackjack tables. There are two types of surrender options: early surrender and late surrender. The former is the most common, allowing you to surrender your first two cards once they’re dealt.

If you surrender, you’ll receive half your original bet back and forfeit your cards. This means you’ll be out of the game for that round, but in some cases, it’s a better option than losing your entire bet by playing a very weak hand.

Remember, surrendering isn’t always an option, so you’ll need to check the game rules first. If it’s available, you should surrender if you have a hard 16 and the dealer has a 9, 10, or Ace. The other scenario where you should surrender your cards is if you have a hard 15 and the dealer’s card is a 10.

When to Split When Playing 6-Deck Blackjack?

With your first two cards in hand, you’ll have several options for playing your hand. Splitting is usually an available game move if you’re dealt a pair (two cards with the same value). With some pairs, it’s better to split your cards into two new hands to give yourself better odds of beating the dealer. Other pairs are better played as they are rather than as two separate hands.

Whenever in doubt, you can always consult a 4-deck blackjack to 8-deck blackjack strategy chart, which will tell you when to split. We’ve also summarised the best 6 deck blackjack strategy for splitting, according to basic strategy.

• Split Aces or 8s.

• Never split a pair of 5s or 10s.
• Split 2s or 3s if the dealer has a 4, 5, 6, or 7. If doubling after splitting is an option (DAS), split these pairs against a dealer’s 2 or 3 as well.
• Split 4s if DAS is an option and the dealer’s card is a 5 or a 6.
• Split 6s against the dealer’s 3 through 6. If DAS is allowed, split against a dealer’s 2.
• Split 7s against the dealer’s card is 2 through 7.
• Split 9s against a dealer’s 2 through 6, 8, or 9.

When to Double When Playing 6-Deck Blackjack?

Doubling down on your original two cards means doubling your original wager and receiving a third card. Hitting after doubling down isn’t usually allowed, although it depends on the game’s rules. There are a few strong hands which you should take advantage of by doubling the value of your initial bet.

According to basic strategy, these are the hands you should double down on in a six-deck game. Remember to differentiate between soft totals and hard totals.

• Double a hard 9 if the dealer’s card is 3 through 6.
• Double a hard 10 on any dealer’s upcard, except a 10 or an Ace.
• Double a hard 11 on any dealer’s card except an Ace.
• Double a soft 13 and 14 if the dealer’s card is a 5 or a 6.
• Double a soft 15 and 16 if the dealer has a 4, 5, or 6.
• Double a soft 17 and 18 if the dealer’s card is 3 through 6.

When to Hit or Stand When Playing 6-Deck Blackjack?

Hitting and standing are the two most common moves in blackjack. In most scenarios, you’ll be using one of these basic game moves to play your hand.

In a nutshell, if the combined value of your cards is high, you would stand because taking another card would risk busting. Similarly, if your hand value is too low to compete with the dealer’s, you would take another card.

Deciding to hit or stand shouldn’t be based on your two cards alone; it’s very important to check the dealer’s card and follow a blackjack chart 6 deck strategy to find the correct move.

These are the key rules for hitting on your first two cards in a 6-deck game.

• Hit on any total up to a hard 11.
• Hit on a soft 17 or less.
• Hit on a hard 12 if the dealer’s card is a 2, 3, or 7 through Ace.
• Hit on a hard 13 through 16 if the dealer’s card is a 7 or higher.
• Hit on a hard 18 if the dealer has a 9, 10, or an Ace.

We’ve also listed the most important hands to stand on in 6 deck blackjack online.

Stand on a hard 12 if the dealer has a 4, 5, or 6.

• Stand on a hard 13 to 16 if the dealer has anything from 2 to 6.
• Stand on a hard 17 or higher.
• Stand on soft 18 if the dealer’s card is 2 through 8.
• Stand on soft 19 or higher regardless of the dealer’s card.

The House Edge in 6-Deck Blackjack

The house edge depends on multiple factors in blackjack, and it’s always slightly different for each blackjack variant. It can change according to the game’s rules, the number of decks used, the payouts, and the player’s skill level. The total the dealer stands on also influences the house edge. In some games, the dealer hits on 16 but stands on 17, while in others, the dealer hits on soft 17.

The 6 deck blackjack odds are quite good because the house edge is around 0.55%. The house edge increases slightly for every extra deck used, but it’s impossible to calculate the exact advantage for the casino because it depends on many other factors.

Advantages and Disadvantages of 6-Deck Blackjack

Most blackjack experts will agree that the fewer decks used, the lower the casino’s advantage, which means better odds for you. While it’s true that more decks equal a higher house edge, there are other pros and cons to consider when playing 6-Deck Blackjack.

More importantly, it’s worth noting that most blackjack game variants use between four to eight decks. Single-deck blackjack tables aren’t as common, and while they may offer a slightly lower house edge, the game rules might not be as player-friendly.

➕ Advantages	➖ Disadvantages
✅ You can use a blackjack basic strategy chart to play the game.	❌ Six decks make the game less favourable for card counters.
✅ The house edge is slightly lower when compared to an eight-deck game.	❌ The house edge is higher compared to a single, double, or four-deck game.
✅ There are many popular blackjack variants which use six decks.
✅ The game rules are normally standard blackjack rules and simple to understand.
✅ A natural blackjack typically pays 3:2.

FAQs – Frequently Asked Questions About 6-Deck Blackjack