Surrender

The option to surrender was introduced in 1958 by the Continental Casino in Manila. This gave the player the option to throw in his hand after confirmation that the dealer did not have a Blackjack. In such cases the player would lose only half their stake providing they were not bust (holding a hand with a higher value than 21).

In 1978, the Resorts International in Atlantic City twisted the option slightly by offering players the opportunity to surrender before the dealer “peeked.” The two versions became respectively known as “late” surrender and “early” surrender. The “early” option proved to be highly lucrative for knowledgeable players and lasted only a short period before being abolished. Late surrender remains a popular playing option throughout the world, particularly in Las Vegas and in online versions of Las Vegas Blackjack or Las Vegas Downtown Blackjack.

Another variation is the option of “five-card surrender”. If the player draws five (low valued) cards with out going bust, they are permitted to relinquish their hand and receive their original wager plus one half of it. In such a case the player sacrifices a potential full win for the guarantee of a half win.

If after viewing the dealers up-card as well as their own, the player decides the odds are against them and chooses to discontinue with their hand, many casinos at this point will offer the late surrender option. This insures the player will lose only half of their original bet.

In single or double deck games that are dealt face down, if the player throws down his two cards face-up, he has expressed his intention to surrender. In a shoe game consisting of more decks the player simply says aloud, “I surrender”. As with all other playing decisions in an online casino, the option of surrender is selected by clicking a button when lit to indicate that it is possible.