Have you ever wondered what a push is in blackjack? Don't worry; the concept is rather easy to grasp. Although rare, there is always a possibility of hitting a push, a situation that essentially resets the ongoing round and lets you keep your initial wager.
Let's analyse this unique blackjack rule more profoundly to prevent a push from coming to shove once you're at the table.
What Is a Push in Blackjack?
First things first: What does push mean in blackjack? A blackjack push occurs when the dealer and the player get a hand with an identical total point value. To put it simply, this is a tie situation; neither the croupier nor the player wins the hand, and the player gets their bet back.
For instance, if both the dealer and the player get a total point value of 19, the round is declared a push, and nobody wins, allowing the next round to start. Remember, however, that blackjack is a game played against the dealer, and with multiple players around the table, some lucky fella may still hit closer to blackjack and win the round!
Although a push is rare, it is possible, so learning from it can affect your game.
Blackjack Push Basic Rules: What You Need to Know
Unless set forth differently for a specific blackjack variant, the general blackjack rules concerning a tie in blackjack are pretty straightforward:
- A blackjack push occurs when the player and the dealer strike the same hand value regardless of the hands' composition;
- The result of a push blackjack is a tie between the dealer and the player;
- If a push occurs, the player gets their original bet back, and a round can start anew;
- Since it's written up as neither a win nor a loss, a push doesn't influence one's total tally of wins or losses.
These rules concern the conventional game found at most blackjack casinos. When you play blackjack online, we suggest you steer clear of sites or blackjack variants that consider a push an automatic win for the house.
How to Push in Blackjack - Step-by-Step Guide
Ok, now let's take a look at a game sequence, step-by-step. Provided we play by general blackjack rules, this is how a typical push situation plays out:
- Place bets. This marks the beginning of every blackjack round.
- Card dealing. You and the dealer receive two cards. Typically, the dealer will have one card face-up and the other face-down (aka "hole" card), while the player's cards are commonly both face-up.
- Calculate the hand's value. Say you got a 7 and a Queen, resulting in a hand value of 17.
- Dealer's turn. After you have made your decision (hit, stand, double down, etc.), it's time for the dealer to act according to the house rules. Most commonly, the dealer must hit until reaching at least 17.
- Determine the outcome. In a push scenario, the player's total hand value equals the dealer's total hand value, whether you both have an 18 made up of two nines or a natural blackjack (an ace + 10-value card). Finally, if you're holding a natural against a 21-point hand that isn't, you win the round.
Blackjack Push Probabilities Breakdown
If you're playing with a single deck, the probability for any given hand to result in a push is approximately 8.5%. Here's the blackjack push probability broken down by hands:
- Drawing a natural: 0.23%
- Drawing 21: 2.3%
- Drawing 20: 2.5%
- Drawing 19: 1.5%
- Drawing 18: 0.7%
- Drawing 17: 0.5%
As you can see, a hand value of 20 is the most likely to decide a tie, while two naturals are the least likely to end up in a tie. Although not drastically, the probability of a push in blackjack is affected by different aspects which you may take into account:
- The number of decks. The probability of a push changes depending on how many decks in blackjack there are. Generally, fewer decks mean a (slightly) higher probability of a push.
- Hitting on soft 17. The dealer's rule to hit on soft 17 marginally increases the odds of a draw.
- Sticking to basic strategy. Knowing when to hit on soft 17 or stand on 12 may decrease the odds of a draw. Although you are the maker of your own game, learning the basic blackjack strategy chart can go a long way.
What Is the Difference Between Blackjack Push 22 and Push on 21?
Push on 21 and push on 22 in blackjack are two different situations.
As we said, a push on 21 blackjack is a situation in which both you and the dealer receive a total hand value of 21, be it a natural blackjack or by adding up lower-value cards to make up 21.
On the other hand, a push on 22 blackjack is when the dealer busts with a hand value of 22, but the player's hand remains in play. Basically, the casino tells you to hit even if you rather wouldn't, increasing your chances to bust.
This special rule is applied most noticeably in Free Bet Blackjack and Blackjack Switch. From a player's perspective, this rule is unfavourable: when applied, a 22-push swells up the house edge, adding as much as 6.91% to the otherwise fairly low cut the casino takes from blackjack.
If you see a 22-push rule, our advice is to choose another casino.
How to Deal with a Push in Blackjack
If you're into blackjack, you should incorporate the possibility of a push into your blackjack routine. Among other essential blackjack tips, you should consider picking up the following:
- Avoid risks. If your hand is close to 21, it may be tempting to hit and take a risk. But in a push situation, risking it further may mean losing the initial wager, as we've shown in the example above. In those scenarios, take what you can to avoid losing money.
- Manage your budget. Push or no push, you should always make sure you have enough money and not spend more than you can stand to lose.
- Keep an eye on the cards. Although card counting is forbidden at most casinos, having at least a vague idea about which cards have already been discarded is helpful; it may reveal the possibility of a push in subsequent rounds.
To sum up, you should avoid unnecessary risks, keep your bankroll under control, and try to remember which cards have already been dealt to predict a push situation better.
Good luck!