what is doubling down in blackjack

In blackjack, doubling down means doubling your bet and receiving one more card after being dealt your first two cards. It is a strategy used to increase the value of your initial bet by up to 100% . After doubling down, you can only receive one more card and cannot hit again. Doubling down is a risky move, but it can be profitable if used correctly. You should double down when you have enough confidence in your cards to increase your bet before receiving your last card. The best time to double down is when you have a hard nine, ten, or eleven and the dealers face-up card is two-six (inclusive) . You can also double down if you have a soft 16, 17, or 18 and the dealers face-up card is three-six. However, you should never double down when the dealer has an ace or when your hand exceeds eleven.