Pair of 5s in Blackjack: Hit or Double Down?
The short answer: Double down against 2 through 9; hit against 10 and Ace.
Every number on this page comes from an exact calculation of the remaining shoe, not from a printed chart. It is the same solver the Casino Trainer app grades your decisions against. The game is the common six-deck shoe: dealer hits soft 17, double after split, late surrender, blackjack pays 3:2. The hand was solved as 5-5.
Every dealer upcard at a glance
Results are the expected win or loss on a $100 bet, played perfectly from here.
| Dealer shows | Best play | Stand | Hit | Double down | Split | Surrender |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Double down | −$28.03 | +$18.72 | +$37.02 | −$18.30 | −$50.00 |
| 3 | Double down | −$23.97 | +$21.17 | +$42.22 | −$10.41 | −$50.00 |
| 4 | Double down | −$19.56 | +$23.92 | +$47.85 | −$1.17 | −$50.00 |
| 5 | Double down | −$15.33 | +$26.90 | +$53.80 | +$8.20 | −$50.00 |
| 6 | Double down | −$11.36 | +$29.35 | +$58.70 | +$16.78 | −$50.00 |
| 7 | Double down | −$47.69 | +$26.06 | +$40.43 | −$20.13 | −$50.00 |
| 8 | Double down | −$51.37 | +$20.03 | +$29.39 | −$35.51 | −$50.00 |
| 9 | Double down | −$54.36 | +$11.77 | +$15.03 | −$52.88 | −$50.00 |
| 10 | Hit | −$54.17 | +$2.70 | −$0.52 | −$62.40 | −$50.00 |
| A | Hit | −$59.70 | +$3.29 | −$3.12 | −$64.31 | −$50.00 |
Pair of 5s vs dealer 2
Double down. Played that way, pair of 5s against a 2 is worth +$37.02 per $100 bet. The next-best play, hit, is worth +$18.72, so getting it wrong costs $18.30 per $100.
If doubling isn't allowed, hit instead (+$18.72). The dealer busts 35.7% of the time from a 2.
Pair of 5s vs dealer 3
Double down. Played that way, pair of 5s against a 3 is worth +$42.22 per $100 bet. The next-best play, hit, is worth +$21.17, so getting it wrong costs $21.05 per $100.
If doubling isn't allowed, hit instead (+$21.17). The dealer busts 37.7% of the time from a 3.
Pair of 5s vs dealer 4
Double down. Played that way, pair of 5s against a 4 is worth +$47.85 per $100 bet. The next-best play, hit, is worth +$23.92, so getting it wrong costs $23.92 per $100.
If doubling isn't allowed, hit instead (+$23.92). The dealer busts 39.9% of the time from a 4.
Pair of 5s vs dealer 5
Double down. Played that way, pair of 5s against a 5 is worth +$53.80 per $100 bet. The next-best play, hit, is worth +$26.90, so getting it wrong costs $26.90 per $100.
If doubling isn't allowed, hit instead (+$26.90). The dealer busts 42.0% of the time from a 5.
Pair of 5s vs dealer 6
Double down. Played that way, pair of 5s against a 6 is worth +$58.70 per $100 bet. The next-best play, hit, is worth +$29.35, so getting it wrong costs $29.35 per $100.
If doubling isn't allowed, hit instead (+$29.35). The dealer busts 43.9% of the time from a 6.
Pair of 5s vs dealer 7
Double down. Played that way, pair of 5s against a 7 is worth +$40.43 per $100 bet. The next-best play, hit, is worth +$26.06, so getting it wrong costs $14.36 per $100.
If doubling isn't allowed, hit instead (+$26.06). The dealer busts 26.2% of the time from a 7.
Pair of 5s vs dealer 8
Double down. Played that way, pair of 5s against an 8 is worth +$29.39 per $100 bet. The next-best play, hit, is worth +$20.03, so getting it wrong costs $9.36 per $100.
If doubling isn't allowed, hit instead (+$20.03). The dealer busts 24.4% of the time from an 8.
Pair of 5s vs dealer 9
Double down. Played that way, pair of 5s against a 9 is worth +$15.03 per $100 bet. The next-best play, hit, is worth +$11.77, so getting it wrong costs $3.27 per $100.
If doubling isn't allowed, hit instead (+$11.77). The dealer busts 22.9% of the time from a 9.
Pair of 5s vs dealer 10
Hit. Played that way, pair of 5s against a 10 is worth +$2.70 per $100 bet. The next-best play, double down, is worth −$0.52, so getting it wrong costs $3.22 per $100.
The dealer busts 23.0% of the time from a 10.
Pair of 5s vs dealer A
Hit. Played that way, pair of 5s against an Ace is worth +$3.29 per $100 bet. The next-best play, double down, is worth −$3.12, so getting it wrong costs $6.42 per $100.
The dealer busts 20.1% of the time from an Ace.
Does it matter if the dealer stands on soft 17?
No. Pair of 5s is played the same way under both rules.
When the best play isn't allowed
You can only double on your first two cards (and at some tables only on 9, 10 or 11). Each double line above gives the play to make when doubling isn't available.
Practise it until it's automatic
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