Double Down

To double the initial bet and take one and exactly one more card. Usually doubling down is only allowed after the first two cards are dealt. Some casinos allow doubling after splitting and some don't. Some casinos only allowing doubling down when the first two cards total 10 or 11.

You can double your initial bet following the initial two-card deal, but you can hit one card only (you must take one additional card). To do this the player turns over his/her first two cards and places an equal bet alongside the original bet. This a good bet if the player is in a strong situation and when the dealer's card is weak. Most casinos will allow you to double down on any two cards. Some casinos will also let you double down after splitting and some will limit your doubling down to hands that total ten or eleven.