A backoff is a specific strategy employed in blackjack in order to reduce the house edge. Essentially, it’s a rule that states that if a player has two cards of the same rank, they are allowed to “back off” (put another card back in their hand) before drawing again.
This is in contrast to the standard blackjack strategy of drawing until you hit, which increases the house edge. By backoffring, players are able to reduce their chances of being dealt a poor hand and increase their chances of hitting on even pairs or better.
There are a few different ways to implement a backoff in blackjack. The most common method is to allow players to back off after every two cards of the same rank.
Another option is to allow players to back off only after three cards of the same rank have been dealt. And finally, some casinos allow players to back off after any number of cards of the same rank have been dealt, as long as they haven’t hit yet.
Overall, backoffs are a useful strategy for reducing the house edge in blackjack. They can help players avoid poor hands and increase their chances of hitting on even pairs or better.
However, it’s important to remember that backoffs always increase the risk of losing money – so be sure to use them sparingly if possible.
