Updated 2026-07-30 · 8 decks · S17 · DAS · methodology

3,3 (pair of 3s) vs dealer 6: the verdict

Q: Hit or stand on a pair of 3s against a dealer 6?

Basic strategy says Split. A genuine coin-flip — the gap is under half a cent per $1. Your chance of winning with the best play is about 49.2% (push 3.3%). Full EV math for every action is in the table above.

SPLIT

The math is in: split. Two hands of 3 beat one 6 against a dealer 6 — split them.

The numbers

Action	Win	Push	Lose	EV per $1
Split*	49.2%	3.3%	47.4%	+0.169
Hit	48.0%	2.7%	49.3%	−0.013
Stand	42.3%	0.0%	57.7%	−0.154
Double	42.3%	1.3%	56.4%	−0.282

* win/push/lose shown per split hand; EV covers both hands per one initial bet.

Why split is correct

Played as a single total, this hand is weak against a 6. Split, each new hand starting from 3 wins 49.2% — enough that two of them (EV +0.169 across both) beat the best single-hand line at −0.013.

For context, a dealer 6 finishes on 17–20 about 48.0% of the time, on 21 9.7%, and busts 42.3%. Those dealer outcomes are the same no matter what you hold — the whole game is choosing the action whose distribution fits them best.

What the mistake costs

Choosing hit instead of split costs about $456 per 100 such hands at $25 a hand (−0.182 EV per dollar). The genuinely expensive error here is double: −0.451 per dollar, or roughly $1128 per 100 hands at the same stakes.

Does the rule set change it?

No — split holds across every common configuration: Vegas Strip, Atlantic City with late surrender, H17 games and European no-hole-card tables all agree here.

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Related spots

3,3 against other dealer cards:

vs 2 vs 3 vs 4 vs 5 vs 7 vs 8 vs 9 vs 10 vs Ace

Other key hands vs a dealer 6:

16 vs 6 12 vs 6 15 vs 6 soft 18 vs 6 8,8 vs 6

Frequently asked

Do you split on 3,3 against a dealer 6?

Yes — split is the basic-strategy play for 3,3 (pair of 3s) vs 6 (EV +0.169 per $1). Hit is the second-best option at −0.013.

What are the odds of winning with 3,3 vs 6?

Playing it correctly (split), you win 49.2% of hands, push 3.3% and lose 47.4% per split hand.

Should you always split 3,3?

Not against every upcard — the verdict for 3,3 changes with the dealer’s card. Use the links below to see the full row, or the chart for the complete picture.

Hit or stand on a pair of 3s against a dealer 6?

Basic strategy says Split. A genuine coin-flip — the gap is under half a cent per $1. Your chance of winning with the best play is about 49.2% (push 3.3%). Full EV math for every action is in the table above.