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Surrender — The Most Misunderstood Move
Giving up half your bet sounds defeatist. In two specific situations it's the highest-EV move on the table.
Late surrender lets you forfeit half your bet and end the hand. It's only available before you take any other action.
When to surrender
Hard 16 vs dealer 9, 10, or A. Hard 15 vs dealer 10. In these spots, hitting and standing both have a worse EV than the −0.5 of surrender.
If surrender isn't allowed: Hit hard 16 vs 9/10/A and hard 15 vs 10. Standing is even worse than hitting.