When to Hit in Blackjack: Guide for Beginners

Content Team January 30, 2023
When to Hit in Blackjack: Guide for Beginners

There are many strategies players can employ, but knowing when to hit in Blackjack is crucial. Some big winners have had those lucky nights and beaten all the odds simply because they know what to do in different situations.

Players can increase their chances of winning at blackjack by utilizing simple strategies. This article explains the simple blackjack table and how the odds directly affect your long-term bottom line when gambling.

When to Hit or Stand in Blackjack

Your first two cards must determine whether you hit or stand. Standing means that you’re happy with the hand you’ve been dealt and won’t draw any more cards. Instead, you should draw another card (or more) to improve your hand.

Knowing each card’s value will help you make the right decision. Cards with faces, such as jack, queen, and king, carry a value of 10, while cards with numbers carry a value of one. It depends on your hand whether an ace is worth 1 or 10 points.

The most critical aspect of Blackjack is knowing when to hit and stand, which is one of the most significant aspects of the game. In the game, the same is true when deciding whether to split or double down.

Players can take action by clicking on the hit or stand button in an online casino. They can use different hand signals to communicate with the dealer at a brick-and-mortar casino. After you’ve signaled, your hand is complete. If your hand totals 21 or less, you can hit, but you shouldn’t hit too close to 21. Busting occurs when the total exceeds 21.

When to Hit in Blackjack

Generally, you should hit against the dealer’s card if you have an eight. However, you have a chance of making a good hand in a deck that contains so many tens.

In the same way, if the dealer shows a high card and is likely to make 21, you should also consider hitting your high cards. But, again, it’s just a matter of beating the dealer’s total.

Take another card if you’re unlikely to win anyway. For instance, you’re likely to lose if you hold 13 or 14 and the dealer has 7 or above.

When to Stand in Blackjack

You should stand if your total is 17, 19, or 20. No matter what the dealer has, taking another card doesn’t benefit you.

Look for good totals that can be split. For example, when you get 8-8, 9-9, or 10-10, you can split them into two new, perfectly good hands.

In addition, it’s important to know how soft and hard hands differ. An ace is part of a “soft” hand (which counts as 1 or 11), while other cards are part of a “hard” hand.

When the dealer shows a 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6, you should stand if you have a “hard” 16.

In this case, if you have an A-5 and a “soft” 16, you should hit if the dealer shows a 2 or even double down if the dealer shows a 3, 4, 5, or 6. Again, that’s because a soft hand can result in a much stronger total if a high-value card is drawn.

Conclusion

Due to the fact that players must make decisions during the game, Blackjack is a unique and popular casino game. Therefore, people view Blackjack as a game in which logic is more important than luck. As a result, a safe win can’t be guaranteed. Although you can never be sure whether you’ll win or lose at any game, learning the basics and Blackjack rules can certainly increase your odds.

FAQ

Do you stay or hit at 13, 14, and 15 in Blackjack?

Basically, you should hit in situations other than the following:

  • 13 stands against the dealer’s 2 through 6
  • 14 stands against the dealer’s 2 through 6
  • 15 stands against the dealer’s 2 through 6

Should I hit on 15?

If your hand’s total is 15, you should always hit unless the dealer has 2–6.

Do you hit on 16 vs. 7?

The reality is that no matter what you do in this situation, you have more chances of losing. In other words, 61% of the time you’ll bust if you hit and you’ll lose 74% of the time if you stand.

Do you hit on 16 vs. 10?

You still need a strong hand if the dealer has a 10. It’s good advice to hit if holding a hand of 10 or 12–16.

Do you hit a 12 against a 3?

Yes, you should hit a 12 if the dealer has a 3.

Do you hit a 12 against a 2?

Yes, you should hit a 12 if the dealer has a 2.

Do you hit on 15 against a 10?

In a double- or multi-deck game, if your 15 consists of an 8-7, hit against a dealer’s 10 up card.

Do you hit a 13 against a 10?

Yes. You should only stand if you have a 13 and the dealer has 2–6.

Hit or stand on 16?

If you have a hard 16, you should stand if the dealer shows a 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6.

Do you hit on 13 in Blackjack?

It’s common practice to stand on 12 and higher if the dealer has a 4, 5, or 6.

Hit or stand on 17?

When your total is high, it’s normal to get confused about when to hit in Blackjack. It’s generally better to stand on 17 or higher if the dealer has a 7, 8, or 9.

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