Rules Of Blackjack When To Hit

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  2. Rules Of Blackjack When To Hit

This guide is up to disclose the essence of hit & stand solutions in Blackjack. These are the basic moves in this casino game. In the article below, we will point out situations that are the best for hitting or standing in the game without the need to learn any card counting tactics.

The quickest way to learn how to play blackjack is to know and understand how blackjack rules work from a practical point. Once you understand what the rules are, you can move on to learning how the game unfolds, from sitting at the tables (virtually or otherwise) and getting your first set of two cards, to making those critical decisions that could end the round in your favour. Whether you hit or stand depends on the total value of the cards in your hand, compared to the up card shown in the dealer’s hand. Looking at the blackjack chart, the blackjack strategy card tells us to stand whenever you have 17 points or more in your hand, regardless of what the dealer is showing for an up card. These forced dealer rules vary depending on the gambling hall and the blackjack table you play at, but are generally classified into two main groups. The dealer is either required to draw to 16 and force-stand on all totals of 17 or must draw to 16, stand on hard 17 and hit soft 17. The rules specify that the dealer must hit soft 17. THE CORRECT BASIC BLACKJACK STRATEGY PLAYS FOR THE ABOVE HANDS IN ORDER ARE: If you got some wrong, don’t fret, because the majority of blackjack players, even experienced players, flunk this quiz, which is why casinos continue to profit from a game that theoretically can be beaten. In addition to the basic rules, more experienced players should also take note of the following advanced rules to take their blackjack game to the next level: Insurance - If a dealer shows an Ace as their face up card, they'll invite players to take insurance. This protects you.

  • ALSO READ: Blackjack Strategy & Card Counting Guide

What is Hit in Blackjack?

Hit is a decision in Blackjack that considers taking an additional card. If you choose this move, one more card will be added to your hand. You can hit until the value of your hand reaches or exceeds 21, as many times as you want, during the match.

For example, you have a 5 and a 6 in your initial hand. That means the value of your hand makes 11. There is no chance you will get busted if you hit, and you shouldn’t stand because 11 is obviously not enough to win the match.

Thus, if you hit and get 3, the value of your hand will be 14. The best decision here would be to hit again, as the majority of dealers stand on soft 17, so you are likely to lose if you stand. You can hit until you get 21 or get busted, and the best solution depends on the value of your hand and the value of the dealer’s hand. Below, we will explain the best situations to hit.

When to Hit in Blackjack?

There are situations when hitting in Blackjack will always be a better idea than choosing any other option. The tips on hitting below are based on the mathematical calculations of probabilities and can be used both by novice and advanced players. Here, we do not consider options like splitting or doubling down:

  • Hit if your initial hand’s value makes 4-11 – the thing about an 11 maximum hand value is you have no other options, except taking one more card. The thing is, here you are 100% safe from getting busted and can get a good combination after one or more hits.
  • If you get hard 12, hit on the dealer’s 2, 3, 7-Ace upcard – based on the mathematical calculations, you will have a better chance to get a good combination with this strategy, as the only way you can get busted is if you get 10.
  • For 13-16, hit if the dealer has 7-Ace – the higher is the dealer upcard value, the more there are chances that your initial hand value is not enough to win.

When You Should Not Hit in BJ?

Here you can see the situations when you should avoid hitting:

  • Do not hit if your initial hand value makes a hard 17-20 – this is already a good hand, which gives you high chances to win. On the other hand, hitting with 17 or higher will give you a high chance of getting busted.
  • Never hit with soft 19 or soft 20 as well – there is an extremely low chance you will get a better combination in this game, and if dealer plays on a soft 17, you are already in a strong position.
  • If you get soft 18, do not hit if the dealer has a 2, 7, or 8 upcard – a soft 18 is good enough to give you a chance to win already.

What is Stand in Blackjack

Stand is a decision in Blackjack that considers not taking any more cards in your hand. You choose to stand when you think you have the best value for your hand in the round. After you and the dealer stand, the value of both hands is calculated, and the winner is determined.

For example, when your initial hand makes 10-9, you are likely to stand instead of taking more cards. However, it also depends on the dealer’s hand, which can make 10-10, meaning that you will lose 100% if you stand. Below we will disclose when to stand or not to stand in detail.

When to Stand in Blackjack?

Stand is one of the most important decisions in Blackjack, as you need to choose whether to risk-taking another card to improve your hand or stop at this spot and count on the dealer having a weaker hand. Here are some situations when you should definitely stand in Blackjack:

  • If you have a hard 17-20, always stand – most dealers play soft 17, which means they stop hitting when they get as much as an Ace and a 6, so it is likely that you will win the match if you stand. On the other hand, if you have hard 17, you need 4 or less to improve your combination and not bust, and with hard 20, you need only an Ace to stay alive. It is obvious that the chances for this are rather low.
  • Also, always stand if you have soft 20 or soft 19 – there are more chances that you will make your hand weaker than improving it. The thing is that in order to improve soft 19 (A, 8), you need another Ace or 10 on the next hit, and the chances of this happening are low. If you take two hits, the chance of getting more than 19 is low as well.
  • When getting 13-16 with the dealer’s 2-6 you better stand. The thing is that in this situation, the dealer has to have a high-value second card to beat your hand. For example, if you have 16, and the dealer has 6, he has to have 10 or an Ace to equal or beat your hand. Even if the second card is of low value like a 2 or 3, you still have more chances to win.

When you should not stand in Blackjack?

There are also situations when standing will always be a bad idea:

  • If you have 4-11, there is no chance standing would be a good idea. The thing is that if you hit in this situation, you only have chances to improve your hand, and you are safe from getting more than 21.
  • Never stand if you have soft 12-16 – standing on this position would be a bad idea as most of the dealers play till soft 17, and even soft 16 can sometimes not be enough to win the match. It would be much better to hit in this situation, with high chances of improving your hand.

Hit & Stand Chart

This is one of the basic strategy charts, which is absolutely essential to beat the house edge when you play blackjack.

Hit & Stand Ultimate FAQ

This FAQ is composed of the most popular questions on hit & stand decisions in Blackjack.

Do you hit on a 12 in blackjack?

Only if the dealer does not have a 4-6 upcard. Otherwise, it is better to hit.

Rules Of Blackjack 21

Should I hit or stand on 16?

It depends on whether you have soft or hard 16. If you have hard 16, hit if the dealer has 7-Ace, for soft 16 never stand.

How many times can you hit in blackjack?

As many times as you want until you get 21 or more value in your hand. However, in some BJ games, there is a 7 Cards Charlie situation – if you get 7 cards in your hand after hitting and you do not bust, your hand is valued as 21.

Does the dealer hit on soft 17?

Usually, all dealers stop on soft hand 17. However, it depends on the game you play. Clarify that in your online casino if you play online blackjack or from a dealer in a land-based casino.

Other Blackjack Strategies

Along with the hit & stand solutions, there are also other, more advanced moves you can use to your benefit. You can choose among double down, split or surrender as well. Of course, you can limit your decisions with hit & stand, and still exploiting other moves in the right way will increase your chances to win when you use long-term strategies.

Double Down

Double down is a solution that allows you to increase your initial bet up to 100% (depending on Blackjack game rules), and add one more card to your hand. This is a good decision when you have a strong hand against the dealer’s weak one. It allows you to increase your winnings up to 2 times. The only shortcoming of this decision – you cannot hit after you double down.

Split

Split is a decision that allows you to turn one hand into two hands and play each hand separately. Splitting is allowed when you get pairs in your initial hand (5-5, 6-6, etc.).

Depending on the Blackjack game you play, you can split more than once during the game, split Aces, etc. This is a good move in some situations. To use this move to your benefit, you should consider the dealer’s hand as well.

Surrender

Surrender is a decision that allows you to save 50% of your bet. It considers that you can stop the game if you have a weak hand against the dealer’s strong hand. This decision can be valuable if you want to cut your losses. It depends on the BJ game rules, whether it is possible to make the surrender move.

See all

Blackjack is a casino game with the most favorable odds and lowest house edge. It is also the most popular table game. A typical house edge in a blackjack game is around 1% more or less, with some variations going little over one percent and some going as low as 0.4% edge edge. This is if you play in a disciplined manner and sticking to the basics. On the other hand, if you learn some more advanced strategy, you will be able to eliminate that house edge and make some nice cash. It’s as easy as that.

It’s amazing that there are players that are apparently too lazy to spend a minute or two and go the extra mile to learn a proper blackjack strategy, one that can bring them steady profit on the long run. It’s like throwing money away, when you can do the opposite.

In blackjack the rules are very easy to follow. There are a couple of logical options that you can take advantage of in order to beat the dealer’s hand, and you can read about them further in this article. We are certain that you will have no problems in learning this fast-paced and exciting casino game.

Hit

Blackjack Rules

Below are the basic rules that you will need to know if you want to properly learn how to play blackjack. They are used across different blackjack variations as the basis, with some minor altered features that make the variation unique in itself.

  • Blackjack games are usually played with multiple decks up to 8, although there are single deck blackjack variations. All use 52 card decks.
  • To win you need to have a higher ranking hand than the dealer as closest to 21 without exceeding 21. If the dealer busts, all remaining players at the table win.
  • At most blackjack variations the dealer hits on soft 17s.
  • The standard payout for hitting a blackjack is 3 to 2.
  • Cards are valued according to their face values. King, Queen and Jack and Ten are valued ten.
  • Aces are valued either 1 or 11, whatever benefits the player presently.
  • Winning hands are paid 1 to 1 (wager $5, win $5).
  • Splitting is allowed only with up to 3 hands.
  • If you or the dealer goes over 21 it’s a bust.
  • The suits of the cards have no meaning in blackjack, only their values.
  • If you and the dealer both have a two card blackjack, it’s a tie.
  • If you have a two card natural blackjack, while the dealer has a blackjack with more than 2 cards, you win with a 3 to 2 payoff.

The Basics of Blackjack

Objective of the Game

All blackjack variations have the same objective, to beat the dealer’s hand either by hitting a blackjack or having a better hand. You have to draw cards until you can safely decide that you are as close as you can get to 21. You cannot go over 21 or you will lose.

If there are other players at the table like in playing at live online casinos, you don’t have to compete against them. Your only opponent is the dealer, and the dealer plays against all players at the same time. The great thing with the different variations is that they include an additional twist to the game regarding the blackjack or some other added feature.

Card Values

All cards in blackjack are valued according to their face value. So, cards from 2 to 9 are valued accordingly, while 10s, Jacks, Queens and Kings are valued 10. Aces have two values, 1 or 11, and you can use whichever you like according to your hand.

When to Split

When you have two identical cards, for example, two 8s, you can choose to split them into two separate hands that will be counted as additional wagers. This is useful with identical cards that make a risky hand like with the 8s (8 + 8 = 16, a difficult and unfavorable hand).

When to Stand

So, let’s say you’ve been dealt your hand, and the cards dealt are 10 and 2, which makes a total value of 12. This is a risky hand, but you will need to take an additional card in order to get closer to 21. If your third card is anything below 9, including 9, the obvious choice would be to stand and not request a fourth card.

Surrender

Surrender is an option found in Blackjack Surrender and is given to you if the dealer has been dealt an Ace. The Ace would be the face up card. In a situation like this you can surrender half of your bet and lose without risking the entire bet by going against the dealer with the risk of him having a blackjack.

Double Down

Also, you can double down your bet by pressing the ‘double’ button. This option is used when you want another card at the risk of doubling your bet with the hope that you will have a strong hand with the additional card.

Blackjack Variations

Online casinos offer various blackjack variations to choose from, and sometimes you come to the point when you are hesitant about which game is best for you. These blackjack games are all unique variations designed by big software providers like Playtech, known for its Blackjack Surrender, Blackjack Switch, Progressive Blackjack etc., Microgaming, Betsoft, Rival, RTG and other. All of them have their own variations.

Anyway, it doesn’t matter what blackjack variation you find since all of them are exciting. The most important thing is for the game to have low house edge and for you to find the appropriate strategy for that variation.

A Simple Strategy to Use

The basic goal is not to exceed 21 by busting, and to precisely weigh the dangers if you hit or stand. Therefore, if your first two cards form a value of between 12 and 16, then you have to be careful with hitting because these hands are most commonly a bust when third card is requested. These hands are called stiff. If the face up card in the dealer’s hand is between 2 and 6, then the dealer has a stiff hand too with the possibility for a bust.

Rules Of Blackjack When To Hit

If you have a hand of 17 or higher, than you should stand, because there is extremely little chance to hit 1, 2 or 3. This is called a pat hand. The dealers pat hand is consisted of Ace and a seven. So, the strategy is to stand if you and the dealer have stiff hands, and to hit if you have a stiff hand and the dealer has a pat.

This one is only to get you started. There are many other strategies that you will need to use if you would like to advance in your blackjack skills. Blackjack has the lowest house edge and it would be a shame not to try and bust it with strategic playing. There are strategies intended for single deck blackjack games and games with more decks, but mostly for variations played with 4 to 8 decks.

Summary

Blackjack is a game that has remained unchanged for 4 centuries since it was invented in France and Spain. The reason behind this longevity of blackjack is precisely the format of the game. It can be learned in just five minutes but it can be enjoyed for a lifetime.

You can browse through the different online casinos here and check out their available blackjack games. Find if some variation suits you best, maybe Playtech’s Blackjack Switch where you can play with two hands at one time and switch the top facing cards between them in order to get a better hand. Or try Microgaming’s Gold blackjack series variations with high payouts. There are both single and multi-hand games.

Also, we would like to give you a quick tip that you should always first read about the particular blackjack game that you want to play, and that is done by reading reviews or players’ opinions. Then learn its rules and apply some strategy by practicing it in free play mode. This will be valuable for your rate of success, because practice makes it perfect.

Useful Blackjack Glossary

– Hard hand: This a hand that contains an Ace, but the Ace is not counter as 11 in the hand.

– Insurance: Insurance is a wager placed when the dealer is dealt his hand, one card is showing and the other is upside down. If the showing card is an Ace, the player is presented with the opportunity to put insurance wager that will help him profit if the dealer has a two card blackjack. In such case the insurance wager pays 2 to 1 and the wager amount is half of the original bet. If the player has a blackjack too, the bet is pushed.

– Rebet: The ‘rebet’ button is used when you want to repeat the same wager without having to go through the same procedure of choosing a chip and placing the bet.

– Surrender: This an option available in Blackjack Surrender, and some other variants, and is used if the player thinks he doesn’t stand a chance of winning the round by surrendering half of the wager in order to receive the other half back.

Visit our Blackjack Glossary page for more more terms and phrases here.

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