How To Play Blackjack: Know When To Hit Or Stand

Knowing how to play Blackjack and when to hit or stand can be difficult. Luckily, you can use this simplified guide to help you decide. It’s based on the basic strategy technique; use it as a cheat sheet when you play Blackjack. Just remember to always split aces and eights and never take insurance. If the dealer has blackjack take the lose and move on to the next hand.  

In Blackjack soft hands are cards that include an ace used as an 11.  For example, an ace and a six is called a soft 17. You can play it as seven or 17. You can find detailed Blackjack tables outlining when to hit or stay at specialty boutiques and casino gift shops. There’s no such thing as a guaranteed win. Blackjack strategy guides can only decrease the house’s edge; they can’t eliminate it. Adhere to basic strategy to decide when to hit or stand and you’ll still end up losing money but your bankroll won’t melt away as quickly.

1. Look at the dealer’s up card. If he’s showing a 2,3,4,5 or 6 proceed to Step 2. If he’s showing a 7, 8, or 9 proceed to Step 3. If the dealer is showing a 10, a face card, or an ace proceed to Step 4.
2. Assess your hand to decide whether you want to hit or stand.
   • Double down if your hand totals ten or 11.
   • Stay if you have a hard hand between 12 and 20 or a soft hand between 18 and 20.
   • Hit hard hands between 4 and 9 and soft hands between 13 and 17. Keep hitting until your hand breaks or you have a hard hand between 12 and 20 or a soft hand between 18 and 20.
3. Assess your hand to decide whether you want to hit or stand.
   • Double down if your hand totals ten or 11.
   • Stay if you have a hard hand between 17 and 20 or a soft hand between 18 and 20.
   • Hit hard hands that total four to 16 points and soft hands that total 13 to 17. Keep hitting until your hand breaks or you have a hard 17 to 20 or a soft 18 to 20.
4. Assess your hand to decide whether you want to hit or stand.
   • Double down if you have 11.
   • Stay if you have a hard hand between 17 and 20 or a soft hand between 18 and 20.
   • Hit hard hands totaling four to 16 points and soft hand totaling 13 to 17 points. Keep hitting until your hand breaks or you have a hard hand totaling 17 to 20 points or a soft hand totaling 18 to 20 points.