What is a hard 16 in blackjack?

A hard 16 is a blackjack hand that contains either no Aces, or if an Ace is present, it counts as one. Some examples of hard 16 are: 10-6. 7-9.

Do you hit a hard 16 in blackjack?

If you hit the 16, you will win 25.23 percent of the time, bust out 69.31 percent of the time and push 5.46 percent of the time for a net loss of 44.08 percent of the time. By standing on the “hard 16” you will win 29.01 percent of the time and lose 70.99 percent of the time for a loss of 41.98 percent of the time.

Is a hard 16 better than a 10 in blackjack?

Consider these numbers: When playing with a six-deck shoe, standing with a hard 16 against a 9, 10 or ace will lose about 77 percent of the time. Under the same conditions, hitting on a hard 16 against a 9, 10 or ace will lose about 74 percent of the time.

When should you hit hard 16?

On all your two-card hard 16s, you gain by hitting whenever the dealer has 7 or higher, but the gain is biggest when the dealer has a 7 up. There are some hands of three or more cards where it's a better play to stand on 16 vs. 10, but that gets us into composition-dependent strategies — a topic for another time.

Should you hit a 16 against a 7?

The fact is that no matter what you do with a hard 16 against a dealer's 7, you're going to lose more often than you win. If you hit, you're going to bust a little more than 61 percent of the time. If you stand, you're going to lose those 74 percent of hands when the dealer goes on to make a standing hand.

Blackjack Strategy: How to Play a Hard 16

Do you always double down on 11?

If the dealer is showing a lower card than a 10, it is good strategy to double down. If the casino rules dictate the dealer must hit soft 17, you should always double down on 11 no matter what the dealers up card.

Do you hit a 13 against a 6?

14 stands against dealer 2 through 6, otherwise hit. 13 stands against dealer 2 through 6, otherwise hit. 12 stands against dealer 4 through 6, otherwise hit. 11 always doubles.

Should I hit 16 against a 9?

When holding nine or less or 12-16 it's best to hit, but stand on a total of 17 or more. If the dealer's card is a four, five or six it is vital you do not bust.

Do you double 11 against 10?

When you double down, you risk losing double your original bet, but with 11 vs. 10, you win double your bet more often, giving you a higher average profit.

What are the odds of busting on 16?

Hit on 16 = 62% chance of busting. Hit on 15 = 58% chance of busting. Hit on 14 = 56% chance of busting. Hit on 13 = 39% chance of busting.

Should I hit or stand on 16?

You need to stand on the 16 to give yourself the greatest chance of not losing. Be patient, because you'll make your money at the blackjack table with the better hands that you're dealt… In my book, I give you everything you need to enjoy the results I enjoy at the Blackjack table.

Should you always split 10s in blackjack?

When it comes to splitting 10s in the game of blackjack, the bottom line should be: Average players should never split and should always stand on 20. Card counters will sometimes split in ten-rich decks. Smart tournament players will sometimes split when they need to bet more chips, especially if it's the last hand.

Should I split 9s in blackjack?

If the playing rules allow you to resplit the 9s, it is advantageous for you to do so. For example, if you are dealt a pair of 9s against a dealer's 6 upcard, you should split them. Suppose on the first 9, you are dealt another 9 on the draw. You should resplit to form a third hand.

Should I hit or stand on 13?

Should I hit on 13? If you have a card hand that totals 13, you should stand if the dealer shows a 2 through 6.

Should you hold at 17 in blackjack?

If it's good enough for the dealer, it's the same for players … hitting soft 17 is always better than standing. Therefore, one of the golden rules of smart play is this: No matter what blackjack game you are playing, never stand on soft 17.

Is 16 the worst hand in blackjack?

In fact, the value 16 is said to be the worst hand one can have in blackjack. Since sixteen of the other fifty cards have a value of 10 and four have a value of 11, there is a strong chance of getting at least an 18 with either or both split cards. A hand totaling 18 or 19 is much stronger than having a 16.

Why do you split 8s against 10?

Michael Shackleford, who calls himself "the Wizard of Odds," says splitting 8s against a dealer 10 has the "smallest expected loss" (as opposed to staying, hitting or doubling) of all moves with a pair of 8s.

Do you split 7s against 10?

In double-deck games, split 7s against dealer's 2-8 if DAS or 2-7 if NDAS; otherwise hit. In single-deck games with DAS, split against dealer 2 through 8, and surrender (or stand) against dealer 10 if S17, and surrender against a dealer 10 and Ace if H17, otherwise hit vs. Ace and stand vs. 10.

Do you hit a 12 against a 3?

That may be true for most stiff hands (meaning, a hard 12 through 16) but it's not the case when you are holding a 12 against a 3. There are only four cards that could bust your 12 — a ten, jack, queen, or king. On the other hand, five cards will get you to 17–21 (a five, six, seven, eight, or nine).

Do you hit on 15 against a 7?

Regardless of the number of decks of cards or the mix of playing rules, the correct playing strategy for a soft 15 is: Hit against a dealer's 2, 3, and 7 through ace.

Should I hit on 15 in black jack?

Provided that late surrender is unavailable, you should stand on hard 15 against low-value cards 2 through 6 and hit versus 7 through ace. Undoubtedly, hitting a hard total of 15 is not the easiest decision to make at the blackjack table, especially against the dealer's 10.

What numbers should you split in blackjack?

Should you split 2s in blackjack?

Splitting 2s becomes the better option than hitting if it meets one of these criteria: You will win more money on average. You will lose less money on average. You will turn a losing hand into a winning hand on average.

Do you split 3's against a 6?

The pair of 3s should be split versus the dealer's 4 through 7. Hitting is optimal with 3s when the dealer starts their hand with 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, and ace.

Do you hit 12 against a 7?

Traditional basic strategy (also known as “total-dependent strategy”) says to stand on hard 12 against a dealer's 4, 5, and 6 up card, and hit against a dealer's 2, 3, and 7 though Ace up card. The biggest mistake that players make when they are dealt a hard 12 occurs when the dealer's up card is a 2 or 3.