Blackjack is a card game that allows player agency in the form of strategies they can utilize to make the most of their hands. While there are some basic blackjack strategies that you can use to acclimate yourself with the game’s flow, eventually you will want to win constantly.
Advanced blackjack strategies go beyond basic rules and focus on maximizing your odds of beating the dealer. These strategies involve card counting, shuffle tracking, and betting systems that can give players an edge over the house.
For this blackjack guide, we will go over the different kind of hands you can get during the course of your blackjack game. Namely, we shall focus on Hard Hands, Soft Hands, and Pairs, and what you can do to maximize them during your gameplay.
What Are Hard Hands and Soft Hands?
In the game of blackjack, hard hands and soft hands are important concepts that every player should understand in order to improve their betting strategy. Hard hands are hands in which the player does not have an ace or in which the ace is counted as 1, while soft hands are hands in which the player has an ace counted as 11.
Understanding card values is crucial in determining whether to hit, stand, double down, or split in order to win at blackjack. Here are some sample charts you can use in blackjack. However, the strategy charts below are used for blackjack games that have four to eight decks in play with the dealer hitting on a soft 17.
Hard Hands Chart
Here is a chart that you can use and memorize whenever you’re dealt with a Hard Hand (i.e. your Ace card is valued as 1):
Ideally, you should always be checking the dealer’s face up card and compare it to yours. This way, you can have an idea on what you’re supposed to do. Generally, when your hand value is 13 or above, you should initially Stand.
If your hand is valued at 18 to 21, you should automatically Stand, since your hand is a strong one, and you’ll put the pressure on the dealer to match it.
If your hand value is 17, you can Stand when the dealer’s first card is between 2 to 10. However, if the Dealer has an Ace, you can Surrender if Not Hit.
If your hand value is 16, and the dealer’s first hand is between 2 to 6, you can opt to Stand. If the Dealer’s hand is 7 or 8, you can Hit, but if the Dealer’s hand is 9, 10, or Ace, it is best to Surrender if Not Hit.
If your hand value is 15, and the dealer’s first hand is between 2 to 6, you should Stand. If the Dealer’s hand is between 7 to 9, you can Hit, but if it’s 10 or an Ace, it’s best to Surrender if Not Hit.
If your hand value is 13-14, and the dealer’s first hand is between 2 to 6, you should Stand. If the Dealer’s hand if between 7 to Ace, you can afford to Hit.
If your hand value is 11, you can opt to Double Down if the Dealer does not hit. Doubling Down on this hand gives you around 53.8% chance of finishing your turn with a strong hand containing a value of 18 or higher, and around a 30.4% probability of finishing it with a hand valued at 21.
If your hand value is exactly 10, it is best to Double Down, especially if the Dealer’s face-up hand is between 2 to 9. If the Dealer’s hand is also 10 or an Ace, you should Hit.
If your hand value is 9, you can Hit when the Dealer’s hand is either 2, or between 7 and Ace. If the Dealer’s hand is between 3 and 6, you can Double Down if No Hit.
Lastly, if your hand value is between 5 to 8, you should Hit regardless of what the Dealer’s card is.
During your blackjack games, you’ll most likely play with Hard Hands the most, especially when you are playing with blackjack variants that use multiple decks. This is why you should anticipate more Hard Hand combinations, and adjust your gameplay accordingly to ensure you have the higher valued hand than the Dealer.
Soft Hands Chart
Here’s a chart that lists down the possible moves you can do whenever you are dealt with a Soft Hand (i.e. your Ace card can be valued as 11):
For soft hands, it is a bit more straightforward when facing up against the dealer’s hand. Always remember that when your Ace is valued at 11, you should check your second card. If your second card is a face card, that’s automatically Blackjack, so you need to Stand.
When you get Ace + 9, you should Stand since your cards value is 20, and the pressure will be on the dealer to land blackjack.
An Ace + 8 hand allows you to Stand for almost all of the Dealer’s starting hand, except for 6. If the Dealer has 6, you can Double Down if Not Stand.
If you have an Ace +7, you can Double Down if not Stand when the Dealer’s starting hand is between 2 to 6. You can Stand if the Dealer’s hand is between 7 and 8, and Hit when the Dealer’s hand is between 9 and Ace.
When you get an Ace + 6 hand, you can Hit if the Dealer’s hand is 2, or between 7 to Ace. If the Dealer’s hand is between 3 to 6, you can choose to Double Down.
Ace + 4 and Ace + 5 hands let you Hit when the Dealer’s hand is 2, or between 6 to Ace. If the Dealer’s hand is between 4 to 6, you can choose to Double Down.
Finally, Ace + 2 and Ace + 3 hand combinations allow you to Hit when the Dealer’s hand is between 2 to 4, or 7 to Ace. If the Dealer’s hand is between 5 and 6, you can opt to Double Down.
It is important to note that having an Ace gives you the advantage since you can either play it as an 11 or a 1 value. If you’re playing conservatively, you can think of playing your Aces as 11 most of the time, especially when its paired with 7 or higher valued cards.
Pair Chart
If the dealer gives you a pair, here are some potential moves you can do:
When you have a pair of Aces, you should always go for a Split. This is due to the fact that if you play this hand straight, you immediately lose, since your hand’s value is 22. Splitting this hand allows you to play with two Soft Hands, and you can adjust your play accordingly when the other cards is dealt to you.
Pair of 10’s is an automatic Stand. This is the highest pair you can have in Blackjack, and the Dealer can only beat this hand if they manage to land a Blackjack hand (cards that sum up to 21).
Par of 9’s is a nice high value hand. You can choose to Split it when the Dealer’s hand is between 2 to 6, and either 8 or 9, Otherwise, you can Stand when the Dealer’s hand is 7 or 10 to Ace.
Pair of 8’s equates to 16. It is best to Split this hand since you essentially have a decently high first card, and the minimum value your hand will be is 10 or above.
Getting a Pair of 7’s gives you the option to Split it when the Dealer’s hand is between 2 to 7. If the Dealer’s hand is between 8 to Ace, you can afford to Hit.
Pair of 6’s is a bit more down the middle. You can Split this hand if the Dealer’s hand is between 2 to 6. But if the Dealer’s hand is 7 to Ace, you should Hit.
Pair of 5’s is a unique hand. You can either double down if you won’t split and the Dealer’s hand is between 2 to 9. However, if the Dealer’s hand is 10 or an Ace, you should Hit, since your initial hand value is already 10, and you can afford to get more cards as you try to get as close to 21 as possible.
Pair of 4’s is a bit low in value, so it is best to Hit when the Dealer’s hand is between 2 to 4, or between 7 to Ace. If the Dealer’s hand is between 5 and 6, you can opt to Split the Pair of 4’s to have two chances of beating the Dealer’s hand.
For Pair 3’s and 2’s, the strategy would be similar: Split the hand if the Dealer’s hand is between 2 to 7. This way, you have two chances to beat the Dealer’s hand, since having low value cards allows you more wiggle room for Hitting more cards. Speaking Hitting, when the Dealer’s hand is between 8 to Ace, you need to Hit since the Dealer’s first card has already beaten your hand.
Conclusion
The charts above might seem daunting at first, but you will get the patterns and the corresponding plays you should be executing when you apply them during your blackjack games. Practice makes perfect, that’s why it is important to sharpen up your blackjack strategies by playing blackjack online for free.
