Blackjack Hard Total
What is a Hard Hand in Blackjack? There are two types of hard hand in blackjack: those without aces, and those with an ace. If a hand has an ace, it’s classed as a hard hand when the ace counts as 1. This rule applies so you don’t risk to go over 21. For example, if you have a 10, a 3 and an ace, the hand is hard. Let’s break it down. Blackjack lovers should also be aware that if the total of their hard hand is between 12 and 16, it becomes a stiff hand. Generally speaking, such hands are considered quite risky due to the fact that gambling enthusiasts are odds-on to bust if they decide to draw yet another card.
- If you have a couple of 4s, you have a hard total of 8. If you hit and get a 10, you have a total of 18, which is great. But if you split the 4s, you’re likely to get a 10 and wind up with a hard total of 14, which isn’t nearly as exciting. The same logic applies to 5s.
- The highest hand, which consists of an ace and any card counted as 10 points, is called “blackjack”. The rules of the game are rather simple. If the total value of your hand goes over 21, you go bust and lose. If the dealer's hand is closer to 21 than yours, you lose.
- Blackjack Hard Totals Hi Low Point Count 57 cards Created by mpdog Last updated: Sep 18, 2015 Total Attempts: 1 -+ View. View Flashcards.
Everyone should want to know how to play blackjack in a casino. So I’ve written this blackjack tutorial to get you started.
And it doesn’t matter if you want to play in Atlantic City, Reno, Las Vegas, or online. The rules are mostly the same.
Why should you want to know how to play blackjack?
Simply put, it’s the best table game in the casino. It’s more fun than any other game except maybe craps. And it has the best odds in the casino.
Most people played some rudimentary version of 21 with their mom at the kitchen table when they were growing up. If you did, you’re partially prepared already.
But there’s more to knowing how to play blackjack in a casino than trying to get close to 21 without going over.
1- The Rules for Playing Blackjack
To start a game of blackjack, you first must buy in. At a land-based casino in Las Vegas, you’ll put money on the table that the dealer will convert to chips. (Don’t hand the money to the dealer.) In an online casino, you’ll deposit money into an account and draw off that as you play.
The dealer deals you (and the other players) 2 cards each. The dealer also takes 2 cards. One off the dealer’s cards is dealt face up.
Blackjack is a comparing game where you compare your score to the dealer’s to see who wins. The cards are worth a certain number of points each:
- Aces are worth 1 or 11.
- Face cards are worth 10.
- All the other cards are worth their ranking.
The suits don’t matter, and your hand’s score is calculated by totaling the point value for each card.
Your goal is to have a higher total than the dealer, OR to still be in the game if and when the dealer busts. Your goal is also to not go bust yourself.
What is this expression “bust”, and what does it mean?
Some people know that the game is also called 21. That’s a magic number for multiple reasons:
A 2-card hand with a total of 21 is a “blackjack” or “natural”. It pays off at 3 to 2 in most casinos.
Any hand with a total of 22 or higher is a bust, which is an immediate loss.
Any hand that hits 22 or higher loses at that instant. Since the dealer acts last, it’s possible for you to bust AND for the dealer to bust, and you’ll still lose.
Also, at the end of each round, if you and the dealer have the same score, you have a tie. This is called a “push”. You get your bet back but no winnings.
2- Your Options for How to Play Your Blackjack Hand
You have a limited number of decisions you’re allowed to make.
- You can “hit”. This means you take an additional card from the dealer. This will increase the point value of your hand by whatever the additional card is worth. You can hit your hand as many times as you want.
- You can “stand”. This means you opt to take the total you have now and take no additional cards. Once you stand, you don’t get to make any decisions. You just have to wait to see how the rest of the hand plays out.
- You can “split”. You can only split your hand when it consists of 2 cards of the same rank. Not only that, but you have to put up a new bet for the 2nd hand, then you get to play 2 hands. The starting card for each hand is one of the 2 cards from your original hand.
- You can “double down”. You put up another bet, the same size as the first one, doubling the amount of money you have in action on the hand. Then you take one more card. You cannot hit after getting that one additional card.
- You can “surrender”. When you surrender, you give up half your bet. Your hand ends immediately. This is occasionally–but rarely–the correct play, mathematically.
The dealer also gets to make decisions, but she has specific rules related to what she can and can’t do.
3- The Dealer’s Rules for Playing Each Hand
The dealer doesn’t get to make decisions about how to play her hand. She plays according to a prescribed set of rules. She doesn’t have options like splitting, doubling down, or surrendering. All she can do is hit or stand.
At most casinos, the dealer must hit or hand until she has a total of 17 or higher. Then she must stand.
At this point, it probably makes sense to discuss the difference between “soft hands” and “hard hands”. (The dealers at some casinos hit a soft 17, but at other casinos, they must stand on a soft 17.)
4- Soft Hands versus Hard Hands
A soft hand is a blackjack hand that includes an ace. Since an ace can count as a 1 or as an 11, you’re less likely to bust when you have a soft total.
Let’s look at an example:
You’re dealt a 5 and an ace. Your total is 16, but it’s soft. If you hit and get a 9, you can count the total as 25 or as 15. Since you’d bust with a total of 25, you’d count it as a 15.
A hard hand, on the other (ahem) hand, is a hand where the total isn’t flexible. In the previous example, that 2nd total is a hard total of 15.
Here’s another example:
You have a 5 and a king. That’s a total of 15. There’s no wiggle room. The cards are worth what they’re worth, so that’s a hard total.
The appropriate strategy for whether to hit or stand varies based on whether you have a hard or soft total. It also varies based on what the dealer’s face up card looks like.
In some casinos, the dealer hits a soft 17. In others, the dealer stands on a soft 17.
You’re better off playing in casinos and at tables where the dealer stands on a soft 17.
5- The Little Details Related to Playing Blackjack in a Casino
Knowing how the rules work is one thing, but actually being able to play requires a little more knowledge and skill.
For one thing, you need to know the appropriate hand signals for the various decisions you make. You can say “hit” or “stand” out loud.
But don’t be surprised if the dealer asks you to use the appropriate hand signals. The camera above the table records all the action. If you’re using hand signals, it’s impossible for you to lie about whether the dealer made a mistake.
The hand signals vary based on whether you’re playing in a face up or face down game. In casinos dealing from a shoe with multiple decks in it, you get your cards face up. When you’re playing in single deck games, it’s traditional for you to get your cards face down.
In a face up game, you’re not allowed to touch the cards. You signal the dealer what to do with hand motions.
To take a hit, you point at your hand with your index finger. To stand, you wave your hand face-down over the cards.
And if you want to double down or split, you place your 2nd bet next to your original bet. Do not place it on top of your original bet, though.
If you’re playing in a game where the cards are dealt face down, you’ll actually be allowed to hold your cards. To ask for another card, scrape the cards gently on the table. If you want to stand, place the cards underneath your tips. To double down or split, you’ll turn your cards over and place your 2nd bet next to the first one. Never place your 2nd bet on top of your original bet.
And, of course, if you’re playing online, you’ll just use the appropriate animated buttons to make your decisions.
6- Then Learn Basic Strategy
It’s pointless to play the one game in the casino with the smallest house edge if you don’t take advantage of that low edge. And in blackjack, your decisions matter. There’s one mathematically best decision in every situation.
Experts call all those correct decisions and situations combined “basic strategy”.
You have the following information in each hand:
- Whether you have a pair or not.
- Whether you have a hard or soft total.
- What that total is.
- One of the dealer’s cards.
If you have a pair, you get to decide whether or not to split. This decision varies based on the dealer’s upcard. In some situations, like when you have aces or 8s, you”ll always split. In others, like when you have 4s, 5s, or 10s, you’ll never split.
With the other pairs, you need to memorize the basic strategy for splitting based on the dealer’s upcard. For example, if you have a pair of 2s, 3s, or 7s, you’ll split if the dealer has a 2 through 7 showing. If the dealer has an 8 or higher showing, you’ll treat your hand as whatever hard total it is (4, 6, or 14).
With hard totals, you’ll usually be gauging how likely it is that the dealer will have a stiff hand. (A stiff hand is one that’s likely to go bust.) You usually assume the dealer has a 10 in the hole, but not always.
There are more 10s in the deck than any other value, because of the jacks, queens, and kings. If the dealer has a 6 showing and a 10 in the hole, she has a hard total of 16. She’s required by the rules to hit that hand. Most of the cards in the deck will cause her to bust.
So if you have a hard total of 16 in that situation, you’re better off standing than hitting. You’ll probably win if the dealer busts. And if you take an extra card, you’re likely to bust.
The strategy is different for a soft 16 in that situation. It’s impossible to bust that hand, so you should try to improve it. The only soft totals you’ll always stand on are soft totals of 18 or more.
Plenty of sites offer detailed explanations of basic strategy. Most of them also include a table to help you memorize the correct moves. My favorite is the basic strategy generator at Ken Smith’s site. It’s configurable by the rules that you input, which means it’s more accurate than most basic strategy charts.
7- Remember How the House Edge Works
The house edge is the mathematical advantage that the casino has over the player in the long run. For most blackjack games, the house edge is between 0.5% and 1%.
What does this mean?
You’re mathematically expected to lose AN AVERAGE of 50 cents or $1 every time you place a $100 wager. This is a long term expectation, though. In the short run, you might win or lose much more than this.
If you’re not using basic strategy, the house edge goes up. Really bad players at the blackjack table face a house edge closer to 4%.
If you take nothing else way from this post, learn this:
You should always play according to basic strategy.
The only time you deviate is if you’re counting cards at an expert level. That won’t apply to most of my readers here.
Ignore your hunches. They’re meaningless. You’re not psychic. I promise.
Also, even though the house edge for blackjack is incredibly low, it’s still there. If you play blackjack long enough, the casino will win all your money.
Finally
Learning how to play blackjack should be mandatory for any serious casino gambler.
That’s why I wrote this blackjack tutorial.
It’s one of the most entertaining games in the casino. And even though the house has an edge, it’s one of the lowest in the casino. That means you get more entertainment for your money.
The best way to learn how to play blackjack is online, by the way. You can play free games where you don’t have to risk any money at almost any reputable online casino. The only exceptions are those online casinos offer live dealer games via webcam. They’d be fools to let you play for free while they have to pay an actual dealer.
Now that you know how to play blackjack, get started right away. Good luck at the tables!
Blackjack has many wonderful qualities. It’s a game where your decisions matter. It’s also a game where you can get an edge over the casino (if you know how to count cards).
Most of all, it’s just plain fun.
But blackjack is more fun when you’re winning more often.
Luckily, it’s a game where the mathematically correct way to play each hand has already been figured out. Computer programmers have run millions of hands of blackjack through simulators to come up with the moves that have the highest expected value.
A word about that:“Expected value” refers to how much a bet is worth. In some situations at the blackjack table, the expected value of a specific decision is positive. It might be more positive than other positive decisions.
In some other situations at the blackjack table, you must choose between the lesser of several evils. If you have a stiff hand, the best you can do is go with the decision that loses you the least amount of money in the long run.
As luck would have it, you only have a handful of totals to make decisions about. The highest possible total you can have without busting is 21. The lowest possible total with 2 cards is 4.
In the post below, I’ll look at each possible total and how it could occur. Then I’ll explain how to play that total based on which cards it’s made of and what the dealer has as her face-up card.
All these explanations are based on basic strategy.
A Total of 21
When you have a total of 21, you should always stand. It doesn’t matter what cards make up that total. It doesn’t matter what the dealer’s up-card is.
You always stand with 21. Any other choice costs money.
A Total of 20
You’ll always stand with a total of 20, too, no matter what the cards are. It also doesn’t matter what the dealer’s face-up card is.
The reasoning behind this is clear. There’s only one possible total the dealer could have which will beat a 20, which means you’ll win with it most of the time.
You might need to decide whether to split a hard total of 20. If you have 2 cards of the same rank, you can put up another bet and start 2 hands using the cards in your hand as the first card of the 2 subsequent hands.
It seems like this might not be a bad idea. After all, any hand with a 10 as its first card is probably going to turn out okay.
It’s a mistake, though. Most of the time, you’ll wind up with 2 hands that aren’t as strong as your total of 20. There are more cards in the deck that aren’t worth 10 or 11 than there are cards which are worth 10 or 11.
A Total of 19
You will ALMOST always stand on a total of 19, regardless of which cards make up the total.
But there’s one exception:
If you have a soft total of 19—an ace and an 8—you’ll double down. But only if the dealer has a 6 showing.
In some casinos, you’re not allowed to double down on a soft total of 19. If that’s the case, you’ll just stand.
On any other total of 19, though, you’ll stand. It’s such a strong hand that it will beat anything except a total of 20 or 21 from the dealer.
But even if you suspect that the dealer has one of those totals, your odds of winding up with a worse hand are too good for it to be a smart move to take another card.
The only reason you double down against a dealer’s face-up 6 is because the dealer is so likely to bust that it’s worth the risk.
A Total of 18
If you have a total of 18 that’s made up of two 9s, you must decide whether to split your hand or not. Most of the time, you will split your hand, but there are exceptions.
You’ll split a pair of 9s if the dealer has a 6 or less showing. You’ll also split 9s if the dealer has an 8 or 9.
If the dealer has a 7, 10, or ace showing, you’ll stand.
If you have a total of 18 that includes an ace that can be counted as 1 or 11, you have a “soft” 18. If the dealer has a 6 or lower showing, and if the casino allows it, you’ll double down on this hand.
If the casino doesn’t allow you to double down on a soft 18, you’ll stand instead.
If the dealer has a 7 or 8, you’ll stand on a soft 18.
If the dealer has a 9, 10, or ace showing, you’ll hit a soft 18.
Being able to count the ace as 1 or as 11 gives you some flexibility with how you play this hand. The combination of the possibility to improve your hand and the possibility that the dealer will bust results in the possible doubling down decisions.
Any other total of 18 will be a hard total, and you’ll always stand on a hard total of 18.
A Total of 17
If you have an ace that counts as 1 or 11, you have a soft total of 17. In that case, you should double down if the dealer has a 3, 4, 5, or 6 showing. If the dealer has any other card showing, you should hit this total.
If you don’t have an ace, or if counting the ace as an 11 would bust you, you have a hard total of 17. It’s easy what to decide to do with a hard 17:
Always stand.
A Total of 16
Once you get down to the total of 16 or less, you’re getting into “stiff hand” territory. A stiff hand is one which is likely to bust.
It doesn’t matter, though.
There’s still only one correct way to play each stiff hand, too.
The first kind of total of 16 you should think about is a pair of 8s. You should always split a pair of 8s. The reasoning behind this should make sense. You’re trading a mediocre hand for 2 hands which are likely to improve. More cards in the deck will improve an 8 than will hurt it. Any ace, 10, or 9 will give you a better total than 16. (And there are 16 cards worth 10 in the deck, so that’s almost half the deck in total.)
The second kind of total of 16 to worry about is a soft 16. Again, this is a total where the ace can count as 1 or 11. You will NEVER stand on a soft 16.
You’ll double down on a soft 16 if the dealer has a 4, 5, or 6 showing. If the dealer has any other card showing, you’ll fold.
Finally, you need to know what to do with any other hard total of 16. You’ll stand if the dealer has a 6 or less showing. You’ll hit if the dealer has a 7 or higher showing.
Blackjack Hard Totally
If the dealer has a 6 or less showing, you’re hoping she’ll bust. Otherwise, you’re hoping to improve your hand so that you have a fighting chance.
A Total of 15
A soft total of 15 is easy to play. You’ll play it just like you would a soft total of 16, in fact. You’ll double down if the dealer has a 4, 5, or 6 showing. Otherwise, you’ll hit.
A hard total of 15 isn’t hard to play, either, although it’s a bummer of a hand. Again, you’ll play a hard 15 just like you would a hard 16. Hit if the dealer has a 7 or higher. Otherwise stand.
A Total of 14
If you have a pair of 7s, you need to decide whether to split. You will split if the dealer has a 7 or lower showing. If you don’t split, you’ll treat the hand as any other hard 14.
If you have a soft 14, you will never stand. You’ll double down if the dealer has a 5 or 6 showing. Otherwise, you’ll hit.
If you have a hard 14, you’ll play it just like a hard 15 or 16. Stand if the dealer has a 6 or less showing. Hit if the dealer has a 7 or higher showing.
A Total of 13
A soft total of 13 is played just like a soft 14. You’ll double down if the dealer has a 5 or 6. Otherwise, you’ll hit.
A hard total of 13 is played just like a hard 14, 15, or 16. Stand if the dealer has a 6 or less. Otherwise, hit.
A Total of 12
The first kind of 12 total to worry about is a pair of 6s. (You always consider whether to split first.) You should double down if the dealer has a 6 or lower showing. If not, you’ll treat the hand just like you would any other hard total of 12.
Next, you’ll think about a soft total of 12. This could mean you have a pair of aces. In that case, you always split. (Just remember—always split aces and 8s.)
There’s no other way to get a soft total of 12, so you’re left with the possibility of a hard 12. If that’s what you have, you stand against a dealer 4, 5, or 6. Otherwise, you hit.
A Total of 11
If you have an ace and a 10, you COULD consider that a soft total of 11. But really, you have a blackjack. Just accept your winning with grace.
On any other total of 11, you’ll double down. That’s an easy decision, because you have lots of cards which will increase your total to 21. There’s no real downside to doubling down on an 11, because it’s impossible to bust such a hand.
A Total of 10
You never split 5s. They’re always treated as a hard total of 10.
If you have a soft total of 10, you really have a soft total of 20, and I’ve already covered that. (Think about it.)
With a hard 10, which is really the only way you’ll ever have a total of 10, you’ll almost always double down. The only time you won’t double down is if the dealer has an ace or 10 showing. In that case, you’ll just stand. (You don’t want to put extra money into play because of the increased likelihood that the dealer will have a 21.)
A Total of 9
A hard 9 is played ALMOST exactly like a hard 10. You should double down if the dealer has a 3, 4, 5, or 6. Otherwise, hit.
A Total of 8
You never split a pair of 4s. (In fact, you can remember this rule—never spit 4s, 5s, or 10s.)
Blackjack Hard And Soft Totals
In fact, there’s only ONE way to correctly play a hard total of 8. Always hit.
A Total of 7
Always hit a hard total of 7.
A Total of 6
If you have a pair of 3s, split if the dealer has a 7 or lower showing. Otherwise, just hit.
If you have any other hard total of 6, just hit the hand.
Blackjack Hard Total Recall
A Total of 5
Always hit a hard total of 5.
A Total of 4
If you have a pair of deuces, play it just like a pair of 3s. Split if the dealer has a 7 or lower showing. Otherwise, just hit.
Conclusion
That’s it.
You only have 18 possible starting totals in blackjack. Once you’ve learned how to play each of those totals correctly, you’ve mastered basic strategy.
Why is that a good thing to do?
If you’ve mastered basic strategy, the house edge for most blackjack games is between 0.5% and 1%, making it one of the best games in the casino.
If you misplay these hands, the house edge goes up. Most players are bad at basic strategy, by the way. If you look at the casino’s numbers, the average blackjack player is so bad that he’s facing a house edge of between 4% and 5%.
With those kinds of numbers, you might as well play craps or roulette. You don’t have to make any playing decisions with those games.
memorize basic strategy in this way.