Blackjack is one of the most valuable games in a casino, online or offline, for gamblers, this is because mathematicians came and used logic and MIT resources to create betting strategies and counting systems. Using these resources, players can actually eliminate the house edge, and create a small edge in their own favour.
On the other hand, when a player does not use strategy, and makes bad bets, they increase the houses edge, and the casino makes even more money!
To increase the players profitability we will take a look at what the player should do with hard Blackjack hands, soft hands, and pairs dealt to them. Be sure to also check out our Blackjack Strategy Chart.
Hard hands in Blackjack
A hand that does not include an ace or a pair is called a hard hand. The hand can be made up of any two other cards.
Blackjack Strategy Hard 5-8
If the total of your cards is between 5 and 8, you hit (request another card) regardless of what the dealers up card is. You can't bust here, your hand can only improve.
Blackjack Strategy Hard 9
If the value of your cards is a hard 9 and the dealer's upcard is either a 2 or a 7 through 10, you want to hit. If the dealers upcard is a 3-6 double down.
Blackjack Strategy Hard 10
Players holding a hard 10 will want to hit if the dealer is showing an ace or a 10 card. If the dealers up card is anything aside from a ten card or an ace, the player will want to double down. If doubling down isn't an option here, take the hit.
Blackjack Strategy - Playing Hard 11
If the dealer has an ace, and you have a hard 11, the player should hit. If the dealer isn't showing an ace, the player should increase their possible profit by doubling down.
Blackjack Strategy for Playing Hard 12
For hands that total 12 when the dealer is showing a 4-6 the player should stand. If the dealer is showing any other up card, the player should hit.
Blackjack Strategy for Playing Hard 13 or 14
If the players hand value is a total of 13 or 14 and the dealer is showing 7-10 or ace, the player hits. If the dealers up-card is 2-6, the player stands.
Blackjack Strategy for hard 15
When the players cards total 15, and the dealer is showing 7-9 or an ace. The player hits. If the dealer is showing a ten, surrender if playing blackjack surrender, if surrendering isn't an option, then hit. If the dealer has anything other than a 10 showing, the player stands.
Blackjack Strategy for hard 16
When playing a hard 16, if the dealer has any card 2 through 6 showing, the player will stand. If the dealer has a 7 or an 8, the player should hit. If the dealer has any other card up (9, 10, Ace) the player should surrender, unless surrendering is not an option, in which case the player would hit.
If the player's holding a hard 17, 18, 19 or 20 the player should stand regardless off what the dealer has. If the player has 21, and is unsure what to do, the player should consider reading the rules of blackjack, or playing a different game.
Soft Hands in Blackjack
Hard hands are hands dealt with no ace and no pair as we discussed above. Soft hands are therefore hands that ARE dealt with an ace. These hands are considered to be soft because aces are 'soft cards' in the game of blackjack. An ace can carry the value of 1, or it can be counted as 11.
Playing A2 and A3
If the blackjack player is dealt an Ace with a 2 or a 3, and the dealers up card is a 5 or 6 the player should double down where applicable. If doubling down isn't an option, the player would simply hit. If the dealer doesn't have a 5 or 6 up, and is therefor showing any other card, the player should simply hit without doubling down.
If you are holding A, 2 or A, 3 in your hand and the dealer is showing a 5 or 6, you should double down if able and if not then you should hit. If the dealer is showing any other card, you should hit.
Blackjack Strategy for A4 and A5
If the player is dealt an ace with a 4 or a 5 and the dealer has a 4, 5 or 6 up, the player will double down where allowed. If doubling down isn't allowed here, the player will take a hit. If the dealer has any card other than the 4, 5 or 6, the player would hit without doubling down.
Blackjack Strategy for A6
If the player's dealt an Ace with a 6, known as a soft 17, and the dealers holding 3-6 the player will double down if playing at a table where this is permitted. If doubling down isn't a permissible option, the player should take a hit. If the dealer is showing anything aside from 3, 4, 5, or 6, the player would hit.
Blackjack Strategy for A7
When dealt an Ace with a 7 you have a soft 18. You want to double down if the dealer is showing 3-6. If the dealer is showing a 2, 7 or 8 the player should stand. If the dealer is showing a 9, 10 or ace the player would hit.
Splitting Pairs in Blackjack
If you're playing blackjack and you're dealt a pair, you might want to split that pair, using one of each of the cards as the foundation for two separate hands. Want to know when you should split your pair? Keep reading.
2's and 3's
If the blackjack player is dealt a pair of 2's or a pair of 3's the player split the pair if the dealers up card is a 2 through 7. If the dealers showing an 8-10 or an ace, the dealer should take a hit, but not split.
Playing a pair of 4's
The player should split 4's if the dealer's up card is a 5 or 6. If the dealers shows any other card, hit without splitting.
Playing 5's
There is no scenario in which the player splits a pair of 5's. If the player has a pair of 5's (giving them a hand value of 10) and the dealer has an ace or 10 showing, the player should hit. If the dealer has anything but an ace or 10 showing, the player should double their bet wherever possible, if doubling down isn't an option, the player hits.
Playing 6's - To split or not to split!
Sixes should only be split when the dealers up card is between 2 and six, if the dealer is showing anything other card the player would simply take a hit.
Blackjack Strategy for a Pair of 7's
A player holding a pair of 7s in a game of blackjack should split if the dealer has a card between 2 and 7. If the dealer has 8,9,10 or an ace, the player hits.
Strategy for 88
8's are always split.
Playing a pair of 9's
9's shouldn't be split when the dealer has a 7, 10 or ace, if the dealer has any of those three cards, the player will stand. If the dealer has anything else, the player splits a pair of nines.
Splitting 10's
If the player has a pair of 10's, the player has 20 which is a pretty solid hand in a game of blackjack, never split tens.
Pocket Aces in Blackjack
Pocket aces in blackjack just isn't as good as it is in holdem. If you are dealt a pair of aces, split them, no matter what the dealer has. This gives you two shots at being dealt a 10 and hitting 21.
