What Do Blackjack Dealers Have To Hit On
Posted : admin On 3/19/2022Blackjack is the most popular casino table game of all drawing in countless numbers of hungry players both in the brick and mortar casino, and in online casinos.
Are you a player who is knowledgeable about blackjack strategy? In this article, we detail the basic blackjack strategy charts and provide you with other handy tips to give you the best possible chance of leaving the casino – physical or virtual – in profit.
- In most casinos, the dealer is required to hit on hands worth less than 17 points, regardless of the cards that make up their hand. Hands worth 17 points, however, can’t be hit on. If you’re playing as the dealer and your hand is worth 17, 18, 19, 20 or 21 points, you can’t hit any further and need to stand with whatever hand you’ve got.
- Note that the dealer does not have the option of splitting or doubling down. When the dealer's face-up card is an ace, any of the players may make a side bet of up to half the original bet that the dealer's face-down card is a ten-card, and thus a blackjack for the house. Once all such side bets are placed, the dealer looks at the.
- Hitting soft 17 gives the dealer the chance to make the 18, 19, 20 and 21 hands that can win on their own against a player pat hand. This comes into play most often when the dealer’s face up card is an Ace and basic strategy players hit until they have 17 or better. The house will win when players bust, regardless of the final dealer hand.
- Is the dealer obliged to hit on a soft 17? Here are some extra tips which relate to any blackjack game: Do not take on any side bets; Don’t take insurance. This is a side bet which can be placed if the dealer’s face card is an Ace to ‘insure’ you against the dealer having a blackjack.
Basic Blackjack Terms
As with every classic casino table game, there is a lot of lingo thrown about which might sound double Dutch to novice blackjack players. What on earth does it all mean?
Looking at the blackjack chart, the blackjack strategy card tells us to stand whenever you have 17 points or more in your hand, regardless of what the dealer is showing for an up card. Reduce the value of your hand by one point to 16, and the chart says to stand when the dealer’s up card is a 6 or lower.
Ultimately, you will become more familiar with all the blackjack lingo as you develop your game, whether that is in the brick and mortar casino or at an online casino.
Nonetheless, we have listed some handy basic blackjack terminology below:
- Stand. The player stays with the cards they were dealt
- Hit. The player is dealt another card, and they can be dealt more if they wish. If the total of the cards exceeds 21 at any point, the player is bust and loses the hand
- Surrender. This is where the player gives up half his bet to forfeit the hand
- Double down. The player doubles their original bet and is dealt one more card, and it can only be one
- Split. If a player is dealt a pair (two 4s for example), or two ten-valued cards, such as a queen and a king, the player can split those cards into two different hands. The player is then dealt another card to each hand. The player must make a second bet of equal value to the first to use the split
- Hard hand. A hand without an ace
- Soft hand. A hand with an ace
Blackjack Strategy Chart
The first thing to get to grips with is ‘basic strategy’ which is probably the most essential ingredient of blackjack strategy.
The basic strategy detailed below is based on blackjack games played with 4 or more decks. Essentially, the basic strategy is a template which shows you the best course of action to take based on the cards dealt.
The below chart: Blackjack Basic Strategy Chart
More Blackjack Tips
The tables above are based on the standard blackjack rulesets. However, there are many different variations of blackjack both in physical casinos and in the online casino landscape.
These variations have different rulesets, so be mindful of the fact that some of the strategies above may not directly apply to the particular blackjack game you are playing.
In fact, the most useful thing you can do is check the specific ruleset of the blackjack game you are playing as soon as you sit down at the table.
Here are some general pointers and questions to keep in mind when playing your particular game of blackjack:
- How many decks are used?
- Are surrenders permitted and are they early or late ones?
- Are there any restrictions on double downs?
- Are there rules regarding splits?
- Is the dealer obliged to hit on a soft 17?
Here are some extra tips which relate to any blackjack game:
- Do not take on any side bets
- Don’t take insurance. This is a side bet which can be placed if the dealer’s face card is an Ace to ‘insure’ you against the dealer having a blackjack. In reality, the odds are stacked against you and it is not worth taking this bet up
- If it is not possible to split your pair, treat your pair as a hard hand
Basic Blackjack Strategy Guide
The charts above may look a bit intimidating and confusing if you are seeking a simple strategy to take to the blackjack table. However, there is a simpler method you can use to memorise the general points of the blackjack strategy above.
Also, you won’t be surprised to hear that in brick and mortar casinos you won’t exactly be welcomed with open arms into a casino if you rock up with these charts in hand.
The majority of casinos simply won’t allow you to enter with these kinds of guides. So, here are simplified guides of the charts above:
Player’s Hand Dealer’s Upfacing Card
HARD | 2 – 6 | 7 – A |
4 – 8 | H | H |
9 | D | H |
10 – 11 | D with more than dealer | D with more than dealer |
12 – 16 | S | H |
17 – 21 | S | S |
Player’s Hand Dealer’s Upfacing Card
SOFT | 2 – 6 | 7 – A |
13 – 15 | H | H |
16 – 18 | D | H |
19 – 21 | D | S |
Player’s Hand Dealer’s Upfacing Card
SPLITS | 2 – 6 | 7 – A |
22, 33, 66, 77, 99 | Split | Don’t split |
88, A | Split | Split |
44, 55, 1010 | Don’t Split | Don’t Split |
Extra tips:
- Surrender 16 when the dealer has a 10
- If strategy says to double but it’s not permitted, hit. If you have a soft 18, stand
Are You Ready To Master Blackjack?
Blackjack strategy is all about being mindful of the best action to take. If you memorise the main points of the charts above, you will be well on your way to mastering the wonderful world of blackjack.
There are advanced techniques which you can use, chief of which is blackjack card counting, which is essentially a method of tracking the cards which are dealt. However, this technique will not work with online blackjack games, as the virtual deck is shuffled for every single hand.
The best thing you can do to begin is to be fully aware of the specific ruleset relating to the blackjack game you are playing.
That being said, the majority, if not all, of the information in the charts will be applicable to any blackjack game. We are confident in saying that you will be thanking us for these magical blackjack charts!
Are you a blackjack buff? Are there any specific strategies which you use at the blackjack table? Comment below and let us know!
By: Harper WhitefieldBlackjack is an extremely popular casino game, and one that offers lots of strategies and tips to help the player overcome the house edge; as much as possible anyway. Below, we've documented the Top 10 Blackjack Tips to help you improve your game.
Blackjack Tips #1: When To Hit
Use the following rules to determine when to Hit, according to your hand and the dealer's face up card.
-If the dealer's face up card is 7, 8, 9, 10 or Ace, and your hand totals 8 or 12 through 16, Hit.
-If the dealer's face up card is Ace, and your hand totals 11, do not Double, Hit.
-If the dealer's face up card is 10, and your hand totals 10, do not Double, Hit.
-If the dealer's face up card is 7, 8 or 9, and your hand totals 9, do not Double, Hit.
Blackjack Tips #2: When To Stand
Use the following rules to determine when to Stand, according to your hand and the dealer's face up card.
-When your hand totals 17 or above, no matter what, Stand. (Some strategies will tell you to hit 17 if the dealer has an Ace.)
-If the dealer's face up card is 6 or below, and your hand totals 13 or above, Stand.
-If you have a splitable pair of 10s or Face Cards, do not Split them, Stand.
What Do Blackjack Dealers Have To Hit On The Market
Blackjack Tips #3: When To Split
Use the following rules to determine when to Split your hand, according to value of your pair and the dealer's face up card.
-Only Split 2s and 3s if the dealer's card is 4-7
-Never Split 5s; either Double Down, or Hit if the dealer is showing a 10 or Ace.
-Split 6s and 7s if the dealers card is 6 or below.
-Always split 8s, no matter what.
-Always Split Aces if allowed.
Blackjack Tips #4: When To Double
Doubling is a strategy often used when the player's hand equal 9, 10 or 11, giving the player a good chance of hitting 19-20 with a 10 or Face card. Use the following rules to determine when to Double your hand, according to your total and the dealer's face up card.
-Always double a total of 10 unless the dealer has 10 or Ace.
-Always double an 11 unless the dealer has an Ace.
-9 should only be doubled when the dealer has 3, 4, 5 or 6 showing.
Blackjack Tips #5: When in Doubt, Use a Strategy Chart
Blackjack Strategy Charts are designed to tell a player exactly how to act in every possible situation. Some players do not like blackjack Strategy Charts because they remove the element of decision making, but consider this... Casinos get the upper hand because the dealer cannot make decisions. The dealer must follow strict rules based on probabilities when playing their hand. If the player uses the same strategy, he is effectively decreasing the house edge to a minimum.
Blackjack Tips #6: Game Selection, Know The Rules
There are many more variations of Blackjack than the classic version we all know and love. Each has a slight difference in the rules, and some even have optional side bets and progressive jackpots. When choosing to play a new variation of blackjack, such as Perfect Pairs, Super 21 or Progressive Blackjack, be sure to know all of the rules and payouts involved.
Blackjack Tips #7: Card Counting
What Do Blackjack Dealers Have To Hit One
Blackjack Card Counting is an age-old strategy used by many professional blackjack players. It is not that hard to learn, and can be very effective in minimizing losses and maximizing profits. It is recommended to get a good deal of practice in card counting before applying the strategy at a live casino so that the extensive security staff does not discover you are doing it. Card counting is not illegal by any means, but it may get you promptly, if not permanently, removed from the casino if caught. Note that card counting is not a viable online casino blackjack strategy. Online casino software re-shuffles the deck with each new hand.
Blackjack Tips #8: Play Online, It's Cheaper
Aside from the omission of card counting, playing online blackjack has many benefits. For one, you can put all of the money you intended to spend towards your bankroll. You won't have to gas up the car, purchase airline tickets or book a hotel (if no local casino). When you win, you won't have the obligatory 'tipping the dealer' to reduce your profits. All in all, it just makes sense to stay home, eat your own food, drink your own drinks and spend a lot less money by playing blackjack online.
Blackjack Tips #9: Play Online for Bonuses
Playing online isn't just about convenience. You can actually double or triple your bankroll when you sign up at an online casino. They all offer welcome bonuses, most matching your first deposit 100% to 200% or more, up to a certain amount. Instead of starting with $100 bankroll, made up of your own hard earned cash, why not play online and claim a welcome bonus that could give you're a lot more bankroll for your buck by way of free casino chips?
Blackjack Tips #10: Bet Sizes That Match Your Bankroll
Lastly, we'll go ahead state the obvious. Don't play a blackjack table where the limits do not correspond with your bankroll. If you have $200, don't sit at a blackjack table with a minimum $100 bet. No matter how many blackjack tips and strategies you apply, you'll want to have plenty of opportunities to play hands, with splitting and doubling available, in order to make a sizeable profit. Make sure you will be able to place a minimum of 40 bets with your bankroll before choosing a table.