blackjack hand

How to play any Blackjack Hand

Learn how to play any blackjack hand with perfect strategy while playing Atlantic City, European, Vegas Downtown and Vegas Strip blackjack.  Click on any link below to find out what is the best statistical play for any blackjack hand.

Blackjack Hands
8 or less    9    10    11    12

Hard Hands
13/14    15    16    17+

Soft Hands
13    14    15/16    17    18    19+

Splitting Hands
Aces    10's    9's    8's    7's    6's    5's    4/3/2's


Playing a 8 or lower hand in Blackjack

What is the correct strategy for playing an eight hand at the Blackjack tables?  Hit everything.  No matter what the dealer is showing and no matter if you are playing Atlantic City, Vegas Strip, Vegas Downtown or European Blackjack, always hit your eight hand.

Five Three


Playing a 8 or lower Blackjack Hand Strategy Chart

Blackjack Variations

Dealer's up Card

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

A

Atlantic City

H

H

H

H

H

H

H

H

H

H

European

H

H

H

H

H

H

H

H

H

H

Vegas Downtown

H

H

H

H

H

H

H

H

H

H

Vegas Strip

H

H

H

H

H

H

H

H

H

H

H=Hit
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Playing a 9 hand in Blackjack

What would be the best strategy when playing a nine hand in a Blackjack game?  Hitting your hand would be your best bet whenever the dealer has a 2, 7, 8, 9, 10 or an Ace showing.  You should double whenever the dealer has a 3, 4, 5 or a 6 showing.  You should never stand nor surrender when you have a nine hand.

7 2


Playing a 9 Hand Strategy Chart

Blackjack Variations

Dealer's up Card

2

3

4

5

6

7+

Atlantic City

H

D

D

D

D

H

European

H

D

D

D

D

H

Vegas Downtown

H

D

D

D

D

H

Vegas Strip

H

D

D

D

D

H

H=Hit, D=Double

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Playing a 10 hand in Blackjack

What is the correct strategy for playing a ten hand in Blackjack?  If you are playing Atlantic City, European, Vegas Downtown or Vegas Strip Blackjack, you should double down on every hand except when the dealer is showing an Ace or a ten.  When the dealer has an Ace or a ten, you should hit your hand instead.  You should never stand or surrender this hand (no matter what).

6 4


Playing a 10 Hand Strategy Chart

Blackjack Variations

Dealer's up Card

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

A

Atlantic City

D

D

D

D

D

D

D

D

H

H

European

D

D

D

D

D

D

D

D

H

H

Vegas Downtown

D

D

D

D

D

D

D

D

H

H

Vegas Strip

D

D

D

D

D

D

D

D

H

H

H=Hit, D=Double

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Playing a 11 hand in Blackjack

What is the best strategy for Blackjack if you have a eleven hand?  You should double down on everything except when the dealer is showing an Ace.  If you are playing Blackjack using the European Blackjack rules, you shouldn't double down when the dealer has a 10 card showing.  In this instance you should hit your hand.  No players should ever stand on a eleven hand no matter what.

7 4


Playing an 11 Hand Strategy Chart

Blackjack Variations

Dealer's up Card

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

A

Atlantic City

D

D

D

D

D

D

D

D

D

H

European

D

D

D

D

D

D

D

D

H

H

Vegas Downtown

D

D

D

D

D

D

D

D

D

H

Vegas Strip

D

D

D

D

D

D

D

D

D

H

H=Hit, D=Double

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Playing a 12 hand in Blackjack

Starting with a twelve hand in blackjack may seem terrible, but its not as bad as you may think.  Sixteen cards in a deck will make you bust, twenty cards will improve your hand and sixteen cards will do neither.  So how should you play a twelve hand in Blackjack?  If you are playing any of the four most popular blackjack games, you should only stay when the dealer has a 4, 5 or 6 showing and hit on everything else.

8 4


Playing a 12 Hand Strategy Chart

Blackjack Variations

Dealer's up Card

2

3

4

5

6

7+

Atlantic City

H

H

S

S

S

H

European

H

H

S

S

S

H

Vegas Downtown

H

H

S

S

S

H

Vegas Strip

H

H

S

S

S

H

H=Hit, S=Stand

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Playing a Hard 13 or Hard 14 Hand in Blackjack

What is the best strategy for playing a hard thirteen hand at the Blackjack tables?  That depends on the dealer's up card.  If the dealer's up card is a 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 you should always stand, but if the dealer's up card is any other card, you should hit your blackjack hand.  This is definitely not the best hand to have in Blackjack, but its not the worst either.  When you are hitting your hand there will be 38.5% chance of busting, 38.5% chance of improving your hand and a 23% chance that your cards will neither improve your hand nor bust you.
   You should also play a hard fourteen hand the same way.  By hitting your hand when you are suppose to you will have approximately 38.5% chance of improving your hand, a 46.1% chance of busting and a 15.4% chance of neither improving your hand nor busting.
King 3


Proper Strategy for Playing a Hard 13 or 14 Blackjack Hand

Blackjack Variations

Dealer's up Card

2

3

4

5

6

7+

Atlantic City

S

S

S

S

S

H

European

S

S

S

S

S

H

Vegas Downtown

S

S

S

S

S

H

Vegas Strip

S

S

S

S

S

H

H=Hit, S=Stand

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Playing a Hard 15 Hand in Blackjack

How should you play your hard fifteen Blackjack hand?  If the dealer's up card is a 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 you should stay, if the dealer's up card is any other card you should hit your hand.  If surrendering your hand is an option, you should surrender your hand if the dealer's up card is a ten or a face card.  When hitting your hard fifteen hand you have a 46% chance of busting.  A hard fifteen hand has less than a 25% chance of winning when the dealer's up card is a ten.  Any hands that give you a less than 25% chance of winning, you should always surrender.

King 5


Proper Strategy for Playing a Hard 15 Blackjack Hand

Blackjack Variations

Dealer's up Card

≤ 6

7

8

9

10

A

Atlantic City

S

H

H

H

H

H

European

S

H

H

H

H

H

Vegas Downtown

S

H

H

H

Su

H

Vegas Strip

S

H

H

H

H

H

H=Hit, S=Stand, Su=Surrender

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Playing a Hard 16 Hand in Blackjack

How to play the worst hand in Blackjack?  If you are stuck with a hard sixteen hand, you should stand if the dealer's up card is a 2, 3, 4, 5 or a 6, hit if its a 7 or 8 and surrender (if surrender isn't available you should hit instead) if the dealer's up card is a 9, a ten card or an Ace.  A hard sixteen hand when the dealer has an ten up card, is the worst possible hand for a blackjack player.  No other hand has a less chance of winning.  Always surrender against a dealers ten card if the option is available.

King 6


Proper Strategy for Playing a Hard 16 Blackjack Hand

Blackjack Variations

Dealer's up Card

≤ 6

7

8

9

10

A

Atlantic City

S

H

H

H

H

H

European

S

H

H

H

H

H

Vegas Downtown

S

H

H

Su

Su

Su

Vegas Strip

S

H

H

H

H

H

H=Hit, S=Stand, Su=Surrender

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Playing a Hard 17, 18 or 19 Hand in Blackjack

How should you play your hard seventeen hand at the Blackjack tables?  You should never hit, surrender or attempt to double a hard seventeen hand, you should always stay no matter what the dealer's up card is.

King 7


Proper Strategy for Playing a Hard 17 or Higher Blackjack Hand

Blackjack Variations

Dealer's up Card

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

A

Atlantic City

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

European

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

Vegas Downtown

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

Vegas Strip

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S=Stand

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Playing a soft 13 hand in Blackjack

What is the best way to play my soft thirteen hand at the Blackjack tables?  Either hit of double down depending on the dealer's up card.  You should never stay on a soft thirteen hand.  If you are playing at a game where you are allowed to double, you should double down when the dealer's up card is an 5 or a 6, otherwise just hit your hand.

ace 2


Proper Strategy for Playing a Soft 13 Hand

Blackjack Variations

Dealer's up Card

2

3

4

5

6

7+

Atlantic City

H

H

H

D

D

H

European

H

H

H

H

H

H

Vegas Downtown

H

H

H

D

D

H

Vegas Strip

H

H

H

D

D

H

H=Hit, D=Double

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Playing a soft 14 hand in Blackjack

What is the correct strategy for playing a soft fourteen hand at the Blackjack tables online?  Well that depends on the type of blackjack game you are playing and the dealer's up card.  If the dealer's up card is a 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10 or an Ace, you should hit your hand.  If the dealer has an 5 or a 6 you should double down.  If the dealer's up card is a 4, you should hit if you are playing Atlantic City or European Blackjack and double down if you are playing Vegas Strip or Vegas Downtown blackjack.

ace 3


Proper Strategy for Playing a Soft 14 Hand

Blackjack Variations

Dealer's up Card

2

3

4

5

6

7+

Atlantic City

H

H

H

D

D

H

European

H

H

H

H

H

H

Vegas Downtown

H

H

D

D

D

H

Vegas Strip

H

H

D

D

D

H

H=Hit, D=Double

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Playing a Soft 15 or 16 Hand in Blackjack

What is the correct strategy for playing a soft 15 or 16 Blackjack hand?  Well you don't want to stand that is for sure.  Take at least one more card no matter what and if the dealer's up card is a 4, 5 or a 6 you should double down, otherwise hit everything.

ace 5


Proper Strategy for Playing a Soft 15 or 16 Hand

Blackjack Variations

Dealer's up Card

2

3

4

5

6

7+

Atlantic City

H

H

D

D

D

H

European

H

H

H

H

H

H

Vegas Downtown

H

H

D

D

D

H

Vegas Strip

H

H

D

D

D

H

H=Hit, D=Double

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Playing a Soft 17 Hand in Blackjack

What is the best way to play your soft seventeen blackjack hand?  Well you should never stand on your hand and depending on the card the dealer is showing you should either hit or double down.  Hit your hand if a 7, 8, 9, 10 or an Ace is showing and double down whenever a 3, 4, 5 or a 6 is the dealer's up card.  If the dealer has a 2 you should double down if you are playing by Atlantic City rules and hit your hand if you are playing European, Vegas Strip or Vegas Downtown Blackjack.

ace 6


Proper Strategy for Playing a Soft 17 Hand

Blackjack Variations

Dealer's up Card

2

3

4

5

6

7+

Atlantic City

D

D

D

D

D

H

European

H

H

H

H

H

H

Vegas Downtown

H

D

D

D

D

H

Vegas Strip

H

D

D

D

D

H

H=Hit, D=Double

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Playing a Soft 18 Hand in Blackjack

How should I play my soft eighteen at the online Blackjack tables?  The correct strategy would be to hit your hand, stand or double down, depending on the dealer's up card.  If the dealer's up card is a 9, 10 or an Ace you should hit your hand.  Stand whenever the dealer has an 7 or an 8 showing and double down when the dealer's up card is a 2, 3, 4, 5 or a 6.

ace 7


Proper Strategy for Playing a Soft 18 Hand

Blackjack Variations

Dealer's up Card

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9+

Atlantic City

D

D

D

D

D

S

S

H

European

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

H

Vegas Downtown

S

D

D

D

D

S

S

H

Vegas Strip

S

D

D

D

D

S

S

H

H= Hit, S=Stand, D=Double

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Playing a Soft 19 or 20 hand in Blackjack

What should you do when you have a soft nineteen or twenty hand at a Blackjack table?  Stand, don't ruin a near perfect hand by doubling or hitting your hand.

ace 8


Proper Strategy for Playing a Soft 19 or 20 Blackjack Hand

Blackjack Variations

Dealer's up Card

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

A

Atlantic City

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

European

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

Vegas Downtown

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

Vegas Strip

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S

S=Stand

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