Things You'll Need:
- A deck or two of playing cards to practice with.
-
Step 1
The guidelines for hitting (taking another card) or standing (not taking more cards) when playing blackjack are fairly straightforward. If the dealer shows a 2 or 3, you should continue to take hits until you have a hard 13 ("hard" means a hand with no face cards) or a soft 18 ("soft" means a hand with an ace, which can be counted as 1 or 11). If the dealer shows 4, 5, or 6, you continue to take hits until you reach a hard 12 (a hand with no face cards) or a soft 18 (a hand with an ace). If the dealer shows 7 or 8, you continue to take hit until you have a hard 17 (a hand with no face cards) or a soft 18 (a hand with an ace). If the dealer shows anything higher than 8, you continue to take hits until you have a hard 17 (no face cards) or a soft 19 (a hand with an ace).
-
Step 2
Here is an easy chart to help you remember when to hit or stand while playing blackjack.
Dealer Shows 2 or 3 ****** Hit Until You Have hard 13 or soft 18
Dealer Shows 4, 5, or 6 ****** Hit Until You Have hard 12 or soft 18
Dealer Shows 7 or 8 ****** Hit Until You Have hard 17 or soft 18
Dealer Shows 9, 10, A ****** Hit Until You Have hard 17 or
soft 19 -
Step 3
Does it seem odd to stand on a hard 12 or 13? Wouldn't you do better to take another hit? No, because if you get a 10 or a face card (of which there are 20 in each deck; 120 in a six deck shoe), you will "go bust," i.e.; go over the limit of 21. The odds of getting a 10 or face card are extremely high. If a dealer shows 2 or 3, he has to take a hit, even if the card he has that is not showing (i.e.; "in the hole") is a 10 or face card because chances are another player will go higher than you and he has to beat that player. He runs a big chance of going bust. If he stands on 13 (a 3 showing and a 10 or face card not showing), he will probably lose to one or more players and will equal you, which means you lose nothing.
-
Step 4
If the dealer has a 4 or 5, he has to take a hit to beat the other players, unless he has an ace in the hole. Most casinos require dealers to stand on a soft 16 (a 6 showing and an ace in the hole). If he has an ace in the hole, he will beat you. If he takes a hit, he may go bust because of all those 10s and face cards in the shoe. If he has 6 showing and a 6, 7, 8, or 9 in the hole and takes a hit, he may go bust because of all the 10s and face cards in the shoe. So, your chances of winning by standing on a hard 12 or a soft 18 are better than his chances of winning.
-
Step 5
If the dealer shows 7, 8, 9, 10, or ace, or a face card, you are more likely to win by standing on a hard 17 or a soft 18 or 19. If he has an ace in the hole, he will have to take more cards if he has a 7 or 8 showing to beat you. If he has a 9 in the hole, he will equal you. If he has an ace in the hole and one showing, he will have to take more cards (counting at least one ace as 1, in order to avoid going bust). If he has a ten or face card in the hole, he will probably equal you and you will lose nothing. If he has a 9 or less in the hole, he will equal you, stand lower than you and you will win, or take another hit and maybe go bust.
-
Step 6
The dealer has some chances of winning when you use this chart, but overall his chances are lower than yours, so, by using it, you maximize your chances of winning more money.
