When Should You Hit or Stand in Blackjack?
The correct choice depends on both your hand and the dealer's upcard — never on a hunch about the next card. Here is the logic behind it, and the full chart to check any hand instantly.
The short answer
Stand on any hard total of 17 or higher. Stand on hard 13-16 when the dealer shows a weak upcard (2-6). Hit hard totals of 13-16 when the dealer shows a strong upcard (7 or higher), and hit everything hard 12 or below except against a dealer 4, 5, or 6. Soft hands and pairs follow different logic — see the full basic strategy chart for every combination.
Why the dealer's upcard changes everything
A dealer showing 2 through 6 has a relatively high chance of busting, because the dealer must keep hitting any total under 17 with no choice in the matter. A dealer showing 7 through Ace has a much lower bust chance. That single fact is why the same player total — say, a hard 14 — is a stand against a dealer 6 but a hit against a dealer 9: against a weak dealer upcard, standing lets the dealer's own bust risk do the work; against a strong upcard, standing usually just hands the dealer an easy win.
Hard totals: the core pattern
A hard hand has no Ace, or an Ace that can only count as 1 without busting. The hit/stand line for hard totals follows one consistent shape:
- Hard 17-20: Always stand.
- Hard 13-16: Stand against dealer 2-6. Hit against dealer 7-Ace.
- Hard 12: Stand only against dealer 4-6. Hit against everything else, including dealer 2 and 3 — a common point of confusion, because 12 feels safe next to a 2 or 3, but the math says otherwise.
- Hard 11 and below: Always hit (doubling is often better than a plain hit on 9-11 — see Double Down).
Soft totals: more room to hit
A soft hand contains an Ace still counted as 11, such as Ace-6 (soft 17). Because drawing another card can never bust a soft hand outright — the Ace simply drops to counting as 1 if needed — soft totals can be played more aggressively than hard totals of the same number. Soft 18 doubles against a weak dealer upcard (3-6), stands against 2, 7, or 8, and hits against 9, 10, or Ace; soft 13-17 generally hit unless doubling is the better option. See the Soft Totals chart for the exact line on every dealer upcard.
The most commonly misplayed hands
Two situations account for a disproportionate share of basic strategy mistakes:
Hard 12 vs. dealer 2 or 3. Players often stand here on instinct, treating any dealer 2-6 the same way. But against a 2 or 3 the dealer's bust chance isn't high enough to justify standing on a hand this weak — hit.
Hard 16 vs. dealer 10. This is the worst hand in blackjack against the strongest dealer upcard. Basic strategy calls for hitting (or surrendering, where late surrender is offered) rather than standing, because standing loses to virtually every dealer total 17 and above, and a 16 wins nothing on its own.
See the full probability and EV breakdown for each: Why Hit 16 vs 10? and Why Stand on 12 vs Dealer 4?
Practice it instead of memorizing it
A chart tells you the answer. The trainer shows you the probability and expected value behind that answer for the exact hand in front of you, so the pattern above stops being a rule you memorized and becomes a decision you understand.
Practice Hit and Stand Decisions