One of the most painful hands in blackjack is when you get a 12 versus a dealer who is showing a two? Oh sure, there are plenty of hands out there that are worse mathematically, since by the book a 12 against a 2 balances out to a loss of just over $0.25 per dollar bet. Lots of player-dealer combinations are far more taxing. For instance, a 16 versus nine, 10, or ace is projected to cost above $0.50 on the dollar. And a 17, which many bettors erroneously think is a safe plateau, bears theoretical penalties for every dollar at risk exceeding $0.38 against eight, roughly $0.42 against a nine or 10, and almost $0.48 against an ace.

Knowing when to hit or stand in blackjack is a skill that takes a lifetime to master. Yet, by following the rules of basic blackjack strategy, you could beat the dealer and earn some rupees. Even so, Indian players should remember that the odds are always in favor of the casino.

Blackjack Never Hit On 12 Blackjack

Everything is in a way 'opyional' in the game of blackjack, the correct play is the play that will win the most money back to you on average, you dont have to do it though. For a hard 12, you shoudl hit when the dealer is showing a 2,3,7,8,9,10, or ACE and stand on all other cards to win the most amount of money whenevr you are dealt a 12. In the process of taking a hit, if your hand exceeds a total of 21, you’ve busted and you automatically lose your bet. Once you signal to the dealer that you want to stand, that completes your hand for that round. A FEW FACTS ABOUT HARD HANDS. The worst hands you will get at blackjack are hard 12 through 17.

The fear of 12 versus two arises from Basic Strategy gently calling for players to hit, while instinct is loudly telling you to stand. The latter, mainly because the possibility of drawing a 10 and busting immediately looms large at four chances out of 13. And, more, prospects for receiving an ace, deuce, three, or four — surviving the peril of busting yet not improving — are similarly strong at four out of 13. That leaves only five ways out of 13 to finish better than where the hand began, although by no means necessarily being a winner.

Intuition about standing is reinforced by the fact that the probability of winning this hand by doing so is actually a bit greater than by hitting. The apparent discrepancy between the likelihood of winning and the expected loss per dollar is resolved when pushes are considered. Hitting may lead to a push, while standing cannot. The accompanying table gives the figures.

Outcome probabilities for 12 versus 2-up

Hit – Stand
chance of winning 34.8% – 35.4%
chance of pushing 5.0% – 0.0%
chance of losing 60.2% – 64.6%
expectation

win minus loss

-25.4% -29.2%

The data show that solid citizens can anticipate winning 35.4 percent of their hands by standing rather than 34.8 percent by hitting. Slightly fewer wins are accounted for primarily by hands that bust when players draw 10s, offset by the impact of those that finish with higher totals than the dealer. What’s left is the effect of the 5 percent of hands predicted to push when players hit, most of which reduces the overall chance of losing. And expectation is the net, on the average, of how much bettors win minus the amount they lose, per dollar put at risk.

Here’s another item of which players interested in the nuances of blackjack might want to be aware. A two-card non-pair 12 can be formed in four unique ways, and expectations differ among them. This results from the shoe starting with a set number of cards of each rank, and those already withdrawn therefore being unavailable for the player or the dealer during the round.

The order for hitting, from least to most desirable along with the statistical loss per dollar bet in an eight-deck game, is 7-5 ($0.253), 8-4 ($0.254), 9-3 ($0.255), and 10-2 ($0.252). Qualitatively, considering only the players’ side, sevens and fives both improve 12s, such that making these less available in the shoe can hurt; at the other extreme, 10s are poison and twos are useless with 12s, so withdrawing these from the cards remaining to be dealt is a benefit.

The order for standing, again from least to most desirable, is the opposite. It’s 10-2 ($0.295), 9-3 ($0.292), 8-4 ($0.291), and 7-5 ($0.289). In this situation, a bettor would like to deprive the dealer of the cards most apt to lead to a pat hand.

Throughout the year I practice gambling skills to keep sharp in some games while learning how to play some other games. While practicing blackjack for an upcoming vacation I noticed that I kept making the same mistake as I have for my entire life. I never hit a soft 18 against 9 or 10.

I play blackjack games with a nearly perfect basic strategy except for this and a couple other hands but always want to get better. Playing perfect basic strategy is a great way to minimize the casino’s house edge.

In the case of a boozy vacation, it’s a great way to play longer and enjoy more drinks. I realized that I had this habit of not hitting soft 18 a few years ago. This is one of the most commonly misplayed hands in blackjack. Here’s a more involved look at this mistake and some other hands that blackjack players get wrong often.

Not Hitting Soft 18 When Dealer Has 9 or 10 Showing

Like many recreational players, I’m a bit timid when it comes to playing high soft hands against high cards. In this case, the Ace-7 is the nemesis. Basic strategy says that players should hit Ace-7 when the dealer has a 9 or 10 showing. Players will lose more often by standing on a soft 18 against these cards. Hitting a soft 18 here is a small winner here and will help keep a bankroll alive a little longer.

Not Hitting 12 When Dealer Has 2 or 3 Showing

This never made sense when I first started playing blackjack. I was taught to assume the dealer has a 10 in the hole and that the next card would be a 10. I was also taught not to hit when the dealer has a “bust card” of a 2-6 showing. After learning basic strategy, I understand these premises are not correct. This is a move that either draws praise or anger from other players. Some people know the correct strategy and others just play a mythological game.

Not Doubling 11

Unless the dealer is showing an Ace the player should double every time they’re dealt an 11. This is a great way to make money playing blackjack. Yes, you should even double when the dealer is showing a 10 or face card. Many players are timid and have a recency bias that only remembers getting burned by doubling when the dealer turns over a winner. Over time doubling 11 will pay off more often than it fails.

Not Splitting Pairs Often Enough

Even the most recreational blackjack player knows to always split Aces and 8’s. What many players don’t realize is how often they should be splitting pairs. According to the correct basic strategy, you’ll be splitting pairs as high has 9’s. Players should be splitting 9’s against all dealer upcards except 7, 10, and Ace. A pair of 7’s should be split unless the dealer has an 8, 9, 10, or Ace showing. Newer players tend to shy away from splitting 7’s against a 7.

Blackjack Never Hit On 12 String Guitar

There are plenty more examples of splitting cards but there’s one pair that should never be split. A pair of 5’s should be doubled if the dealer is showing anything besides a 10 or Ace. In this case, players should only hit.

Practice Basic Blackjack Strategy

Spend time learning and practicing basic strategy before heading to the casino to play blackjack. The advent of simulators on laptops and mobile training apps allows you to practice blackjack anywhere at any time. I get my practice time for all games in while I’m catching up on the news or watching sports. The distractions offer a close to real life simulation that playing in silence doesn’t offer.