Basic Winning Strategies

Hitting vs. Standing with Hard Totals

(H = Hit; S = Stand)

Hard Total Dealer's up card Decision

12 2, 3 H

12 4, 5, 6 S

12 7, 8, 9, 10, ace (7-ace) H

13 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 S

13 7-ace H

14 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 S

Hard Total Dealer's up card Decision

14 7-ace H

15 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 S

15 7-ace H

16 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 S

16 7-ace H

17 and above Any Card S

When you hold a hand totaling 11 and below, you will always either hit or double down, depending on the situation since you cannot bust your hand no matter what additional card you draw.

When consulting the above chart, use it for hands totaling 12 or higher even if more than two cards form the hand. For example, if you hold 5, 3, 6, you should treat it simply as a hard 14 and consult the chart above for the correct strategy.