Playing Blackjack Hand Decisions

If you are new to blackjack, you might be a bit confused by the terms used to refer to various moves or hand decisions. The cards that are dealt to you in blackjack (and other card games) is known as a hand; a hand decision is what you do with it after a deal. There are different hand decisions in blackjack and how you can use them may vary from one casino to the other.

Blackjack Hand Decisions - Hit

At the start of a blackjack game, you are dealt two cards facing up by the dealer. All other players get two cards face up as well. The dealer gets one card face up and one face down.

After receiving your two cards, you have to decide what to do next. If you choose "hit," it means you want to ask for another card from the dealer. He or she will give you one card and again (if you haven't reached 21 or higher) you must decide whether to hit or not.

You should hit if you think that you have a good chance of getting a higher score with an extra card, or if your hand is lower than 11 points (which means it has no chance of busting or exceeding 21). You should not hit if you already have a high score and the chances of a bust are high.

Blackjack Hand Decisions - Stand

Instead of a "hit" you can "stand." If you are happy with your hand, you can stand. A good hand to stand with is a 19 or 20. If you hold a blackjack or other combination that adds up to 21, you automatically stand.

Blackjack Hand Decisions - Split

If you are dealt two cards of same rank (e.g. 8-8 or K-K), you can "split" them. The hand is split into two hands and you are given two new cards to complete each hand. You also double your bet.

Splitting can have a big effect on the odds of winning or losing in blackjack. Casinos have different splitting rules. Some won't let you hit after splitting aces. Others disallow doubling after a split. Re-splitting two aces is also often restricted.

Blackjack Hand Decisions - Double Down

If you think you can win with just one more card, you can "double down." This means you double your wager and hit just one more time. If you make the hit without busting, you cannot hit again. You must stand with your hand. Doubling is useful when you are sure you will win with the next card.

Blackjack Hand Decisions - Bust

This is not really a decision. If either player or dealer obtains a score higher than 21 at any point in the game, they lose.

Blackjack Hand Decisions - Surrender

A blackjack player can opt to give up a hand at the price of half their initial bet. So if, for any reason, you think you won't beat the dealer's hand, you can surrender. You will lose half your original wager.

There are two kinds of surrender: early and late surrender. Early surrender lets you quit the hand without the dealer checking if he or she has a blackjack first. This is better for the player. Late surrender means you can surrender only after the dealer has checked and verified that they don't have a blackjack.

You can surrender only once in a blackjack game - immediately after you get your first two cards.

To make the best blackjack hand decisions, use basic strategy charts. You can get strategy cards online and use them as a guide.