Learn when to hit or stand on 13, 12, and 14 in blackjack. Discover the best strategies to increase your chances of winning against the dealer’s up-card.
You should hit on 13 in blackjack when the dealer is showing a card higher than 6. That means you should take another card when the dealer’s up-card is a 7, 8, 9, 10, or an Ace.
A 13 (just like 12) is a poor hand that can result in a bust. In fact, a hard hand worth 13 points has a whopping 39% chance of going bust. Meanwhile, the chances of winning with 13 are slim. However, you should hit on 13 when the dealer shows a high card, hoping you will land a better card.
When to Stand on 13 When You Play Blackjack
According to the standard basic blackjack strategy chart, you should hit on 13 against the dealer’s 7 through 10 or an ace, the opposite should happen if the dealer has low cards. If the dealer is showing any low card from 2 through 6, you should consider staying with a 13. This way, you can wait for the dealer bust or use other strategies like the stand betting system.
Do you hit 13 against a 2?
You should not hit 13 against a dealer two up-card. Instead, you should stand on a two-card 13 hand if the dealer’s up-card is a 2. This is true if you play multi-deck casino games with standard blackjack rules.
What confuses most people when it comes to 13 against a dealer’s 2 is the fact that you must hit 12 when the dealer is showing a 3. This mix-up can cost you money if you don’t follow the basic strategy. The opposite can help you offset negative expectation and create a strong hand early.
A dealer with a 2 up-card presents a tricky situation for you. For the player to win automatically, the dealer must draw two ten-value cards in a row to necessitate busting. Unfortunately, the chances of the dealer drawing two ten cards in a row are very low. You must assess the odds of improving your 13-value hand to beat the dealer.
Statistically, you have a 63% likelihood of losing with a two-card hand of 13 points. On the flip side, your chances of winning with a 13-value hand are around 32%. Additionally, if you stand on 13, you’ll still have a negative expected value, but the chances of winning by staying with the cards are 35%, which is slightly better than hitting.
As you can see, having a 13 is a close hand, but the choice to stand instead of hitting will deliver a slightly better edge.
Do you hit a 12 against a 4?
You should not hit a 12 against a 4 up-card being shown by the dealer. Although this is a very close call, standing on 12 against the dealer’s 4 up-card is a better move. 12 is a bad hand, either way, because it can bust with any ten-card, be it a ten, jack, queen, or king. Even worse, the likelihood of getting a ten-card on the next draw is high at 30.7%.
Do you hit on 12 against a 3?
Yes, you should hit on 12 against a 3. If the dealer’s up-card is a 3 (or 2, Ace, or 7 through 10), you should always hit on a hand worth 12 points. You should only stand or stay when the dealer has a 4, 5, or 6.
The expected value (EV) when you hit on 12 against the dealer’s 3 is -0.233691. If you decide to stand on 12 when the dealer draws a three up-card, your expected value is still negative, at -0.252250. However, comparing the two EVs makes it clear why hitting is slightly better than standing on 12 versus the dealer’s up-card of 3.
Do you hit on 12 in blackjack?
Yes, you can hit on 12 in blackjack, but only sometimes. The best strategy for hitting on 12 is when the dealer’s up-card is an ace and 7 through 10 (7, 8, 9, or 10). You can also hit 12 if the dealer shows a 2 or a 3. The odds of winning against these dealer cards when you hit are marginally higher than the chance of busting with a 12 when you do so.
There are, of course, situations in which hitting on a 12 is a terrible idea. For instance, you must stand (rather than hit) on 12 when the dealer’s up-card is a 4, 5, or 6.
Should I hit on 13?
Whether and when you should hit on 13 in blackjack depends on certain factors, including the type of hand. Is it a soft 13 or a hard 13?
A soft 13 is created with an ace. You can form a soft 13 hand with Ace-2. If this is the case, you should hit on 13 against all of the dealer’s possible up-cards, with the exception of 5 and 6. The odds of your 13-value hand-busting are 38% when you hit, but the chances of winning are a bit higher at 39% when the dealer’s up-card is not a 5 or 6.
A hard 13 is created without an ace so that it could be 4-9, 5-8, or 6-7. With a hard 13, you should hit on the dealer’s ace or 7 through 10.
Should I hit or stand on 13?
Both hitting and standing are available as the best blackjack strategy for playing a two-card hand of 13 points. The correct option will depend on the composition of your two-hole-card hand and the dealer’s face up-card.
In online blackjack, you should hit soft 13 against the dealer’s hand with ace, 2 through 4, and 7 through 10. Therefore, you must stand on soft 13 if the dealer’s upcard is a 5 or 6.
On the other hand, you should hit on hard 13 when the dealer’s upcard is an ace, 2-3, or 7 through 10. You must stand on 13 if the dealer’s card is a 4, 5, or 6. Both strategies can reduce the house edge for most blackjack variations, including American blackjack, European blackjack, and other most popular casino games.
Should I hit at 14 in blackjack?
You should hit at soft 14 in blackjack against all dealer’s potential up-cards, except for 5 and 6. If it is hard 14, you should only hit against a dealer ace or 7 through 10.