[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/www.winning-blackjack.com\/when-should-you-hit-stand-split-and-double-down-in-blackjack\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/www.winning-blackjack.com\/when-should-you-hit-stand-split-and-double-down-in-blackjack\/","headline":"When Should You Hit, Stand, Split, and Double Down in Blackjack","name":"When Should You Hit, Stand, Split, and Double Down in Blackjack","description":"A key strategy to winning at blackjack is understanding when to hit, stand, split, and double down. I explained these options in my post about the basics of blackjack, but in short, here’s what the options are: Hitting is when you take another card in hopes of improving your hand. Standing means you’re satisfied with...","datePublished":"2023-01-23","dateModified":"2023-01-23","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.winning-blackjack.com\/author\/blackjack\/#Person","name":"Mister Blackjack","url":"https:\/\/www.winning-blackjack.com\/author\/blackjack\/","identifier":2,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/904b5d839d350428a15c8ede5a3a5268696daa5d2cfeafb5868354781f5c4aa8?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/904b5d839d350428a15c8ede5a3a5268696daa5d2cfeafb5868354781f5c4aa8?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Reflective Dynamics, Inc.","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.winning-blackjack.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/winning-blackjack-blog-logo.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.winning-blackjack.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/winning-blackjack-blog-logo.jpg","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/www.winning-blackjack.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/hitting-standing-splitting-doubling.jpg","url":"https:\/\/www.winning-blackjack.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/hitting-standing-splitting-doubling.jpg","height":360,"width":720},"url":"https:\/\/www.winning-blackjack.com\/when-should-you-hit-stand-split-and-double-down-in-blackjack\/","about":["Basic Strategy and Beginner Tips"],"wordCount":1228,"articleBody":"A key strategy to winning at blackjack is understanding when to hit, stand, split, and double down. I explained these options in my post about the basics of blackjack, but in short, here’s what the options are: Hitting is when you take another card in hopes of improving your hand. Standing means you’re satisfied with your current hand and refrain from taking another card, splitting is when you divide a pair into two separate hands, and doubling down is when you double your original bet and take one (and only one) additional card.The short answer to each of these questions (should I stand? should I hit? should I split? should I double down?) is simple:You do whatever the basic strategy table says to do — every time.\u00a0I explain why in the first section of this post.This post covers the basic rules of when to use each of these moves to increase your odds of winning. Knowing when to hit, stand, split, and double down makes blackjack more fun, too.Basic StrategyBasic strategy in blackjack is a set of guidelines that have been developed through statistical analysis and computer simulations of millions of hands of blackjack. These guidelines take into account the player’s total hand value, as well as the dealer’s upcard, to determine the optimal choice for hitting, standing, splitting, and doubling down.Basic strategy is always the optimal choice is because it accounts for the fact that the dealer must play by a set of rules which limit the possible outcomes of the game. For example, the dealer MUST hit on a hand value of 16 or less and stand on a hand value of 17 or higher. Basic strategy takes this into account and suggests that the player should also stand on a hand value of 17 or higher, as the chances of the dealer busting are higher.Another reason basic strategy is the optimal choice is that it takes into account the long-term consequences of a player’s decisions. For example, basic strategy suggests that players should always split a pair of aces or eights, even though this may seem counterintuitive. The long-term benefits of splitting these pairs outweigh the short-term costs, as it increases the player’s chances of winning in the long run.Basic strategy in blackjack is always the optimal choice for hitting, standing, splitting, and doubling down.When You Should Hit in BlackjackHitting means taking another card in hopes of improving your hand. The decision to hit is based on your hand value and the dealer’s upcard.Basic strategy suggests that you should always hit when their hand value is 11 or less. This is because it’s impossible to bust with a total of 11 — hitting is all upside. When the dealer’s upcard is a 2-6, the chances of the dealer busting are higher, which means players should be less aggressive about hitting and stand more often.Another situation when hitting is recommended is when you have a “soft” hand, meaning a hand with an ace that can be counted as either 1 or 11. In this case, hitting can increase the chances of improving the hand without busting. The only soft total you’ll stand on is a soft 19, 20, or 21 — otherwise, you’ll hit or double down.When you have a hand of hard 12-16 and the dealer’s upcard is 7 or higher, you’ll usually hit. In this case, you’re at a disadvantage and have a higher chance of losing the hand if you stand. In this situation, hitting can help to improve your hand.When You Should Stand in BlackjackStanding means keeping your current hand and not taking any more cards. The decision to stand is based on your hand value and the dealer’s upcard.Basic strategy suggests that you always stand on a hard total of 17 or higher. This is because the chances of busting (exceeding 21) are relatively high when the hand value is above 17.You’ll also stand more often when you have a “hard” hand, meaning a hand without an ace or with an ace that can only be counted as 1. In this case, standing can decrease the chances of busting and increase the chances of winning the hand. Of course, this isn’t true for every situation — you also must take into account the dealer’s upcard.If you have a hand of hard 12-16 and the dealer’s upcard is 7 or higher, it’s not recommended to stand as the player is at a disadvantage and has a higher chance of losing the hand. You need to try to improve your hand.When Should You Split in BlackjackSplitting means dividing a pair into two separate hands. The decision to split should be based on the value of the pair and the dealer’s upcard.Basic strategy suggests that players should always split a pair of aces or 8s. This is because splitting a pair of aces or 8s increases the chances of getting a strong hand or even a blackjack, which pays out at 3:2. Also, splitting a pair of 8s decreases the chances of busting, as the hand value is only 16. (A hard total of 16 is a lousy hand, so, by splitting, you’re giving yourself a chance of getting two hands that are better.)Splitting is also correct when you have a pair of 2s, 3s, 6s, or 7s, and the dealer’s upcard is 2-7. In this case, splitting can increase the chances of getting a strong hand.You should never split a pair of 10s or 5s.\u00a0With a pair of 10s, you already have a total of 20. It’s going to be hard to improve on that. With a pair of 5s, you have a total of 10, so hitting or doubling down makes more sense here — the likelihood of getting a total of 20 or 21 is relatively high in these cases.When Should You Double Down in BlackjackDoubling down means doubling your original bet and taking one additional card. The decision to double down should be based on your hand value, the dealer’s upcard, and the rules of the specific casino.Basic strategy suggests that you should double down when their hand value is 11, and the dealer’s upcard is 2-10. The only time you DON’T double down with a total of 11 is when the dealer has an ace showing. The chances of getting a strong hand or even a blackjack are relatively high in this situation.Another situation when doubling down is recommended is when the player has a hand of hard 9 or 10 and the dealer’s upcard is weak (2-6). In this case, doubling down can increase the chances of getting a strong hand and winning the hand.The rules of the specific casino can affect the decision to double down. Some casinos have restrictions on when you can double down, such as only allowing doubling down on a hand value of 10 or 11, or not allowing it after a split. Check the rules of the specific casino before making a decision to double down.ConclusionUnderstanding when to hit, stand, split, and double down in blackjack is crucial to increasing your chances of winning. Basic strategy is always the correct play in every one those situations, but basic strategy varies based on the casino’s rules."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"When Should You Hit, Stand, Split, and Double Down in Blackjack","item":"https:\/\/www.winning-blackjack.com\/when-should-you-hit-stand-split-and-double-down-in-blackjack\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]