When to Hit in Blackjack
Hitting in blackjack, or requesting one more card from the dealer, is the most basic action available in blackjack, and it is also the most frequently used. The decision of when to hit in blackjack versus when to stand is the foundation of basic strategy, and getting it right on every hand is what separates a basic strategy player from someone playing by instinct.
This page covers every situation where basic online blackjack strategy calls for a hit, with the reasoning behind each category of decision. For the full decision reference, see our Basic Strategy Chart. For background on how these decisions were derived, Wikipedia's section on blackjack basic strategy is useful context.
The Core Question Behind Every Hit Decision
Before diving into the specifics, it helps to understand the question that hitting is trying to answer: Is improving my hand worth the risk of busting?
The answer depends on two variables — your total and the dealer's up card. When your total is low enough that you need improvement to win, and/or when the dealer's card is strong enough that the dealer is likely to make a good hand, hitting is correct. When the dealer is weak and likely to bust without your help, and your total is decent enough to win the showdown if the dealer does bust, standing becomes the better play.
Always Hit: Hard 5 Through Hard 8
Hit every hard total of 8 or below against every dealer card, no exceptions.
Why: You cannot reach 21 (or even 17) with these totals without at least one more card. More importantly, you cannot bust on a single card — the highest possible addition is an Ace (11), and 8 + 11 = 19, which is safely under 21. There is no scenario where standing on hard 8 or below makes sense. Hit until you reach a total that requires a different decision.
| Your Hard Total | Action Against ALL Dealer Cards |
|---|---|
| Hard 5 | Hit |
| Hard 6 | Hit |
| Hard 7 | Hit |
| Hard 8 | Hit |
Hard 9: Hit Against Most Dealer Cards
Hard 9 is hit against dealer 2, 7, 8, 9, 10, and Ace. Doubling is correct against dealer 3, 4, 5, and 6 — but if doubling is not available for any reason, hit instead.
Why: Against strong dealer cards, a single hit on hard 9 is unlikely to produce a total strong enough to guarantee a win. You need to improve your hand, and the doubling advantage does not apply against dealer strength. Against dealer 2, the math barely misses the threshold for making doubling worthwhile — hit instead.
Hard 10 and Hard 11: Hit Against Ace (and Dealer 10 for Hard 10)
Hard 10 and hard 11 are primarily doubling hands, but when doubling is not mathematically justified (against dealer 10 for hard 10, against dealer Ace for hard 11), hit.
Why for hard 10 vs. dealer 10: When both you and the dealer likely hold 10s in the hole, the edge of doubling disappears. Your chances of producing a winning total after one card are decent, but not overwhelming enough to warrant the additional bet risk. Hit instead of doubling.
Why for hard 11 vs. dealer Ace: The dealer showing an Ace has a meaningful probability of having blackjack or making a strong total. The combination of your double bet risk and the dealer's strength tips the math toward hitting rather than doubling.
Hard 12: Hit Against Dealer 2, 3, and 7 Through Ace
Hard 12 is one of the most misplayed hands in blackjack. Many players stand on it against any dealer card under 7 — but basic strategy is more precise than that.
- Hit against dealer 2 and 3: Dealers showing 2 or 3 bust less frequently than dealers showing 4, 5, or 6. Your hard 12 needs to improve to beat the hands the dealer is likely to make. Yes, there is bust risk — a 10-value card (31% chance) on your hit busts you. But the alternative of standing on 12 against a dealer 2 or 3 loses more money over time than hitting does.
- Hit against dealer 7 through Ace: Against strong dealer cards, you are not winning this hand with 12. You must hit and try to build a better total. Stand on 12 against a dealer's 10 and you will lose the overwhelming majority of those hands.
Hard 13 and Hard 14: Hit Against Dealer 7 Through Ace
Stand against dealer 2 through 6. Hit against dealer 7 through Ace.
Why: Against a dealer showing 7 or higher, hard 13 or 14 will lose most showdowns without improvement. A dealer showing 7 typically has 17 — your 13 or 14 loses that. A dealer showing 10 likely has 20 — your 13 or 14 loses badly. Hitting is the only way to give yourself a chance.
Hard 15 and Hard 16: Hit Against Dealer 7 and 8 (When Not Surrendering)
Stand against dealer 2 through 6. Surrender against dealer 9, 10, and Ace when available. Hit against dealer 7 and 8 when surrender is not available.
Why: Against a dealer's 7 or 8, neither standing nor hitting is good — but hitting is slightly less bad. A dealer showing 7 has a most-likely total of 17. Your 15 or 16 loses to 17 when you stand. Hitting at least gives you a chance to reach 17, 18, 19, 20, or 21 — and some of those hands win.
The bust risk on hard 15 and 16 is real (any card 6 or higher busts hard 16), but the alternative of standing and losing to the dealer's probable total is statistically worse over the long run.
Soft Hands: When to Hit
Soft hands create unique hitting opportunities because you cannot bust on the next card. The Ace drops from 11 to 1 automatically if any drawn card would otherwise push you over 21.
| Soft Hand | Hit When Dealer Shows |
|---|---|
| Soft 13 (A+2) | 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, A (double vs 5–6) |
| Soft 14 (A+3) | 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, A (double vs 5–6) |
| Soft 15 (A+4) | 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10, A (double vs 4–6) |
| Soft 16 (A+5) | 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10, A (double vs 4–6) |
| Soft 17 (A+6) | 2, 7, 8, 9, 10, A (double vs 3–6) |
| Soft 18 (A+7) | 9, 10, A (stand vs 7–8; double vs 2–6) |
The most important soft-hand hitting rule: hit soft 18 against a dealer's 9, 10, or Ace. It feels counterintuitive to hit an 18, but the dealer's strength makes standing on soft 18 a losing play in those specific situations.
After a Split: Continue Hitting Normally
When you split a pair, each resulting hand is played independently using the same basic strategy as any other hand. If you split 8s and receive a 3 on one of the 8s (making hard 11), that hand follows all the standard hard 11 decisions — double if available, hit otherwise. The split origin of the hand does not change the decision framework.
What Hitting Does Not Mean
A few important clarifications about hitting:
- Hitting is not the same as ignoring bust risk. Basic strategy accounts for bust probability in every hit decision. When the chart says hit, hitting still has a lower expected loss than the alternative — it is not reckless.
- There is no "too many times" to hit. If after hitting you land on hard 14, you apply the appropriate hard 14 decision again. Keep hitting as long as the current total warrants it.
- Hitting is sometimes the least-bad option. Against dealer 9, 10, or Ace with a hard 15, there is no good play. Hitting is the best of several bad options — not a confident winning move.
Quick Reference: Key Hitting Rules
- Always hit hard 8 or below — against every dealer card
- Always hit hard 12 against dealer 2 or 3 (many players incorrectly stand)
- Always hit hard 12 through 16 against dealer 7 through Ace (when not surrendering)
- Always hit soft 17 against all dealer cards (never stand on soft 17)
- Always hit soft 18 against dealer 9, 10, or Ace (never stand on soft 18 in these spots)
Continue to: When to Stand | When to Double Down | Full Strategy Chart