Blackjack Hands

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If you are a Kiwi just starting out on your blackjack journey, this page is tailor-made for you. Below, we’ll explore the best and worst possible hands in blackjack and how to play them when you’re dealt them by the dealer.

The value of the first two cards dealt to you is integral to basic blackjack strategy. It’s not just the value of your first two cards either. Basic blackjack strategy also takes into account the value of the dealer’s hand too.

When playing online blackjack at Wildz Casino, you should consider the following approaches to maximising the best blackjack hands and minimising the damage when poorer hands rear their ugly head.

This is how to play the best Blackjack hands

If you’re still learning how to play blackjack, familiarising yourself with the best blackjack hands and how they should be played is a good idea.

The best possible starting hand is blackjack. This involves being dealt an ace (11) and a ten or any face card. This makes a hand worth 21 – the highest possible score without going bust. There’s nothing you need to do when you’re dealt a blackjack except hope that your dealer doesn’t have one too. If they do, your hand will be tied, and your initial wager will be voided and returned to you. It’s very rare for you and the dealer to have a blackjack simultaneously, though.

Naturally, the next best blackjack hand below a blackjack is worth 20. This is often achieved by being dealt two face cards. There is a natural reaction among recreational blackjack players to want to split tens and play two hands with stakes doubled. The sensible approach is to stand on hands worth 20 rather than split them, as the likelihood of winning in this position is around 80%. Splitting the hand diminishes your probability of winning either hand, risking losing two units of your stake rather than winning one unit.

If you’re looking for other strong starting hands in blackjack, hands worth ten or 11 after your first two cards put you in a strong position. This is achieved with two low-value cards like a five and a six, increasing the likelihood of a higher-value nine or ten being dealt to you next – potentially building a hand worth 19, 20 or even 21.

In positions where you have an initial hand worth ten or 11, basic blackjack strategy dictates that you should ‘double down’ on this hand. This requires you to double your initial stake in exchange for one more card. The only scenario you might be wary of doubling down is when the dealer’s upcard is a ten, and they may already have a high-value hand.

While we’ve discussed the best possible blackjack hands, it’s also a good idea to reinforce what the worst blackjack hands look like.

Kiwis should always go on the defensive if their initial hand is worth 16, especially when the dealer’s upcard is low. It’s a good idea to stand this hand, given that the dealer may have to draw a third card that could tip them over 21. Starting hands worth 12-15 aren’t a lost cause either when the dealer’s upcard is low. Simply stand your hand in a similar fashion as the dealer may still go bust if the ratio of high-value to low-value cards in the deck is higher.

If your hand is worth 16 and the dealer’s upcard is a ten, you might as well take the plunge and draw a third card to try and improve your hand – unless ‘Surrender’ is offered. In this case, you should take this option to surrender the hand and receive half of your stake back.

How to play Soft hands and Hard hands

As you can see within our casino guide, we’re passionate about covering as many angles of online casino gaming as possible. That’s why it’s important for us to demystify the concept of ‘soft hands’ and ‘hard hands’ in blackjack. Below, we’ll provide Kiwis with some basic tips on utilising hard and soft hands to their full potential at the blackjack tables:

Playing hard hands

Playing soft hands

Which hands should you split?

It’s important not to get too excited about having paired hands in blackjack. You shouldn’t feel the need to split paired hands every time you get them. You should only do so when the blackjack odds are in your favour. Basic blackjack strategy suggests you should do the following:

• Always split aces and 8s
• Only split 2s if the dealer’s upcard is worth 3-7
• Only split 3s if the dealer’s upcard is worth 4-7
• Never split 4s
• Never split 5s – double down if the dealer’s upcard is worth 9 or lower
• Split 6s if the dealer’s upcard is worth 6 or lower
• Split 7s if the dealer’s upcard is worth 7 or lower
• Never split 9s
• Never split 10s

FAQs

What hand is strong in Blackjack?

An Ace and a ten make a natural blackjack hand. The ten can be any face card. The only negative outcome here is a tie, which means the dealer also got a natural.

How are face cards valued in Blackjack?

All the face cards have a value of 10 each. Aces count as either 1 or 11. An Ace will have a value of 11 unless that would give a player or the dealer a score above 21, in which case, it has a value of 1.

What is the worst hand in Blackjack?

If a player is dealt a pair of eights, a total of 16, considered a troublesome hand. The value 16 is said to be the worst hand one can have in Blackjack.

What does hitting on Soft 17 mean?

A soft 17 is 17 with an Ace. Ace can be counted as 11 or 1, providing flexibility on whether you should hit or not. The dealers must hit or stand on a soft 17, depending on the casino.