When Should You Stand in Blackjack?

When to Stand in Blackjack

Most blackjack players know when to hit—when the dealer’s upcard is lower than their own hand, they’ll likely hit. The question is, when should you stand?

The answer, like most things in blackjack, is not always clear-cut. It depends on a number of factors, including what the dealer is showing, what you have in your hand, and the specific rules of the game you’re playing.

In general, you should stand when you have a hard hand of 17 or higher, or a soft hand of 19 or higher. A hard hand is one that doesn’t contain an ace, or if it does, the ace counts as 1.

A soft hand is one where the ace counts as 11.

Of course, there are exceptions to these general rules. If the dealer is showing a 7 or higher, you’ll want to hit if you have a hard hand of 12 or less—the chance of the dealer busting is just too high to pass up.

And if the dealer is showing a 2 or 3, you might want to stand on a soft 18 (ace-seven), since the dealer is likely to bust.

The best way to know when to stand in blackjack is to practice and learn as much as you can about the game. The more you play, the better sense you’ll have for when to hit and when to stand.