Blackjack When To Hit On 16

CaptainBill
According to basic Blackjack strategy, if I have 16 and the dealer shows 7, I should hit. In this situation, there is a 38% chance the dealer has me beat, and a 62% chance I bust if I hit. Why is this the correct play? I admit, every time so far I have taken the chance and stood on my 16, the dealer has a 10 card underneath. Is there some black magic that dictates this is what happens? Otherwise, why is 7 not considered a 'bust card' for the dealer?
Blackjack When To Hit On 16
FinsRule
Hitting 16 sometimes gets you 20

At Slotomania, you blackjack when to hit on 16 can start playing your favorite slot games with crazy graphics, top of the line sound effects, and hundreds of variations to choose from. Join the amazing free slots experience played by millions on the web, blackjack when to hit on 16 Facebook, iPhone, iPad, Android, Amazon and Windows Phone. Favorite Answer If you knew basic strategy, then you wouldn't be asking this question. You always hit a 16 if the dealer is showing a 7 or higher. You always stand when the dealer is showing a 2-6.

CaptainBill
Sometimes, but most times it gets me busted.
FinsRule
Ok, serious answer.
“Bust card” is shorthand for any card that you don’t hit against if you have a 12-16 (even though you do hit 12-2).
Don’t worry about the phrase bust card. Just trust the math.
unJon

Sometimes, but most times it gets me busted.

38% chance dealer has you beat currently but much higher percent chance he ultimately beats you (about 74%).
The race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong; but that is the way to bet.
michael99000
When the dealer shows a 7 he’s statistically only going to bust 26% of the time.
FinsRule
I think the casual player overestimates the chances the dealer will bust with a “bust card”.
It’s never over 50%.
billryan

According to basic Blackjack strategy, if I have 16 and the dealer shows 7, I should hit. In this situation, there is a 38% chance the dealer has me beat, and a 62% chance I bust if I hit. Why is this the correct play? I admit, every time so far I have taken the chance and stood on my 16, the dealer has a 10 card underneath. Is there some black magic that dictates this is what happens? Otherwise, why is 7 not considered a 'bust card' for the dealer?


With 16, the only way you win is if the dealer busts. A dealer 7 is not conducive to his busting. He'll bust roughly a fourth of his hands, meaning if you stay, you lose 75% of them. Hitting it, you will immediately lose roughly 40 percent of the hands, but you will be favored in most of the remaining 60 %
You will lose less by hitting, but either way, you will lose money.
beachbumbabs
Administrator
Welcome to the forum, CaptainBill.
I think the others explained it pretty well, but it's not an easy concept.
Some times the point is not to win, but to lose less.
A 16 hand is a loser hand. You're trying to make lemonade out of lemons when you hit it. But it loses more often than it wins no matter what the dealer has.
The break point, with the math, is the dealer 7. It's only slightly better for you to try and improve your hand (5 out of 13 cards won't bust you) than to stand.
Dealer has 5 out of thirteen cards on which he will stand and beat you. (AKQJT)
5 out of 13 on which he must hit and the next card CAN bust him. But it might not. (98765)

Blackjack Do You Hit On 16


AND 3 out of 13 cards he can hit once and WILL not bust. (432). Might have to hit it again, but has a lot of chances for a better hand than 17 in this subgroup.

When To Stand On Blackjack

So a 7 is not a really bad card for a dealer - it's actually better for him to HAVE to hit it and get to a higher total than 17 (I think), if you broke it down that far. 17 is not a strong dealer hand (against other hands that stood).
If the House lost every hand, they wouldn't deal the game.
CaptainBill

Blackjack Stand On 16

Thanks for that. It's like one honest blackjack dealer said. 'Step right up. You can't lose if you don't play'.