Posted by: admin : Category: Question: Okay. So lets pretend the dealer shows an A or 10…and you have a 2-4…so u hit..and get like a 4….so u hit again..and get a 5. u have 2-4-4-5 which adds up to 15. the chart tells you to hit a 15 verse a power card. So do you hit? Or because you just got so many low cards in a row should you stand? And also…what are the guidelines u’d suggest depending on how many decks are being used. in a 6 deck game think about how many low cards are still out there to help you?
Answer:
Statistically, you should still hit, unless you’re playing single deck or counting cards. There are lots of scenarios like this though where you should veer from basic strategy when counting cards.
Here’s a tip that most people do not know though. It can be found in the book “Blackbelt in Blackjack”
There are actually 2 situations where you can stray from basic strategy without counting cards, just based on the particular cards in your hand. One is called the “Rule of 45.” When you have a 16 vs a dealer 10, basic strategy tells you to hit. But, this scenario is so statistically close to a stand, that removing a single card from the deck can change what you should do. If your hand is exactly 3 cards adding up to a total of 16, and one or more of these cards is a 4 or 5, statistically it is a better play to stand.
There is another similar rule involving a 12 vs a dealer 4. If you have a 12 that is a 2 and a 10, it is actually a better play to hit than to stand. This play will get a lot of groans from the table, but statistically it is the right play.
These 2 rules are valid in games using up to 6 decks. In 8 deck games or continuous shuffle games, stick to basic strategy.