Basic strategy

[Justinmalecha]

Hey everyone, just a random question about basic strategy for blackjack. Is there ever a situation when you should deviate from basic strategy. Say the dealer is showing an 8 and I have hit 3 or 4 times and am at 16. Should I continue to hit or stand and assume that odds are the next card will be a 10? Thanks

[Stealth]

Yes, however, you should only deviate from basic strategy if you are counting cards and have information to modify your decision. Otherwise, do what it says. There is no assume in blackjack.

[Meistro123]

No, it doesn't matter how many times you hit, the basic strategy for 16 v 8 is always to hit.

[TAGR]

Never deviate from basic strategy unless you're counting cards. For all you know, the true count could be -10 where there's not a lot of high cards left in the shoe.

[blueman]

No, it doesn't matter how many times you hit, the basic strategy for 16 v 8 is always to hit.

Unless its single deck

[PinkChip]

There are indeed some deviations you could made without "seriously" counting. Not 16 vs. 8 but 16 vs. 10 is an example where a multi-card hand often should not be hit (see the "Rule of 45" in Fred Renzey's "Blackjack Bluebook II", which is an excellent book for beginners, with many good explanations of Basic Strategy. 12 vs. 4 is another example. Of course analyzing such a multi-card hand is a slight form of counting, too.

[Freightman]

There are indeed some deviations you could made without "seriously" counting. Not 16 vs. 8 but 16 vs. 10 is an example where a multi-card hand often should not be hit (see the "Rule of 45" in Fred Renzey's "Blackjack Bluebook II", which is an excellent book for beginners, with many good explanations of Basic Strategy. 12 vs. 4 is another example. Of course analyzing such a multi-card hand is a slight form of counting, too.

A 3 card 16 should be hit when one of the 3 cards is a 6 - even in positive counts if Im not mistaken.

[Meistro123]

Composition dependent basic strategy is a dead end. Why not just learn to count and use index plays instead? Who wants to learn how to lose a fraction of a percentage slower?

[PinkChip]

A 3 card 16 should be hit when one of the 3 cards is a 6 - even in positive counts if Im not mistaken.

Renzey says stand on 16 vs. 10 whenever the 16 contains a 4 or 5, which doesn't exclude your suggestion.

[Freightman]

Renzey says stand on 16 vs. 10 whenever the 16 contains a 4 or 5, which doesn't exclude your suggestion.

The corollary of - both statements are correct. See if you can reason it out. Meistro can ignore.

[PinkChip]

Stand on a 16 (vs. 10) comprising a 4 or 5 because one 4 or 5 is now out of play, which is exactly the card you would need to make a pat hand of 20 or 21.

Hit a 16 containing a 6 because drawing another 6 would bust your current 16, but now the remaining deck is short of one 6.
Btw. Renzey says hit 10,6 vs. 10 but I'm wondering if the 6 or the two 10s are more relevant for this decision. Both 6 and 10 would bust your 16 and are now out of play.

[refinery]

With more players you can see more cards especially as a third baseman. I stand 16 when I see many low cards on the table. Cards that stand player: A,2,3,4,5=5*4=20=10 per half deck=5 per current round. If I see 7 or more stiffs plus A it’s better to stand or else bust goes up to 90%. I heard other players think the same way. Better live for another day.

Absolute garbage. Don't take this seriously.

[PinkChip]

With more players you can see more cards especially as a third baseman. I stand 16 when I see many low cards on the table. Cards that stand player: A,2,3,4,5=5*4=20=10 per half deck=5 per current round. If I see 7 or more stiffs plus A it’s better to stand or else bust goes up to 90%. I heard other players think the same way. Better live for another day.

Other players are mostly ploppies.