Online Blackjack Tips - Hitting Sweet 16

Many players at the Blackjack table understand basic strategy and apply it correctly for the most part. Generally they know when to hit, stand, double down or split. However you would be surprised at how often players who think they understand basic strategy will make mistakes while they play. Sometimes they'll play a hunch or they will tighten up if they have a large bet on the table. You need to overcome these sorts of mistakes in order to be a successful Blackjack player.

One of the most common mistakes that you'll see at Blackjack tables at casinos all over the world is when a player holds the perilous 16. People get very nervous about hitting 16's for the fear of busting, especially when the dealer is holding a vulnerable card like a 7. You often see players hitting 16's again a dealer's face card all day long, because they know that the dealer is likely to make a good hand, but if the dealer shows a 7 they strangely decide to stand and hope the dealer busts. This sort of thinking is completely backwards as there are in fact more reasons to hit against a 7 than against a 10.

It is true that the dealer will bust more often with a 7 than with a 10. If we look at it statistically, the dealer will bust 26% of the time when showing a 7 but only 23% of the time with a 10. So there is a slight difference, but it means that if you are standing on your 16 you are still going to lose 74 out of every 100 hands in the situation. So you need to be hitting your 16 to try and make a winning hand.

So why is it even more important to hit a 16 against a dealer's 7 than if a dealer is holding a 10? Well the key difference is in your own hand. The odds of you busting with a 16 are exactly the same regardless of what the dealer is showing, however you need to think about the cards that you may receive that will make your 16 a winning hand. When holding a 7, then dealer is about a 31% chance of drawing to a 17. So that means that your 16 has many potential cards that can win you the hand. Any 2, 3, 4 or 5 will very likely give you a winning hand, while an Ace will produce a likely push. So 38% of the time your hand will improve and give you a chance to win the hand.

Compare this to when the dealer is showing a 10. He is likely to make a 20 or may even draw an 18 or 19. So say you hit your 16 and you are lucky enough to draw a deuce - your 18 may not even be enough to win. Your outs to beat the dealer's holding are very slim as you really need a 4 or 5 to be confident of winning.

This makes hitting a 16 against a 7 even more profitable than hitting a 16 against a 10. Don't just stand on your 16 and hope that the dealer will bust. This also applies if you've already drawn 4 or 5 cards to make your 16, or if the dealer is holding an 8, 9 or even an Ace. Have courage and continue to hit your sweet 16 every time at the Blackjack tables to make a winning hand and maximize your profits!

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