Best Starting Hands in Blackjack

Blackjack is easy to play, but it takes some time to master. Understanding basic strategy can help improve your chances of winning significantly. The most important element of a successful round is your total hand value, along with your starting hand. In this article, we’ll give you the knowledge you need to maximise your chances of winning.

Understanding blackjack hands

Before you begin playing, you must understand the different kinds of blackjack hands and how to play each of them. There are three main categories to keep an eye on:

• Soft hands
• Hard hands
• Pairs

Soft hands are hands that contain an ace, which can be played as either a one or an 11. This type of hand is one of the most flexible and sought after in the game. Hard hands do not have an ace – every card is worth its face value and must be played as such. Pair hands are starting hands that contain a pair of cards, such as two 12s.

Top five hands in blackjack and how to play them

Playing your starting hand well can make or break your round. This is why we will discuss some of the best winning blackjack hands you can get and how to work with each of them. Once you understand the methods behind successful table game strategy, you have the best possible chance of success.

Blackjack (ace and 10-point card)

The goal of blackjack is to have a hand totalling 21, or as close as you can get to it without going over. An ace and a 10-point card, also referred to as a ‘natural blackjack’, is the best starting hand by far and pretty much guarantees you a win. One of the only exceptions to this is if the dealer also has a natural 22. At that point, the game ends as a ‘push’ and the player receives their stake back.

In most cases, a natural 21 nets the player a win and pays out at 2:1 odds. This means that your stake is doubled, and then returned to the player.

If there is one thing to remember about natural blackjack starting hands, it’s that you should always stand. Don’t hit, don’t split – just stand. You’re nearly guaranteed a win.

Hard 20 (10 & 10)

One of the best blackjack hands to start the game with is a pair of 10s, also known as a ‘hard 20’. While the hand will lose against a blackjack, it will win over everything else. In fact, you have a roughly 92% chance of winning.

The best strategy on a hard 20 starting hand is to stand. Like a natural blackjack, a hard 20 is almost a guaranteed win.

Soft 19 (ace & 8)

One of the blackjack best hands is a soft 19, which consists of an ace and an eight. A soft 19 offers players a roughly 85% chance of winning. Standing is almost always the best choice here, especially against a dealer upcard of two, seven or eight. If the dealer’s upcard is between a three and a six, double down.

Finally, if the dealer’s upcard is a nine, 10 or an ace, you can try your luck at hitting. The reason you hit in this scenario given your high likelihood of winning when standing is because the dealer is most likely to have blackjack, or even simply a 20-value hand, when their showing card is a nine, 10 or ace. And since the ace in a soft 19 can be played as a one if necessary, you have some flexibility to avoid going bust. That’s why soft hands are the best! They offer you more ways to win.

Hard 11 (multiple ways to achieve this)

When it comes to strong blackjack hands to start the game with, a hard 11 is one of the best. Players have a strong chance of hitting 21 if they choose to hit or double down. A hard 11 offers players a 50% chance of winning, but the right strategy can increase those odds. In general, you always want to double down, regardless of whether you’re playing a live casino game against other players or solo against a computer at your favourite online provider.

The sole exception to doubling down with a hard 11 is if the dealer has an ace upcard. They are most likely to have blackjack or another strong hand with that particular upcard, so avoid increasing the amount of money you stand to lose.

Note that there are different ways to get a hard 11. You might have a fix and a six, for example, or an eight and a three, or a nine and a two.

Pair of aces (A+A)

What hands win in blackjack? A pair of aces is a great place to start. The go-to strategy for a pair of aces is to split. That’s it! Always split your hand, regardless of what the dealer is showing, because it gives you a roughly 50% chance of winning on each of your hands. This is much better than the roughly 30% odds of winning when playing a pair of aces (which can value either 22 or two) straight.

Double down on strong hands?

Doubling down is a crucial part of blackjack strategy and can help increase the amount of money you win. Most players double down on high-value hands with a high probability of winning. Remember that doubling down doubles your stake, however. Avoid doing so when you don’t have a strong hand as it will simply increase the amount of money you lose.

Splitting on strong hands?

Strong hands that aren’t almost guaranteed to win based on value alone can be split, especially if you are dealt a pair. More specifically, players tend to split a pair of aces and a pair of eights. You can consider splitting twos, threes, sixes and sevens, but with a slightly lower chance of getting two winning hands. Avoid splitting at all costs with a 21 or 20-value starting hand, and generally avoid splitting with a pair of fives or 10s.

'## Blackjack hand FAQs

What is the best hand in blackjack?

A 21 is the best hand you can have in blackjack. When you are dealt a 21 in your starting hand, you have a ‘natural blackjack’, while achieving 21 after drawing cards is known as a ‘blackjack’.

Should you always split aces in blackjack?

Yes, you should always split aces in blackjack. This is true regardless of what the dealer is showing.

When should you double down in blackjack?

Double down in blackjack when you have one of the top blackjack winning hands.

Should I split 10s in blackjack?

While you can consider splitting 10s in blackjack, your best bet is to stand. A 20 is a strong starting hand offering great odds of winning.

Are soft hands better than hard hands in blackjack?

Soft hands are much more flexible than hard hands in blackjack, giving players more options to play. With that said, they are not necessarily ‘better’ than hard hands. A hand total of 20 is excellent whether you have an ace and a nine (soft 20) or two 10s (hard 20).