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How to Play Blackjack with 12 or 13 Points
We have spoken about basic and advanced blackjack strategy in the past. Still, a lot of blackjack players feel that they have to stand with 12 or 13 points regardless of what the dealer’s up card is. This happens more often at land-based casinos where a player might not want to be berated for taking a card and “causing” some of the other players at the table to lose a hand.
It also happens when some players play at an online casino where there is no one to berate you for making the most logical play. The logic of standing with 14 or more points is somewhat easier to fathom but 12 and 13 points often sends gamers for a loop.
We know this because we know how many gamers have read our articles on blackjack strategy and because we track the outcomes of every hand. We do that because it eliminates some disagreements between gamers and Everygame Casino which is good for both sides.
Simple Arithmetic is Easier than Simple Statistics
There are 16 cards that are worth 10 points. That is about one third of the deck. So, for many players, if they get 12 or 13 points, they know that they have at least a one in three chance of busting if they hit. With 13 points, the nines also bust your hand so the chances of busting are now about 40%.
For many blackjack players, this mathematical reality—and it is reality—intimidates them into standing on hands that statistics says to hit on.
Look at the Dealer’s Card
It should be obvious but it isn’t for many players: the dealer’s card is just as important as your total! If the dealer is showing a 6, she is a lot more likely to bust on the next card than if she shows a 2. Similarly, if the dealer is showing a 7 through an ace, she might not need to take any cards at all.
This indicates that if you have 12 points and the dealer is showing a 7 or better, you should hit.
- If the dealer has a 7, then an ace or a ten point card will give the dealer enough to stand. This is about 40% of the deck.
- If the dealer has an 8, then any 9, 10 point card, or an ace will end her hand. That is about half the deck, a sure sign that you should hit.
- If the dealer has a ten point card, then an ace, a 7, an 8, a nine, or a ten point card will break the 17 point barrier. This is about 60% of the deck.
Play in Games that Offer the Surrender Option
It should be obvious that standing with 12 or 13 points is often not the wisest option!
We can also see that there are times when a player has the odds stacked so powerfully against them that the best option is simply to surrender the hand and lose half the bet. These hands occur especially when you have 14-16 points and the dealer is showing 10 points.
However, we are still talking about the player’s options if she has 12 or 13 points.
What is the Best Card in the Dealer’s Hand from the Player’s Point of View?
We added this little tidbit because overwhelmingly players will say that 6 is the best card in the dealer’s hand from the player’s point of view. In fact, it is the 5! The reason is that with a 6 showing the dealer might have soft 17 which allows her to hit! This all points to the fact that it is to the player’s benefit to play a blackjack game in which the dealer stands on soft 17.
Then the 6 would be the best card for the player!
What if I Follow a Strategy to Stand on Every Hand that Can Bust with Just One Card?
This is actually called the No Bust Strategy and it DOES NOT WORK! If you follow a no bust strategy, you will actually be increasing the house edge to about 4% over the one half of one percent house edge if you follow the best strategy.
The key to playing hands in which you HAVE TO take a card even though you might bust is to develop the psychological toughness to make such plays. Ultimately, taking a third card on a hand that could bust is part psychological toughness and part simply looking at the dealer’s card!
There is a good chance that you will win the hand if the dealer is showing a 4, 5, or 6 if you stand even with 12 points. However, if the dealer is showing a 7 or better, you should always hit with 12 and 13 points.
Why Online Blackjack is Better than Blackjack at a Land-based Casino
Everygame Casino is available to all gamers on a 24/7 basis. Unless you live AT a land-based casino—or a very short distance away—no land-based casino is available to gamers on a 24/7 basis. The casino stays open but the players and casino clientele change almost daily.
One set of players leaves and another set of players comes and the players may never enter that land-based casino again! This doesn’t happen with online casinos. This gives gamers in all games—but especially in the games of skill such as blackjack and video poker—the chance to play often and for short periods of time.
From the psychological standpoint, this is very important. Our psyches work even when we are not actively engaging them. Therefore, by playing at Everygame Casino Red, you can train yourself to feel confident in taking a card with 12 or 13 points. Very often this is the best play!
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We publish these helpful articles a couple of times per week. They are another big value you get when you join Everygame Casino, so, JOIN NOW!
