Hard total · Dealer shows 10
Hard 16 vs a dealer 10
Basic strategySurrender if the table offers it. If it doesn't, hit.
Why
Sixteen against a 10 is the worst common hand in blackjack. Every option loses money over time; your job is to lose the least. Surrender gives up exactly half your bet, and every other choice loses more than that, which is why surrender is the play wherever it's allowed.
Without surrender, hitting and standing are almost a coin flip. Standing wins only when the dealer busts, and a dealer showing a 10 busts about 23% of the time. Hitting busts you on any 6 or higher, but the small cards (ace through 5) turn your 16 into 17–21. Over millions of hands, hitting comes out very slightly ahead.
By the numbers
Average result per $100 initial bet, after the dealer checks for blackjack. A negative number is an average loss; the best play is the one that loses least or wins most.
| Play | Dealer hits soft 17 | Dealer stands on soft 17 |
|---|---|---|
| Hit | −$53.98Best w/o surrender | −$53.98Best w/o surrender |
| Stand | −$54.04 | −$54.04 |
| Double (2× bet) | −$107.97 | −$107.97 |
| Surrender (if offered) | −$50.00Best | −$50.00Best |
Without surrender, hit beats stand by $0.06 per $100 bet under either soft-17 rule. Close call
Infinite-deck model, which tracks a 6–8 deck shoe closely. Double after split allowed, no resplits. How we calculate.
How the table rules change it
| Table rules (4–8 decks, double after split unless noted) | Play |
|---|---|
| Dealer hits soft 17, no surrender Most Florida and Las Vegas tables | Hit |
| Dealer hits soft 17, surrender allowed Some higher-limit tables | Surrender |
| Dealer stands on soft 17, no surrender Felt says “stands on all 17s” | Hit |
| Dealer stands on soft 17, surrender allowed Best common shoe game | Surrender |
The rules change this play. Read the felt before you sit down.
Common mistake
Standing because "the dealer probably has 20 anyway." The dealer often does, which is exactly why you need to improve your hand rather than hope they bust.
Going further
With three or more cards (say 4-5-7), many multi-deck players stand: the small cards you're holding are the ones you need, so they're gone from the shoe. Card counters using Hi-Lo stand at a true count of 0 or higher.
Drill it
This hand first, then the spots people mix it up with. The switches match your table’s rules and carry over to the full trainer.
Questions
Is it ever right to stand on 16 vs 10?
Yes, in two cases: a three-card 16 in a multi-deck game is close enough that standing is fine, and card counters stand whenever the true count is 0 or higher. For a two-card 16 at an ordinary table, hit.
What if I have 8,8 against a 10?
Split. A pair of 8s is not played as 16. Two hands starting at 8 lose far less than one 16. See the 8s vs 10 page.