Hard 8 in Blackjack: Always Hit?
The short answer: Hit against 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and Ace.
Every number on this page comes from an exact calculation of the remaining shoe, not from a printed chart. It is the same solver the Casino Trainer app grades your decisions against. The game is the common six-deck shoe: dealer hits soft 17, double after split, late surrender, blackjack pays 3:2. The hand was solved as 6-2.
Every dealer upcard at a glance
Results are the expected win or loss on a $100 bet, played perfectly from here.
| Dealer shows | Best play | Stand | Hit | Double down | Surrender |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Hit | −$28.36 | −$2.32 | −$19.97 | −$50.00 |
| 3 | Hit | −$24.33 | +$0.78 | −$12.91 | −$50.00 |
| 4 | Hit | −$19.94 | +$4.36 | −$5.39 | −$50.00 |
| 5 | Hit | −$15.52 | +$7.90 | +$2.17 | −$50.00 |
| 6 | Hit | −$11.84 | +$10.70 | +$8.27 | −$50.00 |
| 7 | Hit | −$47.69 | +$8.45 | −$17.98 | −$50.00 |
| 8 | Hit | −$51.33 | −$5.92 | −$44.96 | −$50.00 |
| 9 | Hit | −$54.29 | −$21.09 | −$71.69 | −$50.00 |
| 10 | Hit | −$54.29 | −$25.02 | −$74.92 | −$50.00 |
| A | Hit | −$59.70 | −$26.60 | −$83.45 | −$50.00 |
Hard 8 vs dealer 2
Hit. Played that way, hard 8 against a 2 is worth −$2.32 per $100 bet. The next-best play, double down, is worth −$19.97, so getting it wrong costs $17.65 per $100.
The dealer busts 35.7% of the time from a 2.
Hard 8 vs dealer 3
Hit. Played that way, hard 8 against a 3 is worth +$0.78 per $100 bet. The next-best play, double down, is worth −$12.91, so getting it wrong costs $13.69 per $100.
The dealer busts 37.7% of the time from a 3.
Hard 8 vs dealer 4
Hit. Played that way, hard 8 against a 4 is worth +$4.36 per $100 bet. The next-best play, double down, is worth −$5.39, so getting it wrong costs $9.75 per $100.
The dealer busts 39.9% of the time from a 4.
Hard 8 vs dealer 5
Hit. Played that way, hard 8 against a 5 is worth +$7.90 per $100 bet. The next-best play, double down, is worth +$2.17, so getting it wrong costs $5.72 per $100.
The dealer busts 42.0% of the time from a 5.
Hard 8 vs dealer 6
Hit. Played that way, hard 8 against a 6 is worth +$10.70 per $100 bet. The next-best play, double down, is worth +$8.27, so getting it wrong costs $2.42 per $100.
The dealer busts 43.9% of the time from a 6.
Hard 8 vs dealer 7
Hit. Played that way, hard 8 against a 7 is worth +$8.45 per $100 bet. The next-best play, double down, is worth −$17.98, so getting it wrong costs $26.43 per $100.
The dealer busts 26.2% of the time from a 7.
Hard 8 vs dealer 8
Hit. Played that way, hard 8 against an 8 is worth −$5.92 per $100 bet. The next-best play, double down, is worth −$44.96, so getting it wrong costs $39.04 per $100.
The dealer busts 24.4% of the time from an 8.
Hard 8 vs dealer 9
Hit. Played that way, hard 8 against a 9 is worth −$21.09 per $100 bet. The next-best play, surrender, is worth −$50.00, so getting it wrong costs $28.91 per $100.
The dealer busts 22.9% of the time from a 9.
Hard 8 vs dealer 10
Hit. Played that way, hard 8 against a 10 is worth −$25.02 per $100 bet. The next-best play, surrender, is worth −$50.00, so getting it wrong costs $24.98 per $100.
The dealer busts 23.0% of the time from a 10.
Hard 8 vs dealer A
Hit. Played that way, hard 8 against an Ace is worth −$26.60 per $100 bet. The next-best play, surrender, is worth −$50.00, so getting it wrong costs $23.40 per $100.
The dealer busts 20.1% of the time from an Ace.
Does it matter if the dealer stands on soft 17?
No. Hard 8 is played the same way under both rules.
Practise it until it's automatic
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More hands: Hard 9 · Every blackjack hand · Basic strategy chart
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