How do I know when to stand on 12-16 against a dealer’s face-up card?

[Jonah]

Knowing when to stand on a hand value of 12-16 against a dealer’s face-up card is an important part of Blackjack strategy. In general, you'll want to stand when the dealer is showing a weak card and hit when they have a stronger one. For instance, if the dealer is showing a 4, 5, or 6, these are considered weak cards, often referred to as "dealer bust cards." This is because the dealer is more likely to bust when they start with one of these cards. In this case, standing on a 12-16 is generally the best choice since the chances of the dealer busting are higher than the risk of drawing another card and potentially busting yourself.
On the other hand, when the dealer shows a 7, 8, 9, 10, or Ace, their chances of making a strong hand are much greater, and they are less likely to bust. In these situations, it’s usually better to hit, as your hand of 12-16 has a low probability of winning against a dealer hand that could total 17 or higher.
For example, with a 12 against a dealer’s 4, 5, or 6, standing is optimal because the dealer is likely to bust. However, if you have a 13-16 and the dealer is showing a 7 or higher, you would typically hit, as your chances of improving your hand are higher than standing and hoping the dealer busts. Essentially, when the dealer shows weak cards, standing becomes the preferred strategy, but when the dealer has strong cards, hitting gives you a better chance to improve your hand and compete with the dealer.

 

[CR7]

It seems like you have a good understanding of the general strategy for when to stand on a hand value of 12-16 against a dealer's face-up card in Blackjack. Standing on a 12-16 when the dealer shows a 4, 5, or 6 (weak cards) is indeed a common strategy because the dealer is more likely to bust. This is also known as playing for the dealer to bust strategy.

Conversely, hitting on a 12-16 when the dealer shows 7, 8, 9, 10, or Ace (strong cards) is usually the recommended move since the dealer is less likely to bust, and your hand's chances of winning are slim.

Remember that Blackjack is a game of probabilities, and the basic strategy provides guidelines based on these probabilities to maximize your chances of winning in the long run. While there can be variations in specific game rules and counting strategies that can alter optimal decisions, following the basic strategy is a good starting point for most players to improve their gameplay and results over time.