What strategies exist for playing against a dealer showing a 10?

Datweirdo

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When facing a dealer showing a 10, players often adopt strategies that emphasize caution and the improvement of their own hands. They typically assume the dealer has a strong hand, like a 20, and may choose to hit on lower totals to enhance their chances of reaching 21 while standing on totals of 17 or higher to avoid busting. Splitting pairs can also be a viable strategy to create better hands.
 
When the dealer shows a 10 in blackjack, it is indeed a challenging situation for players. The dealer's 10-value card suggests a strong starting hand, as they only need to draw a high card to make a total of 20. This influences players to be more conservative with their decision-making to avoid busting when the dealer potentially has a strong hand.

One common strategy players use when facing a dealer's 10 is to hit on stiff totals, like 12-16, in an attempt to improve their hands and get closer to 21. The idea is that standing on these weak totals will likely result in losing against a strong dealer hand. However, hitting on these hands gives players a chance to strengthen their hands and potentially beat the dealer.

On the other hand, players tend to stand on hard totals of 17 or higher to avoid busting. These totals are considered relatively strong, and players believe that hitting and risking a bust is not worth the potential gain with the dealer showing a strong card.

When players have pairs, they may consider splitting them when facing a dealer's 10. This strategy aims to create two separate strong hands and increase the chances of beating the dealer. However, players should be cautious when splitting pairs as it involves doubling the original bet and potentially investing more money in the hand.

Overall, playing against a dealer showing a 10 requires a mix of caution and strategic decision-making. Players need to balance the risk of busting with the need to improve their hands to have a chance of winning against what is perceived as a strong dealer hand.
 
Think about doubling down against a dealer's 10 when your total is 10 or 11. This is a good move because you can beat the dealer's hand if you hit a 10 or face card, which would give you a total of 20 or 21.
 
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