How you play them depends on several variables which include the dealer’s upcard, the deck number, and the fixed drawing and standing conditions the dealer must adhere to when playing out their hand. Hard 14, 15, and 16 are hands with fixed totals that lack Aces to give them flexibility and improve the player’s chances of making a successful hit. The Correct Playing Decisions for Hard Totals 14, 15, and 16 Knowing how to approach them correctly will spare you lots of headaches and money in the future so stay with us as we explain the basic strategy decisions for these totals and discuss some of most common mistakes players make with these hands. This happens frequently with some hard totals like 14, 15, and 16 which top the list of the worst hands you can possibly get dealt in the game of blackjack. And yet, casual players who have not mastered basic strategy often fail to recognize when the odds are in their favor and when they are in trouble, which causes them to make plays that are far from optimal.
Certain cards and combinations of cards favor the dealer while others are more advantageous to the player. The thing about blackjack is that its house edge is prone to change as the game progresses.