Hard hands are hands without an ace (or with ace as 1). These form the foundation of basic strategy.
Always Stand (17-21):
• 17 or higher - Never hit, you're likely to bust
• Even "weak" 17 beats dealer bust hands
Always Hit (8 and below):
• Impossible to bust - always take a card
• You need to improve weak totals
Dealer's Up Card Matters:
• Weak dealer cards (2-6): Dealer likely to bust - be conservative
• Strong dealer cards (7-A): Dealer likely to make good hand - be aggressive
Key Strategy Points:
• Stand 12-16 vs dealer 2-6 (let dealer bust)
• Hit 12-16 vs dealer 7-A (you need to improve)
• Double 11 vs 2-10 (great opportunity)
• Double 10 vs 2-9 (good opportunity)
• Double 9 vs 3-6 (decent opportunity)