To stand in blackjack means to stop taking cards and keep the total you have, ending your turn. You might stand on hard 17 or on 13 against a dealer 6. The dealer stands too, but by fixed rules rather than choice, and baccarat uses the same word for hands that draw no third card.
Standing ends your turn and locks in your total; British players often call it sticking.
Basic strategy always stands on hard 17 or more and stands on 13 to 16 only against a dealer 2 to 6.
The dealer must stand on 17 or more; some tables make the dealer hit soft 17, which costs you about 0.22%.
In baccarat the Player hand stands on 6 or 7, and both hands stand on a natural 8 or 9.
Meaning
Take no more cards; keep your total
Always stand on
Hard 17 or more
Stand on 13–16
Against a dealer 2–6 only
Dealer stands
On 17 or more (soft 17 varies)
Hand signal
Wave a flat hand over your cards
What stand means in blackjack
Each player in blackjack acts in turn, choosing to hit, stand, double, split or sometimes surrender. Standing is the quietest choice: you take no card, your total is fixed, and play moves on. Your hand is then compared with the dealer’s once the dealer has finished. In Britain the same move is widely called sticking, and you will see both words in our casino glossary.
Standing does not mean you are safe. A stood total of 15 still loses to any dealer total from 17 to 21, and wins only if the dealer goes bust. The decision is about which risk is smaller: busting yourself by drawing, or being beaten by a dealer who keeps drawing.
When basic strategy stands (4–8 decks, dealer stands on soft 17)
Your hand
Stand against dealer
Otherwise
Hard 17 or more
Every card
Never hit
Hard 13 to 16
2 to 6
Hit against 7 to ace (surrender some hands where offered)
Hard 12
4 to 6
Hit against 2, 3 and 7 to ace
Soft 18 (ace-7)
2, 7, 8
Double against 3 to 6; hit against 9, 10, ace
Soft 19 and soft 20
Every card
Never hit
Pair of 10s
Every card
Never split
Why stand on 13 against a dealer 6 but hit it against a 7? Hitting 13 busts on any 9 or higher, 5 ranks in 13, about 38%. Against a weak dealer card, the dealer is the one more likely to bust, so you let them draw. Against a 7 or higher, a stood 13 will usually lose, so the risk of drawing is worth taking. Our hard hands and soft hands guides go through each total, and the strategy chart adjusts for other rules.
Following basic strategy reduces the house edge; it does not remove it.
When the dealer must stand
The dealer has no choice. Standard rules make the dealer draw on 16 or less and stand on 17 or more. The one variation is soft 17, such as ace-6. Where the dealer stands on soft 17, the felt or help screen usually says ‘dealer stands on all 17s’. Where the dealer hits soft 17, the player loses about 0.22% compared with a stand rule, according to the Wizard of Odds rule-variation table (opens in a new tab). Our page on the dealer soft 17 rule has worked examples.
Stand in baccarat and video poker
In baccarat, nobody chooses; the hands follow the third-card rule. If either hand has a natural 8 or 9 on two cards, both hands stand. Otherwise the Player hand stands on 6 or 7 and draws on 0 to 5, and the Banker hand follows a fixed table depending on its own total and the Player’s third card.
Check your total, including whether any ace is counting as 11.
Compare it with the dealer’s up card on your strategy chart.
Online, press Stand when your decision timer is running.
At a land-based table, wave a flat hand, palm down, over your cards; with cards dealt face down, slide them under your chips.
Read the help screen for what happens if your timer runs out, as live games set their own default.
Blackjack standing decisions and our partner offers
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Frequently asked questions
What does stand mean in blackjack?
Stand means you take no more cards and keep your current total, ending your turn. Your hand is then compared with the dealer’s after the dealer finishes drawing. Standing on a low total wins only if the dealer busts, so the choice depends on the dealer’s up card. British players often say stick instead. Our how to play blackjack guide places standing among the other options.
Should you always stand on 17?
You should always stand on hard 17 or more, but not on soft 17. Hitting hard 17 busts on any 5 or higher, about 9 ranks in 13, so standing is clearly better. Soft 17 (ace-6) cannot bust on one card, and basic strategy hits or doubles it. Our soft hand entry explains why the ace changes the decision.
Should you stand on 16 against a dealer 10?
Under standard four to eight-deck strategy you should hit hard 16 against a dealer 10, or surrender it where late surrender is offered. Standing leaves you needing the dealer to bust, which a 10 showing makes less likely. Hitting busts often too, so 16 against 10 is a losing hand either way; strategy picks the smaller loss. See what to do with 16 against a dealer 10.
When does the dealer stand in blackjack?
The dealer stands on 17 or more and draws on 16 or less, under fixed rules with no choice. Tables differ only on soft 17: some make the dealer stand, others make the dealer hit, which raises the house edge by about 0.22%. The rule is printed on the felt or in the game’s help screen. Read our dealer soft 17 page for more.
What is the hand signal to stand in blackjack?
The standard signal to stand is a flat hand, palm down, waved sideways over your cards. When cards are dealt face down, you slide them under your chips instead. Signals let the dealer and cameras record your decision without doubt. Online and in live casino games you press the Stand button. Our guide to casino etiquette covers the other signals.
Do you stand in baccarat?
Players do not choose to stand in baccarat, because the hands follow the fixed third-card rule. The Player hand stands on 6 or 7 and draws on 0 to 5, and both hands stand if either has a natural 8 or 9. The Banker hand follows its own table. Your only decision is which bet to place. Our baccarat how to play guide explains the drawing rules.
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