Up card in blackjack

Up card meaning: the dealer card you can see

In blackjack the dealer receives two cards. In the standard American game one is dealt face up (the up card) and one face down (the hole card). The Wizard of Odds blackjack basics (opens in a new tab) page describes this deal and notes that the dealer checks for blackjack when showing a ten or an ace.

Many European and UK tables use a no hole card procedure instead: the dealer takes only the up card at first and draws the second card after all players have acted. Either way, the up card is the single piece of information about the dealer's hand that you have when you make your decision. Each game's help screen sets its own rules, so check which method your table uses.

Dealer up card odds by card

From a full deck the chance of each up card comes from simple counting. There are four cards of each rank, and four ranks (10, jack, queen and king) are worth ten points, so a 10-value card is the most likely single up card.

Because the ratio is the same in every full deck, the figures hold for one deck or eight. Cards already dealt to players shift them slightly in each round, which is ignored here.

How the up card shapes blackjack strategy

Basic strategy is a table of the best play for every player total against every dealer up card. It reduces the house edge but does not remove it. A few plays from the Wizard of Odds 4 to 8 deck basic strategy chart (opens in a new tab) (dealer stands on soft 17, with a hole card) show how much the up card matters:

• Soft 18 (ace and 7) stands against a 2, 7 or 8, doubles against 3 to 6 (stands where doubling isn't allowed) and hits against 9, 10 or an ace.
• Where surrender is offered, hard 16 (not a pair of 8s) is surrendered against a 9, 10 or ace, and hard 15 against a 10.
• Aces and 8s are always split, whatever the up card.

The same chart differs for other rule sets. Wizard of Odds publishes a separate strategy for European no-peek blackjack, and our blackjack strategy chart states the rules it assumes. If you are unsure about one hand, our answer on 16 against a dealer 10 walks through it.

Up card rules: insurance, peeking and no hole card

Insurance is a side bet of up to half your stake that pays 2 to 1 if the dealer's other card is worth ten. With an ace showing from a full eight-deck shoe, 128 of the remaining 415 cards are tens, which gives insurance a house edge of 31/415, about 7.47%. That is why basic strategy says never take it, and never take "even money" either.

Under the European no-peek rule, a dealer blackjack takes the whole amount you bet, including money added by doubling or splitting. Wizard of Odds puts the cost of that rule at 0.11% in total, which is why doubling or splitting against a 10 or ace is rarely right there.

Where else the dealer's up card appears

The 21+3 side bet forms a three-card poker hand from your first two cards and the dealer's up card. In Double Exposure both dealer cards are dealt face up, so there is no hidden card at all, and the rules are changed elsewhere to compensate. In a live game the up card is shown on camera; in RNG games it is drawn by software that reshuffles for each hand.

Related terms

• Hole card: the dealer's face-down card.
• Peek: the dealer checking the hole card for blackjack.
• Natural: an ace and a 10-value card as the first two cards.
• Stand and hit: the two basic decisions the up card guides.

See every term in our casino glossary.

Up card play and UK casino offers

Blackjack is a table game, and the offers below are built around slots, so don't expect them to cover hands at the blackjack table; table and live games are often excluded or weighted lower in wagering. For blackjack itself, check each casino's table game lobby and terms. 18+ and terms apply.

Casumo: new customers who opt in get a 50% bonus up to £100 on a first deposit of £20 or more, wagered 10x within 7 days, with a £5 maximum bet and game and payment restrictions. 10bet: new UK customers who choose the casino welcome bonus and deposit within 7 days get a 100% match up to £25, wagered 10x on slots within 3 days, with a £1,000 cap on bonus winnings and Skrill and Neteller excluded. Coral: new players who deposit and bet £10 on slots get 100 free spins at 10p on selected games, to accept within 48 hours and use within 7 days, with no wagering on winnings; certain payment methods don't qualify.

18+. Every casino game has a built-in house edge, so over time you should expect to lose what you stake. Set a budget before you play and stop when it’s gone: safer gambling tools and support. Free, confidential help: National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133.