Blackjack 12 vs Dealer 2
Basic strategy: Hit.
For 6-deck blackjack where the dealer stands on soft 17 (S17), with double-after-split and late surrender — the Vegas Strip S17 rules.
A dealer 2 will make a strong total far more often than it busts, so a 12 that stood would lose most of the time. You have to improve: hit, and accept the bust risk because standing here is the worse of two imperfect options.
Counter-intuitive but correct: even though a dealer 2 looks weak, it only busts about 35% of the time, while standing on 12 wins almost only when the dealer busts. Hitting a 12 busts you on just the four ten-value ranks, so taking a card is the higher-EV play. The same logic makes 12 vs 3 a hit.
Exact EV for this hand
The board below is loaded with 12 against a dealer 2. Fullcount computes the precise expected value of every action from the live shoe — change the rules or add cards to see how the best play shifts.
More on this decision: read When to hit or stand, browse the full basic-strategy matrix, or start from the basic strategy overview. Playing a different game? Compare rule variants.
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