No matter what card game you come across, a player wants to be certain that they know which is the best hand to receive, and blackjack is no different. When playing blackjack, all players hope they will be dealt specific cards by the dealer. These are both two high cards; either a King and Queen a Ten and a 9 card, for example. The combination is not important in blackjack, only the value of the hand. Anything close to a 21, without going over, is important.

However, players do not always receive these kinds of hands. As with most games, bad hands have received a specific name, as per blackjack terminology. They are known as stiff hands. A stiff hand is when a blackjack player is dealt cards with a value of 12 up to 16. Not surprisingly, this can be one of the most difficult hands for players, as trying to hit can be very difficult. Players do have a greater risk of busting, according to blackjack odds, therefore, some won’t take a card, and bet on the fact that the dealer will bust his hand. On the other hand, this card value is normally too low to beat the dealer alone.

When playing blackjack, a player must always keep in mind that he chooses to hit first with his hand. While this might not seem important, this gives the house an advantage as the house can win in blackjack with a 13 if the player busts.