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MASTERING HI-LO

Basic Strategy

The optimal play for every possible hand, based on millions of simulated deals.

How to read these tables

Find your hand total on the left, the dealer's face-up card along the top. The cell where they meet is your play.

H = Hit
S = Stand
D = Double
P = Split
Ds = Dbl/Stand
Rs = Sur/Stand
Rh = Sur/Hit

Example: you have 16, dealer shows 10 → find row "16", column "10" → the cell says your move.

Hard hands have no Ace counting as 11. Add up your cards — that's your hard total.

Hand2345678910A
20
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
19
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
18
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
17
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
16
S
S
S
S
S
H
H
H
H
H
15
S
S
S
S
S
H
H
H
H
H
14
S
S
S
S
S
H
H
H
H
H
13
S
S
S
S
S
H
H
H
H
H
12
H
H
S
S
S
H
H
H
H
H
11
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
H
10
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
D
H
H
9
H
D
D
D
D
H
H
H
H
H
8
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
7
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
6
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
5
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
H
H