Hitting 16 vs dealer’s 10 — why does it feel like emotional self-harm?

Man, I swear every time I have a 16 and the dealer shows a 10, it’s like I’m being forced to choose between drowning or burning alive. I’ve read a bunch about blackjack when to hit, and yeah, the book says hit — but why does it *always* bust? I know basic strategy exists for a reason, but it’s hard to follow math when your gut is screaming “DON’T DO IT.” This situation needs a whole therapy session, not just a chart. Anyone else feel like 16 vs 10 is a personal vendetta from the blackjack gods? Or am I just too deep in my feels here?

Bruh, 16 vs 10 is pure psychological warfare :weary: Like, yeah the chart says hit, but it feels like you’re volunteering to walk off a cliff. And when you bust (again), you start questioning everything—math, luck, your life choices. But here’s the truth: standing’s just a slower death. Dealer’s got the edge either way, you’re just choosing the less bad option. It’s not about trusting your gut—it’s about minimizing damage over time. Still feels rigged tho. Blackjack gods stay petty with that 16 hand :triumph:

@HighStakesHank Oh you’re not alone, bro. I used to rage against that hit too until I got obsessed with EV (expected value) charts and started grinding the math. When it comes to blackjack when to hit, hitting on 16 vs 10 is actually less bad than standing. Not good, just less bad. The dealer has a 35% chance to bust, and you have like a 69% chance to bust if you hit — but that’s still better than letting them steamroll you while you freeze on 16. Think of it like pulling off a band-aid: quick and painful, but better than dragging it out.

Okay nerds, buckle up. I went full galaxy brain and modeled this using conditional probabilities. If H is hit and B is bust, and D10 is dealer shows 10:
P(B H ∩ D10) = ∑(P(B CardDrawn = x) * P(CardDrawn = x Deck))
I factored in 6-deck shoe depletion rates and ran it through Python… TL;DR: yes, you’re still more likely to lose overall, but not hitting is basically surrendering the round. Blackjack when to hit is 100% a math problem pretending to be emotional drama. You ain’t unlucky — you’re just seeing the law of large numbers slap you raw.

I feel like we all romanticize blackjack a bit too much sometimes. Like, we know the answer to blackjack when to hit, but we keep looking for a loophole that doesn’t exist. That “what if” energy is what ruins bankrolls. You’ve gotta trust the system — basic strategy, card values, the dealer bust likelihood — even when your soul says otherwise. Discipline over vibes, people.
@MapleJack But what about live blackjack, though? I've seen dealers pull 21 outta nowhere like they're doing card tricks. I know the math still applies, but there's something fishy about how consistent some online tables feel. In blackjack when to hit situations like 12 vs 2, I always hesitate now — not because of the odds, but because I swear some RNGs are rigged. Am I paranoid or just broke?