Blackjack Theorem
Hands

Hard 15 vs Dealer 8: Hit or Stand?

Best play (6-deck, S17, DAS): Hit

You hold a hard 15 (no ace counted as 11) and the dealer shows a 8. Below is the correct basic-strategy decision computed by the Blackjack Theorem engine, and how it shifts with the table rules.

Where this sits in the chartSee the full chart →
Hard789
14HHH
15HHH
16HHH

Dealer upcard across the top. The outlined cell is the hand on this page.

And it never changes, count or no count

Across every true count that actually occurs at a six-deck table, from -3 to +7, the correct play stays the same: hit.

Hitacross the whole range
Expected value per unit bet, neutral shoe
Hit-41.65%
Stand-51.02%
Double-84.07%
Difference9.37 pts

Hit wins by 9.37 points. No true count you will ever see at a table moves a gap that size, so this play is not a judgement call.

Computed by the engine for a full six-deck shoe. The true-count column comes from the same count-dependent table that powers the strategy charts.

By the rules

Table rulesCorrect play
6-Deck · S17 · DASH Hit
6-Deck · H17 · DASH Hit
6-Deck · S17 · DAS · SurrenderH Hit
2-Deck · S17 · DASH Hit
8-Deck · H17 · DASH Hit
See the full chart and long-run results for your table.
Open the free blackjack simulator →Drill this hand →

FAQ

Should you hit or stand on hard 15 against a 8?

The mathematically correct play is: hit. This is for 6-deck, dealer stands on soft 17, DAS. It can change with other rules (see the table).

Does the dealer hitting soft 17 change hard 15 vs 8?

It can. The table above shows the play under both S17 and H17 so you can match your exact table.

Does the count change the correct play on hard 15 vs 8?

No. Across every true count that occurs at a six-deck table the correct play stays hit. It wins by 9.37 points, a margin no reachable count can close.