Learn the reason behind the move
European Blackjack Strategy: No-Hole-Card Chart
European blackjack strategy depends on no-hole-card settlement. Use this S17 chart for four to eight decks, DAS and doubles on hard 9–11.
Last updated:
What the European no-hole-card rule changes
Dealer: one initial upcard
Player: acts before dealer’s second card
In an ENHC game, the dealer’s second card is not checked before you act. In the rules modeled here, dealer blackjack takes the original stake plus any added double or split stakes. That extra exposure changes decisions against a 10 or ace.
Some no-hole-card games return added stakes and take original bets only. That is a different rule. A regional name alone cannot identify the settlement or tell you which chart to use.
Exact rules for this chart
Dealer upcard
Player hand
Hit
All added stakes lose to dealer blackjack in this reference.
Four to eight decks; dealer stands on soft 17; 3:2 blackjack; double on hard 9–11 only; double after split allowed; no surrender; added double and split stakes lose to dealer blackjack.
Hard 11 hits against 10 or ace here. Eights hit against 10 or ace, and aces hit against an ace. Those cells differ from the ordinary peek-game chart because of the possible loss of added stakes.
European S17: hard totals
Dealer upcard
Player hand
Hit
All added stakes lose to dealer blackjack in this reference.
ENHC · 4–8 decks · S17 · DAS · hard 9–11 doubles only · no surrender · all stakes lose to dealer blackjack.
| Your hand | Action by dealer upcard |
|---|---|
| 4–8 | Hit vs 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, ace. |
| 9 | Hit vs 2, 7, 8, 9, 10, ace; Double, otherwise hit vs 3, 4, 5, 6. |
| 10–11 | Double, otherwise hit vs 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9; Hit vs 10, ace. |
| 12 | Hit vs 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10, ace; Stand vs 4, 5, 6. |
| 13–16 | Stand vs 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; Hit vs 7, 8, 9, 10, ace. |
| 17–21 | Stand vs 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, ace. |
European S17: soft hands
Dealer upcard
Player hand
Hit
ENHC · 4–8 decks · S17 · DAS · hard 9–11 doubles only · no surrender · all stakes lose to dealer blackjack.
| Your hand | Action by dealer upcard |
|---|---|
| A,2–A,6 | Hit vs 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, ace. |
| A,7 | Stand vs 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8; Hit vs 9, 10, ace. |
| A,8–10 | Stand vs 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, ace. |
European S17: pairs
Dealer upcard
Player hand
Hit
Dealer upcard
Player hand
Hit
ENHC · 4–8 decks · S17 · DAS · hard 9–11 doubles only · no surrender · all stakes lose to dealer blackjack.
| Your hand | Action by dealer upcard |
|---|---|
| 2,2–3,3 | Split vs 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7; Hit vs 8, 9, 10, ace. |
| 4,4 | Hit vs 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, ace; Split vs 5, 6. |
| 5,5 | Double, otherwise hit vs 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9; Hit vs 10, ace. |
| 6,6 | Split vs 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; Hit vs 7, 8, 9, 10, ace. |
| 7,7 | Split vs 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7; Hit vs 8, 9, 10, ace. |
| 8,8 | Split vs 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9; Hit vs 10, ace. |
| 9,9 | Split vs 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9; Stand vs 7, 10, ace. |
| 10,10 | Stand vs 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, ace. |
| A,A | Split vs 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10; Hit vs ace. |
UK blackjack is not one universal rule set
Dealer upcard
Player hand
Double, otherwise hit
A UK table may permit doubles on any initial two cards, which changes soft-hand decisions. Read the actual doubling and settlement rules. The hard-9–11-only table above must not be silently applied to an unrestricted-double game.
The additional tables below cover four to eight decks, S17, DAS, no surrender and doubling on any initial two cards, with all stakes still lost to dealer blackjack. They are labeled UK-style because that is the source reference’s label, not a claim about every UK venue.
UK-style ENHC: hard totals
Dealer upcard
Player hand
Hit
All added stakes lose to dealer blackjack in this reference.
4–8 decks · S17 · DAS · double any initial two cards · no surrender · all stakes lose to dealer blackjack.
| Your hand | Action by dealer upcard |
|---|---|
| 4–8 | Hit vs 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, ace. |
| 9 | Hit vs 2, 7, 8, 9, 10, ace; Double, otherwise hit vs 3, 4, 5, 6. |
| 10–11 | Double, otherwise hit vs 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9; Hit vs 10, ace. |
| 12 | Hit vs 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10, ace; Stand vs 4, 5, 6. |
| 13–16 | Stand vs 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; Hit vs 7, 8, 9, 10, ace. |
| 17–21 | Stand vs 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, ace. |
UK-style ENHC: soft hands
Dealer upcard
Player hand
Double, otherwise hit
4–8 decks · S17 · DAS · double any initial two cards · no surrender · all stakes lose to dealer blackjack.
| Your hand | Action by dealer upcard |
|---|---|
| A,2 | Hit vs 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, ace; Double, otherwise hit vs 5, 6. |
| A,3 | Hit vs 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, ace; Double, otherwise hit vs 5, 6. |
| A,4 | Hit vs 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10, ace; Double, otherwise hit vs 4, 5, 6. |
| A,5 | Hit vs 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10, ace; Double, otherwise hit vs 4, 5, 6. |
| A,6 | Hit vs 2, 7, 8, 9, 10, ace; Double, otherwise hit vs 3, 4, 5, 6. |
| A,7 | Stand vs 2, 7, 8; Double, otherwise stand vs 3, 4, 5, 6; Hit vs 9, 10, ace. |
| A,8 | Stand vs 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, ace. |
| A,9 | Stand vs 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, ace. |
UK-style ENHC: pairs
Dealer upcard
Player hand
Hit
Dealer upcard
Player hand
Hit
4–8 decks · S17 · DAS · double any initial two cards · no surrender · all stakes lose to dealer blackjack.
| Your hand | Action by dealer upcard |
|---|---|
| 2,2–3,3 | Split vs 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7; Hit vs 8, 9, 10, ace. |
| 4,4 | Hit vs 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10, ace; Split vs 5, 6. |
| 5,5 | Double, otherwise hit vs 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9; Hit vs 10, ace. |
| 6,6 | Split vs 2, 3, 4, 5, 6; Hit vs 7, 8, 9, 10, ace. |
| 7,7 | Split vs 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7; Hit vs 8, 9, 10, ace. |
| 8,8 | Split vs 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9; Hit vs 10, ace. |
| 9,9 | Split vs 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9; Stand vs 7, 10, ace. |
| 10,10 | Stand vs 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, ace. |
| A,A | Split vs 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10; Hit vs ace. |
