↓ Basic Strategy

The basic strategy is a must-have tool for every serious Blackjack player. It does not involve neither bets nor the deck situation, being applicable only to the current game. You must memorize the basic strategy and strictly follow it unless you combine it with other strategies and systems.

The basic strategy is a table of probabilities based on which you are recommended to make a decision. In Blackjack you can either hit, stand, double, split or take insurance (see the rules page for details).

The following explanation is split into Hard Hands, Soft Hands and Pairs. A Hard Hand is a hand that has an unambigous score, e.g. doesn't have an Ace. A Soft Hand has an Ace and hence has two possible scores with Ace being read as 1 and 11 respectively. A Pair Hand is when you have two equal cards.

The following is a basic strategy for a first move, 4 to 8 decks multideck Blackjack, with standard Stands on soft 17 rule and Double After Splitting allowed. If any of the rules are different the table must be re-calculated. Use the online basic strategy calculators or buy a laminated card.

Basic strategy for a hard hand

• If your hand scores less than 9, hit.
• On 9, double if the dealer has 3 to 6, otherwise hit.
• On 10, double if the dealer has less than 10, otherwise hit.
• On 11, double if the dealer has less than 11, otherwise hit.
• On 12, split if the dealer has 4 to 6, otherwise hit
• On 13 to 16, split if your score is less than 7, otherwise hit.
• On 17 and above, stand. Yes, this is a part of the basic strategy.

Basic strategy for a soft hand

• When your other card is 2 or 3, double if the dealer has 5 or 6, otherwise hit.
• When your other card is 4 or 5, double if the dealer has 4 to 6, otherwise hit.
• When your other card is 6, double if the dealer has 3 to 6, otherwise hit.
• When your other card 7, stand if the dealer has 2, 7 or 8, double if the dealer has 3 to 6, otherwise hit.
• Otherwise, stand

Basic strategy for a pair

• On Aces and Eights, split.
• On Tens, stand.
• On Two and Three, hit if the dealer has an Ace or 8 and above, split if the dealer has 4 to 7, split and double otherwise.
• On Four, split if the dealer has 5 or 6, otherwise hit.
• On Five, hit if the dealer has a Ten or an Ace, otherwise double.
• On Six, hit if the dealer has an Ace or 7 and above. Otherwise, split.
• On Seven, hit if the dealer has an Ace or 8 and above. Otherwise, split.
• On Nine, split if the dealer has 7, Ten or Ace, otherwise split.