Definitely start with basic strategy
Correct basic strategy is the cornerstone on which all successful blackjack play is built. The vast majority of players out there either don't know the correct strategy for every situation, or they choose to play hunches at the table. By using basic strategy, you'll already be among the top 10 or 20% of players at the table according to skill level. Case in point: You'll almost never see typical players hit (A,7) vs a dealer nine or ten. But that play isn't even a close call. Hitting is much better than standing.
It's easy to fall prey to either the conventional 'wisdom' of the dealer or other players at the table. If you know basic strategy, you'll know when to ignore their well-intentioned but often poorly-informed advice.
Here's why this is a tough lesson for most players to learn... There's bound to be at least one situation that repeatedly comes up where despite playing correctly, you just continually seem to get blasted.
Let's say you're dealt a hard 12 against the dealer's upcard of 3. You've had the same hand three times in the last ten minutes, and every time you've hit it, and every time you've busted. Well, it's awfully easy to assume that you now know more than 'the book', and stand this time. And, the next card out of the shoe might well be a ten, and you feel like you've made the right play. Well, it may have worked this time, but making the mathematically correct play EVERY time gives you the best chance of being a winner.
Having harped on that topic enough, I'll also mention that there are times when the remaining deck composition means that the mathematically correct play is different from typical basic strategy. But those situations require the information provided by card counting, and even the best card counters play the vast majority of their hands by basic strategy. Until you know an awful lot about the game, you can and should ignore these times when basic strategy isn't the optimal play.
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