What is Basic Strategy?
Looking for a way to cut the casino’s edge down to a marginal amount? Basic strategy is a mathematically calculated set of decisions that can help you win more at blackjack. The Blackjack Basic Strategy Engine above provides a simple way to memorize a variety of different profitable decisions, such as when to split, double, surrender, hit, or stand.
A standard basic strategy chart can only provide you with the strategy for one set of rules, such as dealer hits on soft 17, limiting your mastery to just one game. Our Blackjack Basic Strategy Engine allows you to quickly adjust the rules with the click of a button, calculating the optimal strategy for your selected game. The engine’s easy-to-read charts detail the strategy for all hard totals, soft totals, and pairs.
The engine allows you to instantly customize your strategy based on rules like surrender, double on 9, 10, or 11 only, dealer hole card styles, and any number of decks. This unique system is an incredible resource for any serious blackjack player who needs to calculate the strategy for any game they encounter.
The Limitations of Basic Strategy
Basic strategy alone will never give you a long-term edge over the house. You will win more frequently, keep your money longer, and earn more casino comps, but over thousands of hours of play the house keeps a small mathematical advantage. To pursue an actual edge, you would need to learn to count cards and apply strategy deviations. If you are looking to have fun and make your money last much longer, basic strategy will do the trick.
How to Get Started
Once you have used the Blackjack Basic Strategy Engine to select the game you will play most frequently, you may be tempted to dive right into memorization, but a bit of background knowledge can help you understand the concepts behind the strategy. Let’s explore a few rules that will help you along the way.
You Have an Array of Actions at Your Disposal
There is more to blackjack than just hitting or standing, and those extra decisions will determine whether you are a big winner or a big loser. Your extra options are to surrender, split, or double, and their availability is determined by the rules of your game of blackjack. Keep in mind that even in the same casino, different tables can have different rules, so make sure to check the felt or ask the dealer about each table’s rules. Never play 6:5 blackjack, and play S17 if it is available. Read our rules page if you need a refresher course on what each action does, and our rule variations page if you are unsure which rules apply to your game.
When Can I Surrender?
Surrender is a rule that is offered less frequently these days, as it is beneficial to the player. To find out if it is available at your table, ask your dealer or look for a sign on the table. Before you take any other action, check whether basic strategy recommends surrendering.
When Can I Split?
Splitting comes into play when you have an equal pair in your hand, for example two 8s, two 7s, or a jack and a queen. When you find yourself with a pair, check your basic strategy chart to see if splitting is advantageous.
When Can I Double?
You can double on any first two cards. Generally, you will want to double when a 10 card would be beneficial to you (with a hard 11 or hard 10, for example), or when the dealer has a card with a higher than normal possibility of busting, like a 5 or a 6.
When Should I Hit or Stand?
These two actions will make up the majority of your decision making. Learning when to hit or stand in every scenario is the crux of basic strategy. By memorizing basic strategy, you are memorizing the optimal, most bang-for-your-buck action with any two given cards against any dealer up card.
How to Memorize Basic Strategy
It may feel overwhelming to tackle every different combination of starting cards, but luckily there are rules of thumb that simplify the process. Here are some of the most important, effective, and easy to remember strategies on your road to playing solid blackjack.
Surrendering
Surrender 16 against 9 through Ace.
Surrender 15 against a 10 only (under H17 rules, also surrender against Ace).
Splitting
Always split Aces.
Never split faces (10-value cards).
Always split 8s.
Never split 5s.
Split 9s against a dealer 2 through 9, except 7 (your 18 beats their 17).
Split 7s against a dealer 2 through 7, hit anything else.
Split 6s against a dealer 2 through 6, hit anything else.
Split 4s against a dealer 5 or 6 when you can double afterward, otherwise hit.
Split 3s and 2s against a dealer 2 through 7, hit anything else.
Doubling
Double 11 against everything except an Ace (under H17 rules, double against the Ace too).
Double 10 against everything except a 10 or Ace.
Double hard 9 against a dealer 3 through 6. Never double a hard 8.
Double soft 13 or 14 against a dealer 5 or 6.
Double soft 15 or 16 against a dealer 4 through 6.
Double soft 17 or 18 against a dealer 3 through 6.
Double soft 19 against a dealer 6 under H17 rules.
Hitting and Standing
Stand on 17 and up.
Stand on 13 through 16 against a dealer 2 through 6, hit against any other card.
Stand on 12 against a dealer 4 through 6, hit against any other card.
Always hit anything under soft 17.
Stand on soft 19 and up.
What’s Next?
Study the information above in conjunction with the Basic Strategy Engine while you practice playing blackjack. You are not ready to play in a casino yet, not by a longshot. Even if you have played before and done well, you should not go back until you know basic strategy like the back of your hand.
The best way to practice is to use software like our Blackjack Trainer or Casino Vérité Blackjack to sharpen your skills and find the areas you struggle in, like surrendering or playing soft hands. Once you can play error free through a wide range of scenarios, you are ready to practice in a casino environment.
Remember, it can be more difficult to recall perfect basic strategy when a waitress is yelling out drink orders, a pit boss is asking for your card, and players are trying to make conversation, so do not go to the casino until you are truly ready. And do not ask other players for advice: they often go against basic strategy when the math does not mesh with their superstitions, and they will tell you how crazy you are to hit a soft 18 against a dealer 9 or 10.
There seems to be a mistake with your strategy engine. On your chart for 8 decks, hit soft 17, double after split, late surrender, dealer peeks, the key shows surrender (split if not allowed RP) in yellow. However, your chart shows RP in purple when dealt 8-8 versus dealer’s Ace. Please clear up confusion. Should the RP be yellow (on the chart), or should there even be an R in that square (pair of 8’s against dealer A)? Thanks.
The “RP” is correct. The color of the box can be either purple or yellow, it makes no difference.
We need dark mode!
This has now been added. Click on the moon icon in the bottom right of the chary
Thanks for this! If the house uses a variation of the peek/no peek, which strategy should I use? The variation is that if the house draws a 10, it does not peek, but will PAY BACK players’ double downs if the house draws blackjack. So if I had 11, I would double down, but are there other considerations?
If they pay you back your double downs and splits when they draw a blackjack, you use standard basic strategy and deviations, as in doubling 11 against 10, splitting AA against A, splitting 8s against 10 and A, and doubling 11 against A at a true 1+ and doubling 10 against a 10 and A at a true 4+
After you split, when do you also double?
After splitting, you would treat the two separate cards as a new hand.
What is the mechanism for constructing this table? very interesting how it works from the point of view of mathematics
If dealer has 5 and I have 4 do I stay or hit?
If the 4 is made up of a pair of 2’s, split. If the “4” is made up of an Ace and a 3, then double down. This is stated in the charts. Never stay on a 4.
In splitting Aces are you not looking for a push at a minimum or better? And why always split 8’s? What is the basis/expectation for doing so against the Dealer up card Ace
Basic strategy is what it implies “basic”! I would never put money down if I only knew the basics. Card counting is blackjack “201” (basic strategy is blackjack 101). You still are not a professional. Understand ” variation” and “true count” only then (once you mastered it) can you call yourself a professional! When you are hitting hard 17 and getting 4’s or when you are betting insurance and banking on it…you know you are a pro! Don’t care what the others around you say. You know more than they do!
Until this point its only entertainment 🙂
Is it better to play at a table with other players or be the only person
Other people slow the game down and waste good cards in positive counts. Most serious players prefer to play alone if possible.
What are the thoughts on video BJ? Game King or the one with the almost lifelike dealer? Are these truly random or manipulated?
Is it still true to split AA when we can get only one card after AA split.
Not always. When the count is negative at the end of the deck don’t split. If the dealer is showing a 10 or ace and the count is also negative don’t split. Just hit! the chances of getting 19 or higher are good
Why is it that the fewer the decks the lower the edge for the house.
The less card deck number,The more accurately we can guess.
Because the “true count” can go to extremes more often.
What is the basic strategy for soft totals with 3 or more cards?
why do I double with 11 against A?
It is part of basic strategy, which is the fundamental playing decisions made by a player when determining the proper play to make given the player’s cards. Basic strategy is not based upon the count, but rather upon the total of the player’s hand and the dealer’s upcard. It can vary based upon the number of decks in use and the specific rules of the game being played. It is determined by which action the player can take which will maximize the player’s return based only upon the knowledge gained from the player’s hand and the dealer’s upcard.
If you’re playing the USA peak version. The dealer should have already peaked at the facedown card and declared blackjack if he had a 10, A.
Because he didn’t at this point you already know it’s lower that 10 and if you split A,A you have a high probability of winning both hands.
Is there an app for this?
Not at the moment but it’s something we are looking into building sometime hopefully in the near future
That list is very useful. But the real trick is to learn to variate according to true count. There is no need to learn all the variations according to counting only the most important from true count -2 to + 3. Of course prepare to hear complains at the table from players that play basic strategy exactly and think that is the Bible of Blackjack.
Do you know how many times I have been booed off a table for splitting tens with a high true count? Or how many times the dealer had an upcard if 6 and the cou t was like 2.5 3.2 and the third base guy hits on a 16 making the dealer get 18-20-21 when I had 250 in the hand only to loose standing with 12. I see a lot of people on here talking about all this theory. And that’s great but there is a lot of things you can’t be taught. I think this is the primary reason there is so much card counting Info online and it is still possible. Because not everyone can do it or they don’t have the patience. One thing I would love to add I have t seen anywhere when starting out 1st base is the safest bet. Because regardless of your cou y if you loose it you stand a good chance of getting blackjack or a pat hand. Because you o oh lost the previous rounds cou t not two…
What’s the difference between early and late surrender?
Early surrender is vs a dealer T or A *before* they check for blackjack — extremely valuable.
Late surrender is *after* they check.
6 deck, S17, das, early surrender, peek
Is all the surrenders something new? Just haven’t seen this before, surrender on hard 5, 6, 7 vs dealer A etc.
Thanks
1 deck, S17, DAS, No Surrender, Peek
Chart is instructing playing to stand on 7,7 vs the dealers 10???? I don’t see how this can be correct? Is it?
Yes, in one deck, the effect of removal is quite substantial. Consider what card you would most like to draw if you hit this hand. A seven. And you already have two of the four available sevens in your hand. So stand with (7,7) vs Ten is correct. ONLY in single deck.
Ken is right on this, single deck only.
Its correct… because 2 of the cards that can help you, you already have in your hand.
ive heard of it being the case with single deck i’m in wonder of it just like you
Nice engine. It’s good to see the deviations from standard basic strategy chart that are on the Google because those charts (Google) created for 2 decks and no surrender option. I prefer the options not to split 88 against TT and AA, and not to split AA against AA but hit Aces.
Thanks