Blackjack Hand Calculator
Get the mathematically correct play for any blackjack hand. Choose the dealer’s upcard and the cards you were dealt, match your table’s rules, and the calculator returns the optimal move and your odds instantly, for any casino, with no signup.
By Tum
Last updated
Rule Variations
Dealer shows
Your hand
Pick the dealer’s card and your hand to see the correct play and the odds.
Open Rule Variations to match your table (number of decks, dealer hits or stands on soft 17, surrender, doubling), choose the dealer card, then add the cards in your hand; click any card to remove it. The recommended move and the dealer’s odds update as you go.
Dealer outcomes by upcard
How often the dealer finishes on each total, or busts, for every upcard: the numbers behind the odds bars above. Six decks, dealer hits soft 17.
| Upcard | Bust | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 35.7% | 13.0% | 13.7% | 13.1% | 12.6% | 12.0% |
| 3 | 37.7% | 12.6% | 13.2% | 12.7% | 12.2% | 11.6% |
| 4 | 39.7% | 12.2% | 12.7% | 12.3% | 11.8% | 11.3% |
| 5 | 41.8% | 11.8% | 12.3% | 11.8% | 11.4% | 10.9% |
| 6 | 44.0% | 11.5% | 11.5% | 11.5% | 11.0% | 10.6% |
| 7 | 26.2% | 36.9% | 13.8% | 7.9% | 7.9% | 7.4% |
| 8 | 24.5% | 12.9% | 35.9% | 12.9% | 6.9% | 6.9% |
| 9 | 22.8% | 12.0% | 12.0% | 35.1% | 12.0% | 6.1% |
| 10 | 21.2% | 11.1% | 11.1% | 11.1% | 34.2% | 11.1% |
| A | 13.9% | 5.8% | 14.3% | 14.3% | 14.3% | 37.4% |
How to Use This Calculator
- Configure Rules (Optional): Click “Rule Variations” to set the specific blackjack rules for your casino (number of decks, whether the dealer hits soft 17, surrender options, etc.)
- Select Dealer Card: Choose the dealer’s visible (upcard)
- Add Your Cards: Click on each card in your hand
- Get Recommendation: The calculator instantly shows the mathematically optimal move and your exact odds: the probability you win, push or lose, and the expected value of every legal play
Understanding Your Results
The calculator provides several pieces of information:
- Recommended Move: The statistically best action (Hit, Stand, Double Down, Split, or Surrender)
- Other Options: Alternative moves you can make and how they compare
- Dealer Probabilities: The likelihood the dealer will bust, push, or win based on their upcard
- Your Odds & Expected Value: The real chance you win, push or lose for the recommended play, and a side-by-side comparison of the expected value of standing, hitting, doubling, splitting and surrendering, computed by exact composition-dependent analysis of the cards left in the shoe, not a rule of thumb
About Basic Strategy
Basic strategy is a mathematically proven set of decisions that minimizes the house edge. It’s not card counting (which is illegal in casinos), it’s simply playing each hand the way probability suggests is most likely to win.
Key principles:
- Always Split Aces and Eights -Never split 5s, 6s, or 10s
- Double Down Strategically – Usually on 11 against most dealer cards, and on 9-10 in specific situations
- Soft Hands Matter – Hands with an Ace are more flexible and have different strategy
- Dealer Busts Often – When the dealer shows 2-6, they bust more frequently, so you should be more conservative
Customizable Rules
Different casinos have different blackjack rules. This calculator accounts for:
- Number of Decks: 1 to 8 deck shoes (affects odds)
- Dealer Hits on Soft 17: Some casinos require dealers to hit on soft 17, others stand
- Double After Split: Whether you can double down after splitting
- Hole-Card Peek: US tables peek for blackjack; European / no-peek games change a few plays
- Surrender: Available in some casinos to forfeit your hand for half your bet
Why Strategy Matters
Using basic strategy reduces the house edge to approximately 0.5%, compared to casual players who might face a house edge of 2-4%. Over time, better decisions lead to better results.
Remember: This calculator provides optimal strategy recommendations, but blackjack always involves an element of chance. Gamble responsibly and never bet more than you can afford to lose.
To learn more about basic stategy, visit our page here where we discuss more in depth how it works and its limitations.
Tum
Administrator/moderator and fixer of things that break on blackjackinfo.com. Tum has contributed to the LCB network for over 10 years working with numerous casino, poker and sports affiliate websites.