What Does R Mean in Blackjack?

On a blackjack strategy chart, R means surrender: you give up the hand and get half your bet back. The letter that follows it, as in Rh, Rs or Rp, tells you what to do instead at a table that does not let you surrender.

The surrender codes

Charts print the codes in capitals (RH) or with a small second letter (Rh); they mean the same thing. A plain R with no second letter means Rh.

Where the R cells are on the chart

A standard chart’s R cells assume late surrender, which you can only take after the dealer has checked for blackjack. In a six deck game where the dealer hits soft 17, these are the only cells with an R:

Where the dealer stands on soft 17, only hard 15 against a 10 and hard 16 against a 9, 10 or ace keep their R.

Related pages

• Blackjack surrender explained: how the surrender rule works at the table.
• Lesson 24: Understanding the Surrender Option, from the Blackjack School.
• 16vT: RS WTF?!: why some charts mark hard 16 against a 10 as RS.
• The full strategy chart with late surrender, or switch it to early surrender in the Strategy Engine.
• Blackjack Strategy Drills, including a surrender drill, and the Blackjack Strategy Trainer.
• Glossary of blackjack terms