Basic Blackjack Strategy

Do you want to learn how to play blackjack like a pro? Then you need to check out our basic blackjack chart! This guide will teach you when to hit, stand, double down, and split pairs. You’ll also learn about surrendering and other important blackjack betting strategies. So, whether you’re playing at an online casino or in a live casino, this blackjack strategy card will help you make the right decisions every time.

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What is a Blackjack Strategy?

A successful blackjack strategy can help you win more often and increase your profits. It involves understanding the value of each card, mastering card counting, and making correct decisions about when to hit or stand. By applying the right strategy at the right time, you can give yourself an edge over the house and other players. With practice and patience, even novice players can begin to make smart moves to increase their chances of winning. Our blackjack basic strategy chart gives you the information and guidance you need to start playing like a pro!

Start with Basic Blackjack Strategy Knowledge

Blackjack is a game of strategy and luck, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Before you trying complex strategies, it’s important to understand the basics and black jack basic strategy. The aim is to beat the dealer by getting as close to 21 as possible without going over. If your card total goes over 21, you’re out and will lose your bet.

Players receive two cards face up, while the dealer will only show one card. Depending on the rules of the casino, players are also allowed to surrender or the dealer may have to hit/stand. Be sure to check these rules before playing. If you get a score of 21, you will usually receive 1.5x your bet; yet, this can vary from casino to casino.

In blackjack, every hand requires an important decision: do you hit, stand, double down, or split? To help players make the right move in each situation, we’ve prepared a free downloadable black jack chart. These offer a quick reference to the optimal decision for every hand you receive. With practice, you can go from novice player to blackjack pro in no time!

Blackjack Strategy Chart: When to Hit, Stand, Double Down, and Split Pairs

If you want to get ahead of the game when it comes to playing blackjack, it’s essential to understand and use the basic blackjack strategy. The underlying principle is that you should use a proven method to decide in black jack when to hit or stand, thereby reducing the house edge. Even as low as 0.5%, this is one of the cheapest casino table games for players.

To get you started here are the most important information on a strategy card blackjack:

Blackjack lesson 1 – Basic vocabulary

If you want to learn how to play blackjack, you must be familiar with the terms and different scenarios that can arise during a game. Here are some basic words and phrases related to blackjack:

  • Hit: When playing blackjack, we call to get an extra card ‘hitting’. This will allow you to get closer to 21 and beat the dealer.
  • Stand: When you stand, you choose not to take any more cards and are content with your score as it is.
  • Double Down: This is when you double your bet after the initial two cards have to receive one extra card.
  • Split: If your first two cards are of the same value, you can split them into two separate hands.
  • Surrender: If your hand is not too good compared to the dealer’s, you can decide to surrender and reclaim half of your bet.
  • Blackjack: This means 21 points in total (an Ace combined with a face card, for example). If you reach blackjack, you automatically win.
  • Bust: When your hand exceeds 21 points in total, this means ‘busting’. This results in an automatic loss.

Blackjack lesson 2 – Stiff Hand vs Pat Hand

  • What is a stiff hand?
    A stiff hand is easy to beat with a hit and totals between 12-16. If the dealer’s up card is a 2 to 6 it is a stiff hand for them as well.
  • What is a pat hand?
    If your first cards total 17 or higher, it is a pat hand, meaning you. If the dealer has a 7 to an Ace, it is also considered a pat hand.
  • How to play with a stiff or pat hand?
    If both you and the dealer have stiff hands, you should stand. But, if you have a stiff hand and the dealer has a pat hand then hit instead of standing.

Blackjack lesson 3 – Splitting and Doubling:

  • When should you split?
    You should always split aces and 8s.
  • When should you double?
    If your hand totals 11, it is wise to double against the dealer’s 2 through 10. When in doubt, hit or double an Ace to 6.

Blackjack lesson 4 – Insurance:

  • What is insurance?
    Insurance is a side bet you can make when the dealer has an ace showing. You place half of your original bet in exchange for insurance against a dealer blackjack.
  • Should you take insurance?
    It may seem like a good idea but NEVER take the insurance. This bet gives the house a higher edge than regular blackjack and is rarely ever a wise move to make.

Blackjack lesson 5 – Free Strategy Charts

To help you along the way, we’ve created free downloadable strategy charts. These provide a quick reference for the optimal decision for each hand dealt. With the practice and use of these charts, you can become an advanced blackjack player in no time! Find our free black jack strategy charts below.

Casino promotions such as complimentary matchplay vouchers or 2:1 blackjack payouts allow the player to get an advantage with the basic strategy blackjack chart. Additionally, the house edge for online blackjack games given by casinos assumes that you follow the above basic strategy blackjack.

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Blackjack Charts

We know it´s a lot of information to memorize and use in play, so we’ve created a blackjack table chart that will show you the best action for any given hand. We recommend you to use the strategy chart designed for the blackjack version you play, e.g. 1-deck, 2-deck, etc.

Remember these key terms when reading the perfect strategy blackjack chart:

  • H= Hit
  • S= Stand
  • Dh= Double down if allowed, if not then hit for a new card
  • Ds= Double down if allowed, if not then Stand
  • Rh= Surrender if allowed, if not then hit for a new card
  • Rs= Surrender if allowed, if not then stand
  • Rp= Surrender if allowed, if not then split the hand into two separate hands
  • P= Split
  • Ph= Split if double after hit is allowed, otherwise hit for a new card
  • Pd= Split if double after hit is allowed, otherwise Double Down
  • Ps= Split if double after hit is allowed, otherwise Stand

Single Deck Blackjack Chart

A Single deck blackjack uses one standard 52-card deck, and the goal of the game is to beat the dealer by getting as close to 21 points without going over. The benefits of playing single-deck blackjack include better odds, due to fewer decks in play; and the opportunity to count cards.

The basic strategy for single-deck blackjack is different than multiple-deck, so make sure you look up the correct chart.

Our first blackjack hand chart will look into what to do when the dealer needs to stand on a soft 17. If a hand has an Ace and is soft (meaning the Ace counts as 11 without going over 21), then look up your hand along the vertical edge for “Soft” totals.

Our second blackjack hit chart looks at what to do when the dealer needs to hit on a soft 17. For hard totals (hands that don’t contain an Ace or can’t count as 11), look up your hand along the vertical edge for “Hard” totals.

Single Deck Chart when Dealer hits on soft 17 and Single Deck Chart when Dealer stands on soft 17

Your cards Dealer´s showing card

Double Deck Blackjack Chart

Double-deck blackjack has some slight differences in strategy compared to single-deck blackjack. The following black jack strategy table contains the optimal decisions for a player in double-deck games.

Double Deck Chart when Dealer hits on soft 17 and Double Deck Chart when Dealer stands on soft 17

Your cards Dealer´s showing card

Blackjack Strategy Chart for 4 and 8-Deck Games

The following blackjack online strategy charts are for 4 and 8-deck games. These strategies assume the dealer stands on soft 17 and the second that the dealer hits on soft 17.

4-Deck to 8-Deck Chart when Dealer hits on soft 17 and 4-Deck to 8-Deck Chart when Dealer stands on soft 17

Your cards Dealer´s showing card

Blackjack Terminology

Below we have prepared a glossary of blackjack terminology to help you understand the game better:

Blackjack: A hand with one card worth 10 points and an Ace – the best hand in Blackjack.

Stand: Keep your cards and don’t take any more.

Hit: Ask for another card to add to your hand.

Split: If you get two of the same cards, you can divide them into two hands and bet on each one separately.

Double: Double your bet if you think your hand is strong enough to beat the dealer.

Even Money: An insurance bet on whether or not the dealer has a Blackjack.

3:2 Blackjack Payout: Get paid 3 times what you bet when you get a Blackjack.

6:5 Blackjack Payout: Get paid 6 times what you bet when you get a Blackjack.

Basic Strategy Chart: A chart that shows how players should act in different situations during the game of blackjack.

Busting: Going over 21 and losing the game.

Counting Cards: Using a point system to evaluate whether the remaining deck has good cards or bad cards.

Double Down: Doubling your bet in exchange for receiving one more card.

Face Down/Face Up: One of the dealer’s cards face down so you can’t see it, and one face up so you can see the card’s value.

Hole Card: The dealer’s face-down card which is not revealed until the end of the hand.

Insurance: A side bet on whether the dealer has 21.

Shoe: The container that holds the decks of cards.

Surrender: Give up half your bet to avoid losing the whole amount.

Third Base: The player acting last, located on the far left of the dealer.

Counting Cards: Using a point system to check whether the remaining deck has good cards or bad cards.

Advanced Blackjack Strategy

Now that you understand the basics and the main terminology of blackjack, you can move on to some more advanced strategies and tactics. With the blackjack perfect strategy you can even beat the house edge to under 1%. When the dealer stands on soft 17 and the game allows you to surrender, there are certain key moves you must know to make the most of your game.

The real money blackjack online casino I recently visited uses 6 decks, for example. Most live dealer blackjack casinos play with either a single deck or 4 to 8 decks. This means that you must adjust your perfect blackjack strategy depending on the number of decks in play.

Also, there are generally two types of rules: some need the dealer to stand with a soft 17, and some mandate the dealer to hit with a soft 17. If the dealer has to stand with a soft 17, that will give you better blackjack odds.

Let's take a look at these in more detail:

Blackjack advanced strategy - Splitting:

  • - Split a pair of Aces or 8s.
  • - Never split 10s.
  • - If the dealer has a 7, 8, or 9, split 2s, 3s, or 7s against him.
  • - Split 6s if the dealer has a 6 or lower.
  • - Split 4s if the dealer has a 5 or 6.

Advanced tips - Doubling:

  • - Double down on 9 against any dealer's up card between 2 to 8.
  • - Double down on 11 against any dealer's up card between 2 to 10.
  • - Double down on 10 against any dealer's up card between 2 to 9.
  • - Double down on 8 if the dealer has a 5 or 6.

Advanced tips - Surrendering:

  • - Surrender 15 when the dealer has a 10 showing.
  • - Surrender 16 when the dealer has a 9 or 10.

Advanced tips - Standing:

  • - Stand on 17 against any dealer upcard between 2 to 6.
  • - Stand on 12 against any dealer upcard between 4 and 6.

Advanced tips - Soft totals:

  • - A soft total means you have an Ace which counts as 11.
  • - Always stand on soft 20 (A,9).
  • - Stand on soft 19 (A,8) against any dealer upcard between 2 to 6.
  • - Double down on soft 18 (A,7) when the dealer has a 3 to 6.
  • - Double down on soft 17 (A,6) when the dealer has a 3 to 6.
  • - Double down on soft 16 (A,5) when the dealer has a 4 to 6.
  • - Double down on soft 15 (A,4) when the dealer has a 4 to 6.
  • - Double down on soft 14 (A,3) when the dealer has a 5 to 6.
  • - Double down on soft 13 (A,2) when the dealer has a 5 to 6.

Advanced tips - Hard totals:

  • - A hard total means you don't have an Ace in your hand.
  • - Always stand on 17 and above.
  • - Stand on 16 against any dealer upcard between 2 to 6.
  • - Stand on 15 against any dealer upcard between 2 to 6.
  • - Stand on 14 against any dealer upcard between 2 to 6.
  • - Stand on 13 against any dealer upcard between 2 to 6.
  • - Hit on 12 against any dealer upcard between 7 and Ace.
  • - Always hit on 11 or below.

Here you can train best blackjack strategy

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Game Variants

There are several variations on the classic game of blackjack. Some of the more popular blackjack versions include Spanish 21, Double Exposure Blackjack, and many more.

Spanish 21: A variant of blackjack played without 10s in the deck, and with liberal rules. These rules include doubling down any number of cards, late surrender, and player blackjacks/21s always winning.

21st-Century Blackjack (Vegas Style): Found in California card rooms; a bust does not always mean an automatic loss.

Double Exposure Blackjack: The first two cards of the dealer's hand are face up; players lose on ties and cannot buy insurance or surrender.

Double Attack Blackjack: Played with liberal blackjack rules over two hands with the option to increase one’s wager after seeing the dealer’s up card. A natural blackjacks pay even money and a dealer 22 is a push.

Blackjack Switch: Players can switch their second card between hands to make better combinations; natural blackjacks pay 1:1 instead of 3:2 and a dealer 22 is a push.

Super Fun 21: Allows splitting up to four times; if the player has six cards totaling 20 they automatically win; wins paid 1:1.

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Conclusion

Blackjack is a game of skill, strategy, and luck. Knowing the terminology and using blackjack betting strategy can be beneficial and improve your chances of winning. Blackjack counting cards may also help players gain an edge, but can be difficult for beginners. By understanding the rules and different strategies involved in the game of blackjack, you will have a better chance of coming out ahead.

And don't shy away from bringing our blackjack hitting chart to the table. The more you know, the better your chances of success! And having the best blackjack betting strategies ready will most certainly come handy. Good luck and have fun!

FAQ: Basic Strategy Blackjack Chart

Yes, you can bring a cheat sheet containing the best blackjack strategy for playing blackjack. This strategy calculates mathematical probabilities to help players make the most helpful decisions.
Memorizing the online blackjack strategy chart can be beneficial, as it can help you make decisions quicker. Knowing when to hit, stand, split, double down or surrender will enable players to play with an edge over the house. So, take the time to memorize betting strategies blackjack.
Yes, many experts agree that blackjack has one of the lowest house edges of any popular casino game. This makes it an attractive choice for players looking to get the most out of their gambling budget.
No, the blackjack best strategy can vary from one game to the next. Different decks and rules will affect how players should act in certain situations. Make sure you are familiar with the particular rules and a blackjack table strategy for any version of blackjack before playing for real money.
Single-deck games are generally better for players, as the house edge is lower. But, more and more casinos are offering multi-deck games with liberal rules that can be beneficial to players. So it's important to choose the game that best suits your playing style.
Some versions of blackjack allow players to “surrender” half of their initial bet after the dealer has checked for blackjack. This is a good option when you have bad cards and the dealer's up card looks promising.
If you receive two identical cards, you are allowed to split them into two separate hands. This can often double your chances of winning and increase your potential winnings. It is important to check the rules as some games do not permit splitting or have specific restrictions on when players can do so.
Doubling down is a popular move in blackjack when you are in a strong position. By doubling your bet, you can potentially double your winnings if you draw a favorable card. Yet, it is important to use this move with care, as the dealer may also have good cards and end up beating you even after the double down.
Knowing when to hit or stand is one of the most important aspects of playing blackjack. Generally, you should stand on any hand with a total of 17 or higher and always hit when your total is below 17. It is also important to consider factors such as the dealer's up card and the number of decks before making this decision.
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