Basic StrategyMastered

Learn the optimal decisions for every blackjack situation, why they work, and how to memorise them quickly.

Hard Totals

No Ace counted as 11

Hands without an Ace counted as 11. Prioritise standing on strong totals and doubling when the dealer is weak.

9 vs 3–6

Double if allowed, otherwise hit.

10–11 vs lower

Double unless dealer shows a higher total.

12–16 vs 2–6

Stand; otherwise hit.

17+ vs any

Always stand on 17 or higher.

Soft Totals

Ace counted as 11

Hands with an Ace counted as 11. Use doubles to press thin edges and avoid standing too early.

A,7 vs 2–8

Double vs 3–6 if allowed; otherwise stand vs 2,7,8 and hit vs 9–A.

A,6 vs 3–6

Double if allowed; otherwise hit.

A,5 vs 4–6

Double if allowed; otherwise hit.

A,4 vs 4–6

Double if allowed; otherwise hit.

Pairs

Split when it increases EV

Split when it increases EV and avoids difficult totals.

Always Split

A,A and 8,8

These splits dramatically improve your position

Never Split

5,5 and 10,10

Splitting these actually hurts your EV

Surrender

Cut your losses

When offered, surrender trims losses in a few specific high-edge spots.

16 vs 9–A

Surrender if allowed; otherwise follow hit/stand rules.

15 vs 10

Surrender if allowed.

How to Play Blackjack

Learn the fundamental rules and gameplay of blackjack before diving into basic strategy

Objective

Beat the dealer by getting closer to 21 without going over. You're not competing against other players at the table.

Key Points:

• Get as close to 21 as possible
• Don't exceed 21 (bust)
• Beat the dealer's hand
• Other players don't affect your game

Card Values

Number Cards (2-10)Face value

Face Cards (J, Q, K)10 points

Ace1 or 11 (your choice)

Pro Tip: Aces are flexible - count as 11 when beneficial, 1 when 11 would cause a bust

Gameplay

Place Your Bet

Put chips in the betting circle before cards are dealt

Receive Cards

Get two cards face up, dealer gets one up and one down

Make Decisions

Hit, stand, double, split, or surrender based on your hand

Dealer Plays

Dealer follows fixed rules (usually hit on 16 or less, stand on 17+)

Player Actions

Hit

Take another card to improve your hand

Stand

Keep your current hand and end your turn

Double Down

Double your bet and take exactly one more card

Split

Separate a pair into two separate hands (requires equal bet)

Surrender

Give up half your bet and end the hand (not always available)

Winning & Losing

You Win When:

• Your hand is closer to 21 than dealer's
• Dealer busts (goes over 21)
• You get blackjack (Ace + 10-value card)

You Lose When:

• Your hand busts (goes over 21)
• Dealer's hand is closer to 21
• Dealer gets blackjack and you don't

Push (Tie):

When both you and dealer have the same total - your bet is returned

Payouts

Regular Win1:1 (even money)

Blackjack3:2 (1.5x your bet)

Double Down1:1 on doubled amount

Split Win1:1 on each split hand

Warning: Some casinos offer 6:5 blackjack payouts instead of 3:2 - this significantly increases the house edge

Ready to Learn Basic Strategy?

Now that you understand the rules, you're ready to learn the optimal decisions for every situation. Basic strategy will reduce the house edge from 2-5% down to just 0.5% with perfect play.