Blackjack Basic Strategy

Blackjack is a popular casino game that requires a combination of luck and skill. While for some games the use of gambling calculators can be an important part of success, in blackjack you need to understand and apply basic strategy to increase your chances of winning.

Blackjack basic strategy PDF link

The Basis of Blackjack Basic Strategy

The foundation of blackjack’s basic strategy dates back to the 1950s, developed by a team of four U.S. Army engineers who used early adding machines to determine the most effective moves in the game. Later, with the aid of computers, this strategy was refined by simulating millions of hands, resulting in a comprehensive chart that illustrates the optimal choices for players in different situations.

While basic strategy significantly reduces the casino’s edge, it’s essential to recognize that it doesn’t guarantee winnings. Instead, it offers a disciplined approach to minimize losses and make statistically better decisions. The unpredictable nature of blackjack means luck remains a factor, but following basic strategy is generally more effective than relying on intuition.

Hand Signals

When playing blackjack, hand signals are crucial for communicating your decisions to the dealer. Here are the main hand signals you need to know:

  1. Hit: Tap the table with your finger or wave your hand towards yourself.
  2. Stand: Hold your hand palm up over your cards.
  3. Double Down: Place your chips next to your bet and point at your cards with one finger.
  4. Split: Hold up two fingers to indicate that you want to split your cards.
  5. Surrender: Not all casinos allow surrendering, but if they do, you can signal this by drawing an imaginary line on the table from left to right.

Basic Strategy

Blackjack Basic Strategy

The basic strategy for blackjack is a set of rules that tell you the best way to play your hand. It’s based on the math of the game and can help you make the right decisions to increase your chances of winning.

The Sequence of Basic Strategy Actions

1. Assess the Option to Surrender: When you’re seated at a casino table that permits surrender—sometimes labeled as “late surrender” or “LS”—you’ll only be granted this choice during the initial two cards dealt to you. If you’ve already drawn another card, surrender is no longer a possibility. This makes the decision to surrender the very first consideration in the sequence of actions. If the response is NO (you cannot or should not surrender), the next question follows…

2. Determine If Splitting Is Advisable: Your second pivotal decision revolves around whether to split. This option appears only if your opening cards are a matching pair or if you hold two cards valued at ten points each (e.g., a queen and a ten). Should the answer be NO, meaning that splitting isn’t viable or wise, you proceed to the next decision…

3. Weigh the Option to Double Down: When basic strategy advocates doubling down, it generally signals a strong hand with a favorable chance of winning. Although some casinos may impose limitations on when doubling is allowed, it’s critical to verify this option before moving on. If the answer is NO—either doubling isn’t allowed or isn’t prudent—you then ask…

4. Decide Between Hitting and Standing: This final contemplation within the basic strategy framework is whether to draw an additional card or hold your hand as it stands. If the previous actions (surrendering, splitting, doubling) aren’t suitable for the current hand, the decision rests on whether to hit or stand.

Some key points to remember

  1. Hard Hands: A hard hand is one without an Ace or with an Ace that can only be counted as 1 to avoid going bust. The basic strategy for hard hands is as follows:
    • If your hand is 8 or less, always hit.
    • If your hand is 9, hit if the dealer has a 7 or higher.
    • If your hand is 10, hit if the dealer has a 10 or higher.
    • If your hand is 11, hit if the dealer has an Ace.
    • If your hand is 12 to 16, stand if the dealer has 2 to 6. Otherwise, hit.
    • If your hand is 17 or higher, always stand.
  2. Soft Hands: A soft hand is one with an Ace that can be counted as 11 without going bust. The basic strategy for soft hands is as follows:
    • If your hand is Ace-2 or Ace-3, double down if the dealer has 5 or 6.
    • If your hand is Ace-4 to Ace-7, double down if the dealer has 3 to 6.
    • If your hand is Ace-8, double down if the dealer has 3 to 6, and stand if the dealer has 7 or higher.
    • If your hand is Ace-9, double down if the dealer has 3 to 6, and stand if the dealer has 7 or higher.
    • If your hand is Ace-10 or Ace-11, always stand.
  3. Pair Splitting: The basic strategy for splitting pairs is as follows:
    • Always split Aces and 8s.
    • Never split 4s, 5s, or 10s.
    • Split 2s and 7s if the dealer has 2 to 7.
    • Split 3s if the dealer has 2 to 7, and 8s to Aces if DAS (Doubling After Splitting) is allowed.
    • Split 6s if the dealer has 2 to 6, and 9s if DAS is allowed.
    • Split 9s if the dealer has 2 to 6, and 10s if DAS is allowed.

Tips for Winning

To increase your chances of winning at blackjack, follow these tips:

  1. Master the Basic Strategy: Familiarize yourself with basic strategy charts and adapt your moves to align with specific casino rules.
  2. Choose Favorable Tables: Seek out tables with player-friendly rules, such as the option to double down on any two cards and split hands multiple times.
  3. Steer Clear of Side Bets: Side bets often come with a higher house edge, making them less advantageous in the long run.
  4. Stick to a Budget: Set a gambling budget for each session and adhere to it to maintain control over your spending. Ideally, start with a small bet around 2% of your total balance
  5. Practice Regularly: Try free online blackjack games or use a deck of cards to practice the basic strategy, helping you make more confident decisions.

Basic Strategy Blackjack Practice

To practice your blackjack basic strategy, you can use online resources, such as free blackjack games or basic strategy trainers. These tools allow you to play blackjack hands and receive instant feedback on your decisions, helping you learn and improve your skills.

Advancing Your Blackjack Skills

Start by memorizing our basic strategy chart to form a solid foundation. Once you’ve mastered this, the next step is to learn card counting and understand the deviation chart specific to the game you’ll most frequently play. These deviations vary with game rules, which can differ by region. For example, in some games, the dealer stands on a Soft 17 (an Ace plus cards totaling 6), known as a “Stand 17” game, while in others, the dealer hits on a Soft 17, called a “Hit 17” game. Additionally, in European countries and Canada, dealers do not receive a hole card, a format called “European” or “European No-Hole” blackjack.