Blackjack Chart

Blackjack is a casino game often played by gamblers for its easy-to-understand rules and opportunities to utilize betting strategies.

While some talented players can spontaneously think of strategies as they play the game, many bettors need a strategy guide to help them improve their gameplay.

Additionally, some bettors need to familiarize themselves with blackjack terms and find ways to memorize and use the strategy charts.

This guide also discusses the order of actions to perform during a game of blackjack and how to memorize the charts.

The Basic Rules of Blackjack

Blackjack’s objective is to get the player’s card total closer to 21 than the dealer’s hand without going above 21.

Aces may be assigned 11 or 1, depending on which value is better. Face cards, meanwhile, are valued at 10.

Each player begins with two face-up cards, while the dealer starts with one face-up and one face-down card.

You may choose to “hit” or ask for another card or “stand” to stick to your cards. You may keep hitting until you are satisfied with your cards or “bust” if your hand exceeds 21.

Once you bust, the dealer wins regardless of the value of the cards in their hand.

The dealer’s face-down card remains in that position until all the players complete their hands. Afterward, the dealer’s face-down card is turned up, and they must continue hitting until their hand totals 17 or higher.

Blackjack Terms and Definitions

Before delving into the strategy charts, blackjack players need to familiarize themselves with the following terms:

• Blackjack - This term refers to an ace and a ten-valued card, such as a 10, jack, queen, or king, totaling 21. Blackjacks are the best possible hands in a game of blackjack.

Most casinos have a 3:2 payout for a blackjack. If you bet $10, blackjack pays you $15.

• Bust - A bust, which is an automatic loss, occurs when your hand goes over 21.
• Double or double down - Doubling down is when you place an additional bet equal to your original stake to receive one extra card.

You can only double down once with your first two cards. Afterward, you are not allowed to hit again.

• Hard hand - A hard hand is a hand that does not have an ace. For example, a 9 and a 6 is a hard 15.

• Hit - Hitting is asking the dealer for another card.
• Insurance - An insurance is a side bet that you place when the dealer shows an ace. Insurance costs half your original stake.

The insurance bet pays you 2 to 1 if the dealer’s hand has a blackjack, but the insurance loses if the dealer has no blackjack.

• Push - A push happens when your and the dealer’s hands tie. In this situation, you get to keep your original bet. For example, if you and the dealer have a 17, a push occurs.
• Soft hand - A soft hand contains an ace valued at 11. For example, a soft 17 is composed of an ace and a 6.
• Split - Splitting is an option for a player dealt with two equal cards. Splitting involves placing an additional bet equivalent to the original stake to split the cards into separate hands.

For example, if you place a $10 bet and are dealt two 9’s, you may split them for another $10 and ask for a new second card for each hand.

• Stand or stay - Standing or staying is sticking with your hand and not asking for more cards.
• Surrender - Surrendering is giving up or quitting the round before seeing the dealer’s hand. Surrendering allows you to recover half your initial stake.

Blackjack House Edge

In most casinos, a standard blackjack game has a house edge of around 0.5%. This rate means that, for every $100 you stake, the casino makes $0.50.

However, different variants like the number of decks, re-split aces, surrenders, doubling after a split, or if the dealer hits on a 17 may also influence the house edge rate.

Insurance, Side Bets, and Blackjack Variations

The basic strategy recommends taking insurance bets only when you are counting cards and know the appropriate situation to take this bet.

Some land-based and online casinos may also offer other side bets like royal match, over/under 13, and super sevens. When making these bets, careful planning is advised, as they tend to have different house edges.

In multiple-action blackjack, where players play up to three rounds with the dealer using the same upcard for all games, the basic strategy is similar to regular blackjack.

The upcard is the card facing up which the dealer receives.

Reminders When Memorizing Blackjack Charts

One important reminder for bettors who want to learn about blackjack strategy charts is that these strategies do not guarantee that you will always win in blackjack. However, these strategies may help improve your chances of winning.

Some important reminders before understanding blackjack charts include the following:

• Commit the charts to memory - Memorizing the betting strategy charts is challenging for the player. However, your chances of winning may be better if you can recall your blackjack strategies instantly without difficulty.
• You may transition to other charts as you get better - Learning basic strategies in blackjack is a good move. However, using advanced methods may help you improve your game even more.

Additionally, learning basic strategies may make transitioning to advanced charts easier.

Blackjack Basic Strategy

The basic strategy is recommended for beginners or casual bettors who wish to improve their gameplay. The basic strategy charts are as follows:

Blackjack Basic Strategy Chart

The following charts outline the basic strategy. These tables show you what actions to perform given your hand’s value and the card the dealer shows.

Player’s hand	Dealer’s hand
Soft	2 to 6	7 to A
13 to 15	Hit	Hit
16 to 18	Double	Hit
19 to 21	Stand	Stand

Using the basic strategy chart above, if you have a soft 17, you may take a hit if the dealer’s upcard is between 7 and A, or double down if it is between 2 and 6.

Player’s hand	Dealer’s hand
Hard	2 to 6	7 to A
4 to 8	Hit	Hit
9	Double	Hit
10 or 11	Double	Double (if higher than the dealer. Otherwise, hit)
12 to 16	Stand	Hit
17 to 21	Stand	Stand

In the above chart, suppose you have a 5 and 7 (hard 12). If the dealer’s card has a value between 2 and 6, you stand. If the dealer’s card is valued at 7 to A, you take a hit.

Player’s hand	Dealer’s hand
Splits	2 to 6	7 to A
9/9, 7/7, 6/6, 3/3, 2/2	Yes	No
A/A, 8/8	Yes	Yes
10/10, 5/5, 4/4	No	No

You may treat your hand as a hard hand if you prefer not to split. For example, an unsplit 9/9 may be treated as a hard 18.

Perfect Blackjack Strategy

While the basic strategy is a good strategy for many games, there are times when a better approach gives you a better winning chance. In this case, consider a blackjack strategy that may further improve your gameplay.

The following is a key to read the abbreviations used in the strategy charts below:

• H - Hit
• S - Stand
• P - Split
• Dh - Double down if permitted or hit if otherwise
• Ds - Double down if permitted or stand if otherwise
• Rh - Surrender if allowed or hit if otherwise
• Rs - Surrender if allowed or stand if otherwise
• Ph - Split if double after hit is permitted or hit if otherwise
• Pd - Split if double after hit is permitted or double if otherwise

Single Deck Blackjack Strategy (Dealer Stands on Soft 17)

The following charts illustrate the perfect blackjack strategy for single-deck games when the house requires its dealer to stand on a soft 17.

Player’s hand	Dealer’s hand
Hard	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	A
5-7	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H
8	H	H	H	Dh	Dh	H	H	H	H	H
9	Dh	Dh	Dh	Dh	Dh	H	H	H	H	H
10	Dh	Dh	Dh	Dh	Dh	Dh	Dh	Dh	H	H
11	Dh	Dh	Dh	Dh	Dh	Dh	Dh	Dh	Dh	Dh
12	H	H	S	S	S	H	H	H	H	H
13	S	S	S	S	S	H	H	H	H	H
14	S	S	S	S	S	H	H	H	H	H
15	S	S	S	S	S	H	H	H	H	H
16	S	S	S	S	S	H	H	H	Rh	Rh
17+	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S

Player’s hand	Dealer’s hand
Soft	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	A
13	H	H	Dh	Dh	Dh	H	H	H	H	H
14	H	H	Dh	Dh	Dh	H	H	H	H	H
15	H	H	Dh	Dh	Dh	H	H	H	H	H
16	H	H	Dh	Dh	Dh	H	H	H	H	H
17	Dh	Dh	Dh	Dh	Dh	H	H	H	H	H
18	S	Ds	Ds	Ds	Ds	S	S	H	H	S
19	S	S	S	S	Ds	S	S	S	S	S
20	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S

Player’s hand	Dealer’s hand
Splits	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	A
2/2	Ph	P	P	P	P	P	H	H	H	H
3/3	Ph	Ph	P	P	P	P	Ph	H	H	H
4/4	H	H	Ph	Pd	Pd	H	H	H	H	H
6/6	P	P	P	P	P	Ph	H	H	H	H
7/7	P	P	P	P	P	P	Ph	H	Rs	H
8/8	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P
9/9	P	P	P	P	P	S	P	P	S	S
A/A	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P

4- to 8-Deck Blackjack Strategy (Dealer Stands on Soft 17)

The following charts illustrate the perfect blackjack strategy for multi-deck blackjack when the house requires its dealer to stand on a soft 17.

Player’s hand	Dealer’s hand
Hard	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	A
4-8	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H
9	H	Dh	Dh	Dh	Dh	H	H	H	H	H
10	Dh	Dh	Dh	Dh	Dh	Dh	Dh	Dh	H	H
11	Dh	Dh	Dh	Dh	Dh	Dh	Dh	Dh	Dh	H
12	H	H	S	S	S	H	H	H	H	H
13	S	S	S	S	S	H	H	H	H	H
14	S	S	S	S	S	H	H	H	H	H
15	S	S	S	S	S	H	H	H	Rh	H
16	S	S	S	S	S	H	H	Rh	Rh	Rh
17+	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S

Player’s hand	Dealer’s hand
Soft	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	A
13	H	H	H	Dh	Dh	H	H	H	H	H
14	H	H	H	Dh	Dh	H	H	H	H	H
15	H	H	Dh	Dh	Dh	H	H	H	H	H
16	H	H	Dh	Dh	Dh	H	H	H	H	H
17	H	Dh	Dh	Dh	Dh	H	H	H	H	H
18	S	Ds	Ds	Ds	Ds	S	S	H	H	S
19+	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S

Player’s hand	Dealer’s hand
Splits	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	A
2/2	Ph	Ph	P	P	P	P	H	H	H	H
3/3	Ph	Ph	P	P	P	P	H	H	H	H
4/4	H	H	H	Ph	Ph	H	H	H	H	H
6/6	Ph	P	P	P	P	H	H	H	H	H
7/7	P	P	P	P	P	P	H	H	H	H
8/8	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P
9/9/	P	P	P	P	P	S	P	P	S	S
A/A	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P

Live Blackjack Chart

The above charts may also apply to live blackjack in some online casinos. For example, some online blackjack may be played with four to eight decks, and the dealer is required to stand on a soft 17.

Advanced Blackjack Strategy

Advanced strategies require a bit more critical thinking than basic strategies. Some considerations you may need to think about in an advanced strategy include:

• Carefully deciding about your hand’s card composition. For example, if your hand is 12 and the dealer’s upcard is 6, is standing a safe choice?
• Considering taking insurance if the dealer’s upcard is an ace.
• Deciding whether your preferred strategy chart for four or eight decks will also work for a six-deck game.

Using the Blackjack Strategy Charts and Tables

The blackjack strategy charts (sometimes called blackjack strategy cards) in this article assume the total value of the player’s hand at the time of a decision.

For example, suppose you are using the basic strategy, and you have a 5 and an ace against the dealer’s upcard of 8.

Since your soft total is 16 (5 + 11), you should hit and be dealt a third card. If you get a 3, your hand’s new value is 19 (16 + 3), meaning you are now supposed to stand.

Some casinos allow re-splits, meaning you may split again the hand that you already split. In this case, getting four or more of the same card is possible, especially in multi-deck games.

Order Of Operations in Basic Strategy

1. Surrender

Some casinos offer a surrender option, meaning you can surrender after seeing the first two cards you are dealt. In this case, once you take a hit, you are no longer allowed to surrender. This should be your first consideration when playing blackjack.

2. Split

If surrender is not allowed, your next decision is whether to split your hand or not. This option is available only when your first two cards are a pair or if you have 10-valued cards, such as a queen and a king.

3. Double

If splitting does not apply to your strategy or you have no pair, your next consideration should be to double down.

Some casinos may restrict doubling when it comes to specific hands. Although you can still play blackjack without doubling down, specific basic strategy actions may call for doubling, such as having a 10 or 11 on a hard hand.

4. Hit or Stand

After deciding that the surrender, split, and double options are not appropriate for your strategy, you may take another card or opt not to as your last option. At this point, continue following your preferred strategy based on the chart you are using.

A Proven Winning System

You can play blackjack even without using any strategy or chart, especially if you play for fun and have little concern for losing some of your bankroll.

However, blackjack strategies may help increase your winning chances. Even the basic strategy is helpful and does not take long to memorize.

Memorizing the strategy charts is essential, especially if you prefer to become a card counter later. Card counting is a technique to track the cards already played in the game.

Regardless of the strategy you use, always bet responsibly.

Basic Blackjack Strategy History

In 1962, Edward Thorp published an optimal blackjack strategy based on a high-speed computer’s findings.

Through the years, Stanford Wong’s Basic Blackjack and Peter Griffin’s Theory of Blackjack became the best resources for the basic strategy used for any rule and number of decks.

However, casino rules can change anytime, and the strategies that may have worked before based on those rules may no longer be as effective in some cases.

For example, before 2000, players were usually advised to compare the casino rules with those in the Las Vegas Strip to determine which places give a good deal based on the players’ chosen strategies.

Thus, before using a particular strategy, check the casino rules and house edge to determine if your system will work or if you need to revise your play.

FAQs

1. How do I memorize the charts in blackjack?

Some people memorize the charts based on what numbers to split. For example, always split eights and aces but never split tens and fives.

Others use soft totals as a basis for memorization. For example, for soft 20 and 21, always stand. For soft 19, double against 6 but stand for every other number.

Some individuals use phrases based on each row of the chart. Overall, you may use whatever memorization method you find easiest to help you quickly commit the chart to memory.

2. Can I use a blackjack strategy card in a casino?

Land-based casinos often allow bettors to use blackjack strategy charts or cards. Some casinos provide strategy cards to bettors upon request.

Sometimes, using the card in fast-paced games may be a hassle, and memorization may be a more practical option.

3. Why are some strategy charts different on other websites?

Various factors, like whether the player’s hand or the dealer’s hand is a hard or soft 17, may influence the set of actions for a particular strategy.

Additionally, some casinos may have varying blackjack rules, which may also factor into a particular strategy.