BLACKJACK BASIC STRATEGY

Blackjack is one of the most widely played casino games in the world, and hence, you’ll find it at every land-based or online casino.

Players enjoy gambling on this game for two reasons: it provides joy and excitement, and it has very simple rules, which can be mastered by playing just a few games.

Many think that blackjack is a game of chance, but professional players know that this game is all about skill and blackjack strategy. In this game, unlike other casino games, there is a possibility to raise the odds in your favour with a few simple techniques.

Using a blackjack basic strategy will certainly increase your chances of winning, but you must know that there is no blackjack strategy that will give you a 100% chance of winning the game.

You may know the basic rules and how to play the game, but do you know how to play with a good hand? Did you know that playing with a basic blackjack strategy can reduce the house edge, or house advantage?

If the answer to these questions is “No”, then we highly recommend you stick around to read the rest of this article.

WHAT IS THE BASIC BLACKJACK STRATEGY?

When you are playing a blackjack game with the basic strategy, it means that you are following a specific set of rules to make the most mathematically advantageous decisions. This refers to making decisions that lower the house edge as much as possible.

These rules govern when to stand, hit, split, double down, surrender and take insurance, and will help you make the optimal calls every time. 

Unlike the freedom that the player has, the dealer is boxed within specific table rules, which means that the player can reduce the house edge. With that in mind, here’s what you can do to boost up your winning chances by following the basic blackjack strategy.

BLACKJACK BASIC STRATEGY EXPLAINED

The best way to understand basic blackjack strategy is to have a look at the decisions below and incorporate them into your game.

Granted, not every decision is infallible, so don’t come knocking on our door when you discover that you haven’t made more money than anticipated!

SURRENDER

 The best time to opt for the surrender option in blackjack is when:

• You have a hard 16 against the dealer’s 9, 10, or A (in the case of double 8’s, don’t surrender)
• You have a hard 15 versus the dealer’s 10. 

SPLIT

Splitting your hand in blackjack is always a good idea when:

• You have Aces and 8’s (but never split 4’s, 5’s and 10’s).
• You have 2’s and 3’s versus the dealers 2 through 7.
• You have 6’s up against the dealer’s 3, 4, 5, or 6.
• You have 7’s, and the dealer has 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7.
• You have 9’s against the dealer’s 2 through 6, 8 or 9, but not 7.

If it’s possible to double after a split (DAS), then you should consider these moves:

• You should split your 2’s and 3’s versus the dealer’s 2 and 3.
• You should split your 6’s if you are up against the dealer’s 2.

DOUBLE

The doubling option is a good move when:

• You have hard 9’s against the dealer’s 3, 4, 5, or 6.
• You have a hard 10 except up against the dealer’s 10 or A.
• You have a hard 11, always.
• You have a soft 13, 14 or 15 against the dealer’s 5 or 6.
• You have a soft 16 versus a dealer’s 3 through 6.
• You have a soft 17 against a dealer’s 2 through 6.
• You have a soft or 18 versus the dealer’s 6.

HIT AND STAND

Lastly, the following situations will tell you whether to hit or stand:

• Always hit a hard 5-8.
• If you have a hard 9, hit on 2 and 7 through A.
• If you have a hard 10, hit on 10 and A.
• If you have a hard 12, stand on 4, 5, 6; hit on 2, 3 and 7 through A.
• If you have a hard 13-16, stand on 2 through 6 and hit on 7 through A.
• Always stand on hard 17-21.

The rules for soft hands differ slightly:

• If you have a soft A-2 or A-3, hit on 2, 3, 4 and 7 through A.
• If you have a soft A-4 or A-5, hit on 2, 3 and 7 through A.
• On a soft A-6, hit on 2 and 7 through A.
• Stand on soft A-7, stand on 7 and 8; hit on 9 through A.
• On a soft A-8, stand on 2 through 5 and 7 through A. 
• Always stand on A-9 and A-10.

BLACKJACK STRATEGY CHART

CHART 1: BLACKJACK ABBREVIATIONS

To understand a blackjack betting strategy chart, you need to understand the abbreviations used for each betting strategy guide:

CHART 2: SINGLE-DECK BLACKJACK GAME

As we’ve said, the decisions you must take are greatly affected by a number of factors, including whether you’re playing single-deck or multi-deck games.

Here’s what to do when the dealer stands in a single-deck game.

CHART 2.1: SINGLE-DECK BLACKJACK — CROUPIER STANDS ON SOFT 17 (HARD)

CHART 2.2: SINGLE-DECK GAME— CROUPIER STANDS ON SOFT 17 (SOFT)

CHART 2.3: SINGLE-DECK — CROUPIER STANDS ON SOFT 17 (SPLITS)

CHART 3: SINGLE-DECK GAME (DEALER HITS)

Here is a strategy guide on what to do if a dealer is forced to hit:

CHART 3.1: DEALER FORCED TO HIT ON SOFT 17 (HARD)

CHART 3.2: DEALER FORCED TO HIT ON SOFT 17 (SOFT)

CHART 3.3: DEALER FORCED TO HIT ON SOFT 17 (SPLITS)

CHART 4: MULTI-DECK GAMES (DEALER STANDS)

Now, take a look at what decisions to take when playing a game of blackjack featuring multiple decks of cards.

CHART 4.1: CROUPIER STANDS ON SOFT 17 (HARD)

CHART 4.2: CROUPIER STANDS ON SOFT 17 (SOFT)

CHART 4.3: CROUPIER STANDS ON SOFT 17 (SPLITS)

CHART 5: MULTI-DECK BLACKJACK GAMES (DEALER HITS)

Have a look at each blackjack strategy chart to see what to do if the dealer decides to hit.

CHART 5.1: CROUPIER HITS ON SOFT 17 (HARD)

CHART 5.2: CROUPIER HITS ON SOFT 17 (SOFT)

CHART 5.3: CROUPIER HITS ON SOFT 17 (SPLITS)

HOW TO READ BLACKJACK CHARTS

In the basic strategy chart above, you can see dozens of letters all around the place, with a few numbers scattered on the left-hand side of each table.

Don’t worry; it’s easier to understand than it seems.

The legend at the top will help you understand what each letter stands for. The letter ‘H’ refers to ‘hit’, the letter ‘S’ refers to ‘stand’, and so on. The tables’ titles will let you know about the different rules regarding whether the dealer stands on soft 17 or hits.

A similar legend is available when it comes to the colours of each action. For example, ‘hit’ is always coloured in green, whereas ‘stand’ is always coloured in blue. This helps players identify the action without having to continuously consult the legend.

As a reminder, a hard hand refers to hands that do not have an ace. A hard hand thus only has one possible value, as opposed to a soft hand.

On the other hand, a soft hand refers to hands containing an ace that can be valued at both one and 11. For example, a hand containing an ace and a five can be valued at six or 15.

TIPS FOR MEMORISING A BLACKJACK BASIC STRATEGY CHART

Some blackjack players find the idea of memorising strategy charts very daunting, mostly because they follow a very rigid and mathematical layout.

The truth is that the process is hardly as daunting as it sounds, and with the correct amount of practice, you might not need to look at blackjack charts at all.

Granted, there is no real trick to magically memorise any advanced blackjack strategies with a flick of a switch.

Any way you slice it, learning this overall basic strategy will require loads of practice — and this holds true for each and every advanced blackjack strategy out there.

• Keep the charts handy: It’s important to keep the charts handy while playing blackjack, whether in the form of a split-screen or as a printout. Constant glancing at the charts will help you memorise them until you’ll eventually do away with this procedure.
• Memorise the colour scheme: Colours are very strong stimuli, which means that another tactic would be to keep track of the charts’ colour scheme and memorise that instead of the actual contents.
• Recite sentences: Reciting statements that take into account different rows and columns will help you memorise the contents of the charts. The most dedicated players try to recite statements multiple times a day in an effort to memorise the contents of the charts.

DOES THE BLACKJACK BASIC STRATEGY REALLY WORK?

Will you automatically win more money when playing online blackjack if you incorporate a basic blackjack strategy? Possibly. The purpose of the best blackjack strategies is to help you minimise the house edge while perfecting your decision-making process.

There is no ‘perfect’ blackjack strategy that can guarantee any form of surefire win, and this goes for every game of blackjack out there.

With that said, a basic strategy can help you avoid standing or hitting when you shouldn’t, thus potentially getting more from your blackjack hand than usual.

In turn, this will greatly help your bankroll management and perhaps even lessen the likelihood of a losing streak.

In any case, the best blackjack strategies all aim to make the most of a player’s original bet, hoping to land an even-money payout according to the player’s starting hand.

The more practice is put forth towards nailing down the perfect blackjack strategy, the better the odds of winning with your blackjack hand.

TRY BLACKJACK BASIC STRATEGY AND PLAY BLACKJACK AT HOTSLOTS!

One of the best ways to knuckle down on a blackjack strategy is to play online at different blackjack tables. Like most casinos, Hotslots offers various blackjack versions to test your blackjack strategies on, so feel free to hop by our Casino to try a blackjack table or two!

Much like a brick-and-mortar casino, Hotslots offers a wide selection of casino games that isn’t limited to just blackjack play.

Apart from a wide range of table games — including roulette, poker and baccarat — we also house thousands of superb slots featuring an all-encompassing selection of themes and special features.

Hotslots is one of the best online casinos on the web since we offer the perfect environment in which you can learn and practise your perfect strategy, and this isn’t limited to blackjack strategy.

While our blackjack games are truly ones to behold, you can try your hand at other games’ strategies owing to our unparalleled selection of games.