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Additional Games Flashcards
Blackjack Basic Strategy Cards; Blackjack School Flashcards; 6 Deck Blackjack Basic Strategy; Blackjack strategy; 6 decks, hit on soft 17, DAS, NS, peek; Single Deck Blackjack Basic; BlackJack Flashcards; Blackjack Wiz of Odds; Blackjack Hard Totals Hi low point count; BlackJack Soft Totals.
For centuries, the strategic potential of blackjack has defied the chances and reduced the house edge to the point of complete elimination. The advanced card counting strategies were fought off by the casino operators through a gradual increase of the card decks inside the shoe.
In 1962, Edward Thorp published his findings of an optimal blackjack strategy using a high-speed digital computer. Julian Braun continued this work and published what most players know today as the correct basic strategy of the game.
Cards Return to Set Details
Term
5 - 8
Definition
Always Hit
Term
9
Definition
Double Down 3-6 Otherwise Hit
Term
10
Definition
Double Down 2-9 Otherwise Hit
Term
11
Definition
Double Down 2-10 Otherwise Hit
Term
12
Definition
Stand 4,5,6 Otherwise Hit
Term
13-16
Definition
Stand 2-6 Otherwise Hit
Term
17
Definition
Always Stand
Term
A,2
Definition
Double Down 5,6 Otherwise Hit
Term
A,3
Definition
Double Down 5,6 Otherwise Hit
Term
A,4
Definition
Double Down 4,5,6 Otherwise Hit
Term
A,5
Definition
Double Down 4,5,6 Otherwise Hit
Term
A,6
Definition
Double Down 3-6 Otherwise Hit
Term
A,7
Definition
Double Down 3-6 Stand 2,7,8 Hit 9,10,A
Term
A,8
Definition
Always Stand
Term
A,9
Definition
Always Stand
Term
2,2
Definition
Split 2-7 Otherwise Hit
Term
3,3
Definition
Split 2-7 Otherwise Hit
Term
4,4
Definition
Split 5,6 Otherwise Hit
Term
5,5
Definition
Double Down 2-9 Otherwise Hit
Term
6,6
Definition
Split 2-6 Otherwise Hit
Term
7,7
Definition
Split 2-7 Otherwise Hit
Term
8,8
Definition
Always Split
Term
9,9
Definition
Split 2-9 Stand 7,10,A
Term
10,10
Definition
Always Stand
Term
A,A
Definition
Always Split
Term
3 or more card soft 17
Definition
Always Hit
Term
3 or more card soft 18
Definition
Hit 9,10,A Otherwise Stand
Term
15 vs 10
Definition
Stand at TC '4' or higher otherwise hit
Term
16 vs 10
Definition
Hit at '0' or lower only
Term
16 vs A
Definition
Stand at TC '3' or higher otherwise hit
Term
Insurance
Definition
Insure at TC of 2.4 or higher
On This Page
Introduction
To use the basic strategy, look up your hand along the left vertical edge and the dealer's up card along the top. In both cases an A stands for ace. From top to bottom are the hard totals, soft totals, and splittable hands. There are two charts depending on whether the dealer hits or stands on soft 17.
Other basic strategy rules.
Never take insurance or 'even money.'
If there is no row for splitting (fives and tens), then look up your hand as a hard total (10 or 20).
If you can't split because of a limit on re-splitting, then look up your hand as a hard total, except aces. In the extremely unlikely event you have a pair of aces you can't re-split and drawing to split aces is allowed, then double against a 6, otherwise hit.
If you play a mixture of six-deck games, some where the dealer hits a soft 17, and some where he stands, and you only wish to memorize one strategy, I would recommend you memorize the one where the dealer stands on soft 17. The cost in errors due to playing the wrong strategy is 2.3 times higher playing a stand on soft 17 game, with the hit on 17 strategy, than vise versa.
Basic Strategy in Text
For the benefit of my blind readers, here is the above strategy in text form, when the dealer stands on soft 17 and surrender is allowed. To use the strategy, start at the top, and follow the first rule that applies.
Surrender
Surrender hard 16 (but not a pair of 8s) vs. dealer 9, 10, or A, and hard 15 vs. dealer 10.
Split
Blackjack Strategy Dash
Always split aces and 8s.
Never split 5s and 10s.
Split 2s and 3s against a dealer 4-7, and against a 2 or 3 if DAS is allowed.
Split 4s only if DAS is allowed and the dealer shows a 5 or 6.
Split 6s against a dealer 3-6, and against a 2 if DAS is allowed.
Split 7s against a dealer 2-7.
Split 9s against a dealer 2-6 or 8-9.
Double
Double hard 9 vs. dealer 3-6.
Double hard 10 except against a dealer 10 or A.
Double hard 11 except against a dealer A.
Double soft 13 or 14 vs. dealer 5-6.
Double soft 15 or 16 vs. dealer 4-6.
Double soft 17 or 18 vs. dealer 3-6.
Blackjack Strategy Test
Hit or Stand
Always hit hard 11 or less.
Stand on hard 12 against a dealer 4-6, otherwise hit.
Stand on hard 13-16 against a dealer 2-6, otherwise hit.
Always stand on hard 17 or more.
Always hit soft 17 or less.
Stand on soft 18 except hit against a dealer 9, 10, or A.
Always stand on soft 19 or more.
Blackjack Strategy Double Down
As I've said many times, the above strategy will be fine under any set of rules. However, for you perfectionists out there, here are the modifications to make if the dealer hits a soft 17.
Surrender 15, a pair of 8s, and 17 vs. dealer A.
Double 11 vs. dealer A.
Double soft 18 vs. dealer 2.
Double soft 19 vs. dealer 6.
My thanks to Kelly for putting together the above text strategy.
