Perfect Blackjack Strategy: 15 Charts to Help You Master the Game

Blackjack is the most popular casino table game in the United States, and it's one of
the most popular casino games in the world. You probably know how to play
blackjack, but do you know how to play blackjack well? Do you want to win more
money at the casino by learning blackjack strategy? If you play your cards right, you
may be able to make enough money to see Cirque Du Soleil.

Blackjack strategy lets you know the right play to make to maximize your
winnings. It tells you what to do based on your hand and the card that the dealer
is showing. If you perfectly follow the strategies outlined in this guide, you can
reduce the casino’s advantage to less than .5%, making blackjack the most
advantageous game to the player in a casino. Perfect blackjack strategy has been
determined using probability theory and computer simulations which have figured
out the best play in each situation.

In this article, I'll explain perfect blackjack strategy and how to use it to your
advantage. I've focused on playing at a casino, but the same strategies apply if
you're playing online or at a home game.

The Basic Rules of Blackjack

The goal of blackjack is to beat the dealer’s hand without going over 21.
Before cards are dealt, players place their bets.

Each player starts with two cards that are face up. Face cards are worth 10. Aces
are worth 1 or 11; whichever makes a better hand. One of the dealer’s two cards is
face down until the very end after every player completes his hand.

You can ask for another card (hit) or stick with your current hand (stand). You have
the option to keep hitting until you’re satisfied with your hand, or you go over 21
(bust). If you bust, the dealer wins regardless of the dealer’s eventual
hand. The dealer must hit until her cards total 17 or higher.

Defining Blackjack Terms

These are the blackjack terms you must know to determine the right play to make
in each situation. I put the terms in alphabetical order.

Blackjack: The best possible hand in blackjack. It consists of an ace and a card with
a value of 10. At most casinos, blackjack plays 3:2. So for example, if you bet $10,
getting blackjack pays $15.

Bust: Busting is going over 21. As mentioned previously, if you bust, you
automatically lose.

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Double Down/Doubling: Doubling down or doubling is when a player places an
additional bet equal to his original bet and then receives just one additional card.
You can only double down with your first two cards. For example, if you bet $5 and
get dealt an 11, you can place an additional $5 bet and receive one more card.
Regardless of whether you get a 2 or a 10, you can’t hit again.

Hard/Hard Hand: Any hand that doesn’t contain an ace that can count as an 11. A
10 and a 7 is a hard 17.

Hit: Hitting is asking for another card.

Insurance: When the dealer shows an ace, the player can place a side bet of up to
half of his original bet. If the dealer has blackjack, the insurance bet pays 2 to 1. If
the dealer doesn’t have blackjack, the insurance bet loses. Based on probability,
you should never take insurance.

Push: When you push, your hand ties with the dealer and you keep your original
bet. For instance, if you and the dealer both have 19, you push.

Soft/Soft Hand: A soft hand is a hand that includes an ace valued at 11 instead of
1. For example, an ace and a 6 is a soft 17. You can be more aggressive with soft
hands because there’s no risk of busting. If you hit on a soft 17 and get a 5, the ace
will be valued at 1 and you’ll have a 12.

Split: If a player is dealt two equal cards, he can split them into two separate hands
by placing an additional bet equal to his original bet. For example, if you bet $10
and are dealt two 8’s, for another $10, you can split your hand into two separate
hands, each with one 8.

Stand/Stay: Standing or staying is sticking with your hand and no longer asking for
more cards.

Surrender: Surrendering is basically giving up before seeing what the dealer gets.
If you surrender, you abandon your hand and recover half of your initial bet.
Surrendering is the best option when it’s extremely likely that you’ll lose given your
hand and the card the dealer is showing. Unfortunately, many casinos don’t offer
the surrender option.

Blackjack Basic Strategy

To perfect your blackjack game and completely minimize the house advantage,
there’s quite a bit to remember. However, if you can just memorize the basic
blackjack strategy rules, then you’ll be well ahead of the novice player.

Following these rules won’t always be the 100% perfect play, but it almost always
will be, and again, these rules are much easier to remember than perfect blackjack
strategy. Compared to absolute perfect blackjack play, following these
rules will only cost you about one hand in 12 hours of play.

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Basic Blackjack Strategy Chart

Here are the charts outlining basic strategy. They tell you what to do given the
value of your hand (left column) and the card the dealer is showing (right two
columns).

HARD 2 to 6 7 to A

4 to 8 HIT HIT

9 DOUBLE HIT

10 or 11 DOUBLE DOUBLE if more than dealer*

12 to 16 STAND HIT

17 to 21 STAND STAND

*This means that if you have a 10 and the dealer is showing 9 or less, you should
double. If the dealer is showing 10 or an ace, just hit. Similarly, if you have 11,
double if the dealer is showing 10 or less. If the dealer is showing an ace, just hit.

SOFT 2 to 6 7 to A

13 to 15 HIT HIT

16 to 18 DOUBLE HIT

19 to 21 STAND STAND

SPLITS (Yes or
2 to 6 7 to A
No)*

2/2, 3/3, 6/6, 7/7,

YES NO
9/9

8/8, A/A YES YES

4/4, 5/5, 10/10 NO NO

*If you don’t split, treat your hand like a hard hand. For example, if you don’t split
with two 7’s, make the appropriate play for a hard 14.

3
Additional Rules

On top of the blackjack strategy charts above, here are a few additional rules to
remember:

Surrender if you have a 16 and the dealer is showing a 10. If the table
doesn’t allow surrendering, then hit.

If the strategy says to double but you’re not allowed, then hit, except you
should stand with a soft 18.

Never take insurance. When the dealer shows an ace, the player can place a side
bet of up to half of his original bet. If the dealer has blackjack, the insurance bet
pays 2 to 1. If the dealer doesn’t have blackjack, the insurance bet loses.

Similarly, never take even money when you get blackjack. If you’re dealt
blackjack and the dealer is showing an ace, you’ll be offered an even money payout
in case the dealer has blackjack. For example, if you bet $10, if you take even
money you’ll win $10 instead of the $15 for a 3:2 payout. If you decline the even
money and the dealer has blackjack, you’ll push and you’ll just get your original bet
back.

Perfect Blackjack Strategy

While following the basic blackjack strategy will almost always have you make the
right play, there are occasions when it won’t. If you’re really trying to master
blackjack, then just following the basic strategy won’t quite cut it.

The perfect blackjack strategy charts are based on the slightly different versions of
the game. Blackjack can be played with a single deck or 4-8 decks. Most casinos
I’ve been to have single deck or use six decks. Also, some casinos require the
dealer to stand with a soft 17, and some mandate the dealer to hit with a soft 17. If
the dealer has to stand with a soft 17, that will give you better odds.

Perfect Blackjack Strategy Charts

Here are the charts you need to memorize to get your blackjack strategy perfect.
The numbers going horizontally at the top of the chart represent the card that the
dealer is showing, and the numbers in the left most column are the value of your
hand.

This is the key to to the abbreviations used in the charts:

 H= Hit
 S= Stand
 Dh= Double down if allowed, if not hit

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  Ds= Double down if allowed, if not stand
 Rh= Surrender if allowed, if not hit
 Rs= Surrender if allowed, if not stand
 Rp= Surrender if allowed, if not split
 P= Split
 Ph= Split if double after hit is allowed, if not hit
 Pd= Split if double after hit is allowed, if not double
 Ps= Split if double after hit is allowed, if not stand

Single Deck Blackjack Charts

These are the perfect strategy charts for single deck blackjack. The first set covers
what to do if the dealer is required to stand on a soft 17 and the second set covers
the strategy if the dealer is expected to hit on a soft 17. Each includes three charts
that you can use depending on whether your hand is hard, soft, or split.

Single Deck, Dealer Stands on Soft 17

Har
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 A
d

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

Soft 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 A

5
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

Split
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 A
s

2, 2 Ph P P P P P H H H H

P
3, 3 Ph P P P P Ph H 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

Single Deck, Dealer Hits on Hard 17

Hard 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 A

4-7 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

6
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 Rh

16 S S S S S H H H Rh Rh

17 S S S S S S S S S Rs

18+ S S S S S S S S S S

1
Soft 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A
0

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

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 Rh

8, 8 P P P P P P P P P P

9, 9 P P P P P S P P S Ps

A, A P P P P P P P P P P

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4- to 8-Deck Blackjack Charts

The most common multi-deck blackjack I’ve seen is six-deck, but the same
strategies apply for 4-8 decks. You’ll see that the charts are extremely similar to
those for single deck.

Again, the first set is for tables where the dealer is required to stand on a soft 17
and the second set is for tables where the dealer is expected to hit on a soft 17.
Each includes three charts for hard, soft, and split hands.

4-8 Decks, Dealer Stands on Soft 17

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

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

8
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

Split
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 A
s

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

4-8 Decks, Dealer Hits on Soft 17

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 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 Rh Rh

16 S S S S S H H Rh Rh Rh

17 S S S S S S S S S Rs

9
18+ S S S S S S S S S S

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 Ds Ds Ds Ds Ds S S H H H

19 S S S S Ds S S S S S

20+ S S S S S S S S S S

Split
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 A
s

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 Rp

9, 9 P P P P P S P P S S

A, A P P P P P P P P P P

How to Learn These Blackjack Strategies

You may be overwhelmed by the amount of charts and the information you have to
remember to perfect your blackjack play. Start with learning basic blackjack
strategy! Then, if you want, you can move on to perfect strategy.

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If you don’t have much time to learn, I recommend sticking with basic blackjack
strategy. Remember that you’ll almost always make the right play with basic
strategy, and the few mistakes you may make won’t cost you much.

Some casinos will allow you to refer to blackjack charts while you’re
playing, so you can also print them out and refer to them while playing. But the
other players may get annoyed with you if you keep looking at your charts.

If you want to learn perfect blackjack strategy, I advise you to learn one chart at
a time. Also, if you know you’ll be playing a specific type of blackjack (e.g.
6 decks, dealer hits on soft 17) at a casino, just focus on the charts that
are applicable to the game you'll be playing.

Furthermore, once you think you’ve learned the blackjack charts, you’ll remember
your perfect strategy by drilling it into your head by playing tons of hands and
testing your knowledge. If you ever forget your perfect strategy while
playing, just use basic strategy.

Play the Best Game for You

Finally, always remember that you want to play the blackjack games that offer you
the best odds. There are many variations of blackjack at casinos that will impact
your odds of winning.

The ideal version of blackjack will allow doubling, doubling after splitting,
splitting, and surrendering. If any of these aren’t allowed, your odds of winning
will be lowered. Most are normally offered, but I haven’t found many casinos that
allow surrendering.

Additionally, your odds will improve if the dealer has to stand on a soft 17 instead of
hitting on a soft 17. Finally, you want a table that will pay blackjack 3:2 as opposed
to a lower payout (sometimes 6:5) or even money.

15 OF THE BEST BLACKJACK

STRATEGIES
If you’re serious about winning more when you play blackjack, then I encourage you
to utilize the following Best Blackjack Strategies I’m about to share with you.

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Note: The following strategies can be used in all games unless stated otherwise. The
strategies discussed below also assume you are a recreational player, and not a
card counter.

Abbreviations used in this article are:

S17 = Dealer must stand on soft 17

h27 = Dealer must hit soft 17

DAS = Doubling down after pair splitting is allowed

NDAS = Doubling down after pair splitting is not allowed

STRATEGY #1: ALWAYS DOUBLE DOWN ON A HARD 11

You’ll always win more money if you double down on hard 11 against any dealer’s
upcard vs. hitting in all games, with one exception. If you are playing a multi-deck
game where the rules specify the dealer must stand on soft 17, you are slightly
better off hitting against a dealer Ace rather than doubling down.

STRATEGY #2: ALWAYS SPLIT A PAIR OF 8s AND ACES

You should always split a pair of 8s and Aces regardless of what the dealer’s upcard
is. Unfortunately, many players won’t split with a pair of 8s when the dealer’s
upcard is a 9, 10, or Ace. They reason that because they are a big underdog in this
situation, why bet more money by splitting? What they don’t understand is that you
are less of an underdog by playing two hands, each starting with an 8 (by splitting),
than you are playing one hand of 16 (and hitting). In other words, you will lose less
money in the long run by splitting 8s against a 9, 10, or Ace than by hitting hard 16.
Bottom line: Always splitting 8s and Aces is your best strategy because in the case
of Aces, it results in significant gains for the player; and for 8s, it will, based on the
dealer’s upcard, allow you to cut your losses or win more money.

(Note: If surrender is offered and you are playing in a multi-deck game with h27, or
a double-deck game with h27 and NDAS, your best strategy is to surrender the pair
of 8s vs. the dealer’s Ace rather than splitting them.)

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STRATEGY #3: NEVER SPLIT A PAIR OF 5s OR TENS

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A pair of 5s is also a hard 10 and you are always better off taking a one-or-more-
card draw to a 10 than splitting the 5s and playing two hands, each starting with a
5. Even though splitting 10s is much more often than not a winning play, keeping
them together as 20 is an even greater winning play in all circumstances.

STRATEGY #4: ALWAYS HIT A HARD 12 AGAINST A DEALER’S 2 OR 3 UPCARD

This is a situation where most players chicken out and stand on their 12 because
they fear busting. The bottom line is this: against a dealer’s 2 or 3 upcard, you will
lose money in the long run whether you stand or hit; however, you will lose less
money by hitting (even at the risk of busting some of the time), which is why it is
the best strategy.

STRATEGY #5: ALWAYS HIT ACE-7 (SOFT 18) WHEN THE DEALER’S UPCARD IS 9, 10,
OR ACE

Players mistakenly believe that a hand that totals 18 is a sure win, which is why
they stand on soft 18 (A-7), especially when the dealer is showing a “strong” upcard
(e.g., 9, 10, or Ace). The facts are these. When you hold an A-7 against dealer’s 9,
10, or Ace, you are the underdog whether you stand or hit; however, you are less of
an underdog if you hit A-7. This is because if you draw a small card (e.g., Ace, 2, or
3) you will end up with a pat hand that’s higher than 18, which will improve your
chances of winning at blackjack. And if you draw any of the four ten-valued cards,
you do no harm to the hand. Bottom line: Your best strategy is to always hit A-7
when the dealer shows a 9, 10, or Ace with a goal of getting to either a soft 19–21
or a hard 17 through 21.

(Note: There is one exception to the above strategy. In the case of a single-deck
game with S17, you are slightly better off standing on A-7 when the dealer’s upcard
is an Ace.)

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STRATEGY #6: ALWAYS DOUBLE DOWN ON 10 WHEN THE DEALER’S UPCARD IS 9

OR LESS

You are the favorite when you hold a two-card 10 against any dealer’s upcard of 9
or less, which is why doubling down is your best strategy. It’s a simple rule to
remember: always double down on 10 when the dealer’s upcard is 9 or less.

STRATEGY #7: IF THE RULES SPECIFY THAT DEALER MUST HIT SOFT 17, YOU
SHOULD ALWAYS DO THE FOLLOWING:

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 Always double down on hard 11 against dealer’s ace, soft 19 (A-8) against dealer’s
6, and A-7 against dealer’s 2

If you are playing an h27 game, the above are the three doubling strategy changes
you should make vs. the same game with S17.

(Note: There are surrender strategy changes as well. You’ll find them in Chapter 3 of
my Ultimate Blackjack Strategy Guide.)

STRATEGY #8: ALWAYS DOUBLE DOWN A-2 THROUGH A-7 WHEN THE DEALER’S
UPCARD IS A 5 OR 6

In all games, you stand to win more if you always double down an A-2 through A-7
(i.e., soft 13 through 18) when the dealer’s upcard is a 5 or 6, making it the best
strategy.

(Note: The range of dealer’s upcards where you should double down with soft 13
through 18 varies depending upon the number of decks being used and the playing
rules. For example, in a double-deck game with h27, if you were dealt an A-3, you
should not only double down when the dealer’s upcard is 5 or 6 but also against a 4.
But in all cases when the dealer’s upcard is a 5 or 6, always double down with A-2
through A-7.)

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STRATEGY #9: ALWAYS STAND WITH A PAIR OF 9s WHEN THE DEALER’S UPCARD IS
A7

Most players know to split a pair of 9s when the dealer’s upcard is 9 or less. Where
they fumble the ball is when the dealer shows a 7. In this case, your best strategy is
to stand because you’ll win slightly more money than splitting. One way to
remember this best strategy is as follows. There is a good chance that the dealer
will have a ten in the hole since there are four times as many ten-value cards in a
deck than other ranks. Therefore, when the dealer’s upcard is a 7, she often has a
pat 17. Your pair of 9s, which is an 18, would beat her potential 17, which makes
standing the better play vs. hitting.

STRATEGY #10: ALWAYS SURRENDER HARD 16 AGAINST A DEALER’S 9, 10, OR ACE

UPCARD, AND HARD 15 AGAINST DEALER’S 10 UPCARD

A hard 15 and 16 are two of the worst hands in blackjack, especially when the
dealer is showing a strong upcard (e.g., 9, 10, or Ace). You are the underdog but
you can minimize your losses by surrendering the above hands against the
indicated dealer’s upcards. Surrender is your best strategy simply because it saves
you money in the long run.

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(Note: Depending on the number of decks of cards being used and the blackjack
rules, there are other hands where surrender is the best strategy.)

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STRATEGY #11: IN A SINGLE-DECK GAME, ALWAYS DOUBLE DOWN ON 8 AGAINST

DEALER’S 5 OR 6 UPCARD

In double- and multi-deck games, you never double down with a two-card 8;
however, in a single-deck game, the odds of blackjack shift to make doubling down
the superior strategy over hitting.

(Note: The above best strategy includes a pair of 4s, with one exception. If the rules
are DAS, you should split a pair of 4s instead of doubling down.)

STRATEGY #12: WHEN YOU ARE DEALT A PAIR OF 2s OR 3s AGAINST A DEALER’S 2

OR 3 UPCARD, SPLIT IF THE RULES ALLOW DAS, AND HIT IF THEY DON’T

The reason splitting is the better strategy with DAS is because if you split, say, a
pair of 2s and draw a 9 giving you an 11, or an 8, giving you a 10, you would be
able to bet more money (by doubling down) in a very favorable situation.

(Note: There is one exception to the above rule: If you are playing a single-deck
game, you should always split a pair 2s when the dealer shows a 3 upcard, even if
the game is NDAS.)

STRATEGY #13: NEVER MAKE THE INSURANCE BET

The insurance bet is a sucker bet, which is why your best strategy is to not take
insurance when the dealer’s upcard is an Ace. Yes, even when you are dealt a good
hand (like a 19 or 20), don’t make the insurance bet. The reason is because the
payoff for the insurance bet (2 to 1) is less than the odds that the dealer will have a
blackjack, making it a sucker bet.

(Note: In most casinos, the dealer will offer you “even money” if you have a
blackjack hand and she has an Ace upcard, which is the same as making an
insurance bet. When you have a blackjack, it’s tempting to get paid even money
before she peeks at her down card; however, don’t do it because in the long run you
will win more money by declining the even money payoff.)

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15
STRATEGY #14: STAND ON HARD 16 AGAINST A DEALER’S 10 UPCARD IF YOUR 16
IS MULTI-CARD

The traditional blackjack basic strategy takes into account only the total of the
player’s hand and the dealer’s upcard. With a hard 16 against a dealer’s 10 upcard,
the strategy states to hit (assuming surrender is not offered). Although this strategy
is correct, you can improve your playing accuracy by taking into account whether
your 16 is a multi-card 16. In the latter case (e.g., 7-5-4), your best strategy is to
stand against a dealer’s 10 upcard.

STRATEGY #15: NEVER PLAY A 6 TO 5 BLACKJACK GAME

Historically, a blackjack hand has always been paid at 3 to 2 odds. For example, if
you bet $10 and you have an (untied) blackjack, you will be paid $15 in winnings.
Nowadays, many casinos pay a winning player’s blackjack at only 6 to 5 odds. (A
$10 wager would win you only $12 in a 6 to 5 game.) The house edge increases by
about 1.45% in a single-deck game with 6 to 5; moreover, if 6 to 5 is offered in a
double- or multi-deck game, the house edge escalates to greater than 2%. Your
best strategy is to play only blackjack games that offer a 3 to 2 blackjack payoff.

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BLACKJACK STRATEGY CHART

The best playing strategies for blackjack are presented in a strategy chart as shown
below. Across the top row is the dealer’s upcard; down the first column is your
hand. To use the chart, locate your hand (or the total count of your hand) in the first
column and go across to the column representing the dealer’s upcard. At the
intersection is the best playing strategy for that hand.

For example, suppose you are dealt a pair of 6s and the dealer’s upcard is a 4. You
find the row for 6-6, go across to the dealer’s 4 upcard, and at that intersection you
see a P, meaning the best playing strategy is to split the 6s when the dealer’s
upcard is a 4. Likewise, suppose you are dealt a 10-5 (15) and the dealer’s upcard is
a 6. The above chart tells you to stand (S).

The best playing strategy for any given blackjack game is dependent on the number
of decks of cards and the mix of the playing rules. Any changes to one or the other
may alter the playing strategy slightly. Nevertheless, you could use the strategy
shown in the chart below for all games without too much cost, although my
recommendation is to use the strategy that is designed for the precise game that
you are playing.

16
Note: You can find the best playing strategy that is specific for any mix of playing
rules and number of decks of cards by going to Chapter 3 in the Ultimate Blackjack
Strategy Guide.)

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Blackjack Strategy Chart

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HOW TO MEMORIZE A STRATEGY CHART

Here are four approaches you can use to memorize the best playing strategy.

Prepare flashcards using index cards. Write the player’s hand on one side, and on
the other, the best playing strategy. (For example, “A-6” on one side, and the other
side “Double down on 3‒6; otherwise hit.”

Using pencil and paper, create a blank strategy chart yourself, and then fill in the
correct strategy for every hand from memory. If a play repeats itself all the way
across a certain row, such as your play for holding hard 17, just write the letter once
and use an arrow, going to the right, to save time.

Practice making the correct playing decision by using a deck of cards. Deal yourself
two cards (representing your hand) and turn over a dealer’s upcard. Decide how
you would play the hand then check your answer with a strategy chart.

By using commercially available blackjack software, you can practice making the
best playing decision on your smartphone or personal computer. (There are also
online practice sites that deal and tell you if you made a basic strategy mistake.)

Note: For additional details on the above ways to memorize the best strategy, see
Chapter 4 in the Ultimate Blackjack Strategy Guide.

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FAQ

Q. Can I bring a cheat sheet containing the best strategy with me when I play
blackjack?

A. Yes, you can. However, I recommend using a commercially available strategy

card, such as Don Schlesinger’s Ultimate Blackjack Strategy Cards, since they are
laminated, sturdy, color-coded, and easy to use. For security reasons, do not lay the
strategy card (or any strategy sheet) on the blackjack table; instead, hold it in your
hand.

Q. How long will it take to memorize the strategy on the charts?

A. If you practice using one, or a combination, of the four ways mentioned above, it
shouldn’t take more than a couple of hours. Additionally, you can always bring a
strategy card with you when you play and refer to it if you are not sure of the best
play.

Q. I like to have fun when I play in a casino. Memorizing a strategy chart seems like
too much work.

A. If you spend the time to learn the best playing strategy, you can reduce the
house edge to less than 1%. (Depending on the rules, you could reduce it to half a
percent or less.) This increases your chances of winning more, or losing less, money
when you play blackjack, and at the minimum, increases your playing time. If you
make decisions on how to play each hand by the seat-of-your-pants, or worse,
guess, it will cost you a lot more money in the long run. Trust me: your blackjack
experience will be more fun and enjoyable when you win more or lose less if you
invest the small amount of time it takes to learn the best playing strategy.

(Note: How much more will it cost you not to learn? See Chapter 2.1 in the Ultimate
Blackjack Strategy Guide for an analysis of how much it will cost you when you
don’t take the time to learn the best playing strategy.)

Q. Which is the most important “best strategy” of the 15 you mentioned?

A. By far it’s to avoid playing any blackjack game where an untied blackjack pays
only 6-5, or worse, even money. Only play blackjack games where you are paid 3-2
for a blackjack.

Q. Can I use the best strategy when I play blackjack in an online casino?

A. Yes. As long as the playing rules are similar to the ones discussed above, you
can, and should, use a strategy card when you play online.

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