Blackjack Strategy: The Definitive Basic Strategy Chart Explained

Blackjack is the only casino table game in which the decisions you make at the table have a direct, measurable impact on the house edge. Play basic strategy perfectly, and you reduce the house's mathematical advantage to somewhere between 0.4% and 0.6% depending on the specific game rules.

The Core Principles

When the Dealer Shows 2–6 (Bust Cards)

When the dealer shows a 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6, they are statistically likely to bust. Your strategy against bust cards should be conservative: stand on 12 or higher, double down aggressively on 9, 10, and 11, and split pairs that create strong starting hands.

When the Dealer Shows 7–Ace (Strong Cards)

Against strong dealer upcards, the strategy changes fundamentally. The dealer is now likely to make a hand of 17 or higher, which means your only winning path is to beat them — not to wait for a bust. This means hitting hard totals up to 16.

The Most Misplayed Hands

• ·16 vs Dealer 10: Always hit. Standing is the costlier mistake.
• ·Pair of 8s vs Dealer 10: Always split. Two separate 8-valued starting hands is mathematically better.
• ·11 vs Dealer Ace: Double down in most single- and double-deck games.
• ·Soft 18 (Ace-7) vs Dealer 9, 10, or Ace: Hit. Soft 18 is not a strong hand against strong dealer cards.
• ·Pair of 5s: Never split. Treat them as a hard 10 and double down against dealer 2–9.

“People think basic strategy is about being brave enough to hit on 16. It is not. It is about understanding that the decision has already been made by mathematics.”

— Ed Thorp, Beat the Dealer