Blackjack Basic Strategy: A Cheat Sheet for New Players
You lower the house edge to about 0.5 percent when you follow basic strategy on every hand. Print this chart or keep it on your phone and check it before you act.
Read the Table in Three Steps
- Look at your two cards and note whether they form a hard total, soft total, or pair.
- Check the dealer’s upcard across the top row.
- Play the move listed where your hand row meets the dealer’s column.
| Your Hand | Dealer 2-3 | Dealer 4-6 | Dealer 7-A |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hard 16 | Stand | Stand | Hit |
| Hard 12 | Hit | Stand | Hit |
| Soft 18 (A-7) | Stand | Double | Hit |
| Pair of 8s | Split | Split | Split |
| Pair of 10s | Stand | Stand | Stand |
Hard totals contain no ace or an ace counted as 1. Soft totals use the ace as 11. Always split aces and eights. Never split tens or fives.
Try These Hands at the Table
- You hold 10-6 (hard 16) against a dealer 10. Hit. The chart says so because standing loses more often over time.
- You hold ace-7 (soft 18) against a dealer 5. Double down when the rules allow it. You improve your total without much risk.
- You hold two 9s against a dealer 6. Stand. The dealer busts often enough that you keep your 18 intact.
- You hold 5-5 against a dealer 10. Treat the hand as hard 10 and double. You rarely see this move but it edges out hitting or standing.
Run through twenty practice hands with a deck at home before you sit at a real table. The moves become automatic after a few sessions.