Blackjack Strategy

Unlike other casino games based on luck, blackjack lends itself to a number of strategies that can be employed to make a player more successful. The following information forms part of a blackjack strategy that you can use to improve and to master the game of blackjack.

For years potential blackjack strategies have been tried and tested by mathematicians and scientists. Computer simulations have sought to come up with the winning strategy in order to beat the dealer. Although various strategies exist, the best way to win at blackjack is to study the rules until you are completely familiar with them. The best way to master strategy is to practice it. By employing basic blackjack strategy a player can efficiently reduce house odds to as low as 0.5 percent from the customary 5 percent.

A strategy will depend on the nature of the blackjack game, namely how many decks of cards are being used. The rules below indicate the actions that should become second nature to the blackjack player.

For blackjack involved a single deck of cards:

The Player’s Hand vs the Dealer’s Up Card

8 double on 5 to 6, otherwise hit

9 double on 2 to 6, otherwise hit

10 double on 2 to 9, otherwise hit

11 always double

12 stand on 4 to 6, otherwise hit

13 to 16 stand on 2 to 6, otherwise hit

17 to 21 always stand

A 2 to A5 double on 4 to 6, otherwise hit

A 7 double on 3 to 6, stand on 2, 7, 8 or A

A 8 double on 6, otherwise stand

A 9 always stand

A A always split

2 2 split on 3 to 7, otherwise hit

3 3 split on 4 to 7 otherwise hit

4 4 double on 5 to 6, otherwise hit

5 5 double on 2 to 9, otherwise hit

6 6 split on 2 to 6, otherwise hit

7 7 split on 2 to 7, stand on 10, otherwise hit

8 8 always split

9 9 split on 2 to 9, stand on 7

10 10 always stand

For multiple packs of cards, the following strategy applies

5 to 8 always hit

9 double on 3 to 6, otherwise hit

10 double on 2 to 9, otherwise hit

11 double on 2 to 10, otherwise hit

12 stand on 4 to 6, otherwise hit

13 stand on 2 to 6, otherwise hit

14 stand on 2 to 6, otherwise hit

15 stand on 2 to 6, otherwise hit

16 stand on 2 to 6, otherwise hit

17 always stand

18 always stand

A 2 double on 5 and 6, otherwise hit

A 3 double on 5 and 6, otherwise hit

A 4 double on 4 to 6, otherwise hit

A 5 double on 4 to 6, otherwise hit

A 6 double on 3 to 6, otherwise hit

A 7 double on 3 to 6, stand on 2,7, or 8, hit on 9, 10 or A

A 8 always stand

A 9 always stand

A 10 always stand

A A always split

2 2 split on 2 and 7, otherwise hit

3 3 split on 2 and 7, otherwise hit

4 4 split on 5 and 6, otherwise hit

5 5 always stand

6 6 split on 2 and 6, otherwise hit

7 7 split on 2 and 7, otherwise hit

8 8 split

9 9 split on 2 to 6 and 8 to 9, stand on 7, 10 and A

10 10 always stand

Sometimes the casino will allow a player to use the double down rule after he has split a pair. Assuming this is the case, the following rules apply to using the double down rule with a single deck of cards.

2 2 split on 2 to 7, otherwise hit

3 3 split on 2 to 7, otherwise hit

4 4 split on 4, 5 or 6

6 6 split on 2 to 7, otherwise hit

7 7 split on 2 to 8, stand on 10, otherwise hit

Likewise the following rules can be used to double down using multi decks of cards.

2 2 split on 4 to 7, otherwise hit

3 3 split on 4 to 7, otherwise hit

4 4 always hit

6 6 split on 3 to 6, otherwise hit