Blackjack Strategy: Charts and a Complete Guide to Perfect Play

Mastering basic blackjack strategy is the only way to benefit from the game’s famously low house edge. The best blackjack games have a house edge of around 0.5%, but only if you know when to hit, stand, double down, and split cards.

We’ll provide a blackjack basic strategy chart (also known as a blackjack cheat sheet), which tells you the optimal way to play every single hand. You’ll learn how to read the chart, and we’ll explain how blackjack strategy changes depending on the game rules and the number of decks in the shoe. Let’s get into it.

What Is Blackjack Basic Strategy?

Blackjack basic strategy is a method that tells you the mathematically optimal move to make for every possible hand. You have four key options on each hand: hit, stand, split cards, or double down (our guide on how to play blackjack online explains each one).

If you follow basic blackjack strategy, you’ll know the best decision to make in each situation. Your decision comes down to two things:

• The two cards you’re dealt face-up.
• Which card is the dealer showing?

Our blackjack strategy chart highlights the ideal decision to make. You’ll see every type of hand, and we’ll explain how best to play it depending on the dealer’s upcard.

Following this approach doesn’t guarantee success, but it ensures you’ll benefit from the lowest possible house edge. If you don’t follow basic blackjack strategy, the house edge will increase from around 0.5% to roughly 2% to 4%, depending on how wildly you stray from the math.

You can consult our blackjack strategy chart for each hand when you’re getting started, either on screen or printed out as a blackjack strategy card. After a while, you’ll memorize the optimal way to play every hand, so you can start playing blackjack at a quicker pace.

The Full Blackjack Strategy Chart

Our blackjack strategy tells you how best to play any hand. Your starting hand can fall into one of three categories:

• Hard totals: These hands don’t feature an ace or include an ace that can only count as 1.
• Soft totals: These hands include an ace, which counts as either 1 or 11. You have greater flexibility when playing soft totals, as you can’t go bust if you hit.
• Pairs: Hands featuring two cards of the same value. You can split pairs in most blackjack games, creating two new hands, which adds another dimension to blackjack strategy.

Your hand can change category as you draw more cards. For example, if you hit a soft 17 (ace, 6) and get a 10, the ace has to count as 1 to keep you under 21, leaving you with a hard 17.

The three charts below show you when to hit, stand, double down, or split for every hard total, soft total, and pair. If you follow this advice, you’ll benefit from the lowest possible house edge. The charts assume:

• You’re playing a classic blackjack game with six or eight decks.
• The dealer stands on soft 17.
• You can double down after splitting.
• There’s no surrender option.

That covers most blackjack games at crypto casinos, including the vast majority of live dealer games. However, there are a few exceptions. You’ll find some single-deck blackjack and double-deck blackjack games, along with games in which the dealer hits soft 17. In those cases, you’ll need to make a few small adjustments, which we’ve covered below, but they only affect a handful of plays.

Hard Totals Chart

Find your hard total in the left column and the dealer’s upcard along the top.

Soft Totals Chart

Use this chart when your hand includes an ace counted as 11.

Pairs/Splitting Chart

Use this chart when your first two cards have the same value.

How to Read a Blackjack Strategy Chart

Here’s how to use each blackjack chart:

1. Work out what type of hand you have. If you’re dealt two cards of the same value, use the pairs chart. Use the soft totals chart if your hand contains an ace that counts as 11, and the hard totals chart if it doesn’t.
2. Locate your hand in the left column. For example, a 10 and a 6 is a hard 16, while an ace and a 7 is a soft 18.
3. Find the dealer’s upcard on the top. Tens, jacks, queens, and kings all fall under the 10 column.
4. Discover how to play the hand. Read across to where the row (your hand) and the column (dealer’s upcard) meet. That cell tells you whether to hit, stand, double down, or split.
5. Check the chart again after each card. Consult the chart after you’re dealt another card. You may need to switch charts. For example, let’s say you’re dealt a soft 16 (ace, 5). You hit and receive a 6. That leaves you with a hard 12, so your approach needs to change.

A few situations need a little extra care. You can usually only double on your first two cards, so if the chart says double on a bigger hand, hit instead, or stand if you have soft 18. After a split, play each new hand on its own and look it up from scratch. With practice, you’ll find that most decisions quickly become automatic.

Does Blackjack Strategy Change by the Number of Decks?

Yes, blackjack strategy changes according to the number of decks in the shoe, but only slightly, and only at the extremes. The charts above work for any game with six or eight decks, which covers most online blackjack games.

With fewer decks, each card that’s dealt has a bigger impact on what’s left in the shoe. Take aces as an example. A single deck has four of them, so once an ace is dealt, a quarter of the aces are gone. An eight-deck shoe has 32 aces, so losing one barely makes a difference. That’s why the best play can change slightly when you’re playing with just one or two decks.

Single-Deck vs. Multi-Deck Adjustments

In single-deck and double-deck blackjack games, the main difference is that you should double down more often. Here are two changes to make when playing with just one or two decks:

• Double down on 11 against a dealer ace.
• Double down on 9 against a dealer 2.

Single-deck blackjack strategy goes further, as you can afford to be more aggressive. These are the extra changes to make when playing with a single deck:

• Double down on a hard 8 against a dealer’s 5 or 6.
• Double on soft 17 (ace, 6) against a 2.
• Double on soft 19 (ace, 8) against a 6.

There are a few minor pair-splitting changes, too, but they rarely come up. Before playing a single-deck blackjack game, make sure it pays 3:2 for a natural (ace and a card valued at 10). Some single-deck blackjack games only pay 6:5 for a natural, which significantly increases the house edge.

Dealer Hits vs. Stands on Soft 17

Most blackjack games require the dealer to stand on a soft 17 (ace, 6). However, some games require the dealer to hit a soft 17. This gives the dealer an extra chance to get a better hand, so it can increase the house edge by around 0.2%.

If the dealer must hit a soft 17, you should change three plays:

• Double down on 11 against a dealer ace instead of hitting.
• Double on a soft 18 (ace, 7) against a dealer 2 instead of standing.
• Double on a soft 19 (ace, 8) against a dealer 6 instead of standing.

For the last two, just stand if the game doesn’t allow you to double. Everything else in the chart stays exactly the same.

You’ll often see the “Dealer stands on soft 17” or the “Dealer hits on soft 17” rule printed on the table, but you may need to open the game rules to check before playing.

Card Counting vs. Basic Strategy

Basic strategy tells you the best way to play each hand, but card counting goes a step further. It tracks which cards have already been dealt, so you can tell when the remaining cards tip the balance in your favor. The most popular system, Hi-Lo, assigns a value to each card:

• +1 – 2-6
• 0 – 7-9
• -1 – 10s, jacks, queens, kings, aces

You keep a running total as the cards are dealt from the shoe, and divide it by the number of decks remaining to get the true count. If there’s a high true count, meaning lots of 10s, jacks, queens, kings, and aces remain, this favors you, so you raise your bets.

Counting cards is legal, but casinos don’t like it, as it can give you an edge over the house. Most casinos take steps to prevent you from counting cards – regular shuffling, poor deck penetration, and so on. They also run software that flags suspicious betting patterns, like sharply raising your bets when the count is high. If you’re flagged, the site may limit your bets, stop you from playing blackjack, or close your account.

Blackjack card counting is also a much harder skill than following basic strategy. You need to memorize the chart perfectly, then keep an accurate count, adjust your bets, and change certain plays based on the count, all at full speed and without drawing attention.

Common Blackjack Strategy Mistakes to Avoid

• Taking insurance: On some games, you’ll be offered insurance if the dealer shows an ace. It sounds tempting, but it’s actually a side bet on whether the dealer has blackjack, and it loses money over time. Avoid taking insurance for this reason.
• Standing too early on soft totals: You can’t go bust with a soft hand if you take an extra card. Standing on soft 17 or lower wastes a free chance to improve your total. Even soft 18 isn’t strong enough to stand on if the dealer shows a 9 or better, so hit instead.
• Not splitting aces and 8s: A pair of 8s makes 16, which is statistically the worst hand in blackjack. It’s always best to split 8s in standard blackjack, as you’ll then be starting two hands with an 8, which is a much stronger position to be in. Meanwhile, two aces make a soft 12. That’s a weak hand, whereas splitting them gives you two hands that have a strong chance of reaching 21.
• Splitting 10s: It’s not worth splitting 10s, as a 20 is one of the best hands you can have. You might be tempted to split your 10s if the dealer shows a weak card, but statistically you’ll win more by standing.
• Being afraid to bust: Many blackjack players stand on 12 to 16, no matter what the dealer shows, as they’re scared of going bust. If the dealer’s upcard is 7 or higher, you’re likely to lose on those hands, so follow the blackjack strategy chart and hit.
• Not doubling enough: Doubling down can feel risky, but it’s the best way to boost your profits on strong hands. Don’t be afraid to double, and make sure you manage your bankroll effectively, so that you have enough dry powder to double down when the chart tells you to.
• Ignoring the chart when chasing losses: Some players act recklessly after losing. They play more aggressively, ignoring the chart, as they believe they’re due a win. However, previous results have zero bearing on future outcomes, so don’t veer away from the chart in the heat of the moment, as you’ll simply hand the house a bigger edge.
• Playing 6:5 tables: Following a basic strategy is important, but all that hard work will be undone if you play a game that only pays 6:5 for a natural. That rule raises the house edge more than most strategy mistakes, so stick to games that pay 3:2 for a natural.

Strategy by Game Variant

The best crypto casinos host more than 100 blackjack games. Most of them are classic variants, but you’ll find some games that don’t follow the standard rules.

Small rule twists, such as free doubles or a push when the dealer receives 22, can affect the best decision on each hand. Here’s how the chart shifts for some of the most common online blackjack variants.

European Blackjack

In European blackjack, the dealer doesn’t take a second card until you’ve played your hand through. That means the dealer doesn’t check for blackjack up front: if the dealer gets a natural, you lose everything you’ve put in, including extra money from doubles and splits. Here’s what to do:

• Hit 11 against a dealer 10 or ace, instead of doubling.
• Don’t split 8s or aces against a dealer ace.
• If the game only lets you double on hard 9, 10, or 11, hit the soft hands you’d normally double.

Free Bet Blackjack

Free Bet Blackjack gives you free doubles on hard 9, 10, and 11, and free splits on every pair except 10s. If you win, you’re paid on the free bet too, so you can double your winnings without risking any extra money. The catch is that if the dealer busts with exactly 22, your bet pushes rather than wins. Here’s how to adjust your Free Bet Blackjack strategy:

• Take the free split on every pair except 10s (stand) and 5s (take the free double).
• Always take the free double on hard 9 to 11, whatever the dealer shows.
• Hit hard 12 against a 4 and hard 13 against a 2 instead of standing.
• Double soft hands less often – only double soft 16 against a 6, and soft 17 or 18 against a 5 or 6.

Blackjack Switch

In Blackjack Switch, you play two hands simultaneously, and you can swap the second card of each hand to make them stronger. That’s a major advantage, but as always, there’s a catch: a natural only pays 1:1 instead of 3:2, and the dealer pushes on 22. Here’s how to tweak your approach:

• Switch to make a 20 or 21 wherever you can, and to turn a 12 to 17 into a 10 or 11.
• Double less often. Double hard 9 only against a 6, hard 10 against a 2 to 8, and hard 11 against a 2 to 9.
• Hit hard 12 against a 4 and hard 13 against a 2, instead of standing.
• Split less often. Never split 4s, hit 8s against a 10 or ace, and stand on 9s against a 2 or 3.
• Only double soft hands against a 5 or 6, and never double soft 13 (ace, 2) to soft 15 (ace, 4).

Most versions also offer a Super Match side bet on pairs in your first four cards. Like other blackjack side bets, it carries a higher house edge than the base game.

Spanish 21

Spanish 21 uses decks with the 10s removed (face cards stay), which makes strong hands harder to come by. Player-friendly rules make up for it: your 21 always wins, you can double on any number of cards, and certain 21s pay bonuses. Here’s what that means for your strategy:

• Hit hard 12 against every dealer card, and hard 13 against everything except a 6.
• Hit more when your hand has more cards. A 4-card 15 or 16 against a low dealer card is often a hit, not a stand.
• Double hard 11 against any dealer card.
• Split 2s and 3s against a 2 to 8, but never split 4s, 5s, or 10s.
• Stand on 9s against a 2, 7, 10, or ace.

Blackjack With Surrender

Some games let you give up your first two cards and get half your bet back. It’s only worth doing so when you’re highly likely to lose. Here’s when to surrender:

• Surrender hard 16 against a dealer 9, 10, or ace.
• Surrender hard 15 against a dealer 10.
• If the dealer hits soft 17, also surrender hard 15 against an ace, hard 17 against an ace, and a pair of 8s against an ace.
• Otherwise, split a pair of 8s rather than surrendering, and never surrender a soft hand.

Playing Blackjack Strategy at Crypto Casinos

Crypto casinos host blackjack games from a broad range of software providers, and the rules often vary from one game to the next. Deck counts change, and some dealers hit on soft 17, while others stand. Before you play, open the game’s information panel and check the blackjack table rules and the return to player (RTP) rate. To find games with player-friendly rules and high RTP percentages, check out our list of the top crypto blackjack sites.

Frequently Asked Questions