Blackjack Basic Strategy, in One Chart
The decisions that cut the house edge to about 0.5%, and the rule variations that matter.
Key takeaways
- Always split aces and eights
- Never take insurance
- Avoid 6:5 tables
The core rules
Basic strategy is the mathematically best play for every hand against every dealer upcard. It does not guarantee a win; it minimises the edge.
- Stand on hard 17 and above
- Hit hard 12–16 against a dealer 7 or higher
- Double 11 against anything but an ace
- Split aces and eights, never tens or fives
Rules that change the edge
A 3:2 blackjack payout versus 6:5 changes the edge by about 1.4 percentage points. Dealer standing on soft 17, double after split and late surrender each help a little more.
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