Blackjack Strategy Chart

How to read the chart

Find your hand down the left side and the dealer's upcard along the top. The square where they meet is your move. The chart is split into three parts:

• Hard totals: hands with no ace, or where the ace has to count as 1 (for example 10-6, or A-6-9).
• Soft totals: hands with an ace counting as 11, like A-7 (soft 18). They can't bust on the next card, so you can play them more aggressively.
• Pairs: your first two cards are the same, so splitting is an option.

"Double, otherwise hit" means double your bet and take one card if the table lets you; if you can't double (for example after taking a third card), hit instead. "Double, otherwise stand" works the same way but you stand if you can't double.

Why the table rules change the strategy

Most decisions are the same at every table, but a few depend on the rules. The biggest is what the dealer does on soft 17. When the dealer hits soft 17, their hands finish stronger slightly more often, so you double 11 against an ace, double soft 18 against a 2 and soft 19 against a 6, and (if surrender is offered) surrender 15, 17 and a pair of 8s against an ace.

Double after split matters too. If you can double after splitting, small pairs like 2s, 3s, 4s and 6s are worth splitting against more dealer cards, because a good second card turns into a double.

The rules also change how much the game costs you. The "How these rules change your odds" box in the tool shows the effect of each rule compared with a standard 8-deck game, using figures published by the Wizard of Odds.

3:2 vs 6:5: the rule that matters most

A blackjack pays 3:2 at a standard table, so a $10 bet wins $15. At a 6:5 table the same blackjack wins $12. You'll only get a blackjack about once every 21 hands, but that $3 difference adds up to roughly 1.39% of everything you bet, more than every other common rule change combined. Check the payout printed on the table before you sit down.

No hole card tables

At many tables outside the US, including plenty of live dealer games, the dealer doesn't check for blackjack before you act. If the dealer then turns up a blackjack, you can lose your doubled and split bets as well as your original bet. That costs about 0.11%, and it's a reason to be more careful about doubling or splitting against a dealer 10 or ace. Untick "Dealer peeks for blackjack" in the tool to see the effect.

Common mistakes the chart fixes

What basic strategy can't do

Basic strategy gives you the lowest house edge the table rules allow, but the house still has an edge. Short-term results are random: you'll still have losing sessions while playing every hand perfectly. Treat blackjack as entertainment, set a budget before you start, and stop when it's gone. If gambling stops being fun, free and confidential support is available from Gambling Help Onlineon 1800 858 858.

Ready to put it into practice? Our live blackjacktables are dealt by real dealers in AUD.