Basic Blackjack Strategy

You can increase your odds of winning! You will NOT win EVERY HAND, however 
if you learn the basic strategy you can increase your odds of winning while 
lowering the house advantage significantly. 


Using basic blackjack strategy isn't hard if you know how to read and 
understand the basic strategy chart. The left vertical column of the chart is 
the players (your) hand, the top horizontal row is the dealers hand. Simply 
line these two up to where your hand meets and find the correct play. 

Below are the abbreviations found on most common charts:
 H-Hit
 S-Stand
 D-Double if allowed, otherwise hit
 Ds-Double if allowed, otherwise stand
 P-Split
H/P-Split if you can double after split, otherwise hit
H/R-Surrender if allowed, otherwise hit
P/R-Surrender if allowed, otherwise split
S/R- Surrender if allowed, otherwise stand


Charts



Hard Totals 
 

Soft Totals

Pair Splitting  

You'll need to memorize the basic charts in order to make your decision 
in a split second while sitting at a blackjack table.  New players often 
find it difficult to memorize the charts but if you look for logical 
patterns it may help you understand why each play is made. 


Playing Pairs in Blackjack for 4 to 8 deck games


First look at the dealers up card. Now look at your hand. If you have a pair of 
Aces or eights always split. 

If you have a pair of twos or threes: split if the dealer has 2 - 7, otherwise hit.

If you have a pair of fours: split if the dealer has 4 or 5, otherwise hit

If you have a pair of fives: Double if the dealer has 2 - 9 otherwise hit

If you have a pair of sixes: Split if the dealer has 2 - 6 otherwise hit. 

If you have a pair of sevens: Split 2-7, otherwise hit

If you have a pair of nines: Split 2 - 6 and 8 or 9, stand if the dealer has 7, 10 or ace

If you have a pair of tens: Always stand.




Winning with basic strategy:
There is one last thing to keep in mind with blackjack basic strategy - 
it's not a guaranteed winning system. Basic strategies will NOT LET YOU WIN ALL THE TIME, 
it will however, show the proper mathematical decision for every blackjack scenario. 

Card Counting:
It is extremely important to understand how card counting works, before you can 
successfully apply the strategy to your game. The basis of card counting is to keep track 
of every single card dealt, thereby you can adjust your betting pattern to fit how your 
particular blackjack show is going.

Most card counting systems start with a count of 0. That means that when you sit down at 
a blackjack table the count is 0. Depending on which counting system your using, the count 
will fluctuate with every card that is dealt. You must keep track of not only the cards that 
your being dealt but also every single card dealt to every player including the dealer.

With most card counting systems you are looking for a positive count. If the card count is 
positive, this generally means that more smaller cards have been played and the deck now 
has a higher percentage of larger cards. With a higher percentage of larger cards in the deck, 
the player has several different advantages:
  Dealers will bust more often
  Players will be dealt more blackjacks
  Players will be dealt stronger & higher starting hands

When a card count is high, the player bets larger amounts of money because they have higher 
mathematical advantage. However, the card counting doesn't stop here. Even when you are 
betting more and winning more, you still have to focus and continue to count cards flawlessly.
At the point the high count starts to drop and either goes neutral or into the negative you 
should go back to betting smaller amounts as the casino now has the higher advantage.

How do you become a skilled counter?
The only way is to practice, practice, practice, and then practice some more. It can take 
several months to several years to truly master several of the card counting systems. You have 
to constantly practice card counting techniques and skills until you can do it flawlessly, 
keep in mind, you do not have to be playing blackjack to practice counting techniques. You can 
practice anywhere. 

One effective method of practice is to create practice counting charts. You can create a chart 
that shows your hand and the dealers up card, then verbally or mentally recite the proper play. 
If you get stumped, refer back to your basic strategy charts. 

So is card counting legal? Since I do not have a law degree, do your research. If your 
mentally counting (without cards or electronic devices legally, your safe), however, most 
casinos are privately owned and will ask card counters to leave their premises.  The casinos 
will also not allow a known card counter at their tables. That is their legal right since 
they are they owners of the casino.

Blackjack Strategy