Basic Blackjack Strategy

Blackjack strategy gives you answers when you're lost

A Blackjack strategy can be considered as a set of rules and recommendations that have been calculated and developed by statisticians to decrease and practically eliminate most of the casino's house advantage. With the invention of computers, online blackjack players learned how to simulate millions of possible blackjack hands, with the help of the data to produce what is now known as Basic Blackjack Strategy. This is a fundamental mathematic system of charts that form the nucleus of the blackjack strategy. It is based upon the fact that the player may choose to SPLIT or DOUBLE-DOWN when favourable, the fact that the player is paid 3:2 for a natural hand, and of course the dealer's up card. Correct use of blackjack strategy decreases the casino's advantage practically down to 1%.

According to the basic blackjack strategy the dealer must follow the rules and stand on 17 and above, without the ability to double down or split and only gets 1:1 for blackjack.

The dealer's chance to bust rises above 35% if his face-up card is a 3, 4, 5 or 6. In this case, if your total is 13 - 16 it is advised that you STAND (you also have a chance to bust, but unlike the dealer you may choose to STAND, whereas the dealer MUST hit with the same total). Although, if the dealer's up card is a 7, 8, 9, 10 or Ace, you should HIT, as the probability that the dealer's face down card is a 10 is very high, and in this case his hand beats yours.

Rule Variables Affecting Basic Blackjack Strategy

There are basic blackjack rules variations that might affect the edge level of the casino, influencing upon your choice of the right playing blackjack strategy. These parameters should be taken into account in advance.

These parameters are as follows:

• dealer stands/hits on a soft 17 (Ace & 6)
• split hands to nn (number of times)
• double down after splitting pairs
• surrendering allowed, early or late surrender
• doubling down on nn (number of cards and hand total)
• number of decks

Winning at Blackjack partly depends upon player's skills and luck. Good blackjack strategy can decrease the casino's edge to minimum, and in some cases even gain an advantage over the casino. That is why improvement of your card counting and Basic Blackjack Strategy skills make you a real master of the game of Blackjack.

Basic Blackjack Strategy Rules

Rules of blackjack differ from one casino to another, that influence all the games being played, however, there is a basic set of blackjack strategy rules that apply to all blackjack games:

General Blackjack Strategy

• always stand on 17 or better
• always hit on 12-16 when the dealer's up card is 7 or higher
• always hit on 8 or less

Doubling Down Blackjack Strategy

• always double down on 11 - except against the dealer's Ace
• double down on 10 when the dealer shows 9 or lower
• double down on 9 when the dealer shows 6 or lower

Blackjack Strategy for playing Soft Hands

• always stand on soft 19 and soft 20
• always double down on soft 13-18 if the dealer shows 4,5, or 6

Blackjack Splitting Strategies

• always split aces and 8's.
• NEVER split 10 and face cards and never split 5's
• always split 3's and 2's when the dealer shows 4,5,6, or 7

When it comes to basic blackjack strategy, it is very important to keep in mind the fact that it does not guarantee winning. Some may even try to blame the system for failing to work, when they have tried it once or twice, and lost in the end of the night. The Basic strategy only shows proper decisions for all possible game scenarios from a mathematical point of view. It can not be an all-mighty genie, and grant you success, but it's the basic knowledge of each and every serious player.