Blackjack strategy does the trick. There is a common table ensuring a good result in a long run. Since the more games, the more possibilities to win. There are several blackjack strategies, including card counting and component-dependent blackjack strategy. The basic blackjack strategy demonstrates the mode of blackjack handling, paying attention to the main cases, that are the dealer's face up card value and your hand worth, then your card alternatives when one of the cards is an ace, and when you have two same cards (the pairs chart). As it's not always reasonable to split. Keep in mind that most professionals recommend to never take insurance.
Basic blackjack strategy is no magic, but a mathematics and probability law based method. It should suit you perfectly if you don't use card counting. Due to the blackjack strategy the game is thought to be the most advantageous card game for players. Though any game can be profitable if it's played in the right way.
If the dealer's cards are of strong position, being dealt from a seven to an ace, and your hand is weak, you can hit till reaching 16 points or the so-called stiff (12-16 points) and then stand. If you act in the opposite way, you will support a weak hand and stand, and the dealer shows strength, you will probably end up losing in a long run. But if the dealer holds a weak hand and your hand is strong, you are recommended to stand. Because as it was proved earlier, it's more probable to bust after reaching a stiff than to beat the dealer. By the way the dealer who has a weak upcard has a higher probability to bust than that who keeps a strong upcard due to the basic blackjack strategy.
The three charts of the basic blackjack strategy are drawn below:
| Your hand value |
Dealer's up-face card value |
| |
Hard hand |
| |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
A |
| Up to 8 |
Hit |
Hit |
Hit |
Hit |
Hit |
Hit |
Hit |
Hit |
Hit |
Hit |
| 9 |
Hit |
Double |
Double |
Double |
Double |
Hit |
Hit |
Hit |
Hit |
Hit |
| 10 |
Double |
Double |
Double |
Double |
Double |
Double |
Double |
Double |
Hit |
Hit |
| 11 |
Double |
Double |
Double |
Double |
Double |
Double |
Double |
Double |
Double |
Double |
| 12 |
Hit |
Hit |
Stand |
Stand |
Stand |
Hit |
Hit |
Hit |
Hit |
Hit |
| 13 |
Stand |
Stand |
Stand |
Stand |
Stand |
Hit |
Hit |
Hit |
Hit |
Hit |
| 14 |
Stand |
Stand |
Stand |
Stand |
Stand |
Hit |
Hit |
Hit |
Hit |
Hit |
| 15 |
Stand |
Stand |
Stand |
Stand |
Stand |
Hit |
Hit |
Hit |
H/R |
H/R |
| 16 |
Stand |
Stand |
Stand |
Stand |
Stand |
Hit |
Hit |
H/R |
H/R |
H/R |
| 17 up to 20 |
Stand |
Stand |
Stand |
Stand |
Stand |
Stand |
Stand |
Stand |
Stand |
S/R |
| |
Soft hand |
| A, 2 |
Hit |
Hit |
Hit |
Double |
Double |
Hit |
Hit |
Hit |
Hit |
Hit |
| A, 3 |
Hit |
Hit |
Hit |
Double |
Double |
Hit |
Hit |
Hit |
Hit |
Hit |
| A, 4 |
Hit |
Hit |
Double |
Double |
Double |
Hit |
Hit |
Hit |
Hit |
Hit |
| A, 5 |
Hit |
Hit |
Double |
Double |
Double |
Hit |
Hit |
Hit |
Hit |
Hit |
| A, 6 |
Hit |
Double |
Double |
Double |
Double |
Hit |
Hit |
Hit |
Hit |
Hit |
| A, 7 |
Double |
Double |
Double |
Double |
Double |
Stand
|
Stand
|
Hit |
Hit |
Hit |
| A, 8 up to 9 |
Stand |
Stand |
Stand |
Stand |
Double |
Stand |
Stand |
Stand |
Stand |
Stand |
| |
Pairs |
| 2, 2 and 3, 3 |
H/PD |
H/PD |
Split |
Split |
Split |
Split |
Hit |
Hit |
Hit |
Hit |
| 4, 4 |
Hit |
Hit |
Hit |
H/PD |
H/PD |
Hit |
Hit |
Hit |
Hit |
Hit |
| 5, 5 |
Double |
Double |
Double |
Double |
Double |
Double |
Double |
Double |
Hit |
Hit |
| 6, 6 |
H/PD |
Split |
Split |
Split |
Split |
Hit |
Hit |
Hit |
Hit |
Hit |
| 7, 7 |
Split |
Split |
Split |
Split |
Split |
Split |
Hit |
Hit |
Hit |
Hit |
| |
Split |
Split |
Split |
Split |
Split |
Split |
Split |
Split |
Split |
P/R |
| 9, 9 |
Split |
Split |
Split |
Split |
Split |
Stand |
Split |
Split |
Stand |
Stand |
| 10, 10 |
Stand |
Stand |
Stand |
Stand |
Stand |
Stand |
Stand |
Stand
|
Stand |
Stand |
| A, A |
Split |
Split |
Split |
Split |
Split |
Split |
Split |
Split |
Split |
Split |
H/PD Split if after that double down is allowed, else hit
P/R surrender if allowed, else split
S/R surrender if allowed, else stand
Pay attention to the last chart, note that variation hand alternatives are possible for double after split casinos.
Look out what actions are allowed in a casino, and according to the house blackjack rules you'd better make up your mind, because it's not wise to think over surrender if it's impossible here. The next step is to find out what is recommended for your hand and the dealer's upcard, and act according to the blackjack strategy instructions. It's not only surrendering, but as well doubling down that can be limited, e. g. in Northern Nevada it's prohibited to double down if the total worth of the dealt goes over 10 or 11.
It's very easy to use the chart of the blackjack strategy, because the top horizontal line is a dealer's upcard hand, and the vertical left line is the players hand. All the charts are worth learning, later you will see there is some regularity, that's the main point about the basic blackjack strategy, as the above charts were made due to experience and maths calculations.
Of course the best pattern of the main blackjack strategy is your undergone blackjack games and the general rules of the 21 point card game. |