Blackjack General Strategy

1. Blackjack General Strategy Examples
2. Blackjack General Strategy Game
3. Blackjack General Strategy Practice
4. Blackjack General Strategy
5. Blackjack General Strategy Calculator

Blackjack has the lowest house edge over the player of all games ever. So, in essence, it is the most player-friendly game in the world (Best ways to win).Of course, you also have to know what you doing (a basic glossary can be found here): there is a large volume of rules that not many people know but that make a difference between a winner and a loser. The 1-3-2-6 blackjack betting strategy is not as exciting as the Martingale strategy, and that's a good thing. This betting strategy doesn't require a huge bankroll and is a lot more suitable for.

Introduction

To use the basic strategy, look up your hand along the left vertical edge and the dealer's up card along the top. In both cases an A stands for ace. From top to bottom are the hard totals, soft totals, and splittable hands. There are two charts depending on whether the dealer hits or stands on soft 17.

Other basic strategy rules.

• Never take insurance or 'even money.'
• If there is no row for splitting (fives and tens), then look up your hand as a hard total (10 or 20).
• If you can't split because of a limit on re-splitting, then look up your hand as a hard total, except aces. In the extremely unlikely event you have a pair of aces you can't re-split and drawing to split aces is allowed, then double against a 6, otherwise hit.

If you play a mixture of six-deck games, some where the dealer hits a soft 17, and some where he stands, and you only wish to memorize one strategy, I would recommend you memorize the one where the dealer stands on soft 17. The cost in errors due to playing the wrong strategy is 2.3 times higher playing a stand on soft 17 game, with the hit on 17 strategy, than vise versa.

Basic Strategy in Text

For the benefit of my blind readers, here is the above strategy in text form, when the dealer stands on soft 17 and surrender is allowed. To use the strategy, start at the top, and follow the first rule that applies.

Surrender

• Surrender hard 16 (but not a pair of 8s) vs. dealer 9, 10, or A, and hard 15 vs. dealer 10.

Blackjack General Strategy Examples

Split

Blackjack General Strategy Game

• Always split aces and 8s.
• Never split 5s and 10s.
• Split 2s and 3s against a dealer 4-7, and against a 2 or 3 if DAS is allowed.
• Split 4s only if DAS is allowed and the dealer shows a 5 or 6.
• Split 6s against a dealer 3-6, and against a 2 if DAS is allowed.
• Split 7s against a dealer 2-7.
• Split 9s against a dealer 2-6 or 8-9.

Double

• Double hard 9 vs. dealer 3-6.
• Double hard 10 except against a dealer 10 or A.
• Double hard 11 except against a dealer A.
• Double soft 13 or 14 vs. dealer 5-6.
• Double soft 15 or 16 vs. dealer 4-6.
• Double soft 17 or 18 vs. dealer 3-6.

Blackjack General Strategy Practice

Hit or Stand

Blackjack General Strategy

• Always hit hard 11 or less.
• Stand on hard 12 against a dealer 4-6, otherwise hit.
• Stand on hard 13-16 against a dealer 2-6, otherwise hit.
• Always stand on hard 17 or more.
• Always hit soft 17 or less.
• Stand on soft 18 except hit against a dealer 9, 10, or A.
• Always stand on soft 19 or more.

As I've said many times, the above strategy will be fine under any set of rules. However, for you perfectionists out there, here are the modifications to make if the dealer hits a soft 17.

• Surrender 15, a pair of 8s, and 17 vs. dealer A.
• Double 11 vs. dealer A.
• Double soft 18 vs. dealer 2.
• Double soft 19 vs. dealer 6.

My thanks to Kelly for putting together the above text strategy.

Written by:Michael Shackleford

Blackjack General Strategy Calculator

Blackjack may be a really easy game to play, but if you want to win regularly at this game you need to use a good blackjack strategy. However the great thing about blackjack is that the strategy isn’t too complicated. With basic blackjack strategy you can easily make the right moves and have a fruitful gaming session.One thing you must understand is that blackjack strategy isn’t always about telling you how to win. Instead it tells you what the optimum moves are. The basic blackjack strategy tells you whether you should hit, or stand in each situation. It also tells you when you should split pairs or double down. These optimum strategies will help you play the game to the best and eventually you should win as well. There are many blackjack strategy charts available online and I suggest that you find one, and keep it handy whenever you play blackjack (online, that is). The strategy chart will help you during your game. Once you have enough practice you will be able to play blackjack without the help of the chart.Let’s take a look at some basic blackjack strategy that you can apply in your blackjack games.First let’s look at how to play hard hands. Hard hands are those hands that are made without an Ace. These moves are based on the hand that you have and based on the dealer’s face up card.Always hit if you have an eight or lessIf you have 9 you can hit. If the dealer has 3 through 6 then double.If you have 10: hit. If the dealer has 2 through 9 then double.If you have 11: hit. If the dealer has 2 through 10, double. Hit if the dealer has an Ace.If you have 12: hit if the dealer has 2 or 3, stand if the dealer has 4 through 6.If you have 13-16: hit, but if the dealer has 2 through 6 then stand.If you have 17 -21: always stand.Now let’s look at how to play soft hands. Soft hands are those hands that are made with an Ace.If you have Ace 2 or Ace 3: hit, double if the dealer has 5 or 6.If you have Ace4 or Ace5: hit, double if the dealer has 4 through 6.If you have Ace 6: hit, double if the dealer has 3 through 6.If you have Ace 7: hit, stand if the dealer has 2, 7 or 8. Double if the dealer has 3 through 6.When you get a pair you can opt to split it into two individual hands. But you need to know when it’s best to split pairs. Here is the strategy that you need when you play pairs.Pair of Aces or 8s: always splitPair of 2s or 3s: split if the dealer has 2 through 7, otherwise hit.Pair of 4s: split if the dealer has 5 or 6, otherwise hit.Pair of 5s: double if the dealer has 2 through 9, otherwise hit.Pair of 6s: Split if the dealer has 2 through 6, otherwise hit.Pair of 7s: Split 2 through 7, otherwise hit.Pair of 9s: Split 2 through 6, and 8 or 9. Stand if the dealer has 7, 10 or Ace.Pair of 10s: Always Stand.It is a good idea to maybe print these Blackjack School Online strategy rules for future reference when you play online.