Blackjack Strategy Guide

Players who are interested in playing blackjack but who are unsure of the basic strategies have certainly come to the right place. This document will list everything players need to know about making moves in a typical blackjack game.

The Basic Rules

In blackjack, players will attempt to build a hand of 21 points without going over in an effort to beat the dealer. Aces are worth one or 11 points, face cards and 10s are worth 10 points, and the cards two through nine are worth their face values. Two cards are dealt at first, and players can either stand with the total they are given or hit and take more cards in an effort to reach a higher total.

Basic Strategy Chart

A basic blackjack strategy chart is never based upon trial and error; it is a pure mathematical masterpiece that considers the probability of receiving certain card combinations and the odds of winning at any given point. Players who correctly utilize a strategy chart are often able to reduce the house edge to as little as one half of one percent--a truly magnificent number.

How to Play the First Two Cards

For hard hands or two-card hands without an Ace present:
• Hit on any score of 8 or less
• Double on a score of nine if the dealer shows a three. If the dealer shows anything but three, hit.
• If the player has 10 and the dealer has two, double. If the dealer has anything but two, hit.
• If the player has an 11 and the dealer has a card between two and 10, double. If the dealer has an Ace, hit.
• If the player has 12 and the dealer has two or three, hit. Stand if the dealer has a four through six.
• If the player has a 13 through 16 and the dealer has a two through six, stand. If the dealer has a higher card, hit.
• Players with a hand of 17 through 21 should always stand.

Although these are very basic strategies, they are great starting points for those who are new to the game. Once these are memorized, players can move on to soft hand strategies and those that apply to more than two cards.