Strategy guide

Blackjack basic strategy

Basic strategy is the mathematically best action for every hand — the one that loses the least over thousands of hands. It does not predict cards and does not turn blackjack into a profitable activity.

Rules these tables assume

Multiple decks in play.
Dealer stands on all 17s (S17), including soft 17.
Blackjack pays 3:2.
Doubling down allowed on any first two cards; doubling after a split is allowed.
Splitting pairs allowed; aces receive one card each after splitting.

Different rules (dealer hits soft 17, 6:5 blackjack payouts, no doubling after splits) change some decisions. When in doubt, check the rules posted on the specific table you are playing.

The honest truth

Perfect basic strategy shrinks the house edge to roughly half a percent under good rules — but the edge stays with the house. Short sessions are dominated by luck, losing streaks happen to perfect players, and no betting system or progression changes the math. Learn strategy to make your play last longer and cost less — never as a way to make money.

How to read the tables

Find your hand down the left column, then read across to the dealer's face-up card. Key: H = Hit, S = Stand, D = Double (hit if doubling is not allowed), P = Split.

Hard totals (no ace, or ace counts as 1)

Hard totals vs. dealer upcard
Your hand	2–3	4–6	7–A
8 or less	H	H	H
9	H	D	H
10	D	D	H vs 10–A, D vs 7–9
11	D	D	D (H vs ace)
12	H	S	H
13–16	S	S	H
17 or more	S	S	S

Stand on 13–16 against dealer 2–6; hit those same totals against dealer 7–ace. Hard 12 stands only against dealer 4–6.

Soft totals (ace counts as 11)

Soft totals vs. dealer upcard
Your hand	2	3–4	5–6	7–8	9–A
A,2 – A,3 (13–14)	H	H	D	H	H
A,4 – A,5 (15–16)	H	D vs 4	D	H	H
A,6 (soft 17)	H	D	D	H	H
A,7 (soft 18)	S	D	D	S	H
A,8+ (soft 19+)	S	S	S	S	S

Soft hands cannot bust with one more card, so play them aggressively: double soft 13–17 against weak dealer cards, and never stand on soft 17 or lower.

Pairs

Pairs vs. dealer upcard
Your pair	2–6	7	8–9	10–A
A,A and 8,8	P	P	P	P
10,10	S	S	S	S
9,9	P	S	P	S
7,7	P vs 2–7	H	H	H
6,6	P vs 2–6	H	H	H
5,5	D (as hard 10)	D (as hard 10)	D (as hard 10)	H
4,4	H (P vs 5–6 if doubling after split allowed)	H	H	H
3,3 and 2,2	P vs 2–7	H	H	H

Two rules cover most of it: always split aces and 8s, never split 10s or 5s. Pairs of 5s are played as a hard 10 — a good doubling hand, not a splitting hand.

Put it into practice

Try one table at a time on the social tables — Gold Coin play carries no prize value, so mistakes cost nothing. Then read the micro-stakes bankroll guide to set session budgets, and the how sweeps play works page so you understand promotional entries before touching them.

Educational content only — not financial advice and not a path to profit. Social casino-style games. No purchase necessary. 21+ only. Void where prohibited.