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Blackjack Tips

Basic Playing Strategy

What is the basic playing strategy? It is the optimum way to play your hand if you are not counting cards. The strategy is derived by computer simulation where the computer deals out millions of hands, plays them in all possible ways, and then records and analyzes the results. The basic strategy is not based on guesswork or hunches. It is the mathematically correct way to play your hand against every dealer's upcard.

What does the basic strategy get you? The casino's initial edge in the game of blackjack is about 5.75%, which includes the 3 to 2 payoff on player blackjacks. By employing the correct basic strategy plays it is possible to whittle down the casino's edge to about 0.5%.

Initial casino's edge	5.75%
Correct hitting and standing	-3.25%
Correct doubling	-1.5%
Correct pair splitting	-0.5%
Casino's edge with basic strategy	0.5%

Of course it's possible to lower the casino's edge to less than 0.5% by playing in games that have very favorable rules. One of the best blackjack games is offered at the Slots-A- Fun Casino in Las Vegas. Here they deal a single deck game with the dealer standing on soft 17 and double after pair splitting is allowed. A basic strategy player has in fact a slight edge against the casino (ca. 0.1%) in this game.

The basic playing strategy is slightly dependent on the number of decks of cards. Thus the basic strategy for a single deck game is slightly different than a six deck game. For simplicity the table below summarizes the basic strategy rules that you can use for any number of decks.

To use the table, go across the top to find the dealer's upcard and go down the first column and find your hand. Where the row and column intersect you'll find the correct basic strategy play. The strategy assumes that doubling after pair splitting is allowed (see bottom of chart for deviations if doubling after pair splitting is not allowed)

Generic Basic Strategy

H=hit	S=stand	D=double down	P=pair split	Su=surrender
X/Y=Do X if allowed, otherwise do Y

Dealer Upcard

Player hand

	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	A
17	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S
16	S	S	S	S	S	H	H	Su/H	Su/H	Su/H
15	S	S	S	S	S	H	H	H	Su/H	H
14	S	S	S	S	S	H	H	H	H	H
13	S	S	S	S	S	H	H	H	H	H
12	H	H	S	S	S	H	H	H	H	H
11	D/H	D/H	D/H	D/H	D/H	D/H	D/H	D/H	D/H	H
10	D/H	D/H	D/H	D/H	D/H	D/H	D/H	D/H	H	H
9	H	D/H	D/H	D/H	D/H	H	H	H	H	H
8 or less	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H
Soft 19	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S
Soft 18	S	D/S	D/S	D/S	D/S	S	S	H	H	H
Soft 17	H	D/H	D/H	D/H	D/H	H	H	H	H	H
Soft 16	H	H	D/H	D/H	D/H	H	H	H	H	H
Soft 15	H	H	D/H	D/H	D/H	H	H	H	H	H
Soft 14	H	H	H	D/H	D/H	H	H	H	H	H
Soft 13	H	H	H	D/H	D/H	H	H	H	H	H
2,2	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	H	H	H	H
33	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	H	H	H	H
44	H	H	H	SP	SP	H	H	H	H	H
55	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	H	H
66	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	H	H	H	H	H
77	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	H	H	H	H
88	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP
99	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	S	SP	SP	S	S
1010	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S
AA	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP

Never take insurance.

If double after pair splitting is not permitted use these rules for pair splitting.

22	H	H	SP	SP	SP	SP	H	H	H	H
33	H	H	SP	SP	SP	SP	H	H	H	H
44	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H
55	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	H	H
66	H	SP	SP	SP	SP	H	H	H	H	H
77	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	H	H	H	H
88	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP
99	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	S	SP	SP	S	S
1010	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S
AA	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP

If the dealer hits soft 17, then double down on 11 against dealer's ace, double down on soft 19 against dealer's 6, double down on soft 18 against a dealer's 2, and surrender hard 15, hard 17, and a pair of 8's against a dealer's ace.

For European Rules, (dealer does not take a down card until players complete their hands and all player double down and split bets are lost to a dealer blackjack) do not split or double down against a dealer's ace, do not double down against a dealer 10, and do not split a pair of 8's against a dealer's 10.

Using the information in the table, how would you play this hand. You hold 2,2 and the dealer's upcard is a 6. Go across the top and find the dealers 6 upcard. Go down the first column under Players Hand and find 22. At the intersection of the row and column you'll find a P which means you should split.

How about an, Ace,7 (soft 18) against dealers 3. The table shows D/S. This means you should double down if they allow doubling on soft hands. If the rules do not allow you do double on a soft hand, then you would stand.

How about this hand: 2,3,Ace (soft 16) against dealers 5. The table shows D/H. Since most casinos will not allow to double down on 3 or more cards you should hit.

The basic strategy in the table should be memorized. This is not as difficult a task as your first think because you probably know most of it already. You must be able to play each and every hand dealt to you perfectly. Mistakes will cost you money so practice the basic strategy and always use it when you play.

Doubling Down For Profit

When you are playing blackjack one of the most favorable situations arises when you have the opportunity to double down. When you double down you are allowed to double your bet after receiving your fist two cards. You then receive one card only on your hand. Most casinos will allow you to double down on any two cards (DOA). Some casinos limit your doubling to hands that total ten or eleven. DOA is a favorable rule to the player. Another favorable rule is when the casino will let you double after splitting (DAS). Take a look at how these affect the house edge.

If you are playing a shoe game with eight decks and can double on anything, the basic house edge is -0.55% a little more than half of one percent. Other rules relating to doubling and either reduce or increase this basic house edge.

Double after splitting reduces the house edge by .13 % to -0.42
Double on 10 and 11 only - .21 increase the house edge to -0.76

By using basic strategy you can determine when you should double down based on the mathematics of the game The reason that doubling down is so favorable is that you are doubling your bet when you have the best opportunity of beating the dealer.

Most of the time, this is when the dealer is at their weakest. This happens when the dealer shows an up card, which can possibly cause them to bust.

Many computer simulations have been run to determine the frequency that a dealer will bust based on their up card. Take a look at the table at the bottom of this page.

The worst cards for the dealer are the two through six. They will bust more times with these cards showing. Your double down will be successful more against these cards. There are other situations where you will double down with a ten against the dealer's nine or an eleven against a dealer's ten. These are close calls and some newer players hesitate to do this. Although you will not be as successful with these plays as many times as when the dealer has a smaller card it is still the correct strategy to do so. In the long run you will win more money by doubling in these situations than you will lose.

Go For It
Some players are hesitant to double down because they are afraid of losing a double bet. If the size of your bet when you double down makes you sweat, then you are playing at table stakes higher than you should be.

Most casinos will let you double down for less than your original bet providing it meets the table minimum. This is foolish. You only double in favorable situations and it are to your advantage to double for the maximum. Strike while the iron is hot!!

As an experienced player I can say that I love double down situations. But you must realize that there will be times when you will run into a negative streak. I have had some nights when the majority of my double down hands were losers. Its frustrating but negative fluctuations occur. If you are a newer player and this happens, you may have a tendency to want to deviate from correct strategy and not double down. Do not give in to the temptation.

Doubling down is extremely profitable and it is factored in to the figures that are computed for the house edge. When you don’t double down in the proper situations you are not playing correct basic strategy and you will be increasing the house edge. Seize the moment and double down when you can.

Delaer Bust Percentage

Dealer's Up card	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Ace
Bust Percentage	35	37	40	42	42	26	24	23	23	17

Count The Cards

After you have become comfortable with the basic strategy, you may be able to shift the odds into your favor. Although counting cards is illegal in some places, simple methods of advanced strategy can be easily employed.

When a number (greater than the average) of 10's have been used, more 5 value cards are present and this is an advantage to the dealer. If more 5 value cards have been used, the advantage is in your favor (a slightly larger bet may be in order).

Counting High + Low Cards

Whenever a card value of 2 to 6 appears count +1. Cards 7, 8, 9, count 0. Count -1 for 10's and Aces.

In this manner, there are 5 low cards (+1) and 5 high (-1) cards. If at any time the number obtained is say +5 or more, it is to your advantage to raise your bet. If very few low cards are left, it may even make sense to stand on 15 or 16 against dealer's high card.