Blackjack Basic Strategy

Blackjack is the only common casino game where your decisions actually matter. Every hand presents a choice (hit, stand, double down, split) and there is exactly one mathematically correct answer for each situation. That set of answers is called basic strategy.

With perfect basic strategy on a single deck (dealer stands on soft 17, double after split allowed), the house edge drops to around 0.15%. Most players give the casino 2 to 5% by playing on gut feel. The difference is knowing a few dozen rules you can memorize in an afternoon.

Train Your Instincts

Play hands below. Every decision you make is checked against perfect basic strategy. The goal is to always make the mathematically correct play regardless of outcome. Bad beats happen. That's variance. What matters is the decision, not the result.

The Strategy Charts

Every cell below is computed from first principles when this page loads. Exact combinatorial analysis over all possible card outcomes from a single 52-card deck (dealer stands on soft 17, double after split allowed). Each cell shows the action with the highest expected value. Hover any cell to see the exact EV of every option. The gold highlight tracks your current hand during play.

Why This Matters

Basic strategy is about not giving money away, not about card counting or beating the house. Every deviation from basic strategy increases the house edge. Standing on 12 vs a dealer 3 because “I might bust”? That costs you money over time. Hitting soft 18 vs a dealer 6 instead of doubling? More money left on the table. Splitting tens because you're “feeling lucky”? That costs even more.

The math has been computed billions of times over. There is one correct play for every combination of your hand and the dealer's upcard. Learn it and you're playing as close to even as the rules allow. The rest is just variance.