Blackjack Basic Strategy

Below you'll find recommendations for how to play assorted hands, with what you hold in bold, and the recommendations beneath it, as far as how to play your hand.

While it may seem complicated at first, basic blackjack strategy is pretty simple and you should pick it up quickly with practice, to the point where you hardly have to think about what the correct play should be.

• Total of 5, 6, 7, 8
Always hit.

• Total of 9
Double down if dealer shows Deuce thru Six, otherwise hit.

• Total of 10
Double down if dealer shows Deuce thru nine, otherwise hit.

• Total of 11
Always double down.

• Total of 12
Stand if dealers shows Four thru Six, otherwise hit.

• Total of 13 thru 16
Stand if dealer shows Deuce thru Six, otherwise hit.

• Total of 17 thru 20
Always stand.

• Soft total of 13 thru 16
Double down if dealer shows Four thru Six, otherwise hit. Soft total blackjack and hard total blackjack.

• Ace and Six
Double down if dealer shows Deuce thru Six, otherwise hit. Ace and six blackjack strategy.

• Ace and Seven
Double down if dealer shows Three thru Six. Stand if dealer shows Deuce, Seven or Eight. Hit if dealer shows Nine, Ten or Ace. Ace and seven blackjack.

• Ace and Eight
Double down if dealer shows Six, otherwise stand.

• Ace and Nine
Always stand.

• Ace and Ace
Always split Aces.

• Deuce and Deuce
Split if dealer shows Three thru Seven, otherwise hit.

• Three and Three
Split if dealer shows Four thru Seven, otherwise hit.

• Four and Four
Double down if dealer shows Five or Six, otherwise hit. (if double not allowed split if dealer shows Five or Six)

• Five and Five
Double down if dealer shows Deuce thru Nine, otherwise hit. Pair of gambling fives on blackjack.

• Six and Six
Split if dealer shows Deuce thru Six, otherwise hit.

• Seven and Seven
Split if dealer shows Deuce thru Seven, otherwise hit.

• Eight and Eight
Always split Eights.

• Nine and Nine
Stand if dealer shows Ace, Seven or Ten, otherwise split.

• Ten and Ten
Always stand on Tens

• Blackjack Basic Strategy
• Card Counting
• Blackjack Odds
• Blackjack Betting Systems