If you’re serious about winning more when you play blackjack, I encourage you to utilize the best blackjack strategies I'll share with you. From basic strategies to expert advice, these blackjack tips are designed to help you make smarter decisions at the table.
Note: Unless stated otherwise, the following strategies can be used in all games. The strategies discussed below also assume you are a recreational player and do not count cards in blackjack.
Abbreviations used in this article are:
S17 = Dealer must stand on soft 17
H17 = Dealer must hit soft 17
DAS = Doubling down after pair splitting is allowed
NDAS = Doubling down after pair splitting is not allowed
The Best Blackjack Strategies
BLACKJACK STRATEGY #1: ALWAYS DOUBLE DOWN ON A HARD 11
You’ll always win more money if you double down on hard 11 against any dealer’s upcard vs. hitting in all games, with one exception. If you are playing an S17 multi-deck game, you are slightly better off hitting against a dealer Ace rather than doubling down.
BLACKJACK STRATEGY #2: ALWAYS SPLIT A PAIR OF 8s AND ACES
Always split a pair of 8s and Aces, no matter the dealer’s upcard. Many players avoid splitting 8s against a 9, 10, or Ace, thinking it’s better to avoid risking more money as a big underdog.
However, splitting reduces your disadvantage by creating two hands starting with 8, rather than playing a weak 16 and hitting. Over time, splitting eights minimizes losses in tough spots, while splitting Aces maximizes gains. Bottom line: always split 8s and Aces to improve your overall results.
[Note: If surrender is offered and you are playing in an H17 multi-deck game, or an H17 double-deck game with NDAS, your best strategy is to surrender the pair of eights vs. the dealer’s Ace rather than splitting them.]
BLACKJACK STRATEGY #3: NEVER SPLIT A PAIR OF 5s OR TENS
A pair of 5s is also a hard 10, and you are always better off taking a one-or-more-card draw to a 10 than splitting the 5s and playing two hands, each starting with a 5. Even though splitting 10s is much more often than not a winning play, keeping them together as 20 is an even greater winning play in all circumstances.
BLACKJACK STRATEGY #4: ALWAYS HIT A HARD 12 AGAINST A DEALER’S 2 OR 3 UPCARD
This is a situation where most players chicken out and stand on their 12 because they fear busting. The bottom line is this: against a dealer’s 2 or 3 upcard, you will lose money in the long run whether you stand or hit. However, you will lose less money by hitting (even at the risk of busting some of the time), which is why it is the best strategy.
BLACKJACK STRATEGY #5: ALWAYS HIT ACE-7 (SOFT 18) WHEN THE DEALER’S UPCARD IS 9, 10, OR ACE
Many players assume a total of 18 is a guaranteed win and stand on soft 18 (A-7), especially against a dealer’s strong upcard like 9, 10, or Ace. In reality, you’re an underdog either way, but hitting soft 18 reduces your disadvantage.
Drawing a small card (e.g., Ace, 2, or 3) can improve your hand to a stronger total, and drawing a 10-value card doesn’t hurt. This will improve your chances of winning at blackjack. Bottom line, always hit A-7 against a dealer’s 9, 10, or Ace to aim for a soft 19–21 or a hard 17–21, improving your chances of success.
[Note: There is one exception to the above strategy. In the case of a single-deck game with S17, you are slightly better off standing on A-7 when the dealer’s upcard is an Ace.]
BLACKJACK STRATEGY #6: ALWAYS DOUBLE DOWN ON 10 WHEN THE DEALER’S UPCARD IS 9 OR LESS
You are the favourite when you hold a two-card 10 against any dealer’s upcard of 9 or less, so doubling down is your best strategy. It’s a simple rule: always double down on 10 when the dealer’s upcard is 9 or less.
BLACKJACK STRATEGY #7: IF THE RULES SPECIFY THAT DEALER MUST HIT SOFT 17, YOU SHOULD ALWAYS DO THE FOLLOWING:
Always double down on hard 11 against dealer’s ace, soft 19 (A-8) against dealer’s 6, and A-7 against dealer’s 2.
If you are playing an H17 game, the above are the three doubling strategy changes you should make vs. the same game with S17.
[Note: There are surrender strategy changes as well. You’ll find them in Chapter 3 of my Ultimate Blackjack Strategy Guide.]
BLACKJACK STRATEGY #8: ALWAYS DOUBLE DOWN A-2 THROUGH A-7 WHEN THE DEALER’S UPCARD IS A 5 OR 6
In all games, you stand to win more if you always double down an A-2 through A-7 (i.e., soft 13 through 18) when the dealer’s upcard is a 5 or 6, making it the best strategy.
[Note: The specific upcards to double down against can vary with the number of decks and rules. For instance, in a double-deck game with H17, you should also double A-3 against a 4. However, doubling on A-2 through A-7 is always correct when the dealer shows a 5 or 6.]
BLACKJACK STRATEGY #9: ALWAYS STAND WITH A PAIR OF 9s WHEN THE DEALER’S UPCARD IS A 7
Most players know to split a pair of 9s when the dealer’s upcard is 9 or less, but many make a mistake when the dealer shows a 7. In this case, the best strategy is to stand, as it results in slightly higher winnings than splitting.
Remember, there’s a good chance the dealer has a 10 in the hole, given there are more 10-value cards than any other rank. If the dealer’s upcard is a 7, they’re likely to have a pat 17, and your 18 beats their potential hand, making standing the optimal play.
BLACKJACK STRATEGY #10: ALWAYS SURRENDER HARD 16 AGAINST A DEALER’S 9, 10, OR ACE UPCARD, AND HARD 15 AGAINST DEALER’S 10 UPCARD
A hard 15 and 16 are two of the worst hands in blackjack, especially when the dealer is showing a strong upcard (e.g., 9, 10, or Ace). You are the underdog, but you can minimize your losses by surrendering the above hands against the indicated dealer’s upcards. Surrender is your best strategy simply because it saves you money in the long run.
[Note: Depending on the number of decks of cards being used and the blackjack rules, there are other hands where surrender is the best strategy.]
BLACKJACK STRATEGY #11: IN A SINGLE-DECK GAME, ALWAYS DOUBLE DOWN ON 8 AGAINST DEALER’S 5 OR 6 UPCARD
In double and multi-deck games, you never double down with a two-card 8; however, in a single-deck game, the odds of blackjack shift to make doubling down the superior strategy over hitting.
[Note: The above best strategy includes a pair of 4s, with one exception. If the rules are DAS, you should split a pair of 4s instead of doubling down.]
BLACKJACK STRATEGY #12: WHEN YOU ARE DEALT A PAIR OF 2s OR 3s AGAINST A DEALER’S 2 OR 3 UPCARD, SPLIT IF THE RULES ALLOW DAS, AND HIT IF THEY DON’T
The reason splitting is the better strategy with DAS is that if you split, say, a pair of 2s and draw a 9 giving you an 11, or an 8, giving you a 10, you would be able to bet more money (by doubling down) in a very favourable situation.
[Note: There is one exception to the above rule: If you are playing a single-deck game, you should always split a pair of 2s when the dealer shows a 3 upcard, even if the game is NDAS.]
BLACKJACK STRATEGY #13: NEVER MAKE THE INSURANCE BET
The insurance bet is a losing proposition, so your best strategy is to never take it when the dealer’s upcard is an Ace - even with a strong hand like 19 or 20. The 2-to-1 payout for insurance is lower than the actual odds of the dealer having blackjack, making it a bad bet.
[Note: If you have blackjack and the dealer offers “even money” with an Ace upcard, remember this is just another form of the insurance bet. While it’s tempting to lock in a guaranteed win, you’ll make more money in the long run by declining it and letting the hand play out.]
BLACKJACK STRATEGY #14: STAND ON HARD 16 AGAINST A DEALER’S 10 UPCARD IF YOUR 16 IS MULTI-CARD
The traditional blackjack basic strategy takes into account only the total of the player’s hand and the dealer’s upcard. With a hard 16 against a dealer’s 10 upcard, the strategy states to hit (assuming surrender is not offered).
Although this strategy is correct, you can improve your playing accuracy by considering whether your 16 is a multi-card 16. In the latter case (e.g., 7-5-4), your best strategy is to stand against a dealer’s 10 upcard.
BLACKJACK STRATEGY #15: NEVER PLAY A 6 TO 5 BLACKJACK GAME
Historically, a blackjack hand has always been paid at 3 to 2 odds. For example, if you bet $10 and you have an (untied) blackjack, you will be paid $15 in winnings.
Nowadays, many casinos pay a winning player’s blackjack at only 6 to 5 odds. (A $10 wager would win you only $12 in a 6 to 5 game.) The house edge increases by about 1.45% in a single-deck game with 6 to 5; moreover, if 6 to 5 is offered in a double- or multi-deck game, the house edge escalates to greater than 2%. Your best strategy is to play only blackjack games that offer a 3 to 2 blackjack payoff.
Blackjack Strategy Chart
The best playing strategies for blackjack are presented in a strategy chart as shown below. Across the top row is the dealer’s upcard; down the first column is your hand. To use the blackjack chart, locate your hand (or the total count of your hand) in the first column and go across to the column representing the dealer’s upcard. At the intersection is the best playing strategy for that hand.
For example, suppose you are dealt a pair of 6s and the dealer’s upcard is a 4. You find the row for 6-6, go across to the dealer’s 4 upcard, and at that intersection you see a P, meaning the best playing strategy is to split the 6s when the dealer’s upcard is a 4. Likewise, suppose you are dealt a 10-5 (15) and the dealer’s upcard is a 6. The above chart tells you to stand (S).
The best playing strategy for any given blackjack game is dependent on the number of decks of cards and the mix of the playing rules. Any changes to one or the other may alter the playing strategy slightly. Nevertheless, you could use the strategy shown in the chart below for all games without too much cost, although my recommendation is to use the strategy that is designed for the precise game that you are playing.
[Note: You can find the best playing strategy that is specific for any mix of playing rules and number of decks of cards by going to Chapter 3 in the Ultimate Blackjack Strategy Guide.)]
HOW TO MEMORIZE A STRATEGY CHART
Here are four ways to memorize the best playing strategy:
- Flashcards: Use index cards to create flashcards. Write the player’s hand on one side (e.g., “A-6”) and the best strategy on the other (e.g., “Double down on 3‒6; otherwise hit”).
- Blank Strategy Chart: Draw a blank strategy chart and fill it in from memory. For repeated plays, such as hard 17, write the strategy once with an arrow across the row to save time.
- Card Practice: Deal yourself two cards and a dealer’s upcard, decide how to play, and check your answer against a strategy chart.
- Blackjack Software: Use apps or online tools to practice making the correct decisions. These programs provide immediate feedback on mistakes.
For more details on these blackjack tips, see Chapter 4 in the Ultimate Blackjack Strategy Guide.
Best Blackjack Strategies – FAQs
Q: Can I bring a cheat sheet containing the best strategy with me when I play blackjack?
A: Yes, you can. However, I recommend using a commercially available strategy card, such as Don Schlesinger’s Ultimate Blackjack Strategy Cards, since they are laminated, sturdy, color-coded, and easy to use. For security reasons, do not lay the strategy card (or any strategy sheet) on the blackjack table. Instead, hold it in your hand.
Q: How long will it take to memorize the strategy on the charts?
A: If you practice using one, or a combination, of the four ways mentioned above, it shouldn’t take more than a couple of hours. Additionally, you can always bring a strategy card with you when you play and refer to it if you are not sure of the best play.
Q: I like to have fun at the casino. Memorizing a strategy chart seems like too much work.
A: Learning the best playing strategy can reduce the house edge to under 1% – sometimes even as low as 0.5%, depending on the rules. This means you’ll win more, lose less, and enjoy longer playing time. Guessing or relying on instincts will cost you significantly more in the long run. Trust me, investing a little time to learn the strategy makes blackjack more fun when your results improve.
[Note: For an analysis of how much not learning will cost you, see Chapter 2.1 in the Ultimate Blackjack Strategy Guide.]
Q: Which is the most important “best strategy” of the 15 you mentioned?
A: By far it’s to avoid playing any blackjack game where an untied blackjack pays only 6-5, or worse, even money. Only play blackjack games where you are paid 3-2 for a blackjack.
Q: Can I use the best strategy when I play blackjack in an online casino?
A: Yes. If the playing rules are similar to the ones discussed above, you can, and should, use a strategy card when you play online.
** Originally published on August 15, 2018
** Article updated on January 20, 2025
