Blackjack Strategy Chart: Complete Basic Strategy Cheat Sheet

Blackjack basic strategy is the mathematically correct default play for each hand against the dealer's visible card. It does not win every hand, but under favorable rules it can reduce the house edge to around 0.5%, which is why learning the chart is one of the most useful things a blackjack player can do.

If you need the rules before the chart, read how to play blackjack. For a more narrative explanation of the decisions behind the grid, continue with our classic blackjack strategies.

HARDHard totalsNo usable Ace counted as 11 SOFTSoft totalsAn Ace is currently counted as 11 PAIRPairsMatching values with a split decision

How to read this blackjack strategy chart

Every starting hand belongs to one of three categories: hard totals, soft totals or pairs. Find your hand down the left side, then follow the row to the dealer's up card across the top. The cell where they meet is the recommended play.

HHit

SStand

DDoubleotherwise Hit

PSplit

RsSurrenderotherwise Hit

Hard totals

A hard hand has no Ace, or an Ace that can only count as 1 without busting.

Your hand	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	A
8 or less	HHit	HHit	HHit	HHit	HHit	HHit	HHit	HHit	HHit	HHit
9	HHit	DDouble if allowed	DDouble if allowed	DDouble if allowed	DDouble if allowed	HHit	HHit	HHit	HHit	HHit
10	DDouble if allowed	DDouble if allowed	DDouble if allowed	DDouble if allowed	DDouble if allowed	DDouble if allowed	DDouble if allowed	DDouble if allowed	HHit	HHit
11	DDouble if allowed	DDouble if allowed	DDouble if allowed	DDouble if allowed	DDouble if allowed	DDouble if allowed	DDouble if allowed	DDouble if allowed	DDouble if allowed	HHit
12	HHit	HHit	SStand	SStand	SStand	HHit	HHit	HHit	HHit	HHit
13	SStand	SStand	SStand	SStand	SStand	HHit	HHit	HHit	HHit	HHit
14	SStand	SStand	SStand	SStand	SStand	HHit	HHit	HHit	HHit	HHit
15	SStand	SStand	SStand	SStand	SStand	HHit	HHit	HHit	RsSurrender if allowed	HHit
16	SStand	SStand	SStand	SStand	SStand	HHit	HHit	RsSurrender if allowed	RsSurrender if allowed	RsSurrender if allowed
17+	SStand	SStand	SStand	SStand	SStand	SStand	SStand	SStand	SStand	SStand

12-16 vs 2-6Dealer weakness matters. Many of these hands stand and let the dealer draw.

12-16 vs 7-AStronger dealer cards usually force weak hard totals to improve by hitting.

15/16 surrenderLate surrender appears only in selected weak matchups when the table offers it.

Want more detail? See our guide to hard hands in blackjack.

Soft totals

A soft hand contains an Ace counted as 11, giving you extra flexibility because the next card cannot immediately bust the hand.

Your hand	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	A
A,2 (13)	HHit	HHit	HHit	DDouble if allowed	DDouble if allowed	HHit	HHit	HHit	HHit	HHit
A,3 (14)	HHit	HHit	HHit	DDouble if allowed	DDouble if allowed	HHit	HHit	HHit	HHit	HHit
A,4 (15)	HHit	HHit	DDouble if allowed	DDouble if allowed	DDouble if allowed	HHit	HHit	HHit	HHit	HHit
A,5 (16)	HHit	HHit	DDouble if allowed	DDouble if allowed	DDouble if allowed	HHit	HHit	HHit	HHit	HHit
A,6 (17)	HHit	DDouble if allowed	DDouble if allowed	DDouble if allowed	DDouble if allowed	HHit	HHit	HHit	HHit	HHit
A,7 (18)	SStand	DDouble if allowed	DDouble if allowed	DDouble if allowed	DDouble if allowed	SStand	SStand	HHit	HHit	HHit
A,8 (19)	SStand	SStand	SStand	SStand	SStand	SStand	SStand	SStand	SStand	SStand
A,9 (20)	SStand	SStand	SStand	SStand	SStand	SStand	SStand	SStand	SStand	SStand

A + 7Soft 18

A good example of why soft hands are nuanced - the right play changes from double to stand to hit depending on the dealer.

A + 8Soft 19

Under this S17 chart, soft 19 stands across the board. H17 tables can create an adjustment against dealer 6.

Pairs

When the first two cards match in value, splitting becomes another possible decision.

Your hand	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	A
2,2	PSplit	PSplit	PSplit	PSplit	PSplit	PSplit	HHit	HHit	HHit	HHit
3,3	PSplit	PSplit	PSplit	PSplit	PSplit	PSplit	HHit	HHit	HHit	HHit
4,4	HHit	HHit	HHit	PSplit	PSplit	HHit	HHit	HHit	HHit	HHit
5,5	DDouble if allowed	DDouble if allowed	DDouble if allowed	DDouble if allowed	DDouble if allowed	DDouble if allowed	DDouble if allowed	DDouble if allowed	HHit	HHit
6,6	PSplit	PSplit	PSplit	PSplit	PSplit	HHit	HHit	HHit	HHit	HHit
7,7	PSplit	PSplit	PSplit	PSplit	PSplit	PSplit	HHit	HHit	HHit	HHit
8,8	PSplit	PSplit	PSplit	PSplit	PSplit	PSplit	PSplit	PSplit	PSplit	PSplit
9,9	PSplit	PSplit	PSplit	PSplit	PSplit	SStand	PSplit	PSplit	SStand	SStand
10,10	SStand	SStand	SStand	SStand	SStand	SStand	SStand	SStand	SStand	SStand
A,A	PSplit	PSplit	PSplit	PSplit	PSplit	PSplit	PSplit	PSplit	PSplit	PSplit

A ASplit Aces

Turning the pair into two new hands gives each Ace a chance to pair with a 10-value card.

8 8Split 8s

Hard 16 is weak. Splitting gives both hands a chance to improve independently.

5 5Do not split 5s

Treat the pair as a hard 10 and double where the chart calls for it.

10 10Do not split 10s

Twenty is already an excellent total. Basic strategy keeps the hand intact.

Adjusting the chart for different table rules

Basic strategy shifts when the game rules change. The tables above are the default for the stated multi-deck S17 setup, so check the live or software table before using them.

H17 Dealer hits soft 17

A few decisions become more aggressive. Common examples include doubling 11 against a dealer Ace, doubling soft 19 (A,8) against dealer 6, and surrendering hard 15 against an Ace when surrender is available.

NO Rs No surrender

Every Rs cell in the hard-total chart becomes a straight Hit.

NO DAS No doubling after split

Do not assume the same double opportunities after splitting. Play those resulting hands according to the applicable hard or soft strategy without the unavailable double option.

1D/2D Single or double deck

Some plays can change in lower-deck games. Examples in the supplied chart notes include doubling 8 against dealer 5 or 6 and some rule-dependent pair decisions.

6:5 Blackjack pays 6:5 instead of 3:2

The individual hit, stand, double and split decisions do not change, but the payout is materially worse for the player. When a comparable 3:2 table is available, the 3:2 game is generally the better choice.

Compare blackjack casino and table options →

A few things basic strategy does not cover

INS Insurance

Basic strategy says not to take insurance as a routine recreational-player decision. Insurance is a separate side bet and requires different math from the main hand.

Read: Insurance in Blackjack →

≈ Per-hand optimal, not guaranteed

Correct strategy improves the mathematical quality of the decision. Any individual hand or session can still lose.

# Card counting

This chart assumes no count-based information. Advanced players can make selected index adjustments when the deck composition changes, but counting is a separate skill built on top of basic strategy.

Explore broader blackjack strategies →

How to practice the chart

Learn it in layers rather than trying to memorize every cell at once. Hard totals appear frequently, so start there. Add soft totals next, then pair decisions. Printing the chart or keeping it open beside a practice game can help turn repeated decisions into habits where casino rules permit strategy aids.

1Hard totals firstLearn the 12-16 dealer-upcard split and the common double totals.

2Add soft totalsFocus on A,2 through A,7 and when weak dealer cards create double opportunities.

3Memorize pairsAces and 8s split, 5s and 10s stay together, then learn the rule-dependent middle pairs.

4Match real table rulesBefore wagering, confirm S17/H17, decks, payout, DAS and surrender.

Basic strategy is not a promise that the next hand will win. It is a repeatable system for making the mathematically stronger default decision, hand after hand.