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Blackjack basic strategy chart: every decision in one place

Basic strategy is the mathematically best play for every hand against every dealer upcard. It cuts the house edge to about half a percent.

Reviewed Oct 14, 2026

Answer first

90s

Your hand	Dealer 2–6	Dealer 7–A
Hard 17+	Stand	Stand
Hard 13–16	Stand	Hit
Hard 12	Hit vs 2–3, stand vs 4–6	Hit
11	Double	Double (hit vs A)
10	Double	Double vs 7–9, hit vs 10–A
9	Double vs 3–6, hit vs 2	Hit
8 or less	Hit	Hit

Key numbers

Why the chart matters

~0.5%House edge with the chartGood 6-deck rules

2%+Typical edge guessingCommon player errors

A-A, 8-8Always splitEvery upcard

10-10, 5-5Never splitStand on 20, double 10

In short

Key takeaways

Stand on 12–16 when the dealer shows 2–6 (hit 12 against 2 or 3). Hit them against 7 through ace.
Double 11 against everything except an ace, 10 against 2–9, and 9 against 3–6.
Always split aces and eights. Never split tens or fives.
Never take insurance. It is a side bet with an edge over 7%.

Soft hands (ace counted as 11)

Hand	Double vs	Otherwise
A-2, A-3	5–6	Hit
A-4, A-5	4–6	Hit
A-6	3–6	Hit
A-7	3–6	Stand vs 2, 7, 8; hit vs 9–A
A-8, A-9	—	Stand

If you cannot double, hit soft 17 or less and stand on A-7 against 3–6.

On the felt

Three hands the chart decides

16 vs dealer 10
Surrender if allowed, otherwise hit
Soft 18 vs dealer 9
Hit — standing loses more
8-8 vs dealer 10
Split (or surrender where allowed)

These feel wrong but the chart is built from millions of simulated hands.

Pairs (double after split allowed)

Pair	Split vs	Otherwise
A-A, 8-8	Every upcard	—
2-2, 3-3	2–7	Hit
4-4	5–6	Hit
6-6	2–6	Hit
7-7	2–7	Hit
9-9	2–6, 8–9	Stand vs 7, 10, A
5-5, 10-10	Never	Double 5-5 / stand 10-10

Without double after split, split 2s, 3s and 6s less often.

Playbook · Beginner

Learn the chart in four passes

Tip 01
Hard totals
Memorize the stand/hit line first: 12–16 against 2–6 versus 7–A.
Tip 02
Doubles
Add 9, 10 and 11 doubles.
Tip 03
Pairs
Learn the always and never splits, then the rest.
Tip 04
Soft hands
Last, add soft doubling. It is used least often.

Floor rules

Surrender (late, if offered)

Know before you sit

Hard 16 vs 9, 10, A: Give up half your bet.
Hard 15 vs 10: Give up half your bet.
8-8: Split, not surrender, in most games.
Why: These hands lose more than half the time even when played well.

Why hit 12 against a 2 or 3

The dealer busts less often with a 2 or 3 showing than with 4, 5 or 6. Your 12 busts only on a 10-value card, about 31% of the time.

The math shows hitting loses slightly less than standing. The gap is small, but it adds up over thousands of hands.

The same logic explains standing on 12 against 4, 5 or 6: those dealer cards bust often enough that taking no risk yourself is better.

Keep reading

Go play

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After the 90 seconds

Questions before and after you play

A 90-second guide cannot cover every table moment. Tap a group, then a question — answers are short paragraphs, not one-liners.

01Chart questions

Should I hit or stand on 16 against a 10?

Surrender if the table allows it. If not, hit. Standing loses about 77% of the time; hitting loses slightly less. Both are bad, which is why surrender exists.

When should I double down in blackjack?

Double 11 against any dealer card except an ace, 10 against 2 through 9, and 9 against 3 through 6. Also double soft hands such as A-6 and A-7 against weak dealer cards.

Should I always split aces and eights?

Yes. Two aces make 12, a weak total, but split they each start a strong hand. Two eights make 16, the worst total, while one eight is a reasonable start.

Is it legal to use a strategy card at the table?

Yes in most US casinos. Dealers and pit staff generally allow basic strategy cards as long as you do not slow the game.

Does basic strategy change with the rules?

Slightly. If the dealer hits soft 17, double 11 against an ace and make a few other changes. Charts exist for each rule set; this one is for 6 decks, dealer stands on soft 17, double after split allowed.

Why should I never take insurance?

Insurance pays 2 to 1 when the dealer has blackjack, but in a 6-deck game the chance is about 30.8%. That gives the house an edge of over 7% on the bet.

02Results

How much does basic strategy lower the house edge?

With good rules, from about 2% or more for a typical guessing player to roughly 0.5%. At $25 a hand and 80 hands an hour, that saves about $30 an hour on average.

03More questions

Do I need to memorize the chart?

No. Bring a card to the table; most casinos allow it. Most players learn the hard-total decisions in a session or two and the rest with practice.

Is basic strategy the same as card counting?

No. Basic strategy is the best play without tracking cards. Card counting adjusts bets and some plays based on the cards already dealt, and casinos may ask counters to leave.

Does the chart work for single-deck games?

The basic decisions are almost the same, with a few changes such as doubling 11 against an ace and splitting some pairs more often. Many single-deck games pay 6 to 5, which hurts far more than any chart change helps.

Sources

Wizard of Odds — Blackjack basic strategy Not from a registry (Reference source, not an official registry) · accessed Oct 14, 2026Basic strategy charts by rule set
Wizard of Odds — Blackjack house edge calculator Not from a registry (Reference source, not an official registry) · accessed Oct 14, 2026Edge by rule set
National Council on Problem Gambling — Help and resources Not from a registry (Reference source, not an official registry) · accessed Oct 14, 2026Free, confidential help: call or text 1-800-GAMBLER
American Gaming Association — Research Not from a registry (Reference source, not an official registry) · accessed Oct 14, 2026US casino and sports betting industry data