There’s no doubt that the highly popular casino card game of blackjack is one of the easiest gambling games to play as the aim of the game is simply to beat the dealer and/or make a hand with 21 points - or as close as possible to 21 - without busting.
However, there’s much more to this ‘simple’ game than meets the eye. For instance, there are a number of actions or moves you can make to lessen the house (casino) edge by up to 0.36% and thus increase your chances of winning more consistently.
These actions or moves are commonly known as basic blackjack strategy. It’s very important to understand, however, that knowing blackjack basic strategy won’t necessarily guarantee that you’ll win every time, but it will improve your chances.
For example, the main actions in blackjack are hit, stand, double, split and surrender, and knowing (based on your and the dealer’s cards) when to hit, stand, double, split or surrender can mean the difference between racking up chips or losing the lot.
This is where blackjack basic strategy comes in, because by following it you should be able to maximise your gains during winning streaks and minimise your losses during losing streaks, both of which you’ll experience when playing blackjack.
On this page you’ll find everything you need to know about basic blackjack strategy and how to use it to take your blackjack skills and expertise to a new level, whether you play at a land casino or any of the top UK online and mobile casinos below.
Dispelling Common Blackjack Myths
Before we delve into the best winning blackjack strategies, it’s important to dispel some of the most common myths surrounding the game of blackjack:
The main aim of blackjack is to make 21 or close
While this is indeed one of the objectives of blackjack, the main aim is actually to beat the dealer whether you do it by having a better hand (a natural blackjack, a 21 point hand, or a higher hand) or because they bust before you do.
Imitating the dealer will improve your chances
Although this may seem a tempting opting especially if you are new to blackjack, it’s actually a bad strategy. The reason is that dealers cannot split or double the way you can, so by copying their actions you’re only limiting your own.
Never go bust by not hitting
Some players believe that never busting i.e. never hitting on a hand made up of a hard 12 or more is a good strategy but it isn’t. While it’s true that this can reduce the house edge slightly, skillful blackjack players can do better by hitting selected hands.
Bad players can ruin your chances
This is nonsense. Whether you’re at a blackjack table with the world’s best or worst players, statistically you’re just as likely to get the cards you need or don’t need in the company of either. Solely focus your attention on your and the dealer’s hand.
A dealer showing an Ace has 10 hole card
Many new players believe that most of the time a dealer with an Ace must have a 10 value card in the hole. The reality is that statistically the dealer will only reveal a 10 value card about 31% of the time, which means 69% of the time they won’t.
When to Hit, Stand, Double, Split or Surrender
So, you’ve opened up a game of blackjack on your PC or smart device, placed a bet in the allotted space, clicked deal and are now looking at one or more pairs of cards (depending on whether you’re playing single or multi-hand blackjack). Now what?
Now you must determine whether to hit, stand, double, split or surrender (assuming you’re playing blackjack that has double and surrender as an option) based on the cards and card count in your hand or hands, and what card the dealer is showing.
Making these decisions is an integral part of blackjack, and how well you make them will ultimately determine your level of success. By choosing your actions effectively, you can reduce the house odds of 5.5% and increase your chances of winning.
Below we’ve outlined the most strategic and thus recommended courses of action for each of the hit, stand, double, split or surrender actions. All of the following strategies are based on blackjack variants where dealers must stand on soft 17.
Single Deck Blackjack Strategy
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Here is the strategy for single deck blackjack where the dealer stands on a soft 17:
Hit (when you have a hard hand)
- If you have 16 and the dealer has a 7, 8 or 9
- If you have 15, 14 or 13 and the dealer has a 7, 8, 9, 10 or Ace
- If you have 12 and the dealer has a 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10 or Ace
- If you have 10 and the dealer has 10 or an Ace
- If you have 9 and the dealer has a 7, 8, 9, 10 or Ace
- If you have 8 and the dealer has a 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10 or Ace
- If you have 7, 6 or 5 and the dealer has a 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or Ace
Hit (when you have a soft hand)
- If you have 18 and the dealer has a 9 or 10
- If you have 17 and the dealer has a 7, 8, 9, 10 or Ace
- If you have 16, 15, 14 or 13 and the dealer has a 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10 or Ace
Stand (when you have a hard hand)
- If you have 21, 20, 19, 18 or 17 and the dealer has a 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or Ace
- If you have 16, 15, 14 or 13 and the dealer has a 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6
- If you have 12 and the dealer has a 4, 5 or 6
Stand (when you have a soft hand)
- If you have 21 or 20 and the dealer has a 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or Ace
- If you have 19 and the dealer has a 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10 or Ace
- If you have 18 and the dealer has a 2, 7, 8, or Ace
Split
- If you have a pair of Aces and the dealer has a 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or Ace
- If you have a pair of 9s and the dealer has a 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 or 9
- If you have a pair of 8s and the dealer has a 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or Ace
- If you have a pair of 7s and the dealer has 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7
- If you have a pair of 6s and the dealer has 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6
- If you have a pair of 3s and the dealer has 4, 5, 6 or 7
- If you have a pair of 2s and the dealer has 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7
Double (if you have this option)
- If you have a pair of 7s and the dealer has an 8
- If you have a pair of 6s and the dealer has a 7
- If you have a pair of 4s and the dealer has a 4, 5 or 6
- If you have a pair of 3s and the dealer has a 2, 3 or 8
- If you have a pair of 2s and the dealer has a 2
Surrender (if you have this option)
- If you have 16 and the dealer has 10 or an Ace
- If you have a pair of 7s and the dealer has 10
Double Deck Blackjack Strategy
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Here is the strategy for double deck blackjack where the dealer stands on a soft 17:
Hit
- If you have 16 and the dealer has a 7, 8 or 9
- If you have 15 and the dealer has a 7, 8, 9 or Ace
- If you have 14 or 13 and the dealer has a 7, 8, 9, 10 or Ace
- If you have 12 and the dealer has a 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10 or Ace
- If you have 10 and the dealer has 10 or an Ace
- If you have 9 and dealer has a 7, 8, 9, 10 or Ace
- If you have 8, 7, 6, 5 or 4 and the dealer has a 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10 or Ace
- If you have A 7 and the dealer has a 9, 10 or Ace
- If you have A 6 and the dealer has a 2, 7, 8, 9, 10 or Ace
- If you have A 5 or A 4 and the dealer has a 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10 or Ace
- If you have A 3 or A 2 and the dealer has a 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10 or Ace
- If you have a pair of 7s and the dealer has a 9, 10 or Ace
- If you have a pair of 6s and the dealer has a 8, 9, 10 or Ace
- If you have a pair of 4s and the dealer has a 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10 or Ace
- If you have a pair of 3s or 2s and the dealer has a 8, 9, 10 or Ace
Stand
- If you have 21, 20, 19, 18 or 17 and the dealer has a 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or Ace
- If you have 16, 15, 14 or 13 and the dealer has a 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6
- If you have 12 and the dealer has a 4, 5 or 6
- If you have A 10, A 9 or A 8 and the dealer has a 4, 5 or 6
- If you have A 7 and the dealer has a 2, 7 or 8
- If you have a pair of 9s and the dealer has a 7, 10 or Ace
Split
- If you have a pair of Aces and the dealer has a 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or Ace
- If you have a pair of 9s and the dealer has a 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 or 9
- If you have a pair of 8s and the dealer has a 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or Ace
- If you have a pair of 7s and the dealer has 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7
- If you have a pair of 6s and the dealer has 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6
- If you have a pair of 3s or 2s and the dealer has 4, 5, 6 or 7
Double
- If you have 11 and the dealer has a 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or Ace
- If you have 10 and the dealer has a 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 or 9
- If you have 9 and the dealer has a 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6
- If you have A 7 or A 6 and the dealer has a 3, 4, 5 or 6
- If you have A 5 or A 4 and the dealer has a 4, 5 or 6
- If you have A 3 or A 2 and the dealer has a 5 or 6
Surrender
- If you have 16 and the dealer has 10 or an Ace
- If you have 15 and the dealer has 10
Four to Eight Deck Blackjack Strategy
An increasing number of online blackjack fans are seeking out blackjack games that are played with 4 to 8 decks, with Microgaming-powered 32Red Casino one of the most popular destinations for this type of game.
Here is the strategy for 4 to 8 deck blackjack where the dealer stands on a soft 17:
Hit (when you have a hard hand)
- If you have 16 and the dealer has a 7 or 8
- If you have 15 and the dealer has a 7, 8, 9 or Ace
- If you have 14 or 13 and the dealer has a 7, 8, 9, 10 or Ace
- If you have 12 and the dealer has a 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10 or Ace
- If you have 11 and the dealer has an Ace
- If you have 10 and the dealer has 10 or an Ace
- If you have 9 and the dealer has a 2, 7, 8, 9, 10 or Ace
- If you have 8, 7, 6, 5 or 4 and the dealer has a 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or Ace
Hit (when you have a soft hand)
- If you have 18 and the dealer has a 9, 10 or Ace
- If you have 17 and the dealer has a 2, 7, 8, 9, 10 or Ace
- If you have 16 or 15 and the dealer has a 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10 or Ace
- If you have 14 or 13 and the dealer has a 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 10 or Ace
Stand (when you have a hard hand)
- If you have 21, 20, 19, 18 or 17 and the dealer has a 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or Ace
- If you have 16, 15, 14 or 13 and the dealer has a 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6
- If you have 12 and the dealer has a 4, 5 or 6
Split
- If you have a pair of Aces or 8s and the dealer has a 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 or Ace
- If you have a pair of 9s and the dealer has a 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 or 9
- If you have a pair of 7s and the dealer has 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7
- If you have a pair of 6s and the dealer has 3, 4, 5 or 6
- If you have a pair of 3s or 2s and the dealer has 4, 5, 6 or 7
Double (when you have a hard hand and your game permits)
- If you have 11 and the dealer has a 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10
- If you have 10 and the dealer has a 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 or 9
- If you have 9 and the dealer has a 3, 4, 5 or 6
Double (when you have a soft hand and your game permits)
- If you have 18 or 17 and the dealer has a 3, 4, 5 or 6
- If you have 16 or 15 and the dealer has a 4, 5 or 6
- If you have 14 or 13 and the dealer has a 5 or 6
Surrender (if you have this option)
- If you have 16 and the dealer has a 9, 10 or an Ace
- If you have 15 and the dealer has 10
Specific Variations and their Strategies
European Blackjack Strategy
European Blackjack is one of the most popular variants of this 21 card game which is why it’s found in many mobile, online and land casinos. It’s a great version to learn on before moving on to other variants that have different rules and strategies.
European Blackjack is typically played with six decks although it can be played with four or even eight decks. The dealer must always stand on soft 17, and cannot check their cards for a blackjack until all player action and betting is over. You can double after you’ve split your cards (which must have hard totals of 9, 10 or 11).
When playing European Blackjack, remember:
- Learn the blackjack strategy – Memorise the Four to Eight Deck Blackjack Strategy above so that you know exactly when to hit, stand, split or double. By doing that you’ll minimise the house edge and improve your odds.
- Choose the correct bet size – Choose a bet size that matches your budget. Bet too big and you run the risk of running out of chips too soon. Bet too small and you run the risk of failing to capitalize on a big winning streak.
- Don’t try to hit every hand – As tempting as it is to hit every hand to turn them into a 21 hand, don’t. Instead, follow the basic blackjack strategy by standing when recommended, and wait for the dealer to bust instead.
Progressive Blackjack Strategy
Progressive Blackjack is essentially identical to regular blackjack except that it offers an extra side bet that can pay you off a sizable jackpot if you land a specific hand, such as four Aces suited, for instance.
When playing Progressive Blackjack, remember:
- Use the blackjack strategy – Learn the card blackjack strategy and be sure to familiarise yourself with your particular game as there are many versions of progressive blackjack from the various casino software vendors.
- Play the biggest bets you can – If your intention is to win the biggest possible payouts playing online blackjack, you should bet as big as you can afford so that you not only maximise your winnings, but the progressive.
- Stop if you hit a losing streak – If you find yourself on a losing streak where it feels like you cannot win a hand, don’t be afraid to stop for the day. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking you’ll win everything back in the same day.
Multi-hand Blackjack Strategy
Multi-hand Blackjack is virtually identical to single hand blackjack except that you can play multiple hands at once, and thus build your chip stack faster. Most multi-hand online blackjack games let you play up to five hands at once.
When playing Multi-hand Blackjack, remember:
- Use the blackjack strategy – Make use of the card blackjack strategy chart to help lessen the house edge. Use the strategy on each and every hand – even the not so great ones – to maximise your overall winning potential.
- Pick a suitable bet size – With single hand blackjack you can be flexible with your bet sizes, but with multi-hand blackjack you must choose a suitable bet size from the start, or you run the risk of running low on chips fast.
- Take your time with each hand – Too often players rush through their hands, not taking enough time with each. Multi-hand blackjack is only worthwhile if you can consistently win more hands than you lose in every round.