Basic Strategy

If you know anything about blackjack it is that you do not need to know a whole lot about the game or gambling in general to get started. But that doesn't mean that you should forgo implementing a blackjack basic strategy. With a basic blackjack strategy you will be putting yourself in better position to win. For the most part, every player who knows what he is doing uses the same strategy. This is because the strategy that is most effective will give you the best chance of winning; and this is what every blackjack player wants.

A Printable Strategy Chart

Here is a basic blackjack strategy chart. You should use this chart to make all of your decisions while playing blackjack. Once you have mastered this strategy chart you can refine your play based on the house rules, but this chart will help you reduce the house edge as much as possible without counting cards.

Key:

S

Stand

H

Hit

Dh

Double (if not allowed, then hit)

Ds

Double (if not allowed, then stand)

SP

Split

SU

Surrender (if not allowed, then hit)

The best way to use the chart above is to play blackjack online and use the chart to make your strategy decisions. That's the only blackjack basic strategy that you'll ever need, although some people use flash cards in order to memorize the correct plays in each situation.

Blackjack Odds

Do you get an edge over the house using the above strategy? The short answers is no. Even under the best of conditions, the blackjack odds when played perfectly are approximately even.

But if you can play a break-even game of blackjack, you can profit in the form of comps and bonuses from the casinos. And if you can count cards even a little bit, you can turn those even odds into a positive expectation situation.

The Blackjack Game

When you commit to using perfect strategy, the game becomes one of rote memory and chance. But if you're playing without basic strategy, then the game suddenly becomes a 2% winner for the casino every hand.

Whether or not you use any sort of strategy when playing blackjack is up to you. Some players use a basic strategy, some of them use this in conjunction with card counting, and others just wing it and hope for the best. The way that you play depends on how much you know, what you are willing to learn, and how much time you want to put into giving yourself the best chance of wining.

There are strategies that can be used for every type of hand. For instance, the strategy for hard hands is much different than the one that you will use for soft hands. A hard hand is one without an ace, or one with an ace that must be used as one instead of 11 to avoid busting. Are all hard hands the same? Of course not. You will always want to hit if you are holding a hard 8 or lower. But if you are sitting on a hard total of 17 to 21, most experts feel that standing is the way to go. After all, you are so close to 21 that a bust will almost always happen if you hit.

On the other side, you also need to know what to do when you have soft hands (hands that include an ace). Generally speaking, a soft hand is less likely to bust because you have an ace that can be used either as a 1 or 11.

As you play blackjack on a regular basis you will probably memorize the strategy that increases your chance of winning. Remember, having a strategy, no matter how good you think it is, does not guarantee victory. But it does put you in the best position possible while minimizing the house advantage.

At the very least, you should use a basic blackjack strategy that will tell you what to do with each type of hard and soft hand.