Basic Blackjack Strategy - Blackjack Strategies for Beginners

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Blackjack 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 basic blackjack 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 basic 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.

Blackjack 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 blackjack strategy chart you can refine your play based on the house rules, but this strategy chart will help you reduce the house edge as much as possible without counting cards.

Your cards	Dealer card
Your cards	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	A
Hard totals (excluding pairs)
17-20	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S
16	S	S	S	S	S	H	H	SU	SU	SU
15	S	S	S	S	S	H	H	H	SU	H
13-14	S	S	S	S	S	H	H	H	H	H
12	H	H	S	S	S	H	H	H	H	H
11	Dh	Dh	Dh	Dh	Dh	Dh	Dh	Dh	Dh	H
10	Dh	Dh	Dh	Dh	Dh	Dh	Dh	Dh	H	H
9	H	Dh	Dh	Dh	Dh	H	H	H	H	H
5-8	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H
Soft totals
	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	A
A,8 A,9	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S
A,7	S	Ds	Ds	Ds	Ds	S	S	H	H	H
A,6	H	Dh	Dh	Dh	Dh	H	H	H	H	H
A,4 A,5	H	H	Dh	Dh	Dh	H	H	H	H	H
A,2 A,3	H	H	H	Dh	Dh	H	H	H	H	H
Pairs
	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	A
A,A	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP
10,10	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S
9,9	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	S	SP	SP	S	S
8,8	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP
7,7	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	H	H	H	H
6,6	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	H	H	H	H	H
5,5	Dh	Dh	Dh	Dh	Dh	Dh	Dh	Dh	H	H
4,4	H	H	H	SP	SP	H	H	H	H	H
2,2 3,3	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	H	H	H	H

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)

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 correspondence 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 the basic strategy for soft hands or those 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 basic 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.

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