First thing’s first. Even though I state on my blog that I don’t always follow basic blackjack strategy strictly, it is essential to know by heart as a guideline for playing. Basic blackjack strategy takes some amount of practice to memorize but after playing with it for a while it will become second nature. Please take a look at the basic blackjack strategy chart which lists the denominations of the player versus the dealer and when the player should HIT, STAND or SURRENDER.

Some key points of basic blackjack strategy are as follows. First, if the dealer has a 6, then it is very likely that they will bust (or go over 21). Therefore, the basic strategy tells us that if we have a 12 or higher to never hit. In turn, if we have a 15 or 16 against a dealer’s 10, then it is advantageous for us to surrender and take back half of our initial bet.

Basic blackjack strategy also tells us when to DOUBLE down or SPLIT a hand. Players with a a 10 or 11 will generally want to double down on their initial bet. Players should never split two 10’s, but it is sometimes advantageous to split other cards of the same denomination. It would be too confusing, I think, to explain in full detail the strategy here with words. The best way to learn the strategy is to print out the strategy chart and practice with it. After much practice you will have it memorized.

Why use basic blackjack strategy? If you can’t or don’t want to count cards, or just want to play blackjack for fun without a real intent of making it a serious business, then the basic strategy is perfect for you. Once memorized, it becomes second nature when you’re playing at a casino. It drops the House’s advantage down to less than 1% (around 0.44 % actually) and so essentially gives you 50/50 odds when playing blackjack… try finding another casino game with odds as good as that!

To quickly memorize basic blackjack strategy, I recommend printing the chart table out and taking it with you when you play. It’s not illegal to follow the strategy and casinos won’t mind you having a small piece of paper with you displaying the strategy when you are gambling at blackjack. In fact, most casinos provide these tables for their gamblers, however I highly suggest you use the table found in the link in my resource box below as there are separate charts made for different blackjack games with different rules. This strategy is the best one I know and what I always follow. It is for Blackjack with 4+ decks of cards where the dealer stands on all 17s.

Learn the chart. Practice with it, and see the results. Thanks for reading!

By Tanning Chan
Basic Blackjack Strategy chart available at http://OnlineBlackjackGames.blogspot.com… as well as many more blackjack tips and tricks! Furthermore, blackjack strategy is easy!