Blackjack Basic Strategy. Definitions and Hands using Blackjack Basic Strategy

In this article, I collected some rules for the blackjack basic strategy. Following  these rules may decrease your possibility of losing and increase your chances to win.  Basic blackjack strategy can be applied to almost all blackjack variations. A novice player should learn this strategy by heart.

Blackjack Basic Strategy Definitions

Soft Hand is when Ace’a value is 11 points.

Hard Hand is when Ace’s value is 1 point.

A -  stands for Ace.

10 – a Ten or any other 10-point card.

Blackjack Basic Strategy implies no insurance.

Blackjack Basic Strategy Hands

How to Play Hard Hands using Blackjack Basic Strategy

• If the dealer has 2,3 – hit till hard 13
• If the dealer has 4,5,6 – hit till hard 12
• If the dealer has 7,8,9,10,A – hit till hard 17.

How To Play Soft Hands using Blackjack Basic Strategy

• If the dealer has 2,3,4,5,6,7,8 – hit till soft 18
• If the dealer has 9,10,A – hit till soft 19.

Double Down on Hard Hands

• If you have 10 and 11 – double if the dealer has 2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9
• If you have 9 – double if the dealer has 3,4,5,6.

Double Down on Soft Hands

• If you have A,2 and A,3 – double if the dealer has 5,6
• If you have A,4 and A,5 – double of the dealer has 4,5,6
• If you have A,6 and A,7 – double if the dealer has 3,4,5,6

Split using Blackjack Basic Strategy

• If you have 2,2, and 3,3, - split if the dealer has 2,3,4,5,6,7.
• If you have 4,4 – split if the dealer has 5,6
• If you have 5,5 – split if the dealer has 2 through 9
• If you have 6,6 – split if the dealer has 2,3,4,5,6
• If you have 7,7 – split if the dealer has 2,3,4,5,6,7.
• If you have 8,8 – split if the dealer has 2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9.
• If you have 9,9 – split if the dealer has 2,3,4,5,6,8,9 (stand if the dealer has 7)
• If you have 10,10 – stand
• If you have A,A – split if the dealer has 2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10.

Stand using Blackjack Basic Strategy

• If the dealer has A – stand if you have hard 5,6,7 and  12,13,14,15,16,17 (even pairs)
• If the dealer has 10 – stand if you have hard 14,15,16 (even 7,7 and 8,8)
• If the dealer has 9 – stand if you have hard 16 (split into 8,8)

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