Blackjack Basic Strategy Chart

By the bjshoe team · Mathematically optimal play for every hand · 6-deck game · Updated May 2026

Blackjack basic strategy is the set of plays that, on average, lose the least money against the dealer over the long run. It was first worked out in 1957 by Baldwin, Cantey, Maisel, and McDermott using mechanical calculators, and has been refined by computer simulation ever since. Using basic strategy cuts the house edge from ~2% (untrained play) down to about 0.5% in a typical 6-deck game — better than nearly any other casino game.

How to read the charts: Find your hand on the left, the dealer's up-card across the top, and the cell tells you the optimal action. Charts below are for a standard 6-deck game with the dealer hitting soft 17 (H17), double after split allowed, and late surrender available.

Legend: S Stand H Hit D Double if allowed, else Hit P Split Rh Surrender if allowed, else Hit

Hard totals (no Ace, or Ace counted as 1)

Your hand	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	A
5–8	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H
9	H	D	D	D	D	H	H	H	H	H
10	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	H	H
11	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	H
12	H	H	S	S	S	H	H	H	H	H
13	S	S	S	S	S	H	H	H	H	H
14	S	S	S	S	S	H	H	H	H	H
15	S	S	S	S	S	H	H	H	Rh	Rh
16	S	S	S	S	S	H	H	Rh	Rh	Rh
17+	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S

Soft totals (Ace counted as 11)

Your hand	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	A
A,2 (13)	H	H	H	D	D	H	H	H	H	H
A,3 (14)	H	H	H	D	D	H	H	H	H	H
A,4 (15)	H	H	D	D	D	H	H	H	H	H
A,5 (16)	H	H	D	D	D	H	H	H	H	H
A,6 (17)	H	D	D	D	D	H	H	H	H	H
A,7 (18)	S	D	D	D	D	S	S	H	H	H
A,8 (19)	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S
A,9 (20)	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S

Pairs (when to split)

Your pair	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	A
A,A	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P
2,2	P	P	P	P	P	P	H	H	H	H
3,3	P	P	P	P	P	P	H	H	H	H
4,4	H	H	H	P	P	H	H	H	H	H
5,5	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	H	H
6,6	P	P	P	P	P	H	H	H	H	H
7,7	P	P	P	P	P	P	H	H	H	H
8,8	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P
9,9	P	P	P	P	P	S	P	P	S	S
10,10	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S

The non-negotiable rules

If you can't memorize the entire chart, internalize these absolute rules — they alone capture most of the basic-strategy edge:

Always split Aces and 8s.
Never split 10s. (20 is a great hand — don't break it up.)
Never split 5s. (Doubling on a hard 10 is much better.)
Always stand on hard 17 or higher.
Always hit hard 11 or lower. (Can't bust.)
Always double on 11 vs anything except A.
Never take insurance (it's a side bet with negative expectation unless you're card counting).

The logic behind it

Two factors drive every optimal play: (1) what hand totals the dealer can finish with, given each up-card; (2) how often you'll bust if you hit. The dealer's worst up-cards are 4, 5, and 6 (high bust rate ~40%), so you stand more and double more aggressively when they show these. Their best up-cards are 9, 10, and Ace (low bust rate ~22-25%), so you hit until you reach 17+.

What basic strategy doesn't do

Basic strategy assumes a freshly shuffled shoe — it doesn't account for the cards that have already been played. To beat the house outright (instead of just minimizing losses), you need card counting, which tracks shoe composition and shifts both your bets and your play. See our card counting guide.

Putting it into practice

The fastest way to memorize basic strategy is to use it. On bjshoe you can play unlimited hands for free, with no signup, and the rules are configurable to match the chart above (6 decks, dealer rules of your choice, surrender available).

▶ Practice on bjshoe — free, no signup