Blackjack Mastery

Basic Strategy

The mathematically optimal way to play every hand. Reduces house edge to ~0.5%.

What is Basic Strategy?

Basic strategy is the mathematically optimal way to play every possible hand in blackjack. It's derived from computer simulations of millions of hands and tells you exactly when to hit, stand, double down, or split based on your cards and the dealer's up card.

Unlike card counting, basic strategy doesn't require tracking cards or mental calculations during play. It's a fixed set of rules that anyone can memorize and use immediately.

Key Rules

  • Hard Totals: Always stand on 17+. Hit on 8 or less.
  • Soft Totals: Always stand on Soft 19+.
  • Pairs: Always split Aces and 8s. Never split 10s.

Hard Totals

2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
A
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
D
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
H
H
16
S
S
S
S
S
H
H
H
H
H
17+
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S
S

How It Improves Your Odds

Without Basic Strategy:

House edge: ~2-4% (playing by gut feeling)

With Basic Strategy:

House edge: ~0.5% (optimal mathematical play)

This means for every $100 you bet, you'll lose only 50 cents on average instead of $2-4. Over thousands of hands, this difference is massive!

Why it Works

Basic strategy is derived from computer simulations of millions of blackjack hands. It doesn't guarantee a win every time, but it minimizes your long-term losses and maximizes your winning potential.

Quick Drill

Dealer

8

You (14)

9
5