Last Updated: Tuesday, 19 December 2023 10:51

The basic strategy of blackjack

The basic strategy of blackjack
Blackjack is one of the most popular games in any casino (we recommend you play at Fastpay). This game has rightfully gained popularity because of the almost equal chances of winning for the player and the casino house. The article describes the basic strategy of blackjack. Not so experienced players using basic strategy can achieve an advantage of up to 0.5%, and the professionals who use basic strategy in the blackjack, together with the scorecard, can gain an advantage over the casino up to 5% of the average bets. Try to use the basic strategy at the free demo play:

The application of a basic strategy at the blackjack

Below you can find some examples of when it is appropriate to apply the basic strategy of the blackjack:

  • Situation: The dealer shows his first card worth 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6. Most likely the dealer loses since according to the rules of blackjack, the dealer must draw cards until he gets 17 points or more. A probability that the hidden dealer card worth ten points is high, as cards denominated in 10 points in the deck most (all pictures and tens).

Player: According to the rules of basic strategy in the blackjack, in a situation where the dealer's cards are from 2 to 4, the player, with eleven points or less, should take the card without the possibility of busting, then is stopping at 12 and above. And if the dealer is showing a card from 5 to 6, the player ten and eleven points should double down (Double).

  • Table scheme
    Situation: Dealer shows his first card worth seven, eight, nine or ten, it is likely a result he gets seventeen, eighteen, nineteen or twenty points.

Action: Based on the basic strategy of blackjack, in this situation, the player must try to collect the number of points more than the estimated amount of points at the dealer when leaving dozens. For example, if the first card the dealer shows 7, the player must strive to score exactly 17 points or more.

  • The third case: Sometimes, despite the dealer showing a picture, players do not hit at 12-15, believing that too often get ten. So, they prefer staying at 12 vs 7 or 13 against 8.

Action: The basic strategy of the blackjack, depending on the dealer's cards, we must take another card, even if we think that it is a mistake. The exceptions are when we are counting cards using plus or minus counting system, and have a positive real account. In this case, if there is a chance that some dozens of big cards are coming, we may refuse a further set of cards.

  • Case Four: At some point, the player decides that the creators of the casino are not stupid, and they chose the best rules for casino dealer. After that, he begins to follow the same rules gaining up to 17 cards, and it does not stop even at 16 points.

Actions: The player reduces the chances of winning when the dealer shows the cards from 2 to 6. In the case of 7, 8, 9, 10 and ace, this strategy may sound logical; then there is a point to draw a card on 16.

The table of decisions:

Blackjack basic strategy table
Using this table is not that difficult. At first, the player finds the scores of his or her cards vertically and dealers cards horizontally. At the intersection of these values, you will be instructed to act. For example, a total gamblers score of the two cards is 10, and the dealer has three - at the intersection of these values, we need to double down (D).

The table decisions at the blackjack using basic strategy

The basic strategy of blackjack
Help with table values at the basic strategy of blackjack:

Red marks the action to a set of cards, red - stop, blue - double. The other colours in the decrypted values are below.

  • H - Add another card to available. Hit
  • S - Do not get more cards and leave the current number of points. Stay.
  • D - We double the current bet. Double.
  • Ds - If the rules allow, you can double. If they do not let, you should stop. Double or Stay.
  • P - Separate the identical cards with the continuation set for each of them. Split.
  • H / P – you can split the cards if the rules allowed doubling after splitting. Otherwise, take another card. Hit or Split.
  • S / P - split the cards if the rules are allowed doubling down after splitting. Otherwise, it is just enough. Stay or Split.
  • D / P – you will share the card if you can double after split. Otherwise, double the bet. Split or Double.
  • H / R – you should leave half of the bet (Surrender), if the regulations permit it, or take another card: Hit or Surrender.
  • S / R - leave the half bet (Surrender), if it is allowed by the rules or doesn't take a card Stay or Surrender.

Conclusions

The basic strategy is a conservative variant of the blackjack. Its use can reduce the house edge to 0.5%. Try to use a system of card counting and basic strategy simultaneously.

Where to play?

  • You can check out the basic strategy of blackjack in the best casino on our website - Fastpay casino. All versions of table and live blackjack, as well as a fair attitude to players and instant payouts (1-5 minutes).

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Written by Vladislav Dibrov
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