What is Blackjack Strategy?
The perfect basic blackjack strategy is mostly about memorisation. You must engage all your senses and cognitive abilities to win more when playing blackjack in a casino. By memorising the right way to ‘Hit’ Stand’ ‘Split’ and ‘Double down,’ you can cut down the house edge and increase your potential payout rate by 1% to 0.5%.
A basic strategy requires you to:
- Keep track of the cards you hold and know all the manoeuvres you can make using your current hand.
- Keep track of the dealer’s cards, especially the face-up card.
- Paying attention to other players’ hands.
- Calculating the odds of your hand, the blackjack probability of anyone on the table Bursting.
Cards worth 10
In a blackjack game, the most valuable cards you can hold is a Ten or an Ace (11). Beginners can find it challenging to know how many 10s are in a variant, especially if it involves more than one deck.
Note that 16 out of 52 cards are worth 10 in a single deck of blackjack cards.
Hands that are likely to Burst the dealer
A player using the basic strategy on blackjack always assumes that the dealer’s second card will show up as a 10, even though, most times, the card isn’t a 10. Still, you can use the value of the dealer’s ‘Face-Up Card’ value to know if the dealer is likely to bust in the next move.
- The dealer will likely bust if showing a 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6.
- 5 and 6 cards will most likely lead the dealer to a bust.
In this case: Players should not take a significant risk to get closer to 21 and should focus on keeping their hands from busting.
Hands that are likely to give the dealer a good hand
As mentioned above, you can tell if the dealer will win against you just by checking the face-up card.
- If the dealer’s face-up card is 18, 19, 20, or 21, he will likely have a good hand.
- If you have a hand lower than 18 and the dealer has any of the hands above, you can aggressively take another card to try and get a better hand. However, this will risk a bust.
Five basic strategy rules on when to Hit or Stand on Blackjack
- Always hit if your hand is 11 or less. – It is impossible to bust with this card, so the extra card you get after Stand will help you.
- Always stand if your hand is 17 or greater and your dealer’s card is 7 or less. The probability of busting if you Hit with a 17 is exceptionally high.
- Always stand if the dealer’s Face-up card is likely to bust (2, 3, 4, 5, or 6).
- Hit if you have a 12 and the dealer has a 2 or 3 Up card.
- Exception to the basic strategy: You can be more aggressive if holding a soft Ace.
Why You Should Know Basic Strategy
The house edge imposed on your game and how much you can win largely depends on your primary strategy. The rules of the game and the number of decks used will affect volatility, but the right approach will always help you reduce the house edge.
Numerous university studies have proved that statistically, the most successful blackjack players have a systematic approach to the game. For instance, a Monte Carlo paper in 2024 by the Department of Mathematics at Dartmouth University concluded that basic strategy is the most sustainable approach to winning blackjack.
Here is why you should know the basic strategy in blackjack.
You can know how much you’ll win from each bet
House edge is defined as the profit or amount the online casino expects to make and keep from your bet, expressed in percentages. RTP is the percentage of the bet, that you get to keep.
For example, in Lightning Blackjack, the house edge is 0.44%, meaning the RTP is 99.56%.
You are at a 1% or 0.5% disadvantage when you play without a basic strategy.
Strategy to reduce house edge: Remove some ranks of cards. As various cards are being removed from the shoe or the game, the house edge for the dealer will increase or reduce accordingly.
House edge reduces when certain cards are removed
| Type of Card | % Reduced from The House Edge |
|---|---|
| 2 | -0.40% |
| 3 | -0.43% |
| 4 | -0.52% |
| 5 | -0.67% |
| 6 | -0.45% |
| 7 | -0.30% |
| 8 | -0.01% |
| 9 | +0.15% |
| 10 | +0.51% |
| A | +0.59% |
The bottom line is that the house edge drops to about 0.67% when cards with 5 points are removed from the shoe. This is because cards with smaller points are unbeneficial to the dealer but can help you in the long run.
You can use blackjack rules to win more on blackjack
When you have a blackjack strategy, you can manoeuvre the rules of the game, to lower the house edge and increase your chances of winning. Edward O Thorp, author of Beat The Dealer 1962 blackjack book, proves that rule variations like surrender, insurance bet, splitting and doubling down can give the dealer a unique advantage over you.
Casinos will always try their best to beat the player at blackjack. Therefore, players must pay attention to the blackjack rules regarding the house edge.
How various rules increase the house edge
| Rule | % increased on the house edge |
|---|---|
| Dealer hits on a soft 17 instead of standing | +0.21% |
| 8 decks are used on the game | +0.61% |
| Players are not allowed to surrender | +0.08% |
| 6 to 5 payout on a natural instead of the stand 3 to 2 payout | +1.3% |
| The player is not allowed to double down after splitting | +0.14% |
| The player is not allowed to hit split aces | +0.18% |
| The player is not allowed to double when you have a 10 or 11 | +0.18% |
A Blackjack strategy helps beginners make the best decisions
Even if it is your first time playing blackjack online, having a strategy enables you to make decisions orderly. This prevents you from being confused, making rush decisions or doing guesswork.
Memorising a blackjack strategy chart is difficult; sometimes, players need to remember the content. Here are the first things to consider as soon as you join a blackjack table at your favourite online casino,
1. Should I surrender?
If you are playing blackjack at a UK casino site that offers the surrender option, you can only surrender on the first 2 cards. Players who have taken a HIT card will not be able to Surrender. If the game doesn’t allow you to Surrender, or the Surrender rules are too complex, ask yourself…
2. Should I Split?
This option is only allowed if your first two cards are similar or if you have two 10s, e.g., a King and a Jack. If the answer is NO, the next thing to consider is…
3. Should I double?
Some online casino blackjack tables restrict doubling down on sure hands, so always confirm if the game allows it before making the final decision with your hand.
4. Should I Hit or Stand?
If all the 3 options above do not apply, the last and most important decision is whether you should Stand or Hit. This article highlights this under the five basic strategy rules on when to hit or stand on blackjack. It might be helpful to memorise this.
Advanced Blackjack Strategies
Once you have mastered the basic strategy for blackjack, the next step is to incorporate other advanced techniques. According to Pro Players like Lawrence Lavere, who also authored Playing Blackjack As A Business, the perfect blackjack system should prepare you for anything while protecting your bankroll.
Card counting is one of the oldest blackjack strategies. Many movies are based on this strategy. Check out our list of the latest Gambling Movies on Netflix to see lesson-teaching films like 21.
In card counting, your sole goal is to pay special attention to the cards dealt so you can know the cards more likely to follow. However, card counting is primarily effective in land-based casinos, where the deck is played until the shoe is depleted or the game ends. In online casinos, the deck is re-shuffled after every round.
Remember that knowing how to count cards is not enough. You must also have an idea of how many decks have been dealt.
Choosing the suitable blackjack variant to apply your strategy
The perfect blackjack strategy also involves knowing how to pick the suitable blackjack variant for you. With so many blackjack games online, beginners need clarification on what to play and how to use the strategy chart for any special rules in the game.
Games with the rules below are the best to increase your chances of winning.
- Blackjack games played by a single deck – Variants that involve many decks have a higher house edge, which is a disadvantage to you.
- Popular casino games that payout 3:2 on a natural.
- Play variants that allow the dealer to stand on a soft 17.
- If you want to play a new blackjack, choose one that allows Surrender. At least, you’ll be allowed to relinquish a hand, but you will only lose half your bet.
- Blackjack tables with a doubling-down option. This will allow you to take advantage of various hands by doubling the bet and getting an extra card.
You can learn about the most popular variants and their rules, in our detailed blackjack guide.
Bankroll betting systems
The main aim of playing any blackjack game is to win real money, and since the first casino was launched, people have been looking for systems to protect their chips or bankroll.
While no particular system can guarantee you a win, some are better than others. Here are some popular betting systems:
- Martingale System
In blackjack theory, Martingale requires you to double the next bet after a loss. This is a risky strategy, but it has the biggest winning potential. However, this system is best for high rollers who can extend their bankroll for more rounds until they hit a win.
- Paroli System
In this strategy, you choose a fixed base stake and double your bet after a win. However, you must stop increasing the size of your bet after three consecutive wins. Furthermore, if you lose a bet, your next wager should be the same as your base stake.
- Contra D’Alembert
This is an easy-to-follow system for even-money wagers. You set a base stake, increase the bet after winning the game, and decrease the bet after losing.
🛑 Don’t Do These Common Blackjack Mistakes 🛑
If you are trying to be a pro blackjack player, avoiding the common errors below will help you improve your gameplay and maximise your chances of winning.
- Don’t copy or mimic the dealer or other players.
- Guessing your next ore instead of making calculated decisions.
- Accepting and taking the insurance bet.
- Don’t under-estimate the dealer’s probability of busting.
- Avoid playing multiple online blackjack games simultaneously.
- Not using the Surrender option when holding a hard 15 or a hard 16 against the dealer’s 10.
- Avoid playing the game for too long without taking a break.
- Playing blackjack variants with side bets that lower RTP and increase the house edge.
- Don’t misuse the Ace. Only use the Ace as 11 when it is advantageous and 1 when you are close to a Bust.
- Gambling with money you cannot afford to lose because it can cause you to lose concentration and push you to make poor decisions.
Blackjack Strategies for Online vs. Land-Based Casinos
The basic strategy applies to online casino blackjack as well as land-based tables. No matter where you use it, it will help you reduce the house edge by 1% to 2% and help you win more real money in the long run. However, there are some brick-and-mortar approaches, like card counting, that you cannot use in online blackjack.
If you are playing online, you are doing it via a screen from the location of your choice with no direct interaction with other players. However, communication and body-language-studying skills are a must-have at land-based casinos. Learn how to read your opponent’s actions, e.g., humming, fidgeting, smiling, or pouting. Take note and memorise how the dealer behaves right before they win or lose.
References
- Blackjack, a winner’s handbook – Internet Archive
- A Markov Chain Analysis of Blackjack Strategy – Michael B. Wakin and Christopher J. Rozell, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Rice University
- The Optimum Strategy in Blackjack – Journal of the American Statistical Association
- Monte Carlo Comparison of Strategies for Blackjack – Atul Vaidyanathan, Undergraduate Thesis, Department of Mathematics Dartmouth College
- Blackjack and Probability – Chongwu Ruan, Math 190S-Hubert Bray
- The Evolution of Blackjack Strategies – Graham Kendall, Craig Smith, University of Nottingham, School of Computer Science & IT, Jubilee Campus
- The Game of Blackjack and Analysis of Counting Cards – Semantic Scholar