Blackjack Basic Strategy Explained

So, you’re headed to the casino, and you are all fired up to play some blackjack. Whether it is your first time playing blackjack, or maybe you just want to learn how to play better, it’s a good idea to know some basic blackjack strategies before you go.

Whether you want to learn the basic mathematical strategy, the optimal one, or about leveraging side bets, we have everything you need here. Read on to learn more about basic blackjack strategy.

Basic Mathematical Strategy

Often called the most common blackjack strategy, this is a basic list of “rules” to follow as you play, based on mathematical and statistical outcomes. While nothing is guaranteed in gambling, those who follow this strategy to the letter tend to experience predicted mathematical outcomes, which is why it is known as the mathematical strategy. Here is how it works:

·      If your hand is 11 or less, always hit.

·      If your hand is 17 or more, always stand

·      If your hand is 12 to 16, stand if the dealer has a 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6. Hit if the dealer is showing a 7, 8, 9, 10, J, Q, K, or A.

And that is it. Of course, you may still bust with this strategy, and you aren’t guaranteed to win—as blackjack is still a game of chance. However, you should win at the expected win rate of 42%. Give or take a little variance.

Now we know there are already people grumbling about “what if” and “but” and listen, this is the basic mathematical strategy based on statistics. Keep reading if you want to learn a more complicated, optimal strategy.

Optimal Blackjack Strategy

We know that most people play blackjack for fun or to spend time with friends, and in these cases, we recommend looking no further than the basic strategy above. However, if you want to complicate things while also increasing your chances of winning, here is a more optimal strategy for blackjack. (Sometimes called basic optimal strategy, not to be confused with basic strategy).

·      If your hand is 12 or less, always hit.

·      If your hand is 17, always stand (unless the dealer is showing less than a 7)

·      If your hand is 13, hit if the dealer is showing a 2 or 3, otherwise stand

·      If your hand is 14, 15, or 16, hit if the dealer is showing a 7 or higher. Stand if they are showing a 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6.

As you can see, the major changes from the basic strategy have to do with numbers 12 or 13. Generally, it is mathematically not advised to hit with a 12, because of the chances of a face card causing you to bust. However, most professionals do hit a 12 because in multi-deck games, there are far fewer face cards than other options, and generally, you have a good chance of getting a non-face card to bump you closer to your number. So, the way most pros see it, it is in your favor to take that risk and hit on a 12 when you really get into the numbers of poker.

On the other hand, 13 is a really tricky number in both mathematical and optimal. Because now, not only will face cards bust you, but so will a 9. That being said, numbers 1-8 are still 8 cards, and 10 plus the face cards are still only 4 per deck (though remember the A can swing both ways), meaning we still think you have a good chance of winning with a 13, especially if the dealer is showing a 2 or a 3. However, like the adjusted rule on the 12, mathematically this doesn’t always make sense, but for optimal players, most report often hitting on a 13.

Side Bet Strategy

In our opinion, no “basic” strategy includes side bets, as these can be complicated to learn how to use in a method that is beneficial. However, so many pro players swear by their ability to use side bets because it allows them to maximize their winning hands.

That being said, we do not recommend using the side bet strategy until you have mastered either the basic or optimal strategy. The way we see it, this is an add-on strategy to help already seasoned players. But, if you are able to master the above strategies, then we do recommend learning about side bets to maximize your winnings.

Here’s how the side bet strategy works:

·      Choose to implement all of the rules of mathematical or optimal strategy

·      Always split aces and 8s

·      Never split 10s

·      Split 9s when the dealer has a 2-9 (except for 7)

·      Split 7s when the dealer has a 2-7

·      Always double a pair of 5s if the dealer has 2-9; otherwise, hit (don’t split!)

·      Split 4s when the dealer has a 5 or a 6.

·      Split 2s and 3s when the dealer has a 2-7

·      Always stand on a soft 20 (A,9), otherwise hit based on basic rules

·      Always double a soft 19 (A, 8) against a dealer 6

·      Double a soft 18 against a dealer 2-6, hit against a 9-A, stand on dealer 7 and 8.

·      Double soft 17 against dealer 3-6

·      Double soft 15 or 16 against dealer 4-6

·      Double soft 13 or 14 against dealer 5-6

·      16 surrenders against dealer 9-A

·      15 surrenders against dealer 10

Now we know not all casinos offer surrenders, so if yours doesn’t, ignore the last two rules. As you can see, there is a lot to memorize here, which is why we don’t recommend this strategy until you have mastered the others. If you aren’t sure where to start, we recommend memorizing the splitting rules first, then venturing into the doubling rules. If your casino offers surrendering, we recommend saving that for last.

Overall, blackjack can be a deceiving casino game, with more intricacies to it than many casual players realize. However, if you are serious about upping your blackjack game, it never hurts to learn some basic strategies before you head to the casinos!