Blackjack looks simple until the dealer's upcard turns over and you're holding a 14 (or a 12, or a pair of sevens). That's the moment plenty of people reach for a blackjack basic strategy card and check what the usual play is.
This guide covers the rules in brief and what basic blackjack strategy really means. It then walks through our four strategy cards: hard totals, soft totals, pair splitting, and surrender and insurance. We'll finish with when a card is handy and where you can use one.
One thing stays true throughout: every hand is down to chance, and no card changes how what comes after might look.
Blackjack in a Nutshell
The aim is to finish with a hand total closer to 21 than the dealer's, without going over. Go over and you're bust, which means the hand is lost.
Card values are easy enough. Cards 2 to 10 count at face value; Jacks, Queens and Kings count as 10; an Ace counts as either 1 or 11, whichever suits the hand. Each round starts with a stake, then you and the dealer are dealt two cards. One of the dealer's cards is face up. That's the upcard, and it matters a great deal later on.
From there, the choices are:
Hit: take another card.
Stand: keep your total and end your turn.
Double down: double your stake, take exactly one more card, then stand.
Split: if your first two cards match, play them as two separate hands.
Surrender: where the game offers it, give up the hand on your first two cards and get part of your stake back.
You win by finishing closer to 21 than the dealer or if the dealer goes bust. A natural blackjack (an Ace plus a 10-value card) usually pays more than a standard win. If you both finish on the same total, it's a push and your stake is returned. The dealer has no decisions to make and follows fixed rules, so every choice at the table is yours.
One more distinction before we go on. A hard total has no Ace, or an Ace that can only count as 1. A softtotal includes an Ace still counting as 11, so it can't bust with the next card. That difference is why each type gets its own card.
What Basic Blackjack Strategy Really Means
Blackjack strategy, at its simplest, is knowing when to do what. Some of it is refreshingly straightforward: always split Aces, never split 10s. The rest depends on two things: your hand and the dealer's upcard.
Basic strategy is the set of commonly recommended moves for every combination of those two. It comes from working through the maths of the game across a huge number of hands, which is why it's usually shown as a chart. It doesn't predict the next card, and it doesn't remove the house edge. Think of it as a guide to how hands are typically played, not a promise about how they'll end.
It's also about decisions, not stakes. For anyone after a simplified blackjack betting strategy, that's the appeal: one set of moves and no staking system to keep track of. Ideas about how much to stake are a separate topic, and our piece on Popular Blackjack Betting Strategies covers them, with the same caveat that no system changes the outcome of a hand.
Meet the Four Cards
Our blackjack basic strategy cards share one layout. Your hand runs down the left side and the dealer's upcard runs across the top. Find your row and the upcard column, follow them to where they meet, and that square shows a letter. A key at the bottom of each card tells you what the letter means.
Card 1: Hard Totals
This card covers hands with no Ace, or with an Ace counting as 1. The rows cover hard totals of 17 down to 8, and the columns cover dealer upcards of 2 through Ace. The squares use three letters:
S for stand
H for hit
D for double if allowed, otherwise hit
The pattern is easy to spot once you see it. A hard 17 or more stands against everything. A hard 13 to 16 stands when the dealer shows a 2 to 6 and hits when the dealer shows a 7 or higher. A hard 11 doubles against every upcard, and a hard 8 hits against every upcard.
Example: you're dealt a 6 and a 4 for a hard 10, and the dealer shows a 5. Row 10, column 5 says D, so you double if the game allows it and hit if it doesn't. Had the dealer shown a 10, the same row would say H. If the doubling side of things is new to you, our Double Down in Blackjack: When & Why to Do It guide goes into more detail.
Card 2: Soft Totals
This one is for hands with an Ace counting as 11, covering A, 2 through A, 9. It uses S, H and D, plus Ds, which means double if allowed, otherwise stand.
It holds the odd-looking moves, which make it the card most people double-check. A soft 18 (A, 7) doubles against a dealer 2 to 6 and stands against a 7 or 8. Against a 9, 10 or Ace, it says hit. That one looks odd until you remember a soft hand can't bust on the next card.
Example: you hold A, 7 and the dealer shows a 4. Row A, 7, column 4 says Ds. Double if the table allows it, and stand if it doesn't.
Card 3: Pair Splitting
This card is for matching pairs, covering A, A through 2, 2. The letters here are Y for split the pair, N for don't split and Y/N for split only if double after split (DAS) is offered. DAS simply means you're allowed to double on a hand once you've split. Check the game rules to see if it applies.
The two rows to remember are A, A and T, T. Aces say Y against everything, and 10s (T, T) say N against everything. A pair of 8s also splits against every upcard. When a square says N, play the pair as a normal hard total, so your 9, 9 against a dealer 7 is treated as an 18, which stands.
Example: you're dealt 8, 8 and the dealer shows a 10. The card says Y, so you split. Our When to Split Pairs in Blackjack piece explains the reasoning behind the pairs in more depth.
Card 4: Surrender and Insurance
The last card is the smallest. Only a few hands are surrender hands, shown as SUR. A 16 surrenders against a dealer 9, 10 or Ace, and a 15 surrenders against a 10. A 14 doesn't surrender against anything. Surrender is only available on your first two cards and only where the game offers it.
The card also carries a clear message about insurance and even money, which are side options sometimes offered when the dealer shows an Ace. The recommendation is not to take either.
Example: you have a hard 16 and the dealer shows a 10. If surrender is available, the card says SUR. If it isn't, go back to the hard totals card, where the answer is H.
Why a Player Might Reach for a Chart
Blackjack moves quickly, and there are a lot of combinations. A card gives you a quick reference for the usual play, so you aren't relying on memory or a hunch in the moment.
A few other reasons are worth knowing:
It makes the logic of the game visible. Once you see why a dealer 6 is treated differently from a dealer 10, the odd moves start to make sense.
It keeps your decisions consistent from one hand to the next.
It's a handy way to learn the rules by reading them in context.
A chart is guidance only. Table rules vary, including the number of decks in play, how the dealer treats a soft 17, if DAS is offered and if surrender is on the table. Check the rules of the game you're playing, because the squares can shift slightly. And remember, even a perfectly followed chart can't guarantee a result.
Can I Use a Basic Blackjack Strategy at the Table?
It depends on where the table is. At an online blackjack game, nothing stops you keeping a card open next to the game. At a land-based casino, the house rules decide, and some venues are happy for you to have one while others aren't, so ask before you sit down.
A strategy card is a reference for the usual play and nothing more. It's a different thing from tracking cards, which is a separate topic with its own caveats. If you're curious how that applies online, Can You Count Cards in Online Blackjack? has the answer.
A Few Things to Keep in Mind
Every hand is independent. What happened last round says nothing about the next one.
Set your financial limits first. Decide what suits you before the first hand, and stick with it.
Take breaks. Step away whenever you like. There's no obligation to keep going.
Stay in proportion. Blackjack costs money to play and isn't a way to make it.
For a wider look at the game, our Tips for Winning Online Blackjack article is worth a read, though no tip can change the result of a hand.
Blackjack Strategy Card FAQs
What is the basic strategy for blackjack?
It's a set of commonly recommended moves for each combination of your hand and the dealer's upcard, usually shown as a chart. It covers when to hit, stand, double, split and surrender. It doesn't predict cards or guarantee a result.
Can I use a basic blackjack strategy card at the table?
Online, you can usually keep one open beside the game. In a land-based casino it depends on the house rules, so it's worth asking first.
Do these cards guarantee a win?
No. Every hand is random, and the house edge stays in place whichever moves you make. The cards are strategy guidance only.
What do D and Ds mean on the cards?
D means double if allowed, otherwise hit. Ds means double if allowed, otherwise stand. Both appear on the soft totals card, while the hard totals card uses D alone.
Got the cards? Now pick a table. Virgin Games has classic online blackjack tables and live dealer games in one place. Set your budget first, then sign up when you're ready.
All offers mentioned correct at the time of writing but may be subject to change.
