Blackjack Chart

Basic strategy is the mathematically best way to play each blackjack hand given your cards and the dealer’s up-card. These printable charts cover multi-deck games where the dealer stands on soft 17 and doubling after splits is allowed, with separate tables for hard totals, soft totals and pairs — plus flashcards to learn them and a reminder that no strategy removes the house edge.

How to read the chart

1. Find your hand: a hard total (no ace, or an ace counting as 1), a soft total (an ace counting as 11) or a pair.
2. Find the dealer’s up-card across the top: 2 to 10, then A.
3. Follow the code: H = hit, S = stand, D = double down (if not allowed, hit), Ds = double if allowed, otherwise stand, P = split.
4. Check pairs first, then soft hands, then hard totals.

Hard totals

Soft totals

Pairs

These charts assume 4 to 8 decks, the dealer stands on soft 17, doubling after splitting is allowed and there is no surrender. Where late surrender is offered, the usual advice is to surrender hard 16 against a dealer 9, 10 or ace, and hard 15 against a 10. Rule changes — such as the dealer hitting soft 17 or a single deck — change a few plays.

Key plays to remember

• Always split aces and eights.
• Never split tens or fives — double 5,5 like a hard 10.
• Double 11 against every dealer card except an ace.
• Stand on 12 against a dealer 4, 5 or 6; hit it against 2 and 3.
• Hit soft 17 (A,6) or less unless doubling.
• Don’t take insurance — it is a side bet with a house edge.

What basic strategy can and can’t do

Played perfectly under common rules, basic strategy reduces the casino’s advantage to roughly half a percent — far better than playing by hunch — but the house still has the edge over time. It cannot guarantee winning sessions, and betting systems that change stake sizes after wins or losses don’t change the odds. Treat blackjack as paid entertainment: set a budget in advance, never chase losses, and take breaks.

Responsible gambling

Gambling is only for adults of legal age where you live. If gambling stops being fun, is affecting your money, work or relationships, or you feel you can’t stop, help is available — for example through national gambling helplines and support organisations in your country. Many casinos and apps offer deposit limits and self-exclusion tools.

What’s in the pack

• Colour-coded basic strategy chart (one page) for multi-deck S17 games.
• Separate hard, soft and pair charts for learning.
• Rules summary and glossary.
• Practice flashcards: hand vs dealer card on the front, the play on the back.
• Session log with budget and time limit fields.