Basic Strategy

Unlike other casino games like roulette and slots, blackjack is a game that combines luck and skill in that you can play to a flawed strategy, a perfect strategy or somewhere in between (which is where most people sit).

The best strategy is the mathmatically most advantageous way to play each hand which will give you the highest odds of winning it. Blackjack is complex enough that many player's make mistakes, and that's where the casino makes the bulk of its profit. But there is no need to play this way! Never "wing" it, play to a perfect strategy. Ths rule of thumb becomes even more applicable when we are talking about online blackjack, as you can have as many cheat cards as you like if you are playing on your home pc in your pyjamas.

The perfect strategy to play will depend on how many decks are being played with, and other factors such as whether the dealer stands on soft 17, whether you can double down after splitting etc etc. It can get quite complicated, so what we have done here is set out 7 hard and fast rules to play by. This won't give you perfection, but you won't need to memorise 270 different playing options either: the simple basic strategy for blackjack.

1. Blackjack BASIC STRATEGY. Blackjack strategy for dummies.
2. Stop at 12 if the dealer has  a 6 or less
3. Hit until you get to 17 or you go bust if the dealer has 7 or higher
4. Hit with A/6 or less and stand with A/7 or higher
5. Double Down with 10 or 11 when your total is higher than the dealer's up card
6. Always split 2 Aces or 2 Eights, come rain or shine.
7. Split 7s if the dealer has a 7 or less
8. NEVER take insurance or EVEN MONEY.

That's it! 7 easy blackjack strategy rules which will see you quite a way towards a perfect strategy. You will need to delve deeper to get a truly perfect strategy, but if you want some hard and fast rules, there you have them.

If you play blackjack to a perfect strategy you should be able to get the house edge down to around 0.5%. In a one deck game, someone playing a perfect strategy will hardly be playing against a house edge at all