Free basic strategy reference

Blackjack Strategy Chart: Every Basic Strategy Move

Use the chart by choosing hard totals, soft totals, or pairs; finding the player row; and moving across to the dealer upcard. The tables below use a common multi-deck S17 game with double after split and no surrender.

By
View the full chartOpen interactive chart

Hard total

vs
HHit

Hard 16 is too weak to keep against a dealer 10 under this baseline.

Soft total

vs
HHit

The flexible ace lets soft 18 improve without the same immediate bust risk.

Pair

vs
SpSplit

Splitting creates two improvement paths instead of keeping hard 16.

On this page

S17 baseline chart

Free blackjack basic strategy chart

Find the player hand in the left column and the dealer's visible card across the top. Dealer 4, 5, and 6 form the common weakness zone. Dealer 10 and ace create the most pressure.

HHitSStandDDoubleSpSplit

On smaller screens, scroll each table horizontally. On wider screens, the player-hand column stays visible while you compare dealer upcards.

Hard totals

Hard totals basic strategy chart for dealer stands on soft 17
Player2345678910A
8 or lessHHitHHitHHitHHitHHitHHitHHitHHitHHitHHit
9HHitDDoubleDDoubleDDoubleDDoubleHHitHHitHHitHHitHHit
10DDoubleDDoubleDDoubleDDoubleDDoubleDDoubleDDoubleDDoubleHHitHHit
11DDoubleDDoubleDDoubleDDoubleDDoubleDDoubleDDoubleDDoubleDDoubleHHit
12HHitHHitSStandSStandSStandHHitHHitHHitHHitHHit
13SStandSStandSStandSStandSStandHHitHHitHHitHHitHHit
14SStandSStandSStandSStandSStandHHitHHitHHitHHitHHit
15SStandSStandSStandSStandSStandHHitHHitHHitHHitHHit
16SStandSStandSStandSStandSStandHHitHHitHHitHHitHHit
17 or moreSStandSStandSStandSStandSStandSStandSStandSStandSStandSStand

Soft totals

Soft totals basic strategy chart for dealer stands on soft 17
Player2345678910A
A,2/A,3HHitHHitHHitDDoubleDDoubleHHitHHitHHitHHitHHit
A,4/A,5HHitHHitDDoubleDDoubleDDoubleHHitHHitHHitHHitHHit
A,6HHitDDoubleDDoubleDDoubleDDoubleHHitHHitHHitHHitHHit
A,7SStandDDoubleDDoubleDDoubleDDoubleSStandSStandHHitHHitHHit
A,8SStandSStandSStandSStandSStandSStandSStandSStandSStandSStand
A,9SStandSStandSStandSStandSStandSStandSStandSStandSStandSStand

Pairs

Pairs basic strategy chart for dealer stands on soft 17
Player2345678910A
2,2SpSplitSpSplitSpSplitSpSplitSpSplitSpSplitHHitHHitHHitHHit
3,3SpSplitSpSplitSpSplitSpSplitSpSplitSpSplitHHitHHitHHitHHit
4,4HHitHHitHHitSpSplitSpSplitHHitHHitHHitHHitHHit
5,5DDoubleDDoubleDDoubleDDoubleDDoubleDDoubleDDoubleDDoubleHHitHHit
6,6SpSplitSpSplitSpSplitSpSplitSpSplitHHitHHitHHitHHitHHit
7,7SpSplitSpSplitSpSplitSpSplitSpSplitSpSplitHHitHHitHHitHHit
8,8SpSplitSpSplitSpSplitSpSplitSpSplitSpSplitSpSplitSpSplitSpSplitSpSplit
9,9SpSplitSpSplitSpSplitSpSplitSpSplitSStandSpSplitSpSplitSStandSStand
10,10SStandSStandSStandSStandSStandSStandSStandSStandSStandSStand
A,ASpSplitSpSplitSpSplitSpSplitSpSplitSpSplitSpSplitSpSplitSpSplitSpSplit
Click cells in the interactive chartPractice without the chart

Three-step lookup

How to read the blackjack chart

  1. 1

    Choose the hand type

    Start in hard totals, soft totals, or pairs. Hands with the same total can require different actions.

  2. 2

    Find the player row

    Locate the player's total or pair in the first column of the correct table.

  3. 3

    Move to the dealer upcard

    Read across to the dealer's visible card and use the action shown at the intersection.

Read pairs before totals. A pair of 8s totals 16, but its pair row calls for a split where the hard-16 row may call for a hit or stand.

Learn every pair with the blackjack split chart

Rule profile

Three decisions change when the dealer hits soft 17

Most cells stay the same when switching between S17 and H17 in the Blackjack Blueprint multi-deck profile. These are the three exceptions shown by the interactive chart.

Hard 11 vs ace

S17: Hit

H17: Double

Soft 18 (A,7) vs 2

S17: Stand

H17: Double

Soft 19 (A,8) vs 6

S17: Stand

H17: Double

Learn how table rules change strategy

Clear answers

Blackjack strategy chart questions

What is a blackjack strategy chart?

A blackjack strategy chart matches the player's hand with the dealer upcard and shows the strongest available basic-strategy action for the stated table rules.

What do H, S, D, and Sp mean?

H means hit, S means stand, D means double, and Sp means split. Blackjack Blueprint spells out the fallback inside the interactive chart when an action is unavailable.

Does one blackjack chart work for every table?

No. Deck count, S17 or H17, double-after-split rules, surrender, and other table settings can change close decisions. This page uses a common multi-deck S17 baseline with double after split and no surrender.

Should beginners memorize the whole chart?

Start with the large patterns for hard totals, soft totals, and pairs. Then use active-recall drills for the exceptions and decisions you miss most often.

Is basic strategy the same as card counting?

No. Basic strategy uses the player hand, dealer upcard, and table rules. Card counting tracks exposed cards in the current shoe and is a separate advanced skill.

Next step

Turn chart lookup into recall

Answer randomized decisions without seeing the chart, then review the explanation for every miss.

Start free trainer