Blackjack basic strategy chart

How to read the chart

Each row is your hand, each column the dealer's upcard (2 to Ace). The cell where they meet gives the play: H = Hit, D = Double, S = Stand, P = Split. Always check first whether you hold a pair, then a soft hand (an Ace counted as 11), and otherwise use the hard-hand table.

Rules assumed

This chart is computed for the most common conditions online and at live tables:

• 8 standard 52-card decks (6 decks gives virtually the same decisions);
• the dealer hits to 16 and stands on all 17s;
• doubling allowed on any two cards, including after a split;
• no surrender.

If your table uses different rules (dealer hits soft 17, surrender allowed, blackjack paying 6:5…), a few cells change. See our article on rules and the house edge.

What if you can't double?

You can only double on your first two cards. If the chart says "Double" but you already hold three or more cards, hit. The one exception: with A-7 (soft 18), if doubling is no longer allowed, stand. Hitwise applies this correction automatically when you add a card.

Do you need to memorise it?

Regular players end up knowing it, but you don't need to in order to play well. Start with the decisions that come up most (12 to 16 against the dealer, when to double, when to split), and let a tool read the rest of the chart for you.

Frequently asked questions