Basic Strategy

Basic strategy is a set of mathematically derived rules telling you the optimal decision (hit, stand, double, split, or surrender) for every possible combination of your hand and the dealer's upcard. Following basic strategy perfectly reduces the blackjack house edge to approximately 0.5%. Basic strategy charts are freely available and legal to use at online casinos. Key rules include: always split aces and 8s, never split 10s, double on 11 against a dealer 2-10, stand on hard 17+, and always hit hard 12-16 against dealer 7+. South African players should use charts specific to the blackjack variant being played.