Basic Strategy (1 to 8 decks) for common rules variations
Instructions
1. Find hand total or 2 card composition along with condition if applicable in left most column
Considered rules permit doubling on any 2 cards. Doubling on any number of cards (DAN) is not permitted
2. Find corresponding up card along with S17/H17 (^/*) condition if applicable in the columns to the right
3. Strategies are displayed in order of precedence. If the left-most strategy is permitted then that is
the strategy. If not move right until one that is permitted is encountered and that is the strategy.
4. The most common strategy options are listed on the line with hand total / hand comp. If there is an
additional line that means strategy options may be affected by number of decks. This table reflects the
range of 1 to 8 decks. If number of decks is applicable to up card determine strategy from the additonal
line. The value of number of decks to consider is on the additional line.
5. Meaning of the input is in legend at bottom.
Hard hands 2 3 4 5 6^ 6* 7 8 9 T A^ A*
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
17 s s s s s s s s s rs rs rRs
16 s s s s s s h h rh rRh rRh rRh
h<2
15 s s s s s s h h h rRh rh rRh
rh<3
14 s s s s s s h h h rh rh rh
h<2
13 s s s s s s h h h h rh rh
12 h h s s s s h h h h rh rh
11 ENHC dh dh dh dh dh dh dh dh dh h h h
11 OBO dh dh dh dh dh dh dh dh dh dh h d
dh<2
10 dh dh dh dh dh dh dh dh dh h h h
9 h dh dh dh dh dh h h h h h h
dh<2
8 h h h h h h h h h h h h
7 h h h h h h h h h h h h
6 h h h h h h h h h h h h
5 h h h h h h h h h h h h
Soft hands 2 3 4 5 6^ 6* 7 8 9 T A^ A*
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
A-T s s s s s s s s s s s s
A-9 s s s s s s s s s s s s
A-8 s s s s s ds s s s s s s
ds<2
A-7 s ds ds ds ds ds s s h h h h
ds>=2* s<2
A-6 h dh dh dh dh dh h h h h h h
dh<2
A-5 h h dh dh dh dh h h h h h h
A-4 h h dh dh dh dh h h h h h h
A-3 h h h dh dh dh h h h h h h
dh<2
dh<3*
A-2 h h h dh dh dh h h h h h h
dh<2
Pair hands 2 3 4 5 6^ 6* 7 8 9 T A^ A*
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
T-T s s s s s s s s s s s s
9-9 ps ps ps ps ps ps s ps ps s s s
8-8 ENHC ps ps ps ps ps ps ph ph ph rRh rRh rRh
rh<2
8-8 NDAS ps ps ps ps ps ps ph ph ph rph rph rRph
OBO rph<2
8-8 DAS ps ps ps ps ps ps ph ph ph rph rph rRph
OBO rph<3
7-7 NDAS ps ps ps ps ps ps ph h h rh rh rh
rRs<2 rRh<2
7-7 DAS ps ps ps ps ps ps ph h h rh rh rh
ph<3 rRs<2 rRh<2
6-6 NDAS h ph ps ps ps ps h h h h rh rh
ph<3 ps<2
6-6 DAS ph ph ps ps ps ps ph h h h rh rh
ps<2
5-5 dh dh dh dh dh dh dh dh dh h h h
4-4 NDAS h h h h h h h h h h h h
dh<2 dh<2 dh<2
4-4 DAS h h h ph ph ph h h h h h h
ph<2 pdh<2 pdh<2 pdh<2
3-3 NDAS h h ph ph ph ph ph h h h rh rh
3-3 DAS ph ph ph ph ph ph ph h h h rh rh
ph<2
2-2 NDAS h h ph ph ph ph ph h h h h rh
ph<2 rh<2
2-2 DAS ph ph ph ph ph ph ph h h h h rh
rh<2
A-A OBO ph ph ph ph pdh pdh ph ph ph ph ph ph
pdh<3
A-A ENHC ph ph ph ph pdh pdh ph ph ph ph h h
(no hsa) pdh<3
A-A ENHC ph ph ph ph pdh pdh ph ph ph ph ph ph
(hsa) pdh<3
***** Legend *****
general:
r early surrender | R late surrender | p split | d double | h hit | s stand
^ only if dealer stands on soft 17 | * only if dealer hits soft 17
< only if less than (number of decks) | >= only if greater than or equal to (number of decks)
ENHC European No Hole Card (no peek) | OBO original bets only (full peek) | no designation ENHC/OBO doesn't matter
splitting:
NDAS no doubling after split | DAS doubling after split permitted | no designation NDAS/DAS doesn't matter
no hsa - hitting split aces not permitted | hsa - hitting split aces permitted
ENHC European No Hole Card (no peek) - player loses all additional money wagered due to splits and doubles to
dealer blackjack. Either dealer does not initially receive a hole card or if one is dealt it is not immediately
checked for blackjack if up card is ace or ten. Players are then allowed to play their hands. If it turns out
that dealer has blackjack the original bet is lost as well as any extra wagers on splits and doubles. If
player has blackjack it is a push.
OBO original bets only (full peek) - If dealer up card is ace or ten dealer normally immediately checks for blackjack.
Player non-blackjack loses only original bet to dealer blackjack and it is immediately taken; player blackjack pushes.
OBO can also be dealt the same as ENHC. However in the case of dealer blackjack all additional wagers due to splits
and doubles are "rebated," and only the original wager is lost if OBO.