Blackjack:
Lesson 2 - Advanced Blackjack: The Secrets of Success
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Basic Strategy
Basic strategy explains
the safest way to play out your blackjack hand in order to increase
your odds of being a winner.
In order to determine
which basic strategy chart applies to the blackjack table at Men's
Vegas, these house rules are important:
-
The
dealer must draw cards until his hand totals at least 17, and
must stand at 17 or higher.
-
The
single deck is shuffled after each round. (In traditional casinos,
players can better their chances of winning by learning how to
count cards in an effort to predict the cards still left in the
deck. However, since the deck is shuffled after each round at
Men's Vegas, card counting is not possible).
-
Players
are allowed to double after splitting, but are not allowed to
re-split a split hand.
Blackjack Basic
Strategy Chart
In the following chart,
look for the value of your hand in the left-hand column. Then look
for the value of dealer's upcard in the top row (A = Ace, 10 = 10
or Picture Card). The chart will tell you which option is statistically
favorable:
S = Stand
H = Hit
D = Double Down
SP = SPlit
The
Dealer's Upcard
| Your
Hand |
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
9
|
10
|
A
|
| 17
|
S |
S |
S |
S |
S |
S |
S |
S |
S |
S |
| 16
|
S |
S |
S |
S |
S |
H |
H |
H |
H |
H |
| 15
|
S |
S |
S |
S |
S |
H |
H |
H |
H |
H |
| 14
|
S |
S |
S |
S |
S |
H |
H |
H |
H |
H |
| 13
|
S |
S |
S |
S |
S |
H |
H |
H |
H |
H |
| 12
|
H |
H |
S |
S |
S |
H |
H |
H |
H |
H |
| 11
|
D |
D |
D |
D |
D |
D |
D |
D |
D |
D |
| 10
|
D |
D |
D |
D |
D |
D |
D |
D |
D |
H |
| 9
|
D |
D |
D |
D |
D |
H |
H |
H |
H |
H |
5+3
6+2 |
H |
H |
H |
D |
D |
H |
H |
H |
H |
H |
| A+8
|
S |
S |
S |
S |
D |
S |
S |
S |
S |
S |
| A+7
|
S |
D |
D |
D |
D |
S |
S |
H |
H |
H |
| A+6
|
D |
D |
D |
D |
D |
H |
H |
H |
H |
H |
| A+5
|
H |
H |
D |
D |
D |
H |
H |
H |
H |
H |
| A+4
|
H |
H |
D |
D |
D |
H |
H |
H |
H |
H |
| A+3
|
H |
H |
D |
D |
D |
H |
H |
H |
H |
H |
| A+2
|
H |
H |
D |
D |
D |
H |
H |
H |
H |
H |
| A+A
|
SP |
SP |
SP |
SP |
SP |
SP |
SP |
SP |
SP |
SP |
| 9+9
|
SP |
SP |
SP |
SP |
SP |
S |
SP |
SP |
S |
S |
| 8+8
|
SP |
SP |
SP |
SP |
SP |
SP |
SP |
SP |
SP |
SP |
| 7+7
|
SP |
SP |
SP |
SP |
SP |
SP |
SP |
H |
S |
S |
| 6+6
|
SP |
SP |
SP |
SP |
SP |
SP |
H |
H |
H |
H |
| 5+5
|
D |
D |
D |
D |
D |
D |
D |
D |
H |
H |
| 4+4
|
H |
H |
SP |
SP |
SP |
H |
H |
H |
H |
H |
| 3+3
|
SP |
SP |
SP |
SP |
SP |
SP |
H |
H |
H |
H |
| 2+2
|
SP |
SP |
SP |
SP |
SP |
SP |
H |
H |
H |
H |
Here are some strategies. No matter
what the dealer's upcard is:
-
Always
split a pair of aces.
-
Always
split a pair of 8s.
-
Always
stand on 17 and up.
-
Always
double on 11.
