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Blackjack Basic Strategy Chart: How to Read It & Use It

Updated July 2026 · 5 min read

Basic strategy is the mathematically optimal play for every blackjack hand, computed across billions of simulated deals. Played perfectly, it cuts the house edge to roughly 0.5% or less — the best odds of any table game. Played by feel, blackjack quietly costs you 2–4× more.

How to read a strategy chart

Every chart is a grid: your hand down the side, the dealer's upcard across the top. Find the intersection, make that play:

Charts come in three sections — hard totals (no ace, or ace counted as 1), soft totals (ace counted as 11), and pairs. The rules you'll actually use most:

• Always split aces and 8s. Never split 10s or 5s.
• Double 11 against everything (except vs. ace in some rule sets), double 10 vs. dealer 2–9.
• Stand on hard 12–16 against dealer 2–6 (dealer bust range); hit them against 7–A.
• Hit soft 17 (A-6) — never stand. Double it vs. 3–6 if you can.
• Surrender hard 16 vs. 9, 10, A and 15 vs. 10 where surrender is offered.

Why the "correct" chart depends on the table

There is no single universal chart. The right play shifts with the rules in front of you:

• Number of decks — single vs. 4+ decks changes several doubles and splits
• Dealer hits or stands on soft 17 (H17 vs. S17)
• Double after split allowed? (DAS changes pair strategy significantly)
• Surrender offered? Dealer peeks for blackjack?

A laminated card printed for one rule set is subtly wrong at the next casino. That's the problem an adaptive chart solves.

A strategy chart in your pocket — that matches your table

CasinoIQ ships a full basic strategy chart built in:

1. Set the table's rules — decks, soft 17, double after split, surrender, dealer peek — and the chart recalculates for those exact conditions.
2. Check it discreetly between shoes. Strategy cards are legal to use in casinos; a phone is easier than fumbling a laminate. (Be cool about it at the table.)
3. Log the session after you play — buy-in, cash-out, casino — and watch your blackjack ROI over time on the Stats screen. Strategy tells you the right play; tracking tells you if it's working.