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Blackjack basic strategy

Set the table rules, then look up any hand, read the full chart or drill yourself until the right play is automatic.

Table rules

Dealer on soft 17
Late surrender

For games dealt from 4 to 8 decks where you can double after splitting. The rule card on the table, or the felt, says whether the dealer hits soft 17. Ask the dealer about surrender.

What should I do?

Hard 16 against a dealer 10

Hit

How to read the chart

Find your hand down the left and the dealer's face up card across the top. Check pairs first, then soft hands (any hand with an ace counted as 11), then hard totals. Where the chart says double but you already have three or more cards, or the table doesn't let you double that hand, take the fallback: hit on D, stand on Ds.

The chart assumes 4 to 8 decks, that you can double after splitting, and that the dealer checks for blackjack before you act. Ask if you're not sure how a table is dealt. Where doubling after a split isn't allowed, split 2s and 3s only against 4 to 7, don't split 4s at all, and split 6s only against 3 to 6.

Rules that cost you money

Read the felt before you sit down. A dealer who hits soft 17 adds about 0.22 points to the house edge (Wizard of Odds). A 6 to 5 payout on blackjack instead of 3 to 2 is much worse: about 1.36 points more for 6 decks. At $25 a hand and 70 hands an hour that is roughly $23.80 extra an hour on average, just from that one rule. The trip cost calculator shows what a whole session costs.

Card room blackjack is a different game

California card rooms can't deal house banked blackjack, so they run their own versions under state approval, with changes such as cards added or removed, different target totals, or a bust that pushes instead of losing. This chart doesn't fit those games. The state's newer rules for them took effect in April 2026 but were put on hold by a court in July 2026 and are under appeal, so the games on offer may change. See the Bureau of Gambling Control's regulations page.

Where to play

House banked blackjack is dealt at tribal casinos around Southern California and at the Las Vegas casinos in this guide. Rules vary from casino to casino and table to table, so check the sign for the minimum bet, the soft 17 rule and the blackjack payout. Want to know where you can play at 18? See 18 and over casinos.

Common questions

Should you hit or stand on 16 against a dealer 10?

Hit, unless the table offers surrender, in which case surrender. Both are losing hands, but over the long run standing costs slightly more than hitting.

When should you split 8s?

Always, against every dealer card. The one exception is a dealer ace at a table where the dealer hits soft 17 and late surrender is offered: there, surrender. Sixteen is the worst total in the game, and two hands starting at 8 do better.

Should you double down on 11 against an ace?

Yes when the dealer hits soft 17. When the dealer stands on soft 17, just hit. Against every other dealer card, double on 11.

Does basic strategy beat the house?

No. It gives the lowest house edge the game allows, about 0.4% where the dealer stands on soft 17 and 0.62% where the dealer hits it, for a 6 deck game paying 3 to 2 (Wizard of Odds). You still lose a little over time, but far less than by guessing.

What is the difference between hard and soft hands?

A soft hand has an ace counted as 11, like A,6 for soft 17. It can't bust on the next card because the ace can drop to 1, which is why you double and hit soft hands more aggressively.

Can I use a strategy chart at the casino?

Many casinos allow a small strategy card at the table as long as it doesn't slow the game. If you're unsure, ask the dealer before you sit down.

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