Blackjack basic strategy: everything you need to know

Blackjack is undoubtedly one of the most iconic casino games in the world. However, despite it appearing quite simple, there are many blackjack strategies for players to learn!

As a basic blackjack strategy, players choose to ‘hit’ on low-value hands and ‘stand’ on high-value hands. But what does this mean in practice, and how might other strategies change how you play the game?

In blackjack, you aim to get as close to a total of ‘21’ in your card hand as possible, turning cards as you play. If you go over that number, you go ‘bust’ – and if the dealer gets closer to the mark, you lose. Learning when to ‘hit’ and ‘stand’ for the best is vital!

Before you get into playing online blackjack for real, read our quick blackjack guide below to discover the basic strategies and plays you’ll want to remember.

Best blackjack strategy for ‘soft’ hands

The ‘hand’ of cards you receive from a dealer when playing blackjack is either ‘hard’ or ‘soft’, and it’s an ace card that makes the difference. In basic blackjack, an ace of any suit can represent either one or 11 in value.

For example, drawing an ace and a seven in your hand is ‘soft’. That’s because it’s worth eight or 17, depending on how you play it.

The basic blackjack strategy for a soft hand is to hit or draw another card – up to soft 17. At soft 18 (an ace and an eight), players may hit or stand depending on what’s in the dealer’s hand. For example, if the dealer has a seven or eight, some players choose to stand to avoid the bust risk.

If you draw a soft 19 or a soft 20 (ace and nine or ace and 10, respectively), it’s time to stand, as you’re close to 21.

Best blackjack strategy for ‘hard’ hands

Regardless of the blackjack game you play, ‘hard’ hands, which don’t include aces, are much less flexible. For example, you draw a hard 17 if you have an eight and a nine in your hand.

Given the extra rigidity of these hands, players often find it safest to stand once they reach a total of 17. Anything before that, and you may wish to hit (particularly if you’re closer to 10-12 on your third card).

Players sometimes recommend ‘doubling down’ on hard hands when you’ve drawn one or two cards. Let’s look at what this means as part of the basic blackjack strategy.

Doubling down in blackjack strategies

Doubling down in classic blackjack means that you double the size of your bet before hitting. It’s a move that shows you’re confident in your hand.

As such, many players choose to double down when they have particularly low hands moving into the third card drawn. For example, some strategists recommend prioritising a double-down bet when you reach a total of 11 or when you have a soft hand of low value.

However, strategists also claim that it’s worthwhile doubling down on hard hands, but no higher than a hard 10. Any higher than these totals, and you risk doubling your bet only to breach 21 and lose it all.

It’s always worth remembering that doubling down doesn’t guarantee wins. It simply ups the stakes. Therefore, take the time to think carefully about your hand, and don’t double down for the sake of it!

Splitting hands in blackjack strategies

Some blackjack tables allow you to ‘split’ your hand if you draw two cards of the same value – for example, a three of hearts and a three of clubs. This means that you can play two games at once – if you wish.

Splitting is unique to the player, meaning that a dealer drawing pairs can’t follow the same rules. However, it’s a move that doesn’t always work in your favour, so split carefully.

A good strategy to keep in mind is to keep your eyes peeled for picture cards (or 10 values). These are your kings, queens and jacks. You don’t need two of the same picture card to split – for example, if you draw a jack and a king, you can split. The same applies if you add a 10 card into the mix – it’s the same value.

Strategists agree that splitting on a pair of nines is a strong move, provided that the dealer doesn’t have a seven card showing (and thus a chance of hitting 17).

Splitting aces is also seen as a safe manoeuvre. If you draw two eights, sevens, threes or twos, you might also wish to split (provided that the dealer has a card lower than seven showing). You should ideally hit on fours, fives and sixes if you’re unsure about the dealer’s chances.

Other basic strategy blackjack practices

Knowing your softs, hards, double downs and splits only makes up a small portion of what you need to know about blackjack strategy. Let’s consider a few other ‘common moves’ that players use to make the most of the game.

It’s worth remembering that not all blackjack games will allow doubling down. If that’s the case in the game you choose to play, make sure to hit at a point you would double the bet. Remember, you’ll need to stop hitting at around soft 18.

Insurance is an element of this game that draws controversy. Insurance is a side bet that you’ll encounter if the dealer turns up an ace as part of their hand. In most cases, experts advise not to take insurance if this happens.

Some players seek insurance as it pays out twice if the dealer draws a blackjack. However, the odds are fairly slim – meaning that this is a maverick bet that even experienced players sometimes avoid.

Many players also consult a blackjack strategy card to decide when to hit, stand, double down, split or otherwise. These cards are quite complex – you may see a few online – but believe it or not, seasoned players memorise the grids and colour coding so that they don’t have to keep referring back!

Finally, consider the option to ‘surrender’ in blackjack if you have the option. If you feel that you can’t beat the dealer early on, surrendering lets you pay half your bet after you draw your first two cards. It’s not always wise, as you simply won’t know how the game will transpire – but some players advise surrendering on a 16 if the dealer draws a nine upcard, for example.

Do remember that there are lots of different twists on the game – multihand blackjack, for example, carries its own specific rules!

What’s a good blackjack strategy when dealers hit on 17?

In a ‘hard 17’ game, the blackjack dealer must hit if they draw a soft 17. This can potentially change the way that you play. However, this rule typically applies to American-style blackjack (it’s not so common in the UK).

If you come across a blackjack game where dealers must hit on a soft 17, it’s worth playing things a little conservatively. While they won’t be able to hit on a hard 17, soft 17s get them fairly close to the mark – which means that you’ll need to consider whether to double down or surrender.

Unfortunately, there’s no guaranteed way to ‘outplay’ a dealer who chooses to hit on a soft 17. Many experts recommend trying to avoid tables offering the rule outright! It’s a clear reason to carefully pick between different blackjack games before you head to any one table.

A quick blackjack guide on when to hit

Knowing exactly when to hit isn’t easy. It all depends on the total you have in your hand and the upcard that the dealer’s showing. It’s all about mathematics and probability, and it applies to virtual blackjack as well as live and physical games!

Ideally, if you have a hard eight, nine, 12, 13, 14, 15 or 16, you can confidently hit if the dealer shows a seven, eight, nine, 10 or ace. In fact, you may wish to hit on a hard 10 if your dealer shows a 10 of their own, or an ace.

In soft hands, you should ideally hit with an ace and a two, three, four, five or six, and the dealer shows a seven, eight, nine, 10 or ace. You can also hit on an ace and a two or three if the dealer shows a two, three or four.

When should you stand in blackjack strategy?

Standing means taking the ‘safe’ option – and on a hard hand, stand on a 17 without fail. Players also suggest that you should stand on a hard 13, 14, 15 and 16 if the dealer shows a two, three, four, five or six. Standing on a hard 12 also makes sense if the dealer shows a four, five or six.

With soft hands, always stand on an ace and a nine. The same applies to an ace and eight unless the dealer shows a six, in which case you may wish to double down. Do also stand on an ace and seven if the blackjack croupier shows between two and eight, doubling if you feel confident between two and six.

Ready to play some blackjack?

Now that you know the basic rules and strategies, it’s time to give blackjack a try for real. Take a look at our Live Lightning Blackjack and exclusive LeoVegas Sports Blackjack for different twists on the same game.