Blackjack (21)

Blackjack basic strategy chart (8 decks, S17, DAS)

Find your hand on the left and the dealer's upcard on top. The chart is for 8 decks, dealer stands on soft 17 (S17), double after split allowed (DAS) and no surrender, the rules we read at Evolution 7-seat live blackjack tables.

How to read the chart

• Check pairs first, then soft totals, then hard totals.
• Hard: a hand with no ace, or with an ace that has to count as 1.
• Soft: a hand with an ace counted as 11 (A,6 is soft 17).
• D means double; if you can no longer double (three cards or more), hit. Ds means double; if you cannot, stand.
• 5,5 is played as a hard 10, and 10,10 is never split.

S17 and H17: what changes

When the dealer hits soft 17 (H17), the house edge rises by about 0.2% and three cells change: 11 against an ace becomes double, A,7 against 2 becomes double (otherwise stand), and A,8 against 6 becomes double (otherwise stand). They are outlined in gold on the chart. Evolution's 7-seat tables are S17: the table setting reads hit_on_soft_17=false.

Lines worth remembering

• Always split A,A and 8,8.
• Never split 10,10 or 5,5.
• 12 to 16 against a dealer 7 or higher: hit.
• 13 to 16 against 2 to 6: stand. 12 stands only against 4, 5 and 6.
• Double 11 against everything except an ace, and 10 against 2 to 9.
• Never take insurance.

What basic strategy can and cannot do

Played perfectly, it brings the house edge down to about 0.71% at Evolution 7-seat tables (RTP 99.29%) and about 0.53% at Infinite Blackjack (RTP 99.47%). That is a smaller loss rate than most casino games, not a profit. Infinite Blackjack also has a Six Card Charlie rule; this chart leaves out the small changes that rule makes for five-card hands.

The hard part for people is playing the chart on every hand without exceptions. The Hiddenpick blackjack bot plays this chart on every hand and shows the Hi-Lo count next to it.

Frequently asked questions

Is basic strategy the same at every table?

No. The number of decks, whether the dealer hits soft 17, double after split and surrender change some cells. This chart is for 8 decks, S17, DAS and no surrender.

Does basic strategy guarantee a win?

No. It is the play with the smallest house edge, about 0.5% to 0.7% at Evolution tables. On average you still lose slowly.

Should I take insurance?

No. Insurance pays 2:1, so the dealer's hidden card has to be a ten more than 1 time in 3. In a fresh 8-deck shoe with the dealer showing an ace, 128 of the other 415 cards are tens, about 30.8%, below the 33.3% needed.

What should I do with 16 against a 10?

Hit. Evolution tables do not offer surrender, and hitting loses slightly less than standing.

Do I need to memorise the chart to use Hiddenpick?

No. The program applies the chart on every hand. Reading it helps you understand what the program is doing.

Can I try it for free?

Yes. You get every feature free for 3 hours, and the trial only counts down while you use the live board or the bot.