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Learning Blackjack Basic StrategyGuessing at BlackjackBlackjack Side Bets and BonusesBefore You Go! - Blackjack Strategy Essentials
Smarter Bet Guide to Blackjack
by Basil Nestor
Strategy is the key to success at the blackjack table; that's a mathematical fact, and you can count on these expert, easy-to-learn tactics to make you a victor. Here's the deal: everything begins with the basic rules, and they're laid out on these pages with smart little “factoid” tips. Go through blackjack economics, which explain why cards fall the way they do, and what makes a good (and a sucker) bet. Easy-to-follow tables suggest strategies for splitting pairs and soft hands and provide dozens of other statistics and card probabilities.
Free Blackjack Strategy Cards!
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Single-Deck Strategy on a Chart
by Basil Nestor
Okay, let’s put it all together. The following charts have the unified basic strategy for a single-deck game when the dealer hits soft 17, no surrender, doubling is allowed on any two
Basil Nestor is the author of the new Playboy Complete Guide to Casino Gambling. This wonderful book teaches players how to avoid sucker bets and win more when playing gambling games. He is also the author of The Smarter Bet Guide series for video poker, slots, craps, and many other books about gambling. Basil's website is www.smarterbet.com cards, but doubling is not allowed after splits.
Basil Nestor is the author of the new Playboy Complete Guide to Casino Gambling. This wonderful book teaches players how to avoid sucker bets and win more when playing gambling games. He is also the author of The Smarter Bet Guide series for video poker, slots, craps, and many other books about gambling. Basil's website is www.smarterbet.com cards, but doubling is not allowed after splits.You’ll see that blackjack basic strategy changes in some important ways as the rules change, but overall the main points are consistent. Always split A,A and 8,8. Never split 5,5 and 10,10. Always stand on 19 or above (with one H17 exception). Generally you’re hitting against stronger dealer’s cards and standing or doubling down against vulnerable ones.
The one seemingly oddball single-deck play is 7,7 against 10. You stand on this hand in a single-deck game because there are only two sevens left in the deck to give you a one-hit 21.
Single-Deck Strategy for Splitting Pairs
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Dealer’s Upcard
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||||||||||
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2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
9
|
10
|
A
|
|
|
Player’s Hand
|
||||||||||
|
A,A
|
sp
|
sp
|
sp
|
sp
|
sp
|
sp
|
sp
|
sp
|
sp
|
sp
|
|
10,10
|
NC
|
NC
|
NC
|
NC
|
NC
|
NC
|
NC
|
NC
|
NC
|
NC
|
|
9,9
|
sp
|
sp
|
sp
|
sp
|
sp
|
NC
|
sp
|
sp
|
NC
|
NC
|
|
8,8
|
sp
|
sp
|
sp
|
sp
|
sp
|
sp
|
sp
|
sp
|
sp
|
sp
|
|
7,7
|
sp
|
sp
|
sp
|
sp
|
sp
|
sp
|
h
|
h
|
NC
|
h
|
|
6,6
|
sp
|
sp
|
sp
|
sp
|
sp
|
h
|
h
|
h
|
h
|
h
|
|
5,5
|
db
|
db
|
db
|
db
|
db
|
db
|
db
|
db
|
h
|
h
|
|
4,4
|
h
|
h
|
h
|
h
|
h
|
h
|
h
|
h
|
h
|
h
|
|
3,3
|
h
|
h
|
sp
|
sp
|
sp
|
sp
|
h
|
h
|
h
|
h
|
|
2,2
|
h
|
sp
|
sp
|
sp
|
sp
|
sp
|
h
|
h
|
h
|
h
|
sp=split, NC=stand, h=hit, db=double
This is basic strategy for splitting pairs in a single-deck game.
This is basic strategy for splitting pairs in a single-deck game.
Single-Deck Strategy for Soft Hands
|
Dealer’s Upcard
|
||||||||||
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
9
|
10
|
A
|
|
|
Player’s Hand
|
||||||||||
|
Soft 20 – 21
|
NC
|
NC
|
NC
|
NC
|
NC
|
NC
|
NC
|
NC
|
NC
|
NC
|
|
Soft 19
|
NC
|
NC
|
NC
|
NC
|
dbN
|
NC
|
NC
|
NC
|
NC
|
NC
|
|
Soft 18
|
NC
|
dbN
|
dbN
|
dbN
|
dbN
|
NC
|
NC
|
h
|
h
|
h
|
|
Soft 17
|
db
|
db
|
db
|
db
|
db
|
h
|
h
|
h
|
h
|
h
|
|
Soft 16
|
h
|
h
|
db
|
db
|
db
|
h
|
h
|
h
|
h
|
h
|
|
Soft 15
|
h
|
h
|
db
|
db
|
db
|
h
|
h
|
h
|
h
|
h
|
|
Soft 14
|
h
|
h
|
db
|
db
|
db
|
h
|
h
|
h
|
h
|
h
|
|
Soft 13
|
h
|
h
|
db
|
db
|
db
|
h
|
h
|
h
|
h
|
h
|
NC=stand, h=hit, db=double (hit if a double is not possible), dbN=double (stand if a double is not possible)
This is basic strategy for soft hands in a single-deck game.
This is basic strategy for soft hands in a single-deck game.
Single-Deck Strategy for Hard Hands
|
Dealer’s Upcard
|
||||||||||
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
9
|
10
|
A
|
|
|
Player’s Hand
|
||||||||||
|
Hard 17 – 21
|
NC
|
NC
|
NC
|
NC
|
NC
|
NC
|
NC
|
NC
|
NC
|
NC
|
|
Hard 16
|
NC
|
NC
|
NC
|
NC
|
NC
|
h
|
h
|
h
|
h
|
h
|
|
Hard 15
|
NC
|
NC
|
NC
|
NC
|
NC
|
h
|
h
|
h
|
h
|
h
|
|
Hard 14
|
NC
|
NC
|
NC
|
NC
|
NC
|
h
|
h
|
h
|
h
|
h
|
|
Hard 13
|
NC
|
NC
|
NC
|
NC
|
NC
|
h
|
h
|
h
|
h
|
h
|
|
Hard 12
|
h
|
h
|
NC
|
NC
|
NC
|
h
|
h
|
h
|
h
|
h
|
|
11
|
db
|
db
|
db
|
db
|
db
|
db
|
db
|
db
|
db
|
db
|
|
10
|
db
|
db
|
db
|
db
|
db
|
db
|
db
|
db
|
h
|
h
|
|
9
|
db
|
db
|
db
|
db
|
db
|
h
|
h
|
h
|
h
|
h
|
|
8
|
h
|
h
|
h
|
db
|
db
|
h
|
h
|
h
|
h
|
h
|
|
5 – 7
|
h
|
h
|
h
|
h
|
h
|
h
|
h
|
h
|
h
|
h
|
NC=stand, h=hit, db=double (hit if a double is not possible)
This is basic strategy for a single-deck game, dealer hits soft 17, no surrender, no doubling on splits. Doubling on any two cards is allowed. These game rules also apply to the charts above.
This is basic strategy for a single-deck game, dealer hits soft 17, no surrender, no doubling on splits. Doubling on any two cards is allowed. These game rules also apply to the charts above.
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