Online Blackjack Strategy

As stated already ("Learn Blackjack"), the dealer at the blackjack table is guided by a set of rules that conduct his play in a specific way. A major one of these revolves around the number 17. The blackjack dealer is obligated to continue feeding his hand with more hits until he reaches a card value of at least 17, while the player may stop at any point he wishes.

Additionally, once the dealer reaches seventeen or above, he must stand and may not add any cards to his hand. You as the player are free to take your chances at such a stage and go for the low card values that would lead you closer to a 21. The house’s advantage is that it does not experience the dilemma in the way that the player does at such a stage since its actions are guided by rules. Attached is commonly-used chart of probability and basic strategy that has been used by players worldwide to determine how to act on certain hands and how beset the dealer.

The table below is a part of basic blackjack strategy and its purpose is to reduce the casino advantage to a smaller percentage. The strategy table is aimed to the Las Vegas Strip rules which is much more common than the Atlantic City rules where the dealer stands on a soft 17. Additionally, most casinos no longer offer the option to surrender.

Your Hand	Dealer's face-up card
	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	A
Hard totals
18-21	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S
17	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	Rs
16	S	S	S	S	S	H	H	Rh	Rh	Rh
15	S	S	S	S	S	H	H	H	Rh	Rh
13-14	S	S	S	S	S	H	H	H	H	H
12	H	H	S	S	S	H	H	H	H	H
11	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	H
10	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	H	D
9	H	D	D	D	D	H	H	H	H	H
5-8	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H
Soft totals
A,9	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S
A,8	S	S	S	S	D	S	S	S	S	S
A,7	D	D	D	D	D	S	S	H	H	H
A,6	H	D	D	D	D	H	H	H	H	H
A,4-5	H	H	D	D	D	H	H	H	H	H
A,2-3	H	H	H	D	D	H	H	H	H	H
Pairs
A,A	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP
10,10	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S
9,9	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	S	S
8,8	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	Rsp
7,7	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	H	H	H	H
6,6	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	H	H	H	H	H
5,5	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	H	H
4,4	H	H	H	SP	SP	H	H	H	H	H
2,2 3,3	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	SP	H	H	H	H

Key:

S = Stand
H = Hit
D = Double
SP = Split
Rh = Surrender if allowed, otherwise Hit
Rs = Surrender if allowed, otherwise Stand
Rsp= Surrender if allowed, otherwise Split

Simpler than it looks:
This blackjack strategy chart may look overwhelming but it is actually quite easy to use. The left hand column shows all the possible combinations that you, the player, might start with when play begins. The dealer, as we’ve learned, only exposes the top card. It is based on the information of these three cards that the chart advises you how to take action. For example, if you were dealt an 11 and a 4, your hand total comes to 15. Locate this row in the “Your Hand” column. If in the same game the dealer’s face-up card is a nine, drag your finger across the 15 row until you reach the dealer’s 9 value column. The intersection of the two brings you to the letter ‘H’. This, according to the chart, is a situation in which you are statistically advised to hit. That is, the dealer has a high probability of beating your 15.
Set for yourself some more hypothetical hands like the one above and get well acquainted with the chart. Become a smarter player.