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Reel North

Strategy guide · Updated October 2026

Blackjack Basic Strategy

Blackjack has the lowest house edge in the casino if you play correctly. Basic strategy is the mathematically best move for every hand, and it cuts the edge to about 0.5% in a standard game.

The rules this chart assumes

Four to eight decks, dealer stands on soft 17, double on any two cards, double after split allowed, blackjack pays 3:2. Find your hand on the left and the dealer's up card across the top.

H hitS standD double if allowed, otherwise hit (stand with soft 18)P split

Hard totals

You2345678910A
8 or lessHHHHHHHHHH
9HDDDDHHHHH
10DDDDDDDDHH
11DDDDDDDDDH
12HHSSSHHHHH
13SSSSSHHHHH
14SSSSSHHHHH
15SSSSSHHHHH
16SSSSSHHHHH
17+SSSSSSSSSS

Soft totals (hands with an ace counted as 11)

You2345678910A
A,2HHHDDHHHHH
A,3HHHDDHHHHH
A,4HHDDDHHHHH
A,5HHDDDHHHHH
A,6HDDDDHHHHH
A,7SDDDDSSHHH
A,8SSSSSSSSSS
A,9SSSSSSSSSS

Pairs (double after split allowed)

You2345678910A
A,APPPPPPPPPP
10,10SSSSSSSSSS
9,9PPPPPSPPSS
8,8PPPPPPPPPP
7,7PPPPPPHHHH
6,6PPPPPHHHHH
5,5DDDDDDDDHH
4,4HHHPPHHHHH
3,3PPPPPPHHHH
2,2PPPPPPHHHH

Rules that change the edge

RuleEffect on house edge
Blackjack pays 6:5 instead of 3:2+1.4%
Dealer hits soft 17+0.2%
No double after split+0.14%
Single deck vs eight decks−0.5% approx.

Always avoid 6:5 tables. That one rule costs more than every other bad rule combined.

Bets to skip

  • Insurance: a side bet that the dealer has blackjack. It carries a house edge of around 7% in a shoe game.
  • Side bets such as Perfect Pairs and 21+3: edges are usually far above the main game.

Live dealer vs RNG

Both follow the same strategy. Live tables play slower, which means fewer hands per hour and lower expected losses per hour at the same stake.