Basic Strategy

6-deck, S17, DAS. The mathematically optimal play for every hand. Memorize this before counting.

HHit

SStand

DDouble

PSplit

SuSurrender

Hard Totals

Hand	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	T	A
17+	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S
16	S	S	S	S	S	H	H	Su	Su	Su
15	S	S	S	S	S	H	H	H	Su	H
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	H
9	H	D	D	D	D	H	H	H	H	H
5-8	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H

Soft Hands (Ace + card)

Hand	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	T	A
A,9 (20)	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S
A,8 (19)	S	S	S	S	D	S	S	S	S	S
A,7 (18)	D	D	D	D	D	S	S	H	H	H
A,6 (17)	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 (with DAS)

Hand	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	T	A
A,A	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P
T,T	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S
9,9	P	P	P	P	P	S	P	P	S	S
8,8	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P
7,7	P	P	P	P	P	P	H	H	H	H
6,6	P	P	P	P	P	H	H	H	H	H
5,5	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	H	H
4,4	H	H	H	P	P	H	H	H	H	H
2,2/3,3	P	P	P	P	P	P	H	H	H	H

Common mistakes to drill out

• Always split A,A and 8,8 — never stand or hit
• Never split 5,5 or T,T
• Soft 18 vs 9,T,A: hit (not stand)
• Hard 12 vs 2,3: hit (not stand)
• Surrender 16 vs 9,T,A when available

Drill Basic Strategy →Learn Deviations →