Basic Strategy

Basic Strategy is the baseline action table before count-based deviations. It covers hard totals, soft totals, pairs, and surrender rules when enabled.

Action Codes

H = Hit, take another card.
S = Stand.
D = Double, double the bet and take one more card.
P = Split.
R = Surrender. H / R means surrender if allowed, otherwise hit.

Basic Strategy - Hard Hands

Hand Type	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	A
17+	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S
16	S	S	S	S	S	H	H	H / R	H / R	H / R
15	S	S	S	S	S	H	H	H	H / R	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
8 or less	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H

Basic Strategy - Soft Hands

Hand Type	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	A
A,8+	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S
A,7	S	D	D	D	D	S	S	H	H	H
A,6	H	D	D	D	D	H	H	H	H	H
A,4-A,5	H	H	D	D	D	H	H	H	H	H
A,2-A,3	H	H	H	D	D	H	H	H	H	H

Basic Strategy - Pairs

Hand Type	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	A
A,A	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P
10,10	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

H17 Note

H17 means the dealer must hit soft 17. It is usually worse for the player, and the difference often appears in borderline soft-hand decisions.

Current surrender rules: hard 16 vs 9-10-A, and hard 15 vs 10. Surrender is checked only for two-card, hard, non-pair hands.