Players must understand this chart thoroughly before using it in a real casino. Knowledge of how blackjack is played in a casino is also necessary. DO NOT simply take a copy of this into a casino and start playing - you will (in the long run) loose. KNOW this chart, KNOW how to play blackjack, and KNOW how to play in the casino.

General Splitting Strategies:

• Always split pairs of aces and 8s.
• Split 9s unless dealer's upcard is an ace or 10.
• Split 7s if dealer's upcard is 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7.
• Split 6s if dealer's upcard is 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6.
• Split 4s if dealer's upcard is 5 or 6.
• Split 2s and 3s if dealer's upcard is 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7.
• Don't split 5s.
• Don't split 10s unless the dealer's upcard is a 4, 5, or 6 and the deck is rich in aces and 10s.

General Doubling Strategies:

• If you have a total of 11, double unless the dealer's upcard is an ace (though even then doubling isn't bad).
• If you have 10, double unless the dealer's upcard is A or 10.
• If you have 9, double if dealer's upcard is a 3, 4, 5, or 6.
• If you hold an A 7 or A 6, double if dealer's upcard is a 3, 4, 5, or 6.
• If you hold an A 5 or A 4, double if dealer's upcard is a 4, 5, or 6.
• If you hold an A 3 or A 2, double if dealer's upcard is a 5 or 6.

General Hitting and Standing Strategies:
In hard hands (when you don't hold an ace, or when you have an ace that be counted as 11 without going over 21):

• If dealer has up A, 7, 8, 9, or 10 (including any face card), hit until reach at least 17.
• If the dealer has up 4, 5, or 6, hit until you reach at least 12, then (dealer will bust over 40 percent of the time).
• If dealer has up 2 or 3, hit until you reach at least 13, then stand.

• If dealer has up A, 9 or 10, hit until you hold soft 19.
• If dealer has any other upcard, hit until you have soft 18.

Terminology

Blackjack
the game itself; or a two-card hand with a total of 21, that is, an ace and a ten or face card

bust
going over 21 on a hand

double down
same as double, the "down" referring to the way the next card is often dealt

double
an option a player has to double his or her bet and receive just one more card; an especially good strategy when holding an 11

hard 17
a hand with an ace that cannot be counted as 7, e.g., ace-six-ten; compare soft 17

hard hand
a hand without an ace, or with an ace that cannot be counted as 11 without busting; compare soft hand

hit
ask the dealer for an additional card

insurance
a side bet, usually limited to half the player's original bet, that the dealer offers players when the dealer's up card is an ace. If the dealer has blackjack, the player wins the insurance bet.

natural
another word for a blackjack (two cards totaling 21)

push
a tie between a player and the dealer, resulting in neither a win nor a loss for the player

shoe
the device, usually holding multiple decks of cards, from which cards are dealt

soft 17
a hand with an ace that can be counted as either 7 or 17, e.g., ace-six

soft hand
a hand with an ace that can be counted as either 1 or 11 without busting; compare hard hand

split
an option a player has to split a pair dealt on the first two cards and, after making the appropriate extra bet, playing each hand separately.

stand
refuse to take a card

stick
another word for stand

<BGSOUND src="blackjack/Hitme.wav" LOOP=1>