Blackjack Basics: Rules, Strategy & Table Etiquette
Learn how to play blackjack, when to hit/stand, and how basic strategy can reduce the house edge.
The aim
You play against the dealer, not the other players. You win if your hand is closer to 21 than the dealer's without going over. Going over 21 is a bust and loses at once, even if the dealer busts afterwards.
Card values
- Cards 2 to 10 count at face value.
- Jack, queen and king count as 10.
- An ace counts as 1 or 11, whichever helps the hand. A hand with an ace counted as 11 is called soft.
- An ace and a ten-value card as your first two cards is a blackjack. It normally pays 3 to 2.
Your options
| Action | What it does | When it is offered |
|---|---|---|
| Hit | Take another card | Any time under 21 |
| Stand | Keep your total and end your turn | Any time |
| Double down | Double your bet, take exactly one more card | Usually on your first two cards |
| Split | Turn a pair into two separate hands, each with its own bet | When your first two cards have the same value |
| Surrender | Give up half your bet and end the hand | At some tables, before taking a card |
How the dealer plays
The dealer has no choices. The dealer draws until reaching 17 or more, then stands. Tables differ on whether the dealer hits or stands on a soft 17 (an ace and a six); standing on soft 17 is slightly better for the player.
Table rules that change the odds
- Blackjack payout. 3 to 2 is standard. A table paying 6 to 5 costs you noticeably more over time, so check the felt or the rules screen first.
- Number of decks. Fewer decks is slightly better for the player, all else equal.
- Doubling and splitting. Being allowed to double after a split, or to re-split, helps the player.
- Insurance. A side bet offered when the dealer shows an ace. It pays 2 to 1 but loses more often than that justifies, so most strategy guides say to decline it.
A starting strategy
Basic strategy is the mathematically best play for every hand against every dealer card. With it, the house edge at a good table is roughly half a percent. These rules cover most hands:
- Stand on a hard 17 or more.
- Hit a hard 11 or less; you cannot bust.
- With 12 to 16, stand if the dealer shows 2 to 6 and hit if the dealer shows 7 or higher.
- Double on 11 unless the dealer shows an ace.
- Always split aces and eights. Never split tens or fives.
Basic strategy lowers the house edge; it does not remove it. Over enough hands the casino still expects to win.