1. Thorpe Basic Blackjack Chart
2. Basic Strategy Online Blackjack Chart
3. Basic Strategy Blackjack Chart Pdf
4. Basic Blackjack Charts

Blackjack has, over time, been considered to be a purely mathematical card game. This idea has led to several strategies that players can use to maximize their chances of winning. And these strategies are printed over a chart that is called the blackjack strategy chart and it is a 101 for playing blackjack. The chart helps players to reduce the house edge and hence, it is important to know how to read a blackjack chart.

The basic strategy for pair splitting is shown below in a black and white table followed by a color-coded chart for single-, double-, and 4/6/8-deck games. The black and white strategy table shows your pair in the first column and, in the second column, what the dealer’s upcard should be for you to split. Basic Strategy Decision Chart – This is the Basic Strategy condensed into easy to remember rules for each player’s hand, using these rules (as specified in Lesson 1): 6 Decks,S17, DA2, DAS, no. The blackjack strategy chart was invented decade after the card counting, the most famous and effective cheating method in the history of blackjack. The Blackjack basic strategy chart is one of the most essential things for any blackjack player. As the strategy recommends only the best decisions from a mathematical point of view, the blackjack strategy chart is the table that contains all the solutions recommended by blackjack basic strategy. The basic strategy for Multiple-Action blackjack (and similar games) is the same as regular blackjack. READING THE BASIC STRATEGY CHART (S) Dealer’s up-card is shown along the top of the chart. Player’s hand is shown vertically on the left side of the chart. 21 - Blackjack 'Basic Strategy' Chart In his 1960s book Beat the Dealer, Edward O. Thorp introduced a calculated method for winning at blackjack.Reprinted countless times, Thorp's Blackjack Basic Strategy chart is a useful tool for knowing when to hit, stand, split, or double down.

How Should You Read a Blackjack Strategy Chart?

Blackjack charts, or blackjack decision matrix, are essentially tables with multiple rows and columns. The chart indicates the best-possible decisions and moves that a player can make in a given situation after he is dealt the first two cards and the dealer’s up-card is revealed.

It lists down the five main options players can choose from each time and these are hit, double down, split, surrender and stand.

In the basic blackjack strategy chart, there are two broader rows, indicating the player’s hand on the left and the dealer’s upcard on the right. When you read a blackjack chart, you find the player’s hand as rows and the dealer’s up cards as columns (these can be inverted in some matrices).

Rows

On a basic blackjack strategy chart, there is one heading row, the left side is for the player’s hand and the right side is for the dealer’s up card. Below it, there are about 26 sub rows with the subsequent digits (in case of the player’s hand) and the actions (with respect to the dealer’s up-card number) written on them.

Columns

There is one column under the player’s hand section depicting all the numbers and the probable combinations. On the right side, under the dealer’s up card section, there are 10 columns. The topmost one has digits 2 to 10 and ace and the below ones have the actions marked in their respective colors.

Actions

The actions in a blackjack strategy chart are:

• H – Hit
• S – Stand
• Dh – Double if possible, otherwise, hit
• Ds – Double if possible, otherwise stand
• P – Split the pair
• Ph – Split if allowed to split after double, otherwise hit

Apart from these, there are a couple of additional actions listed in some charts. These are only applicable in variants where the dealer is allowed to hit on soft 17. These optional actions are:

Thorpe Basic Blackjack Chart

• Rs – surrender if possible, otherwise hit
• Rp – surrender if possible, otherwise split

Colors

The color-coding makes it easy for the players to read blackjack strategy charts. Generally, the background color of:

• Hit is green,
• Stand is red,
• Double Down is blue,
• Pair Split is yellow, and
• Surrender is orange.

Blackjack strategy charts can differ slightly with the primary actions and key information remaining the same. For instance, in some charts, a “+” denotes hit, “-“denotes stand, the split is marked by a “/” and Dh and Ds are represented by “2x” in some different color.

Why Are Blackjack Charts So Complicated?

Blackjack strategy charts seem to be complicated mainly because they hold a lot of information in a strictly mathematical way. While the charts do lay down the basic strategy, in a nutshell, it is difficult for any player to decipher all the information and implement the strategy into the ongoing game at the same time.

It takes years of practice for pro gamblers to master reading blackjack matrices and make them work in their favor at a casino or in online blackjack.

Are Blackjack Basic Strategy Charts Allowed In Casinos?

Yes, casinos do allow players to use the blackjack basic strategy charts. Players can carry them as a card and set it on the table while they are playing.

There are two main reasons why carrying a card-sized blackjack strategy card is not a big deal for the casinos. First, the charts suggest an optimal strategy and this does not make much difference to the house edge and second, most players will find it difficult to keep following the basic strategy as depicted in the charts and simultaneously take the right decision at the right time.

Blackjack strategy charts are helpful, providing players with actionable insights. However, the charts and the strategies are hard to master and need to be practiced extensively to actually be able to minimize the house edge.

The Blackjack basic strategy chart is one of the most essential things for any blackjack player. As the strategy recommends only the best decisions from a mathematical point of view, the blackjack strategy chart is the table that contains all the solutions recommended by blackjack basic strategy. This, or any chart for other set of rules, is the most convenient way to consult the strategy each time you play.

The chart below is the one used for 4 decks or more with dealers standing on soft 17, you can see the detailed rules to the right of the chart. These are the most common blackjack rules, though you may find other variations of blackjack online and land blackjack casinos nowadays.

NB: If you are playing a game with other rules you can try our strategy generator that will help you find a strategy chart for any game you choose. You will be able to enter the rules of your game and get a unique chart based upon the game you are playing.

In order to use the chart below you can either print it (you will find the links for print versions below) or invent a system for memorizing it(read the article how to learn blackjack basic strategy). The best way of learning though, is of course by understanding the rules of basic strategy. The left vertical column stands for value of your hand while the top horizontal row represents the dealer’s up card. You will find the correct solution by lining up the column (your hand total) with the row (the dealer’s up card).

The Abbreviations stand for:

• H - Hit
• S - Stand
• DD - Double Down
• P - Split
• H/P - Split if you can double, otherwise hit
• H/R - Surrender if allowed, otherwise hit
• A - Ace

Blackjack Basic Strategy Chart

Basic Strategy Online Blackjack Chart

Set of rules for the chart:

• 4+ decks of cards
• Dealer stands on soft 17
• Doubling is allowed on any first 2 cards
• Surrendering allowed
• Doubling after split allowed

Basic Strategy Blackjack Chart Pdf

Strategy Chart Generator

The strategy generator is a special generator of strategy charts created by Blackjack Doc to help you get a chart for any game you play. Just input the rules to get the chart.

Choose the print version of blackjack basic strategy chart:

Color blackjack strategy chart:

Black and white strategy chart:

It is a good idea to print the chart and place it close to your PC so you will be able to consult it each time you play. Another way is to buy a credit-card sized blackjack chart. You can take this with you to the game as some casinos allow using basic strategy chart.

You can also print out the blackjack cheat sheet provided at our site as it offers the most essential info on the game of blackjack.

Basic Blackjack Charts