This chart assumes common conditions: 4–8 decks, dealer stands on soft 17, doubling after split allowed. Rules vary slightly by casino — see our Variants page for how that changes things.
Hit
Stand
Double
Split
Surrender (else Hit)
Hard Totals
Use this table when your hand has no Ace, or an Ace that must count as 1.
Hover or tap a cell above to see the recommended play.
Soft Totals
Use this table when your hand includes an Ace counted as 11 (e.g. Ace + 6 = "soft 17").
Hover or tap a cell above to see the recommended play.
Pairs
Use this table when your first two cards match, to decide whether splitting is worthwhile.
Hover or tap a cell above to see the recommended play.
Why Basic Strategy Matters
Basic strategy is the set of plays, worked out through computer simulation of millions of hands, that minimises the house edge for any given rule set. It doesn't guarantee you'll win a given hand — nothing can — but it's the difference between playing against a house edge of roughly 0.5% and one closer to 2% from guesswork alone. See exactly what that means on our Odds & House Edge page.
Want to try these plays out? Head to the Free Practice Table and test the chart against real hands with play chips.