Quick answer
- Basic strategy tells you the best move for every hand against every dealer card.
- Played perfectly, it brings the house edge down to around 0.5% under common rules.
- It reduces the edge but does not remove it.
What basic strategy is
For every combination of your hand and the dealer’s up-card, one move (hit, stand, double or split) loses the least over time. Basic strategy is the table of those moves, worked out by computer simulation.
The rules most players get wrong
| Your hand | Dealer shows | Correct play |
|---|---|---|
| Hard 12 | 2 or 3 | Hit |
| Hard 16 | 7 to Ace | Hit |
| Soft 18 (A-7) | 9, 10 or Ace | Hit |
| 11 | 2 to 10 | Double |
| Pair of 8s | Anything | Split |
| Pair of 10s | Anything | Stand |
How rules change the edge
Small rule differences matter. A game that pays 6:5 for blackjack instead of 3:2 adds roughly 1.4% to the house edge. That is more than the whole edge of a good game. Always check the payout printed on the table.
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