Blackjack Basic Strategy — Cutting the House Edge to 0.5%

The basic rules

The goal is to get close to 21 without going over, and to beat the dealer's hand. Face cards are worth 10, an ace is worth 1 or 11 depending on what suits you. The dealer must hit until reaching 17 and stand at 17 or higher (under some rules the dealer hits on soft 17). Blackjack — an ace with a 10-value card — usually pays 3:2, and that is a critical detail: a table that pays 6:5 adds about 1.4% to the house edge.

Basic strategy — the core rules

Basic strategy is the highest-expected-value action for every combination of hand versus the dealer's upcard. Here are the rules that cover most situations.

• Always split aces and 8s
• Never split 10s or 5s
• Double down on 11 against any dealer card (except an ace under some rules)
• Stand on hard 17 or higher
• Stand on 12-16 when the dealer shows 2-6, hit when the dealer shows 7 or higher
• Hit on soft 17 (A-6) against a 9, 10, or ace

Why insurance is a trap

When the dealer shows an ace, insurance is offered paying 2:1. The chance the dealer has a 10-value card underneath is about 30.8%, meaning the bet loses on average — a house edge of roughly 7%. Even "Even Money" on a blackjack is the same bet in disguise. The rule is simple: never take insurance.

Card counting in 2026

The concept is mathematically valid: when many 10-value cards and aces remain in the shoe, the edge shifts to the player. In practice, modern casinos use 6-8 decks, shuffle automatically, and shorten the penetration into the shoe — which shrinks the edge to a few percent and requires noticeably variable betting. In online casinos that shuffle after every hand, counting is completely worthless.

And what about real skill-based play

Blackjack is the "fairest" game in the casino, but even with perfect play the edge stays negative. Poker, by contrast, has no house edge, and your opponents are the source of profit. Anyone who enjoys probability-based decisions will find the same enjoyment there, with a much higher ceiling.