El Farol.bet
Blackjack basic strategy

Every hand, the correct play.

Basic strategy is the mathematically optimal decision for every hand against every dealer card. It does not beat the house — it squeezes the edge down to its minimum, around 0.5%.

The idea

Optimal is not the same as winning.

Play every hand by this chart and the house edge falls to roughly 0.5% — the lowest of any casino game. Play by gut feel and you hand over five times more. The chart assumes 4-8 decks, dealer stands on soft 17, double after split allowed.

HHitSStandDDoublePSplit

Dealer card →

Hard hands

Your hand2345678910A
8HHHHHHHHHH
9HDDDDHHHHH
10DDDDDDDDHH
11DDDDDDDDDH
12HHSSSHHHHH
13SSSSSHHHHH
14SSSSSHHHHH
15SSSSSHHHHH
16SSSSSHHHHH
17+SSSSSSSSSS

Soft hands (with an ace)

Your hand2345678910A
A,2HHHDDHHHHH
A,3HHHDDHHHHH
A,4HHDDDHHHHH
A,5HHDDDHHHHH
A,6HDDDDHHHHH
A,7SDDDDSSHHH
A,8SSSSSSSSSS
A,9SSSSSSSSSS

Pairs

Your hand2345678910A
2,2PPPPPPHHHH
3,3PPPPPPHHHH
4,4HHHPPHHHHH
5,5DDDDDDDDHH
6,6PPPPPHHHHH
7,7PPPPPPHHHH
8,8PPPPPPPPPP
9,9PPPPPSPPSS
10,10SSSSSSSSSS
A,APPPPPPPPPP