Now that you have the basics down from Blackjack 101: The Basics let's get into the strategies of making the right plays! Of course these strategies are not 100% foolproof (luck is a factor, after all), but if you apply these strategies consistently, and pay attention to the cards and actions of players at your table, these methods will take you farther. The goal is to get you to stop guessing, and start playing smarter. 🙂
✋Hit or Stand?
These two simple choices in blackjack are often the most misplayed. Just to recap from the basics:
💰Double Down
Doubling down is a great play to make when you have a great starting hand (9, 10, or 11), and the dealer is showing a potential for a weak or potential bust hand. When you double down you literally double your initial bet, after your first two cards are dealt, in order to receive just ONE hit card to make your hand. If you are doubling down with 9. 10, or 11, you're hoping for a 10, face card, or Ace.
When to consider Doubling Down:
✂️ Splitting Pairs
You can split any two cards of the same value (e.g. 8-8, 2-2, Q-Q, etc.) into two separate hands. Splitting requires you to place a new bet for every time you want to split your hand. When you split your hand, you now have two hands that you play independently of one another, where you can hit, split again (if possible), double down, or stand.
But just because youI split your cards, it doesn't mean that you should. Depending on your initial hand, splitting can set you up for success, or it can set you up for failure. It's important to know when to split. So let's get into it.
When to Split:
There are some important notes to make about splitting Aces that may contradict the "Always Split" advice:
✅Trust the Math!
These strategies are based on mathematical analysis and tested over millions of hands. And while they are not fool-proof (remember good old Lady Luck?), if you are consistent in using these strategies, over the long run you'll do much better for yourself.
Let's talk about it!
I hope you've enjoyed my Blackjack series so far! Let me know in the comments what you think of these casino learning series, and what you'd like for us to tackle next! Ask questions on any Blackjack related strategy not already discussed too!
Resources
✋Hit or Stand?
These two simple choices in blackjack are often the most misplayed. Just to recap from the basics:
- Hit means you want another card
- Stand means you are staying on the hand you have, and ending your turn to play.
- If your total is 11 or less → Hit (you can’t bust), and in some cases double down (see below).
- If you have 17 or more → Usually Stand.
- Totals of 12–16 are the tricky “danger zone” — your choice depends heavily on what the dealer is showing:
➡️ Dealer shows 2–6? Stand with 12–16 (dealer is more likely to bust).
➡️ Dealer shows 7–Ace? Hit — you’ll likely need a stronger hand to win.
💰Double Down
Doubling down is a great play to make when you have a great starting hand (9, 10, or 11), and the dealer is showing a potential for a weak or potential bust hand. When you double down you literally double your initial bet, after your first two cards are dealt, in order to receive just ONE hit card to make your hand. If you are doubling down with 9. 10, or 11, you're hoping for a 10, face card, or Ace.
When to consider Doubling Down:
- Your hand totals 9 and dealer shows 3–6
- Your hand totals 10 or 11, and the dealer isn’t showing an Ace
- You have a soft 16–18 (like Ace-5 or Ace-7) and the dealer shows a low card (4–6)
✂️ Splitting Pairs
You can split any two cards of the same value (e.g. 8-8, 2-2, Q-Q, etc.) into two separate hands. Splitting requires you to place a new bet for every time you want to split your hand. When you split your hand, you now have two hands that you play independently of one another, where you can hit, split again (if possible), double down, or stand.
But just because youI split your cards, it doesn't mean that you should. Depending on your initial hand, splitting can set you up for success, or it can set you up for failure. It's important to know when to split. So let's get into it.
When to Split:
- Always split Aces and 8s. Why?
➡️Splitting Aces gives you a chance to build a much better hand than the 2 or 12 that you started out with. There are some caveats to splitting Aces - see notes below.
➡️Splitting 8s gives you a chance to do better than a weak and hard to play 16. - Never split 10s, 5s, or 4s. Why?
➡️ Splitting 10s ruins a likely winning hand (20).
➡️Splitting 5s holds the risk of getting saddled with not one, but two weak hands of 15. Plus you miss out on the chance to double down!
➡️Splitting 4s holds the same risk as 5s - you run the risk of getting two terribly weak hands that are more likely to lose or bust you. - Split 2s, 3s, 6s, 7s, or 9s depending on what the dealer is showing. Let's break that down:
➡️Split 2s, 3s, or 7s: When Dealer's up-card is 2-7
➡️Split 6s: When Dealer's up-card is 2-6
➡️Split 9s: When Dealer's up-card is 2-6 or 8-9
There are some important notes to make about splitting Aces that may contradict the "Always Split" advice:
- One card allowed: Many casinos will only deal ONE card per Ace after splitting, not allowing you to hit to further improve your split hands.
- This means, you may want to reconsider splitting Aces if the dealer shows a card 7 or higher in the window.
- Why? Because you must get at least a 6 dealt to you for each Ace just to push with the dealer's assumed 17.
- Blackjack Payout, or Even Money? Some casinos may treat your split Aces like a Blackjack (with blackjack payouts) if you are dealt a 10 card after the split. Some casinos may treat it only as 21 (no blackjack), which would mean even money payout. It's important to know the rules of each table you sit at, and the house rules so there are no surprises for you.
✅Trust the Math!
These strategies are based on mathematical analysis and tested over millions of hands. And while they are not fool-proof (remember good old Lady Luck?), if you are consistent in using these strategies, over the long run you'll do much better for yourself.
Let's talk about it!
I hope you've enjoyed my Blackjack series so far! Let me know in the comments what you think of these casino learning series, and what you'd like for us to tackle next! Ask questions on any Blackjack related strategy not already discussed too!
Resources
- Remember you can practice your blackjack game for FREE right here: >>> Play Blackjack <<<
- There are amazing strategy guides on Casino.us. Dive into all things Blackjack Stragtegy right here: How to Win at Blackjack
- Prefer to learn with videos? Then the Blackjack Academy is for you! Totally free, with 69 lessons ranging from Beginner to Advanced levels.
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