Blackjack Basic Strategy: The Chart That Cuts the House Edge

Why Basic Strategy Works

Basic strategy is a computer-solved chart of the mathematically correct decision — hit, stand, double, or split — for every possible combination of your hand and the dealer’s up-card. Playing it perfectly cuts the house edge to well under 1% on most tables.

The Most Commonly Misplayed Hands

Players most often go wrong on soft hands (any hand with an Ace counted as 11) and on when to split 9s or double down on 11 against a dealer’s low up-card — small deviations from the chart here cost the most in the long run.