How to play blackjack: rules and when to hit, stand, double or split

The short version

→Get closer to 21 than the dealer without going over.

→Stand on 17 or more. Stand on 13 to 16 when the dealer shows 2 to 6.

→Double 11 against anything but an ace. Always split aces and eights.

→Never take insurance.

The rules

You play against the dealer, not the other players. Both of you get two cards; one of the dealer's is face up. The aim is a total closer to 21 than the dealer's without going over, which is called busting.

2 to 10

Face value

J, Q, K

Worth 10

Ace

1 or 11, whichever helps

An ace with any 10-value card as your first two cards is a blackjack, the best hand. A hand with an ace counted as 11 is a soft hand (A,6 is soft 17): it can't bust on the next card, because the ace drops to 1. Every other hand is hard.

On your turn you choose:

Hit: take another card.
Stand: keep your total and end your turn.
Double down: double your bet, take exactly one more card, then stand.
Split: with two cards of the same value, split them into two hands, each with its own bet.

When every player is done, the dealer reveals the hidden card and draws by a fixed rule, usually hitting until 17 or more. If the dealer busts, every hand still in play wins. The exact table rules, how many decks, whether the dealer hits soft 17 and what a blackjack pays, are in each game's rules screen; read them before you play.

When to hit, stand, double or split

This is basic strategy: the mathematically best move for every hand against every dealer up-card. Find your hand on the left and the dealer's card along the top. It is for the most common online rules, four to eight decks with the dealer standing on soft 17 and doubling allowed after a split; a table with different rules shifts a few cells.

HHitSStandDDouble (else hit)DsDouble (else stand)PSplit

Hard totals

No ace, or an ace that has to count as 1.

You have	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	A
8 or less	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H	H
9	H	D	D	D	D	H	H	H	H	H
10	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	H	H
11	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	H
12	H	H	S	S	S	H	H	H	H	H
13	S	S	S	S	S	H	H	H	H	H
14	S	S	S	S	S	H	H	H	H	H
15	S	S	S	S	S	H	H	H	H	H
16	S	S	S	S	S	H	H	H	H	H
17 or more	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S

Soft totals

An ace counted as 11.

You have	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	A
A,2	H	H	H	D	D	H	H	H	H	H
A,3	H	H	H	D	D	H	H	H	H	H
A,4	H	H	D	D	D	H	H	H	H	H
A,5	H	H	D	D	D	H	H	H	H	H
A,6	H	D	D	D	D	H	H	H	H	H
A,7	S	Ds	Ds	Ds	Ds	S	S	H	H	H
A,8	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S
A,9	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S

Pairs

Your first two cards are the same value.

You have	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	A
A,A	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P
10,10	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S	S
9,9	P	P	P	P	P	S	P	P	S	S
8,8	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P	P
7,7	P	P	P	P	P	P	H	H	H	H
6,6	P	P	P	P	P	H	H	H	H	H
5,5	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	D	H	H
4,4	H	H	H	P	P	H	H	H	H	H
3,3	P	P	P	P	P	P	H	H	H	H
2,2	P	P	P	P	P	P	H	H	H	H

The mistakes that cost the most

Taking insurance

It is a side bet that the dealer has blackjack. Basic strategy never takes it.

Standing on 12 to 16 against a 7 or higher

It feels safe, but the dealer will usually beat it. Hit.

Not doubling 11

Against anything but an ace, 11 is the best double in the game.

Splitting tens

20 already wins most of the time. Keep it.

Hitting soft 18 against a weak card

Against 3 to 6, double it; against 2, 7 or 8, stand.

Tables that pay 6:5 for blackjack

The usual payout is 3:2. A 6:5 table quietly takes more on every blackjack you hit; check the rules screen.

Side bets

Many online tables add optional side bets. Evolution's First Person Blackjack, for example, offers Perfect Pairs (your first two cards make a pair) and 21+3 (your two cards plus the dealer's up-card make a poker hand), and lets you play up to five hands at once evolution.com ↗. Side bets pay big but rarely, and basic strategy doesn't cover them; treat them as an extra bet, not part of the hand.

Where to play blackjack with crypto

These are the casinos we recommend; each lists its blackjack tables in its own lobby. Before you sit down, open the table's rules screen and check the payout for a blackjack (3:2 is standard) and whether the dealer hits soft 17.

Questions

When should you hit in blackjack?

Always hit 8 or less. Hit 12 against a dealer 2, 3 or 7 and higher, and hit 13 to 16 against a dealer 7 or higher. Against a dealer 2 to 6, stand on 13 to 16 and let the dealer risk busting.

When should you double down?

Double 11 against every dealer card except an ace, 10 against 2 to 9, and 9 against 3 to 6. Soft hands such as A,6 and A,7 double against a weak dealer card too; see the chart.

What pairs should you always split?

Always split aces and eights. Never split tens or fives: 20 is already a strong hand, and a pair of fives plays as a 10.

Should I take insurance?

Basic strategy never takes insurance. It is a separate side bet that the dealer has blackjack, and it costs more over time than it saves.

Does basic strategy guarantee a win?

No. It is the mathematically best play for each hand under the rules shown, which keeps the house edge as low as the table allows. The casino still keeps an edge.

Blackjack is still gambling: basic strategy lowers the house edge, it doesn't remove it. Set a budget before you play. 18+.