Topic
The mathematically correct play for every starting hand against every dealer upcard.
Hard 16 against a dealer 10 is one of blackjack’s closest and most uncomfortable decisions. Learn when to surrender, when to hit, and why some multi-card 16s can stand.
Basic strategy says to hit a hard 12 against a dealer 3. Here’s why that uncomfortable play is correct, when 12 should stand instead, and the exceptions worth knowing.
RSA means resplitting aces after a split hand receives another ace. Learn how the rule works, why it helps the player, and how it differs from ordinary resplitting.
Blackjack does not have one universal house edge. Learn how payout, H17/S17, DAS, surrender, deck count, and basic strategy change the casino’s advantage.
DAS lets you double down after splitting a pair; NDAS does not. That small-looking rule changes several pair decisions and modestly shifts the house edge.
Blackjack insurance pays 2:1 if the dealer has a ten-value card under an Ace. For a basic-strategy player, the math says decline it—including even money.
Surrender looks like giving up, but in the right blackjack hands it saves money. Learn exactly when basic strategy says to surrender—and when it doesn’t.
A 3:2 blackjack pays $15 on a $10 bet; 6:5 pays only $12. That small-looking difference adds roughly 1.4 percentage points to the house edge, all else equal.
Doubling is one bet, one card, and the highest-EV press in basic strategy. Here is when to double hard totals and soft hands — and when the table rules move the cell.
A soft total can still take a card without busting. That option is why Ace-7 is not the same decision as hard 18.
Always split Aces and eights. Never split tens. The rest depends on the upcard — and on whether you can double after split.
Whether the dealer hits or stands on soft 17 looks like a footnote. It moves several doubles and surrenders — and it is printed on the table for a reason.
