In the case of a single-deck game with S17, you are slightly better off standing on A-7 when the dealer’s upcard is an Ace.) ( Note: There is one exception to the above strategy. Bottom line: Your best strategy is to always hit A-7 when the dealer shows a 9, 10, or Ace with a goal of getting to either a soft 19–21 or a hard 17 through 21. And if you draw any of the four ten-valued cards, you do no harm to the hand. This is because if you draw a small card (e.g., Ace, 2, or 3) you will end up with a pat hand that’s higher than 18, which will improve your chances of winning at blackjack. When you hold an A-7 against dealer’s 9, 10, or Ace, you are the underdog whether you stand or hit however, you are less of an underdog if you hit A-7. Players mistakenly believe that a hand that totals 18 is a sure win, which is why they stand on soft 18 (A-7), especially when the dealer is showing a “strong” upcard (e.g., 9, 10, or Ace). STRATEGY #5: ALWAYS HIT ACE-7 (SOFT 18) WHEN THE DEALER’S UPCARD IS 9, 10, OR ACE the dealer’s Ace rather than splitting them.) (Note: If surrender is offered and you are playing in a multi-deck game with h27, or a double-deck game with h27 and NDAS, your best strategy is to surrender the pair of 8s vs. Bottom line: Always splitting 8s and Aces is your best strategy because in the case of Aces, it results in significant gains for the player and for 8s, it will, based on the dealer’s upcard, allow you to cut your losses or win more money. In other words, you will lose less money in the long run by splitting 8s against a 9, 10, or Ace than by hitting hard 16. They reason that because they are a big underdog in this situation, why bet more money by splitting? What they don’t understand is that you are less of an underdog by playing two hands, each starting with an 8 (by splitting), than you are playing one hand of 16 (and hitting). Unfortunately, many players won’t split with a pair of 8s when the dealer’s upcard is a 9, 10, or Ace. You should always split a pair of 8s and Aces regardless of what the dealer’s upcard is. STRATEGY #2: ALWAYS SPLIT A PAIR OF 8s AND ACES NDAS = Doubling down after pair splitting is not allowed The strategies discussed below also assume you are a recreational player, and not a card counter.ĭAS = Doubling down after pair splitting is allowed

Note: The following strategies can be used in all games unless stated otherwise. If you’re serious about winning more when you play blackjack, then I encourage you to utilize the following Best Blackjack Strategies I’m about to share with you. Tips on if the dealer must hit on soft 17ĭouble down A-2 through A7 vs. dealer's 9, 10 or Ace upcardĭouble down on 10 vs.

Advanced blackjack strategy table