Blackjack Basic Strategy – Starting Hands
Yours | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | A |
(A,A) | SPL |
SPL |
SPL |
SPL |
SPL |
SPL |
SPL |
SPL |
SPL |
SPL |
(T,T) | – |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
(9,9) | SPL |
SPL |
SPL |
SPL |
SPL |
– |
SPL |
SPL |
– |
– |
(8,8) | SPL |
SPL |
SPL |
SPL |
SPL |
SPL |
SPL |
SPL |
SPL |
SPL |
(7,7) | SPL |
SPL |
SPL |
SPL |
SPL |
SPL |
H |
H |
H |
H |
(6,6) | H |
SPL |
SPL |
SPL |
SPL |
H |
H |
H |
H |
H |
(5,5) | D |
D |
D |
D |
D |
D |
D |
D |
H |
H |
(4,4) | H |
H |
H |
H |
H |
H |
H |
H |
H |
H |
(3,3) | H |
H |
SPL |
SPL |
SPL |
SPL |
H |
H |
H |
H |
(2,2) | H |
H |
SPL |
SPL |
SPL |
SPL |
H |
H |
H |
H |
Soft hands
Yours | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | A |
(A,9) | – |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
(A,8) | – |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
(A,7) | – |
DS |
DS |
DS |
DS |
– |
– |
H |
H |
H |
(A,6) | H |
D |
D |
D |
D |
H |
H |
H |
H |
H |
(A,5) | H |
H |
D |
D |
D |
H |
H |
H |
H |
H |
(A,4) | H |
H |
D |
D |
D |
H |
H |
H |
H |
H |
(A,3) | H |
H |
H |
D |
D |
H |
H |
H |
H |
H |
(A,2) | H |
H |
H |
H |
D |
H |
H |
H |
H |
H |
Hard hands
Yours | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | A |
(17) | – |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
– |
(16) | – |
– |
– |
– |
– |
H |
H |
H |
H |
H |
(15) | – |
– |
– |
– |
– |
H |
H |
H |
H |
H |
(14) | – |
– |
– |
– |
– |
H |
H |
H |
H |
H |
(13) | – |
– |
– |
– |
– |
H |
H |
H |
H |
H |
(12) | H |
H |
– |
– |
– |
H |
H |
H |
H |
H |
(11) | D |
D |
D |
D |
D |
D |
D |
D |
D |
H |
(10) | D |
D |
D |
D |
D |
D |
D |
D |
H |
H |
(9) | H |
D |
D |
D |
D |
H |
H |
H |
H |
H |
(8) | H |
H |
H |
H |
H |
H |
H |
H |
H |
H |
-: Stand
D: Double, if unable, hit
DS: Double, if unable, stand
#: See earlier tables in chapter (Note for Ace-7 against Ace is hit/stand, and does not say to Double)
*: Split 8-8 against 10 only if the TC is less than 6 and there is no DAS
**: Double on 4-4 rather than split only if there is no DAS