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Fine poins of basic strategy in single-deck blackjack

Last Update: Sep 22, 2004

In single deck blackjack every card that is played has a considerable impact on the distribution of the remaining cards. The following lists will show exactly how to play your cards immediately after a shuffle in a single deck game where the dealer hits a soft 17.

To use this guide first go to the list according to the number of cards in your hand. Then note the basic strategy changes and finally the exceptions to the changes. For example if you have a 16 composed of a 10, 4, and 2 against a 10 look under the 3 card list. You will see that with three cards you should stand on 16 against 10. Going further you will see there are some exceptions, for example with a 16 composed of a 6, 6, and 4 you should hit. If your hand is not listed as an exception so you should stand. It should not be interpreted that this is a card counting guide. Everything is based on exact cards and no numbers represent a count.

Two Cards

Basic Strategy Changes: None

Exceptions:

  1. 8 (6+2) vs 6 = Hit
  2. 12 (7+5) vs 3 = Stand
  3. 12 (8+4) vs 3 = Stand
  4. 12 (10+2) vs 4 = Hit

Three Cards

Basic Strategy Changes:
  1. 12 vs 3 = Stand
  2. 16 vs 10 = Stand
Exceptions:
  1. 15 (5+5+5) vs 10 = Stand
  2. 15 (6+5+4) vs 10 = Stand
  3. 15 (6+6+3) vs 10 = Stand
  4. 16 (6+5+5) vs 9 = Stand
  5. 16 (8+4+4) vs 9 = Stand
  6. 16 (8+5+3) vs 9 = Stand
  7. 16 (6+6+4) vs 10 = Hit
  8. 16 (7+6+3) vs 10 = Hit
  9. 16 (8+6+2) vs 10 = Hit
  10. 16 (9+6+A) vs 10 = Hit

Four Cards

Basic Strategy Changes:
  1. 12 vs 3 = Stand
  2. 16 vs 10 = Stand
Exceptions:
  1. 12 (2+2+2+6) vs 3 = Hit
  2. 12 (2+2+3+5) vs 3 = Hit
  3. 12 (2+3+3+4) vs 3 = Hit
  4. 15 (A+4+5+5) vs 10 = Stand
  5. 15 (A+3+5+6) vs 10 = Stand
  6. 15 (A+2+6+6) vs 10 = Stand
  7. 16 (A+5+5+5) vs 7 = Stand
  8. 16 (2+4+5+5) vs 7 = Stand
  9. 16 (3+3+5+5) vs 7 = Stand
  10. 16 (3+4+4+5) vs 7 = Stand
  11. 16 (4+4+4+4) vs 7 = Stand
  12. 16 (A+5+5+5) vs 8 = Stand
  13. 16 (2+4+5+5) vs 8 = Stand
  14. 16 (3+3+5+5) vs 8 = Stand
  15. 16 (3+4+4+5) vs 8 = Stand
  16. 16 (4+4+4+4) vs 8 = Stand
  17. 16 (4+4+4+4) vs 9 = Stand
  18. 16 (5+4+4+3) vs 9 = Stand
  19. 16 (5+5+3+3) vs 9 = Stand
  20. 16 (5+5+4+2) vs 9 = Stand
  21. 16 (5+5+5+A) vs 9 = Stand
  22. 16 (6+4+4+2) vs 9 = Stand
  23. 16 (6+5+4+A) vs 9 = Stand
  24. 16 (8+3+3+2) vs 9 = Stand
  25. 16 (8+4+2+2) vs 9 = Stand
  26. 16 (8+4+3+A) vs 9 = Stand
  27. 16 (8+5+2+A) vs 9 = Stand
  28. 16 (9+5+A+A) vs 9 = Stand
  29. 16 (9+4+2+A) vs 9 = Stand
  30. 16 (6+6+2+2) vs 10 = Hit
  31. 16 (6+6+3+A) vs 10 = Hit
  32. 16 (7+6+2+A) vs 10 = Hit
  33. 16 (8+6+A+A) vs 10 = Hit
  34. 16 (10+2+2+2) vs 10 = Hit
  35. Soft 18 (3+2+2+A) vs 10 = Stand
  36. Soft 18 (3+2+2+A) vs A = Stand

Five Cards

Basic Strategy Changes:
  1. 12 vs 3 = Stand
  2. 16 vs 10 = Stand
  3. 16 vs 9 = Stand
Exceptions:
  1. 12 (A+2+2+2+5) vs 3 = Hit
  2. 12 (A+2+2+3+4) vs 3 = Hit
  3. 12 (A+2+3+3+3) vs 3 = Hit
  4. 12 (2+2+2+2+4) vs 3 = Hit
  5. 12 (2+2+2+3+3) vs 3 = Hit
  6. 15 (A+A+A+6+6) vs 10 = Stand
  7. 15 (A+A+3+5+5) vs 10 = Stand
  8. 16 (A+A+4+5+5) vs 7 = Stand
  9. 16 (A+2+3+5+5) vs 7 = Stand
  10. 16 (A+2+4+4+5) vs 7 = Stand
  11. 16 (A+3+3+4+5) vs 7 = Stand
  12. 16 (A+3+4+4+4) vs 7 = Stand
  13. 16 (2+2+2+5+5) vs 7 = Stand
  14. 16 (2+2+3+4+5) vs 7 = Stand
  15. 16 (2+2+4+4+4) vs 7 = Stand
  16. 16 (2+3+3+3+5) vs 7 = Stand
  17. 16 (2+3+3+4+4) vs 7 = Stand
  18. 16 (3+3+3+3+4) vs 7 = Stand
  19. 16 (A+A+4+5+5) vs 8 = Stand
  20. 16 (A+2+3+5+5) vs 8 = Stand
  21. 16 (A+2+4+4+5) vs 8 = Stand
  22. 16 (A+3+3+4+5) vs 8 = Stand
  23. 16 (A+3+4+4+4) vs 8 = Stand
  24. 16 (2+2+2+5+5) vs 8 = Stand
  25. 16 (2+2+3+4+5) vs 8 = Stand
  26. 16 (2+2+4+4+4) vs 8 = Stand
  27. 16 (2+3+3+3+5) vs 8 = Stand
  28. 16 (2+3+3+4+4) vs 8 = Stand
  29. 16 (3+3+3+3+4) vs 8 = Stand
  30. 16 (10+3+A+A+A) vs 9 = Hit
  31. 16 (7+6+A+A+A) vs 9 = Hit
  32. 16 (10+2+2+A+A) vs 9 = Hit
  33. 16 (7+5+2+A+A) vs 9 = Hit
  34. 16 (6+6+2+A+A) vs 9 = Hit
  35. 16 (7+4+3+A+A) vs 9 = Hit
  36. 16 (7+4+2+2+A) vs 9 = Hit
  37. 16 (7+3+3+2+A) vs 9 = Hit
  38. 16 (6+3+3+3+A) vs 9 = Hit
  39. 16 (7+3+2+2+2) vs 9 = Hit
  40. 16 (6+3+3+2+2) vs 9 = Hit
  41. 16 (6+3+3+2+2) vs 10 = Hit
  42. 16 (7+6+A+A+A) vs 10 = Hit
  43. 16 (10+2+2+A+A) vs 10 = Hit
  44. 16 (6+6+2+A+A) vs 10 = Hit

Six Cards

Basic Strategy Changes:
  1. 12 vs 3 = Stand
  2. 16 vs 7 = Stand
  3. 16 vs 9 = Stand
  4. 16 vs 10 = Stand
Exceptions:
  1. 12 (3+3+3+A+A+A) vs 3 = Hit
  2. 12 (3+3+2+2+A+A) vs 3 = Hit
  3. 12 (3+2+2+2+2+A) vs 3 = Hit
  4. 15 (6+5+A+A+A+A) vs 10 = Stand
  5. 16 (A+A+A+A+3+9) vs 7 = Hit
  6. 16 (A+A+A+A+6+6) vs 7 = Hit
  7. 16 (A+A+A+2+2+9) vs 7 = Hit
  8. 16 (A+A+A+3+5+5) vs 8 = Stand
  9. 16 (A+A+2+2+5+5) vs 8 = Stand
  10. 16 (A+A+2+3+4+5) vs 8 = Stand
  11. 16 (A+A+2+4+4+4) vs 8 = Stand
  12. 16 (A+A+3+3+3+5) vs 8 = Stand
  13. 16 (A+A+3+3+4+4) vs 8 = Stand
  14. 16 (A+2+2+2+4+5) vs 8 = Stand
  15. 16 (A+2+2+3+3+5) vs 8 = Stand
  16. 16 (A+2+2+3+4+4) vs 8 = Stand
  17. 16 (A+2+3+3+3+4) vs 8 = Stand
  18. 16 (2+2+2+2+3+5) vs 8 = Stand
  19. 16 (2+2+2+2+4+4) vs 8 = Stand
  20. 16 (2+2+2+3+3+4) vs 8 = Stand
  21. 16 (2+2+3+3+3+3) vs 8 = Stand
  22. 16 (6+6+A+A+A+A) vs 9 = Hit
  23. 16 (7+3+3+A+A+A) vs 9 = Hit
  24. 16 (7+3+2+2+A+A) vs 9 = Hit
  25. 16 (7+2+2+2+2+A) vs 9 = Hit
  26. 16 (6+3+2+2+2+A) vs 9 = Hit
  27. 16 (6+6+A+A+A+A) vs 10 = Hit
  28. 16 (6+3+2+2+2+A) vs 10 = Hit

Methodology

The fine points of basic strategy was determined using a combinatronic and recursive program that made the optimal play at every step considering the exact distribution of remaining cards. This program was also used to create the basic strategy charts for one and multiple decks.

Go back to blackjack.
Blackjack appendix 3A: basic strategy exceptions for single deck, dealer stands on soft 17.
Blackjack appendix 3B: basic strategy exceptions for double deck, dealer stands on soft 17.

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