House Edge Blackjack Basic Strategy

Blackjack players are always looking for an advantage. The easiest way is to find a game that pays 3:2 when a player is dealt a natural blackjack. The 6:5 blackjack game has a much higher house edge. The house edge is even larger when a player doesn’t play with perfect basic strategy.Casinos allow players to use a basic strategy card at the table. The strategy charts in and tables presented in earlier chapters will decrease the house against you when you play blackjack to around 0.5% (rule dependent). In this chapter, I’ll show you five additional techniques that could further reduce the house edge. Apr 16, 2015 Here you can check and use a calculator that gives you the house edge for virtually any set of blackjack rules and it can be used with proper basic strategy Blackjack House Edge - Wizard of Odds The Wizard of Odds.

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Introduction

The following basic strategy table is appropriate for European blackjack, at least the variation I saw played in Berlin and Hamburg, and specifically excepting the United Kingdom. The specific rules are as follows:

  • Six decks (this chart is also accurate for 4 or 8 decks)
  • Dealer stands on soft 17
  • Player may only double on hard totals of 9-11
  • Player may double after a split
  • No-peek (player loses total bet, including after doubling or splitting, if dealer has blackjack)
House Edge Blackjack Basic StrategyBlackjack basic strategy mit

House Edge Blackjack Basic Strategy Card

The house edge under this rules is 0.62%.

To use the basic strategy look up your hand along the left vertical edge and the dealer's up card along the top. In both cases an A stands for ace. From top to bottom are the hard totals, soft totals, and splittable hands.

United Kingdom Blackjack

Blackjack Basic Strategy Pdf

Prior to September 1, 2007, splitting fours, fives, and tens was not allowed. This only affected the basic strategy player with fours, increasing the house edge by 0.003%. I have heard that with the new law allowing all splits, doubling on any first two cards is also permitted, at least at the Grosvenor casinos. Following is the basic strategy for post 9/1/07 U.K. rules.

Blackjack Basic Strategy Explained

Early Surrender

If you should find a table that allows early surrender then take it with any of the following hands. I have heard rumors such games exist in Russia, and I know they do in Macau, except against a dealer ace.

Blackjack Basic Strategy Chart

  • 12 to 17 vs. ace, including a pair of 6's, 7's or 8's
  • 5 to 7 vs. ace, including a pair of 3's
  • 14 to 16 vs 10, including pair of 7's or 8's
  • 16 vs 9