The complete set of optimal decisions for a player regarding only the dealer’s current exposed card and the point total of his own current hand is known as basic strategy. The basic strategy table below applies to the following ruleset: 4 to 8 decks Dealer stands on soft 17 Double on any 2 cards Double [...]
If the dealer’s upcard is an ace, the player is offered the option of taking insurance before the dealer checks his or her ‘hole card’. Insurance is a side bet of up to half the original bet placed on a special portion of the table usually marked “Insurance Pays 2 to 1″. This side bet [...]
In most non-U.S. casinos, a ‘no hole card’ game is played, meaning that the dealer does not draw nor consult his second card until after all players have finished making decisions. With no hole card, it is almost never correct basic strategy to double or split against a dealer ten or ace, since a dealer [...]
Each casino has a rule about whether or not the dealer hits soft 17, a rule which is printed on the table itself. In the “S17″ game, the dealer stands on all 17s. In the “H17″ game, the dealer hits on soft 17s. Of course, the dealer always stands on hard 17s. In either case, [...]
Example of a Blackjack game. The top half of the picture shows the beginning of the round, with bets placed and an initial two cards for each player. The bottom half shows the end of the round, with the associated losses or payoffs. In casino blackjack, the dealer faces one to seven players from behind [...]
