How To Read Blackjack Strategy Chart

How to read blackjack strategy charts

If not using a Blackjack chart when playing on online casinos (in brick & mortar ones too, for that matter), the casino has an 8% edge over you. That's a serious disadvantage. You can, however, reduce it to as little as 0.2%. This is done by reading our charts that tells you the best mathematical approach to every situation and scenario for specific Blackjack games. If you want the dummy’s guide to blackjack strategy, you’ll do well with our top blackjack strategy tips. Reference a strategy chart: After your cards have been dealt, compare your hand with the dealer’s up card by reading our strategy chart above. This chart will indicate the.

Such strategy charts had been developed for blackjack players in order to give them the better understanding of basic strategy and more chances to beat blackjack as a result. These charts describe your every step during the game depending on cards both you and a dealer have at the moment, and they exist both for Single-Deck and Multiple-Deck blackjack.

It is very easy to read blackjack strategy charts if you know all abbreviations and have a good memory: the matter is casinos prohibit the usage of such charts (of course!), so, everything a player can do is to learn them by heart or use them when playing online blackjack.

Learn how to read a chart

Look at the table given below: this is a basic blackjack strategy chart; the main point here is to remember that such charts can be different for different blackjack games, so, be careful when choose the appropriate one for yourself to use.

As you can see, the standard blackjack chart consists of 2 columns where the vertical one shows the cards you have as a player, and the horizontal one shows the open card of a dealer: everything you should do is to put these two lines together, and the place where these two lines meet will show you the option to choose.

To read the chart, you should know all the abbreviations given there: each of them names the option to choose:

  • H - means HIT
  • S - means STAND
  • P - means SPLIT
  • DD - means DOUBLE DOWN
  • H/P - means SPLIT if doubling down if allowed; if not - HIT
  • H/R - means SURRENDER if allowed; otherwise - HIT
Printable blackjack strategy chart pdf

Sometimes you can also find the following abbreviations in blackjack strategy charts:

  • Ds - means DOUBLE if allowed; if not - STAND
  • P/R - means SURRENDER if allowed; if not - SPLIT
  • S/R - means DURRENDER if allowed; if not - STAND

Such charts can be your good helpers if you prefer online casinos for gambling blackjack, but anyway the best strategy here is to practice much.

How to read blackjack strategy chart sample

Blackjack Strategy Chart: Way to Beat the Dealer

Blackjack is considered to be one of the most popular as well as the most complicated game of skill. The modern casinos offer a great variety of games to play but blackjack is always on the top.

How to 'Beat the Dealer'?

Blackjack card game attracts players who want to win big and prove to themselves that they are smart and able to 'beat the dealer'. The main idea of the game is to get as closer as possible to the 21 points without going bust which means not to exceed 21. It seems to be very easy at first sight, but in order to be successful, players have to learn how to play blackjack by memorizing the basic blackjack strategy and make use of blackjack tips given by experienced players. Being a very famous game, many successful players and blackjack theorists wrote hundreds of blackjack books with useful and helpful information. These books inspired many players to try their skills in this game.

Blackjack Strategy Chart

Moreover, there is one more great invention that is highly appreciated among the blackjack players. It is called the blackjack strategy chart. This chart appeared in 1958 after years of successful blackjack gaming ways investigation. The blackjack strategy chart was invented decade after the card counting, the most famous and effective cheating method in the history of blackjack.

Let's have a close look at the basic blackjack strategy chart:

There are various blackjack charts specially designed for soft hand, hard hand and splitting pairs. But the above given chart helps players to make their decisions when playing.

It is easy to understand the chart if players have the understanding of the blackjack game. The left column refers to the player's hand the horizontal column refers to the dealer's hand. In order to know what step to make, players can simply put the columns together and when they cross, they can see the offered step.

The Abbreviations:

How To Read Blackjack Strategy Charts

  • S = Stand
  • H = Hit
  • P = Split
  • DD (or sometimes D) = Double Down
  • H/P = Split but only if a player is allowed to double down afterwards. Otherwise - Hit.
  • H/R = Surrender only if it's allowed. Otherwise - Hit.

Blackjack Strategy Chart

Players should keep in mind that this chart cannot guarantee the winning, it simply helps to make the decision. However, being very helpful, it is advised this chart to learn it by heart to increase the chances for winning!