How to Play Blackjack: Rules and Basic Strategy

Blackjack, also called twenty-one, is the most popular card game in casinos – and the one where your decisions matter most. With the right strategy, the house edge drops to around half a percent, lower than almost any other game. This guide covers the rules, the main player options and basic strategy.

You play against the dealer, not the other players. The aim is to finish closer to 21 than the dealer without going over.

• Cards 2–10 count at face value.
• Jacks, Queens and Kings count as 10.
• Aces count as 1 or 11, whichever is better. A hand with an ace counted as 11 is called “soft”, for example soft 17 (Ace + 6).

An ace plus a 10-value card as your first two cards is a blackjack, which usually pays 3 to 2.

1. Place your bet.
2. You and the dealer get two cards each. One dealer card is face up.
3. You choose how to play your hand (see options below).
4. The dealer reveals the hidden card and draws until reaching at least 17. Rules say whether the dealer stands or hits on soft 17.
5. If you are closer to 21 than the dealer, you win 1 to 1. Equal totals are a “push” and your stake is returned. Going over 21 is a “bust” and loses immediately.

• Hit – take another card.
• Stand – keep your total.
• Double down – double your bet and take exactly one more card.
• Split – turn a pair into two separate hands, with a second bet.
• Surrender – where allowed, give up the hand and get half your bet back.
• Insurance – a side bet offered when the dealer shows an ace. It has a high house edge; basic strategy says never take it.

Basic strategy is the mathematically best play for every combination of your hand and the dealer’s up card. The full chart varies slightly with the rules, but these core rules cover most situations:

• Hard 17 or more: always stand.
• Hard 13–16: stand against a dealer 2–6; hit against 7 to Ace.
• Hard 12: stand against a dealer 4–6; otherwise hit.
• 11: double against everything except, in some games, a dealer Ace.
• 10: double against a dealer 2–9.
• 9: double against a dealer 3–6; otherwise hit.
• 8 or less: always hit.
• Pairs: always split Aces and 8s; never split 10s or 5s.
• Soft 18 (Ace + 7): stand against 2, 7 and 8; double against 3–6 where allowed; hit against 9, 10 and Ace.
• Soft 17 or less: never stand – hit or double.

Practise with a free game in demo mode and a strategy chart until the decisions feel natural.

• Card counting tracks high and low cards to adjust bets. It is legal but does not work in standard online blackjack, where cards are reshuffled every hand, and casinos can refuse play to counters.
• Do not mimic the dealer by always hitting below 17 – it raises the house edge sharply.
• Side bets like Perfect Pairs or 21+3 are fun but carry much higher house edges.
• Bonuses: blackjack usually counts 10% or less towards wagering.

Ready to play for real? See our guide to the best online blackjack casinos.