The Basic Strategy must be learnt and used automatically during the game to give you the best possible starting point when you apply counting betting strategies. When the Basic Strategy is used the house has only approximately a 0.6% edge over the player depending on the local rules of the casino. For example if soft doubling is not allowed then the casino increases its edge by 0.14%.

There are two different ways that the dealer receives his cards. The most common in the USA is the Nevada Deal whereby the dealer's second card is dealt face down and is checked for a blackjack before players take further action such as doubling etc. The other style is the London Deal which is quite popular outside the USA and involves the dealer receiving the second card after all players have finished. This style gives the casino a further slight edge over the players.

The tables shown below have been mathematically calculated to give you the optimum result short of counting for both of the styles of dealing.

Should you want to fine tune the Basic Strategy the Custom Deal allows you to select a dealing style and also alter the decision tables by clicking on a red square to turn on or turn off the relevant action related to one of the tables.

Click on the "Custom Deal" tab

and then change any decision.

You can initialize the tables with either the Nevada or London styles as a reference point.

The Basic Strategy involves asking yourself a series of questions from the time when your first two cards are shown.

1. Early Surrender

If the casino allows early surrender and if your first two card are as below compared to the dealers first card then by all means surrender straight away and only lose half of your bet.

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2. Splitting

If your first two cards compared to the dealer's up card falls into the red square then split.

Splitting has two tables because being able to doubledown after splitting is slightly more advantageous to you.

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3. Double Down

If you cannot split then is it possible to double down. Once again there are two table as some casinos only allow doubling on hard hands.

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4. Stand

The last question to ask is whether you stand or get another card (hit).

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