The Charlie Rule automatically awards a win in Blackjack under specific circumstances.

Introduction

In Blackjack, there's a unique rule that grants an automatic win if a player manages to collect a certain number of cards, typically between 5 and 7, without exceeding 21. This scenario is termed a 'Charlie.' Specifically, a 'seven-card Charlie' signifies winning with seven or fewer cards without busting.

According to the Blackjack section, implementing the seven-card Charlie rule reduces the house edge by 0.01%, while the six-card Charlie rule decreases it by 0.16%, and the five-card Charlie rule lowers it by 1.46%.

The table below illustrates strategies for hitting, standing, and doubling, which vary slightly from the Charlie strategy outlined in Stanford Wong's Basic Blackjack. The following strategy is tailored for an infinite deck, and may occasionally yield inaccuracies in marginal cases. If you have Wong's book, his insights are recommended.

The subsequent image illustrates the splitting strategy, influenced by whether doubling after a split is permitted, as well as the application of a five-card or six-card Charlie rule. No alterations should be made for a seven-card Charlie. Once again, this differs from Wong's approach, which I would recommend referring to.

Written by: Michael Shackleford