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4-Deck to 8-Deck Blackjack Strategy
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Introduction
To apply the basic strategy, locate your hand on the left side and the dealer's visible card at the top. It's essential to note that an 'A' represents an ace in this context. The chart categorizes hands into hard totals, soft totals, and those eligible for splitting, considering whether the dealer stands or hits on a soft 17.
Other basic strategy rules.
- Avoid taking insurance or opting for 'even money.'
- If there's no indication for splitting (as with pairs of fives or tens), consider your hand as a hard total (either 10 or 20).
- In situations where resplitting is restricted, treat your hand as a hard total, detaching aces from this rule. In the very rare case of having a pair of aces without the option to resplit, if drawing to split aces is allowed, you should double against a 6; otherwise, just hit.
For those engaged in various six-deck games with different rules for dealer actions on soft 17, if you plan to memorize just one strategy, I suggest focusing on the one where the dealer stands on soft 17. The likelihood of making errors is about 2.3 times greater when incorrectly applying the strategy for a hit-on-17 game as opposed to standing.
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Basic Strategy in Text
For the benefit of visually impaired readers, here is the strategy outlined above in a textual format tailored for scenarios where the dealer stands on soft 17 and surrendering is permitted. To implement this strategy, begin at the top and adhere to the first applicable rule.
Surrender
- Opt for surrendering hard 16 (excluding pairs of 8s) against a dealer's 9, 10, or Ace, and surrender hard 15 against a dealer's 10.
Split
- Always split aces and 8s.
- Never split 5s and 10s.
- Split 2s and 3s when facing a dealer's 4 to 7, as well as against a 2 or 3 if doubling after splitting (DAS) is allowed.
- Only split 4s if DAS is available and the dealer displays a 5 or 6.
- Split 6s against a dealer's 3 to 6, and against a 2 provided DAS is permitted.
- Split 7s against a dealer 2-7.
- Split 9s against a dealer 2-6 or 8-9.
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Double
- Double hard 9 vs. dealer 3-6.
- Double a hard 10 unless the dealer is showing a 10 or an Ace.
- Double hard 11 except against a dealer A.
- Double soft 13 or 14 vs. dealer 5-6.
- Double soft 15 or 16 vs. dealer 4-6.
- Double soft 17 or 18 vs. dealer 3-6.
Hit or Stand
- Always hit hard 11 or less.
- Stand on hard 12 against a dealer's 4 to 6; otherwise, take a hit.
- Stand on hard totals between 13 and 16 against a dealer's 2 to 6; otherwise, hit.
- Always stand on hard 17 or more.
- Always hit soft 17 or less.
- Stand on soft 18 unless facing a dealer's 9, 10, or Ace, in which case hit.
- Always stand on soft 19 or more.
As I've highlighted previously, the strategy provided above is effective under any set of rules. However, for those who strive for accuracy, here are adjustments to consider if the dealer hits on a soft 17.
- Surrender 15, a pair of 8s, and 17 vs. dealer A.
- Double 11 vs. dealer A.
- Double soft 18 vs. dealer 2.
- Double soft 19 vs. dealer 6.
Special thanks to Kelly for compiling the text version of this strategy.
