In order to beat the casinos at blackjack, the first thing you need to learn is basic strategy. This is a series of rules telling you when to hit, stand, double and split. The odds can be lowered significantly by playing the same way in the same situations consistently over time. All are calculated to only lower the house edge over a certain number of hands. Although the game rules differ slightly from game to game, a general guideline is set out in the tables that follow. It is often easier to express the strategies in a chart form. Learn them before you start to hand over your cash to a casino.

Splitting Pairs:
Never split fours, fives, nines or tens
Always split Aces and eight's
Split twos, threes, sixes & sevens when the dealer's up card is between 2 & 6

Doubling Down:
Always double down when you have a count of 11, do not hesitate if the dealer has a 10 or Ace showing.
Always double down when you have a count of 10 and the dealer's card is anything but a 10.
Always double down when you have a count of 9 and the dealer's card is between 2 to 8.
Always double down when you have soft 13,14,15,16 (Ace and 2,3,4,5) and the dealer has a 6 showing.

Basic Strategy:
D=double; H=hit; S=stand; SP=split pairs
Top row is what card the Dealer shows, left column is total player holds.

When to Split Pairs:
D=double; H=hit; S=stand; SP=split pairs
Top row is what card the Dealer shows, left column is total player holds.

Soft Totals (hand in which you have an Ace):
D=double; H=hit; S=stand; SP=split pairs
Top row is what card the Dealer shows, left column is total player holds.

Insurance (bet offered by dealer showing an ace):
Never take insurance.