Variations to Basic Strategy for Different Casino Rules:
Here are the pair-splitting rules for shoe games, which do not allow doubling down after splitting pairs:
2, 2: Split on dealer up cards 3-7, not 2-7
3, 3: Split on dealer up cards 4-7, not 2-7
4, 4: Hit on dealer up cards 5-6, do not split
6, 6: Split on dealer up cards 3-6, not 2-6
If the casino permits surrender in the shoe game, surrender the following hands:
9, 7 and 10, 6 against a dealer up-card of ace
9, 6; 9, 7; 10, 5; 10, 6 against a dealer up card of 10 or face card
9, 7 and 10, 6 against a dealer up-card of 9
If the casino allows surrender in the single-deck game, use the shoe
strategy above, but also surrender seven, seven against a dealer up-card
of ten.
The standard multideck strategy can be used in the two-deck game with the following exceptions:
For hands totaling nine, double down on dealer upcards from two to six,
not three to six, five, six or seven, four: Double down against a dealer
ace (hit if your eleven is nine, two, or eight, three).
Other Deviations to Basic Strategy
Many blackjack guides advise you to never deviate from Basic Strategy.
Their reasoning is that you should always make the correct mathematical
play for each and every hand. This reasoning is correct if you play for
the long term. Here however, you are being taught to play for the short
term. There are occasions when you should deviate from Basic Strategy,
either to protect your locked short-term profits, or to avoid risking
them on hands with high bests.
It is recommended that you learn Basic Strategy
thoroughly so that you can play the hands automatically, without even
thinking about them. If you are playing online, print off a copy of the
Basic Strategy, and refer to it when you play. In this situation, you
have all the time in the world to make the correct plays. Basic Strategy
deviations occur infrequently, and if you are uncertain about how to
play any hand, Basic Strategy is always the correct play.
Next: Online Blackjack - Home
