How to play blackjack: rules and basic strategy

Blackjack, also called 21, is the world's most popular casino card game. The goal is simple: finish closer to 21 than the dealer without going over.

Card values

• Cards 2 to 10 are worth their number.
• Jack, Queen and King are worth 10.
• An Ace is worth 1 or 11, whichever helps your hand more. A hand with an Ace counted as 11 is called "soft".

How a round works

1. Place your bet.
2. You get two cards face up. The dealer gets one face up and one face down.
3. If your first two cards are an Ace and a 10-value card, that is blackjack. It usually pays 3 to 2.
4. Choose to hit (take a card), stand (keep your total), double (double your bet and take one card) or split (turn a pair into two hands).
5. If you go over 21 you bust and lose, even if the dealer busts later.
6. The dealer then plays by fixed rules: on All In the dealer stands on all 17s.
7. Closer to 21 wins. A tie (a "push") returns your bet.

Basic strategy: the short version

Basic strategy is the mathematically best play for every hand. You don't need to memorise a full chart to play well. These rules cover most hands:

• Hard 17 or more: always stand.
• Hard 13 to 16: stand if the dealer shows 2 to 6, hit if the dealer shows 7 or higher.
• Hard 12: stand against 4, 5 or 6, otherwise hit.
• Hard 11: double against 2 to 10, hit against an Ace.
• Hard 10: double against 2 to 9, otherwise hit.
• Hard 9: double against 3 to 6, otherwise hit.
• 8 or less: always hit.
• Soft 19 or more: stand. Soft 18: stand against 2, 7 or 8, hit against 9, 10 or Ace (double against 3 to 6 if allowed).
• Always split Aces and 8s. Never split 10s or 5s.
• Skip insurance. Over time it costs more than it pays.

Why the dealer's up-card matters

A dealer showing 4, 5 or 6 is the most likely to bust, so you can stand on lower totals and let them take the risk. A dealer showing 7 or higher is likely to finish on 17 or more, so you need to improve weak hands.

Does counting cards work?

Card counting tracks which cards are left in the shoe. It only helps when many cards are dealt between shuffles. On All In the six decks are shuffled every hand, so counting has no effect, and every hand is dealt fairly on our server.

Try it free

Practise these rules at the All In Card Room with virtual coins. There's no real money involved, so it's the ideal place to learn.