Read the table rules first
| Rule | Good for you | Cost when it goes the other way |
|---|---|---|
| Blackjack payout | 3:2 | 6:5 adds about 1.39% |
| Dealer on soft 17 | Stands | Hitting adds about 0.22% |
| Double after split | Allowed | Not allowed adds about 0.14% |
| Surrender | Late surrender | No surrender costs about 0.08% |
| Decks | Fewer | Eight decks cost about 0.5% more than one |
The payout matters most. On RWF 500,000 of total bets, a 6:5 table costs about RWF 7,000 more than a 3:2 table with the same rules.
How to use a basic strategy chart
Charts have three parts: hard totals, soft totals (an ace counted as 11) and pairs. Find your hand down the side and the dealer's card across the top.
- Always split aces and eights. Never split tens or fives.
- Stand on hard 17 or more. Stand on 12 to 16 against a dealer 2 to 6 (hit 12 against 2 or 3), and hit against 7 or higher.
- Double 10 and 11 against weaker dealer cards; double 11 against everything except an ace on most tables.
- Do not take insurance.
Use a chart that matches the number of decks and the soft 17 rule of your table.
Live and RNG blackjack
The same chart works for both. RNG games reshuffle after every hand and deal much faster, so the same stake costs more per hour. Live tables deal far fewer hands per hour, and many use shuffling machines or cut the shoe early, which makes card counting pointless online.
Live variants such as Infinite Blackjack and Power Blackjack change some rules. Read the help screen of each game before you play.
Bonuses and blackjack
Blackjack often counts 10% or less toward bonus wagering, or is excluded. A bonus with 35x wagering at 10% contribution means betting 350 times the bonus on blackjack, which rarely makes sense. Cashback paid as cash suits blackjack players better. Our blackjack page lists casinos that carry the game.