Decision Library

Blackjack Decision Chart

The correct play for every hand, six decks, dealer stands on soft 17, double after split allowed. 186 meaningful decisions each link to a full breakdown with the expected value of every option and a button to practice the hand. Numbers come from a combinatorial engine validated against Wizard of Odds.

H Hit S Stand D Double P Split R Surrender

Hard totals

Hand2345678910A
5HHHHHHHHHH
6HHHHHHHHHH
7HHHHHHHHHH
8HHHHHHHHHH
9HDDDDHHHHH
10DDDDDDDDHH
11DDDDDDDDDH
12HHSSSHHHHH
13SSSSSHHHHH
14SSSSSHHHHH
15SSSSSHHHRH
16SSSSSHHRRR
17SSSSSSSSSS
18SSSSSSSSSS
19SSSSSSSSSS
20SSSSSSSSSS

Soft totals

Hand2345678910A
A-2HHHDDHHHHH
A-3HHHDDHHHHH
A-4HHDDDHHHHH
A-5HHDDDHHHHH
A-6HDDDDHHHHH
A-7SDDDDSSHHH
A-8SSSSSSSSSS
A-9SSSSSSSSSS

Pairs

Hand2345678910A
2-2PPPPPPHHHH
3-3PPPPPPHHHH
4-4HHHPPHHHHH
5-5DDDDDDDDHH
6-6PPPPPHHHHH
7-7PPPPPPHHHH
8-8PPPPPPPPPP
9-9PPPPPSPPSS
10-10SSSSSSSSSS
A-APPPPPPPPPP

Faded cells are trivial always-hit or always-stand hands with no separate page. Every other cell is a real decision and opens its own breakdown. Doubles and surrenders assume your first two cards; with three or more cards, or if the option is not offered, use the fallback play shown on each hand's page.

How to use this chart

Find your hand down the left edge and the dealer's upcard across the top. The cell shows the correct action. Click any lit cell to open the full page for that hand, where the engine shows the expected value of standing, hitting, doubling, splitting, and surrendering, the dealer's bust chance, your bust chance if you hit, how the play shifts across deck counts and the soft-17 rule, and the exact cost of the most common mistake. A button on each page deals that exact hand in the trainer so you can practice it.

This chart is built for a six-deck shoe where the dealer stands on soft 17, the most common Las Vegas Strip condition. A handful of borderline hands change under other rules; those are flagged on each hand's own page so you can match your table.

What do the letters mean?

H is hit, S is stand, D is double, P is split, and R is surrender. Where doubling or surrender is correct but not available at your table, each hand's page lists the fallback play.

Is this the same math the trainer grades against?

Yes. The chart, every hand page, and the trainer all read from the same engine, validated against Wizard of Odds. There is no second source of numbers to drift out of sync.