Not available to residents of Ontario or Alberta. This page is for players 19+ elsewhere in Canada (18+ in Manitoba and Quebec).
CoolShades earns a commission from some casinos it covers. This page has no affiliate links.
Blackjack for Beginners: How to Play Online Blackjack
By James Burke · Updated Oct 17, 2026
Blackjack is a card game where your decisions affect the house edge. Basic strategy lowers the house edge; it doesn't remove it, and the casino keeps the advantage over time. This guide covers the rules, the main decisions and the table rules worth checking. All figures are from Wizard of Odds, checked Oct 17, 2026.
Blackjack rules
As Wizard of Odds, blackjack rules puts it, the object is to beat the dealer, not just to get close to 21 (checked Oct 17, 2026).
Cards 2–9 count at face value; tens and face cards count 10; an ace counts 1 or 11.
A "blackjack" is an ace plus any 10-point card as your first two cards, and it beats other 21-point hands.
You and the dealer each get two cards, and one of the dealer's cards is shown.
If you go over 21 you bust and lose, even if the dealer later busts too.
The dealer draws to at least 17. At some tables the dealer also hits a soft 17 (an ace plus cards totalling six), so check the table rules.
If the dealer busts, every player who hasn't bust wins; otherwise the higher total wins.
Your options on each hand
Hit: take another card.
Stand: keep your hand.
Double down: double your bet and take exactly one more card.
Split: split a pair into two hands, each with its own bet.
Surrender: give up half your bet and end the hand, where the table allows it.
Basic strategy: the foundation
Basic strategy is the set of decisions that loses the least over time for a given set of rules. This summary follows the Wizard of Odds, 4–8 deck basic strategy chart for games where the dealer stands on soft 17 and you can double after splitting (checked Oct 17, 2026). It matches our blackjack strategy guide, which also covers surrender. Use the full chart for exact plays.
Hard totals
8 or less: hit.
9: double against dealer 3–6, otherwise hit.
10: double against dealer 2–9, otherwise hit.
11: double against dealer 2–10, hit against an ace.
12: stand against dealer 4–6, otherwise hit.
13–16: stand against dealer 2–6, otherwise hit.
17 or more: stand.
Soft totals (an ace counted as 11)
A-2, A-3: double against dealer 5–6, otherwise hit.
A-4, A-5: double against dealer 4–6, otherwise hit.
A-6: double against dealer 3–6, otherwise hit.
A-7: double against dealer 3–6, stand against 2, 7 or 8, hit against 9, 10 or ace.
A-8 or more: stand.
Pairs
Aces and 8s: always split.
2s, 3s, 7s: split against dealer 2–7.
4s: split against dealer 5–6.
5s: never split; play as a hard 10.
6s: split against dealer 2–6.
9s: split against dealer 2–6, 8 and 9; stand against 7, 10 or ace.
10s: never split.
What basic strategy does to the house edge
The Wizard of Odds house edge table lists blackjack at 0.43% under Atlantic City rules and 0.28% under liberal rules, with basic strategy (checked Oct 17, 2026). The same page's casino figures, which reflect real players' mistakes, show blackjack at 0.75%. A lower edge still means you lose over time on average.
The chart above splits aces and 8s against every dealer card and never splits tens.
2. Don't take insurance
Insurance is a side bet, offered when the dealer shows an ace, that the dealer's hidden card is a 10. It pays 2 to 1. In a six-deck game, Wizard of Odds puts its house edge at about 7.4% (Wizard of Odds, insurance in blackjack, checked Oct 17, 2026), and the basic strategy chart advises never taking insurance or "even money".
3. Stand on hard 17 or more; play soft 17 from the chart
Stand on hard 17 or more. Play soft 17 (A,6) from the chart: double against dealer 3–6, otherwise hit.
4. Learn the chart before you play
Keep a chart open while you play until the decisions are familiar.
5. Set a budget and bet flat
Decide your session budget and time limit before you start. Betting systems that raise your bet after losses don't change the house edge.
"Blackjack pays 6-5" adds 1.39% to the house edge compared with 3:2.
"Dealer hits on soft 17" adds 0.22%.
RNG and live dealer blackjack
RNG blackjack: software deals the cards using a random number generator.
Live dealer blackjack: a dealer deals physical cards on camera.
Rules such as the number of decks, soft 17 and the blackjack payout are shown in each game's rules or information panel and can differ between versions. The house edge applies to both.
Set a time and money limit before you play, and stop when you reach it. Help is free and confidential: see the helpline list for every province on our responsible gambling page.