Because you have a choice to either surrender or hit you can reduce the house edge by playing blackjack optimally. This complete set of optimal plays you can make is known as basic blackjack strategy. There are slight variations to this blackjack strategy chart depending on the number of decks and house rules.
| Your hand | Dealer’s face-up card | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | A | |
| 17-20 | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S |
| 16 | S | S | S | S | S | H | H | SU | SU | SU |
| 15 | S | S | S | S | S | H | H | H | SU | H |
| 13-14 | S | S | S | S | S | H | H | H | H | H |
| 12 | H | H | S | S | S | H | H | H | H | H |
| 11 | Dh | Dh | Dh | Dh | Dh | Dh | Dh | Dh | Dh | H |
| 10 | Dh | Dh | Dh | Dh | Dh | Dh | Dh | Dh | H | H |
| 9 | H | Dh | Dh | Dh | Dh | H | H | H | H | H |
| 5-8 | H | H | H | H | H | H | H | H | H | H |
| A,8 A,9 | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S |
| A,7 | S | Ds | Ds | Ds | Ds | S | S | H | H | H |
| A,6 | H | Dh | Dh | Dh | Dh | H | H | H | H | H |
| A,4 A,5 | H | H | Dh | Dh | Dh | H | H | H | H | H |
| A,2 A,3 | H | H | H | Dh | Dh | H | H | H | H | H |
| A,A | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP |
| 10,10 | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S | S |
| 9,9 | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP | S | SP | SP | S | S |
| 8,8 | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP |
| 7,7 | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP | H | H | H | H |
| 6,6 | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP | H | H | H | H | H |
| 5,5 | Dh | Dh | Dh | Dh | Dh | Dh | Dh | Dh | H | H |
| 4,4 | H | H | H | SP | SP | H | H | H | H | H |
| 2,2 3,3 | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP | H | H | H | H |