A statistics reference for Blackjack

Every hand has a number.
Here they all are.

Exact expected values and win probabilities for every starting hand against every dealer upcard, computed from the same model on every page — no folklore, no hunches.

6 decksdealer stands on soft 17blackjack pays 3 : 2double on any two cardssplit & late surrender allowed
Q♠

Hand rankings

All 340 starting-hand vs. upcard combinations, ranked by win probability under perfect basic strategy. Sort and filter freely.

Browse the table →
Q♠
A♥

Hand analyzer

Pick your two cards and the dealer's upcard. See the value of every legal action — and the one play the math recommends.

Analyze a hand →
A♥
J♣

How to play

New to the table? Card values, the flow of a round, every action explained, dealer rules and payouts — written for a first-timer.

Learn the game →
J♣

All figures on this site come from one expected-value engine, so the rankings and the analyzer always agree.

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Hand rankings

Every start, ranked

Each row is one player starting hand against one dealer upcard. Win, push and loss probabilities assume you play perfect basic strategy from that point on. Click a column header to sort.

Your hand Type Dealer shows Best play Win % Push % EV / unit

Win % is the chance the hand wins money under the best non-surrender play. Where surrender is marked as the best play, it beats even that line's expected value by losing only half the bet. EV is the average profit per unit wagered.

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Hand analyzer

What's the play?

Select your two dealt cards and the dealer's upcard, then deal. Jack, Queen and King all count as 10.

Your two cards

Dealer's upcard

Pick two of your cards and one dealer upcard.
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How to play

Blackjack from zero

Everything you need to sit down at a table for the first time. Five minutes, no jargon left unexplained.

The goal

You are not playing against other players — only against the dealer. The goal is to end the round with a card total higher than the dealer's without going over 21. Go over 21 and you bust: you lose immediately, no matter what the dealer has.

Card values

A hand containing an ace that is currently counted as 11 is called a soft hand (for example, Ace + 6 is "soft 17"). It's called soft because you can never bust by taking one more card — the ace simply drops to 1 if needed. Any other hand is a hard hand (10 + 7 is "hard 17").

The flow of a round

  1. Bet. Place your wager before any cards are dealt.
  2. Deal. You receive two cards face up. The dealer gets two cards: one face up (the upcard) and one face down (the hole card).
  3. Blackjack check. If your first two cards are an Ace + a ten-value card, that's a blackjack (or "natural") — the best possible hand. It wins immediately at 3:2 unless the dealer also has blackjack, in which case the round is a tie. If the dealer's upcard is an Ace or a ten, the dealer peeks at the hole card first to check for their own blackjack.
  4. Your turn. You act as many times as you like, choosing from the actions below, until you stand, bust, or double.
  5. Dealer's turn. The dealer reveals the hole card and plays by fixed rules — no decisions (see below).
  6. Settle. Hands are compared and bets are paid.

Your actions

Hit
Take one more card. You may keep hitting until you stand or bust.
Stand
Take no more cards. Your total is locked in and the turn passes on.
Double down
Double your bet, receive exactly one more card, and stand automatically. Allowed on any two-card starting hand at this table. High reward when the odds favor you, but you give up the right to keep hitting.
Split
If your two cards are the same rank (a pair), you may split them into two separate hands, placing a second bet equal to your first. Each hand gets a new second card and is then played on its own. Split aces are an exception: each ace receives just one card.
Surrender
Give up your starting hand immediately and take back half your bet. Only available as your very first decision, and only worth it in a few clearly losing spots (the analyzer will show you which).
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Dealer rules

The dealer has no choices. They must hit on 16 or less and stand on 17 or more — at this table, that includes standing on soft 17. The dealer never doubles, splits or surrenders. If the dealer busts, every player hand still standing wins.

This fixed behavior is the entire reason strategy exists: because the dealer's play is mechanical, the correct response to every situation can be calculated — which is exactly what the rest of this site does.

Payouts

Quick glossary

Bust
A total over 21. An immediate loss.
Soft hand
A hand with an ace counted as 11. Can't bust on the next card.
Hard hand
A hand with no ace, or with every ace forced to count as 1.
Push
A tie with the dealer. Your bet is returned.
Basic strategy
The mathematically best action for every hand vs. upcard combination — the strategy behind every number on this site.
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