Play classic Blackjack card game free in your browser. Beat the dealer to 21. No download required.
Each card is worth its face value. Face cards count as 10. Aces count as 1 or 11, whichever benefits your hand. You and the dealer each receive two cards; one dealer card is face-down. Request additional cards by hitting, or stand to keep your current total. If your total exceeds 21 you bust and lose the hand automatically. Beat the dealer by finishing closer to 21 without busting, or win automatically if you are dealt an ace and a ten-value card, which is a natural blackjack.
Basic strategy is a mathematically derived set of decisions that minimizes the house edge. Always hit on 11 or lower. Stand on 17 or higher. If the dealer shows a weak upcard, between 2 and 6, stand on 12 or above, since the dealer is more likely to bust. Double down on 10 or 11 when the dealer shows a low card. Split aces and eights always. Never take insurance. Memorizing basic strategy makes every decision correct in the long run, regardless of individual hand outcomes.
Blackjack is the most widely played casino banking game in the United States and has been central to Las Vegas and Atlantic City casino floors since those industries developed in the mid-twentieth century. The game gained broader cultural prominence through Edward Thorp's 1962 book Beat the Dealer, which introduced card counting to the general public and demonstrated that the house edge could be overcome with skill. The browser version offers a way to learn and practice strategy without financial exposure.
This table lets you double down, which doubles your current bet in exchange for exactly one more card and an automatic stand afterward. Use it when the math favors you. The classic spots are a hard total of 11, where any ten-value card gives you 21, and a hard 10 against a weak dealer upcard. A total of 9 against a dealer showing 3 through 6 is also a profitable double, since those upcards make the dealer most likely to bust. Doubling commits you to standing on whatever card arrives, so avoid it when you might need to keep hitting, such as a soft hand you would rather improve in several steps. Because the doubled wager comes straight out of your balance, only double when your bankroll can absorb the swing and the dealer is showing a card that helps you more than it helps them.
Every round starts at the betting phase, where you stack chips into your wager before dealing; the bet is capped at whatever balance you currently hold. A natural blackjack, an ace paired with any ten-value card, pays three to two, returning one and a half times your bet, while an ordinary win pays even money and a push simply returns your stake. Because losses subtract the full bet and doubling risks twice as much, steady bankroll management matters more than any single hand. Keep individual bets modest relative to your total so one cold streak does not wipe you out, and resist the urge to chase losses by suddenly betting your whole balance. The deck reshuffles automatically when it runs low, so card counting offers no edge here. Treat the chips as a budget for a long session rather than a single dramatic gamble.
Double on a hard 11 against almost any dealer card, on a hard 10 when the dealer shows 9 or lower, and on 9 against a dealer 3 through 6. Doubling gives you one card then auto-stands, so skip it on hands you would rather keep building.
A natural blackjack, an ace plus any ten-value card on your first two cards, pays three to two, so you collect one and a half times your bet. If the dealer also has 21 the hand is a push and your stake is simply returned to you.
Always hit totals of 11 or lower and stand on 17 or higher. On 12 through 16, stand when the dealer shows 2 through 6 because they are likely to bust, but hit when the dealer shows 7 or higher and is likely to make a strong hand.
Not effectively. The deck reshuffles automatically once it runs low on cards, which resets any count you might track. The game is built for practicing basic strategy and decision-making, not for gaining an edge through counting as you might attempt against a single deep shoe.
Your bet is capped at your current balance, so you can never wager more than you hold. If your balance reaches zero you can restart to reset your chips. Keeping individual bets modest helps a cold streak from emptying your balance too fast.