Blackjack strategy is difficult, but using strategy charts can make learning it simple and fun.

Blackjack may seem confusing to beginners. When to hit, stand, split, double or surrender? It requires a lot of strategy and some mathematical reasoning, and learning how to do this effectively requires a lot of practice. Luckily there are convenient tools out there to make the process easier. The most obvious is the strategy chart.

Playing blackjack cards effectively requires the ability to assess the situation at hand and act accordingly. For example, if you have a 16 and the dealer shows a ten, what are your chances of winning the hand (hint: hit!!)? A strategy will tell you which move carries the highest probability to beating the dealer.

Things aren’t always what they seem

A blackjack basic strategy card is great because it can teach you how to interpret both your cards and those of the dealer. The dealer only shows one card; you have to anticipate what the other one is. For example, when you have a 16 sometimes it is advantageous to hit, and sometimes it is better to stand.

The card which the dealer shows will indicate your chances of winning if you hit or stand. If the dealer shows a high card, it indicates that you may need to be close to 21 in order to win, so hit. If they show a low card, there is a good chance your 16 will be enough, so you can safely stand and avoid the risk of busting. Blackjack strategy isn’t easy, but these charts make learning it a lot easier.