Q:B11  What is the correct basic strategy for Atlantic City blackjack?
A:B11  (Steve Jacobs)


  The following basic strategy is for typical Atlantic City rules.

  HOUSE RULES:
     Cards are dealt from 6 decks.
     Dealer must stand on any 17.
       Double-down allowed on soft hands.
     Pairs may be split only once.
       Player may double-down after splitting pairs.
     Surrender is not allowed.


                   Strategy Table

       <---might bust--->  <---might stand--->  <---- dealer possibility
  ---+----------------------------------------
       2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   X   A    <---- dealer's up card
  ---+----------------------------------------  Pairs
  XX | S   S   S   S   S   S   S   S   S   S   
  99 | PS  PS  PS  PS  PS  S   PS  ps  s   s   
  88 | Ps  Ps  Ps  Ps  Ps  Ph  ph  ph  ph  ph  
  77 | ps  ps  Ps  Ps  Ps  ph  h   h   h   h   
  66 | ph  ph  ps  Ps  Ps  h   h   h   h   h   
  55 | DH  DH  DH  DH  DH  DH  DH  DH  H   H   
  44 | h   H   H   PH  PH  H   h   h   h   h   
  33 | ph  ph  Ph  Ph  Ph  ph  h   h   h   h   
  22 | ph  ph  Ph  Ph  PH  ph  h   h   h   h   
  AA | PH  PH  PH  PH  PDH PH  PH  Ph  Ph  Ph  
  ---+----------------------------------------  Soft Hands
  AX | S   S   S   S   S   S   S   S   S   S   
  A9 | S   S   S   S   S   S   S   S   S   S   
  A8 | S   S   S   S   S   S   S   S   S   S   
  A7 | S   DS  DS  DS  DS  S   S   h   h   h   
  A6 | H   DH  DH  DH  DH  H   h   h   h   h   
  A5 | h   H   DH  DH  DH  h   h   h   h   h   
  A4 | h   H   DH  DH  DH  H   h   h   h   h   
  A3 | H   H   H   DH  DH  H   H   h   h   h   
  A2 | H   H   H   DH  DH  H   H   h   h   h   
  AA | H   H   H   H   DH  H   H   h   h   h   
  ---+----------------------------------------  Hard Hands
  21 | S   S   S   S   S   S   S   S   S   S   
  20 | S   S   S   S   S   S   S   S   S   S   
  19 | S   S   S   S   S   S   S   S   S   S   
  18 | S   S   S   S   S   S   S   s   s   s   
  17 | s   s   s   s   S   s   s   s   s   s   

  16 | s   s   s   s   s   h   h   h   h   h   
  15 | s   s   s   s   s   h   h   h   h   h   
  14 | s   s   s   s   s   h   h   h   h   h   
  13 | 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   
   8 | h   H   H   H   H   H   h   h   h   h   
   7 | h   h   h   H   H   h   h   h   h   h   
   6 | h   h   h   h   h   h   h   h   h   h   
   5 | h   h   h   h   H   h   h   h   h   h   
   4 | h   h   h   h   H   h   h   h   h   h   
  ---+----------------------------------------
  S=stand H=hit D=double P=split Q=surrender

  NOTES:
       1) If more than one option is listed,
          options to the left are preferred
          over options to the right.  Options
          less favorable than STAND or HIT are
          not shown.

       2) Use the "Hard Hands" table only
          when the other tables do not apply.

       3) If splitting Aces is not allowed,
          use the "Soft Hands" table.

       4) Uppercase options favor the player,
          lowercase options favor the house.

  ---+----------------------------------------