Blackjack Cheat Sheet
A blackjack cheat sheet is just the basic strategy chart in a grab-and-go form. Print ours free (H17 or S17), keep it at the table — strategy cards are legal in almost every US casino — and it cuts the house edge to about 0.5%.
The full interactive strategy chart is the color-coded grid you study at home. A cheat sheet is the same math compressed onto a card you can fold into a pocket and glance at on the felt. This page gives you both: three free printable PDFs, and the condensed rules in plain words so you can carry the whole thing in your head.
Download the printable cheat sheet
Three PDFs, free, no signup — print, fold, laminate if you're fancy. Check the felt to see whether the dealer hits or stands on soft 17, then grab the matching card. (Not sure? Here's the difference.)
The cheat sheet in words
Everything on the H17 card (6 decks), condensed to rules you can memorize. Read your total down the left, the dealer's up-card across.
Hard totals
| Your hand | What to do |
|---|---|
| 8 or less | Always hit |
| 9 | Double vs 3–6, otherwise hit |
| 10 | Double vs 2–9, otherwise hit |
| 11 | Double — always |
| 12 | Stand vs 4–6, otherwise hit |
| 13–16 | Stand vs 2–6, otherwise hit |
| 17+ | Always stand |
Soft hands (an ace counted as 11)
| Your hand | What to do |
|---|---|
| A,2 – A,3 | Double vs 5–6, otherwise hit |
| A,4 – A,5 | Double vs 4–6, otherwise hit |
| A,6 | Double vs 3–6, otherwise hit |
| A,7 | Double vs 2–6, stand vs 7–8, hit vs 9–A |
| A,8 | Double vs 6, otherwise stand |
| A,9 | Always stand |
Pairs
| Your pair | What to do |
|---|---|
| A,A and 8,8 | Always split |
| 10,10 and 5,5 | Never split |
| 2,2 / 3,3 / 7,7 | Split vs 2–7, otherwise hit |
| 6,6 | Split vs 2–6, otherwise hit |
| 9,9 | Split vs 2–9 except 7 (stand vs 7, 10, A) |
| 4,4 | Split vs 5–6, otherwise hit |
The five rules that cover most hands
If you only memorize five lines, memorize these — they handle the large majority of the hands you'll be dealt:
- Always split aces and 8s. No exceptions, against any dealer card.
- Stand on hard 17 or higher. Never hit a made 17+, no matter how scared the dealer's card makes you.
- Double 11 against everything, and 10 against 2–9. Your best money goes in when you're staring at a likely 20 or 21.
- Stand on 12–16 vs a dealer 2–6; hit vs 7–A. The dealer's weak cards bust often — let them. Against a strong up-card, take the risk.
- Never take insurance. It's a side bet with a built-in house edge — the math never favors you.
Is it legal to use at the casino?
Yes — in almost every US casino. A printed strategy card is legal, public information; many casino gift shops sell laminated ones right on the floor. Basic strategy is just math, and the house already knows it. What's illegal is a device — anything electronic that counts cards or predicts outcomes. A paper card is not a device.
The only real etiquette rule: don't slow the game. Glance at the card, make your call, move on. If you find yourself studying it on every hand, that's a sign to drill the chart in the trainer until you don't need the sheet — most of the table won't even notice you're using one.
When the cheat sheet changes
The card above is for the most common table: 6 decks, dealer hits soft 17 (H17). Two things shift a few cells:
- S17 tables (dealer stands on soft 17). Slightly better for you. Only three cells change: don't double 11 vs A, A,7 vs 2, or A,8 vs 6 — just hit or stand instead. That's the entire difference between the H17 and S17 cards.
- Single- and double-deck games. Fewer decks shift a handful of cells (some extra doubles, mostly), and change the math enough to matter — see how many decks for the full breakdown.
For every cell at once, with an H17/S17 toggle and color coding, use the full interactive strategy chart. New to the game entirely? Start with how to play blackjack, then come back here. And to see what any specific hand is actually worth in dollars, run it through the hand calculator.
Frequently asked questions
Can you use a blackjack cheat sheet at the casino?
Yes, in almost every US casino. Printed strategy cards are legal — gift shops on the floor often sell them — because basic strategy is public math, not cheating. What's banned is electronic counting or prediction devices. A laminated card you glance at between hands is fine; just don't slow the game studying it on every decision.
Does a blackjack cheat sheet actually work?
Yes. It's basic strategy in printable form, and basic strategy is the mathematically optimal play for every hand. Following it exactly trims the house edge to roughly 0.5% on a standard 6-deck game — far better than the 2–3% most players give up on hunches. It won't make blackjack a winning game, but it makes it the cheapest game on the floor.
What's the difference between the H17 and S17 cheat sheet?
H17 means the dealer hits soft 17; S17 means the dealer stands on it. S17 is slightly better for you. Only a few cells differ: at S17 tables you no longer double 11 vs ace, A-7 vs 2, or A-8 vs 6. Check the felt for "hits soft 17" or "must stand on 17" and grab the matching card — or use the H17 card, the more common rule.