You’ve come to the right place to learn straightforward single deck blackjack strategy tips. In the guide below, we’ll cover ways to maximize your payouts and cut the house edge down to the bone. If you can find a true single-deck game, it offers some of the very best odds in the casino. While some games feature house edges that go over ten percent (looking at you, Keno), single-deck blackjack can go under a half a percent with optimal play, making it one of the most player-friendly games available.
We also have guides for 6-deck strategy and 8-deck strategy, if you want to broaden your understanding. Now, let’s start with the basics.
Understanding the Main Difference with Single-Deck Blackjack
Your best one deck blackjack strategy starts with a solid overall blackjack strategy. There’s only 52 cards in the deck, but the same principles of optimal play still apply. The main difference is that you’re not drawing from a shoe full of hundreds of cards. Instead, you’re working with a rapidly depleting resource, and this is what drives all of the strategies to come.
Most casinos have shifted to using multiple decks when dealing out a standard game of blackjack – typically six decks. The need for this isn’t just driven by odds. If you’ve got five players at a table, you can barely get through a few hands before you’d need a fresh deck or a shuffle. Using multiple decks at once allows for the game to flow smoothly and efficiently, without constant shuffling or changing of the shoe. Otherwise, there would be a ton of downtime in the game, which isn’t really efficient or enjoyable for anyone. For that reason, single-deck blackjack games are somewhat rare.
That said, let’s quickly cover optimal strategy before getting into the issue of card counting that is at the center of playing this blackjack variation.
Optimal Basic Strategy for Single-Deck Games
The basic strategy single deck players need is similar to what you’d find in any blackjack game. Here are your must-follow principles:
- Always split aces and 8s. You want to maximize your chances of hitting a blackjack, so splitting aces is a must. You’ll be looking to hit a ten-value card after that. Splitting 8s is done for a different reason: you never want to play a 16. The hand is too much trouble, and your odds of winning are too low (less than 25% when the dealer shows a strong card like 7 or higher). Better to start from an 8 and try to win from there.
- Never split 10s or 5s. Keep the 10s together, and you’ve got a very solid hand of 20. You’re on your way to a profitable hand. Splitting 5s is no good when you could be playing from a starting point of 10. Otherwise, you’re courting disaster when you turn each 5 into an unfavorable 15 (another hand no one wants to see).
- Double down on 11 when the dealer is weak. If the dealer is showing 6 or lower, the hand is tilting in your direction. Double down, take your card, and play the odds that work for you. These are the type of hands where you make your money.
- Hit soft 17s. The 17 isn’t that great, and it’s nice to take what is essentially a free shot at improving. You’re not going to bust with that ace and six when they can simply become a 7.
- Stand on hard 17 or higher. Hard 17s are totally different. You want to stop here. The cards in the deck that can help you are very few (2, 3, and 4). All things being equal, you’ve got around a 75% chance of busting if you take a hit. No bueno.
- Hit 12–16 if the dealer is strong. These hands suck. There’s no way around it. When the dealer is showing a 7 or more, you’re going to have to improve your hand. Look at it this way: you most likely have lost when the dealer has a strong upcard, and you have 12-16, so you might as well take a stab at converting to a win. The risk of busting is pretty much irrelevant, given the fact that you’re already in rough shape.
- Don’t buy insurance. This isn’t your car or your house. Insurance makes no sense here. This is a big leak in your game, if you’re taking insurance. It hits a third of the time but pays 2:1. It would need to pay 3:1 to be worth it in terms of expected value in the long run. The house edge is around 7% on this bet. Always avoid it.
If you need to know exactly what to do in each situation, use this single deck blackjack strategy chart:
The Role of Card Counting in Single-Deck Blackjack
Once your basic blackjack strategy is solid, it’s time to think about card counting. The ability to count cards is really what has always made one-deck blackjack profitable. At its core, the advantage of counting cards comes from knowing when the deck is loaded with high cards. This increases the chances of 20s and blackjacks. The basic concept of counting cards is to know when this situation arises and to adjust bets accordingly.
How to count cards
We’ve covered how to count cards extensively in another article, but we’ll recap the basics. Counting starts at zero. Then, you adjust the count based on every card that is dealt out to anyone at the table, including the dealer:
- 2-6: +1
- 7-9: 0
- 10-A: -1
You want the deck to be loaded with high cards, so you want the count to go high. That is, you’re hoping low cards will be dealt out over time, leading to a deck that has mostly good stuff. Remember: the higher the count, the better.
How to adjust your bet sizes strategically
Bet size adjustment is the key to bringing card counting into your single hand blackjack strategy. When the count is favorable (i.e., high), it’s time to increase your bets. This means you’re getting more money in when the odds are good, which will improve long term profitability. When the count is unfavorable (i.e., low), you should reduce betting or even pause until things improve. This helps you avoid making wagers when the deck favors the house.
You can decide how much to make your adjustments. Just understand the basic idea is to get in while the getting is good, and to dodge decks that offer poor win percentages.
A few important notes on card counting in online blackjack and live casinos
Card counting is a strategy that you can use in a live casino, where a physical deck is gradually dealt out over time. In online casinos, the desk is essentially reshuffled after every hand, negating any chance you might have to gain an advantage by counting cards. This is critical to be aware of as you play blackjack online. However, if you’re playing our live dealer blackjack games, you will be able to see a physical shoe of cards and can plan accordingly. Just be aware of what kind of game you’re playing.
It’s also vital to know that many live casinos frown upon card counters, and will ask them to leave the premises. Repeat offenders may even be banned from returning (just ask the MIT Blackjack Team). If they see you varying your wager size dramatically and in accordance with a pattern that indicates counting, expect to have a chat with casino operations, management, or security personnel. In other words, card count in a live casino at your own risk.
The Range of House Edge Percentages – Recognizing the Impact of Dealer Rules and Table Variations
Each rule variation in blackjack has an effect on house edge – that’s why the rules change from game to game. Casino operators are looking to dial in their chances of profiting from a game. Here are the numerical impacts of various rules that can change depending on which version of the game you’re playing:
- 6:5 blackjack payout: +1.3% to house edge. The majority of games offer a 3:2 payout. A 6:5 payout has a huge impact in favor of the house.
- 8 decks: +.64%. The more decks there are, the harder it is to make money from card counting. Single deck games offer players the best odds.
- Dealer hits on soft 17: +.21%. Most games have the dealer standing on soft 17s, which helps the player. If the dealer can hit soft 17, it nudges the edge in favor of the house.
- No hitting after splitting aces: +.18%. It helps the house if you’re stuck with your first dealt card after splitting and can’t ask for more.
- No double down after split: +.14%. This rule also favors the house, preventing double downs in certain favorable situations described above.
- No resplitting aces: +.07%. If you can’t resplit your aces, it has a tiny impact on the house edge in favor of the casino.
Ready to Play Single-Deck Blackjack?
Want to give it a shot? Betsoft Gaming has a great version with a nice green felt table, jazzy lounge music, and even some live casino ambiance thanks to very light background chatter and sound effects.
If you’d rather keep reading up on strategy, head to our blog and check out our other blackjack articles.
