Two Deck Blackjack Counting

Posted on4/14/2022by admin

In a standard 6 deck blackjack game each true count will move the house edge half a percent toward the player’s advantage. So a true 1 would basically erase the house edge and blackjack would be an even game. A true 2 puts the player advantage up to about half of 1 percent and the house edge becomes the player’s edge. Counting cards in blackjack is best done when only a single deck is used. However, this is rarely the case nowadays as shoes with 6 or 8 decks are used by most casinos. Still, there are some casinos where single-deck games are available.

Two Deck Blackjack Chart
Two Deck Blackjack Counting Sheet

Appendices
Miscellaneous
External Links

Introduction

To use the basic strategy, look up your hand along the left vertical edge and the dealer's up card along the top. In both cases an A stands for ace. From top to bottom are the hard totals, soft totals, and splittable hands. There are two charts depending on whether the dealer hits or stands on soft 17.

Other basic strategy rules.

Never take insurance or 'even money.'
If there is no row for splitting (fives and tens), then look up your hand as a hard total (10 or 20).
If you can't split because of a limit on re-splitting, then look up your hand as a hard total, except aces. In the extremely unlikely event you have a pair of aces you can't re-split and drawing to split aces is allowed, then double against a 5 or 6, otherwise hit.

Ideally, the basic strategy shows the play which, on average, will result in the greatest win or the least loss per initial hand played. The way I usually go about this is to look at the initial 2-card hands only. Generally, this will result in the overall best play. However, soft 18 against a dealer ace when the dealer stands on soft 17 provides the only known exception that I am aware of for any number of decks. As my blackjack appendix 9 shows, a 2-card soft 18 vs A has an expected value of hitting of -0.100359, and of standing -0.100502. So with two cards it is very slightly better to hit. However, not all soft 18's are composed of two cards. The more the cards in the player's hand the more the odds favor standing. Simulations show that if forced to always hit or always stand, it is better to stand. I would like to thank Don Schlesinger for bringing this unusual play to my attention.

Written by:Michael Shackleford Two deck blackjack counting sheet

Appendices
Miscellaneous
External Links

Introduction

In blackjack every card that is played has an impact on the distribution of the remaining cards. The following lists will show exactly how to play your cards immediately after a shuffle in a double deck game where the dealer stands on a soft 17.

To use this guide first go to the list according to the number of cards in your hand. Then note the basic strategy changes and finally the exceptions to the changes. For example if you have a 16 composed of a 10, 4, and 2 against a 10 look under the 3 card list. You will see that with three cards you should stand on 16 against 10. Going further you will see there are some exceptions, for example with a 16 composed of a 6, 6, and 4 you should hit. However 10+4+2 is not listed as an exception so you should stand. It should not be interpreted that this is a card counting guide. Everything is based on exact cards and no numbers represent a count. Some of these plays will not agree with even the best card counting strategies. These tables are always right while card counting is an estimate of the best play. Counting cards does not take into consideration the exact composition of the remaining deck as this analysis does.

Basic Strategy Changes: None

Exceptions:

11 (9+2) vs Ace = Hit
11 (8+3) vs Ace = Hit
12 (10+2) vs 4 = Hit

Three Cards

Basic Strategy Changes:

16 vs 10 = Stand
Soft 18 vs A = Stand

Exceptions:

16 (6+6+4) vs 10 = Hit
16 (7+6+3) vs 10 = Hit
16 (8+6+2) vs 10 = Hit
16 (9+6+A) vs 10 = Hit
16 (10+3+3) vs 10 = Hit
Soft 18 (A+A+6) vs A = Hit

Basic Strategy Changes:

16 vs 10 = Stand
Soft 18 vs A = Stand

Exceptions:

16 (6+6+2+2) vs 10 = Hit
16 (6+6+3+A) vs 10 = Hit
16 (7+6+2+A) vs 10 = Hit
16 (8+6+A+A) vs 10 = Hit
16 (10+2+2+2) vs 10 = Hit
16 (10+3+2+A) vs 10 = Hit
16 (4+4+4+4) vs 9 = Stand
16 (5+4+4+3) vs 9 = Stand
16 (5+5+3+3) vs 9 = Stand
16 (5+5+4+2) vs 9 = Stand
16 (5+5+5+A) vs 9 = Stand

Five Cards

Basic Strategy Changes:

Two Deck Blackjack Chart

16 vs 10 = Stand
Soft 18 vs A = Stand

Exceptions:

16 (6+3+3+2+2) vs 10 = Hit
16 (7+6+A+A+A) vs 10 = Hit
16 (10+2+2+A+A) vs 10 = Hit
16 (6+6+2+A+A) vs 10 = Hit
16 (4+4+4+3+A) vs 9 = Stand
16 (4+4+4+2+2) vs 9 = Stand
16 (4+4+3+3+2) vs 9 = Stand
16 (4+3+3+3+3) vs 9 = Stand
16 (5+5+3+2+A) vs 9 = Stand
16 (5+4+4+2+A) vs 9 = Stand
16 (5+4+3+3+A) vs 9 = Stand
16 (5+5+2+2+2) vs 9 = Stand
16 (5+4+3+2+2) vs 9 = Stand
16 (5+3+3+3+2) vs 9 = Stand

Basic Strategy Changes:

16 vs 10 = Stand
Soft 18 vs A = Stand

Exceptions:

12 (4+4+A+A+A+A) vs 3 = Stand
16 (A+A+2+4+4+4) vs 7 = Stand
16 (A+A+3+3+4+4) vs 7 = Stand
16 (A+2+2+3+4+4) vs 7 = Stand
16 (A+2+3+3+3+4) vs 7 = Stand
16 (A+3+3+3+3+3) vs 7 = Stand
16 (2+2+2+3+3+4) vs 7 = Stand
16 (2+2+3+3+3+3) vs 7 = Stand
16 (A+3+3+3+3+3) vs 8 = Stand
16 (2+2+3+3+3+3) vs 8 = Stand
16 (3+3+3+3+3+a) vs 9 = Stand
16 (3+3+3+3+2+2) vs 9 = Stand
16 (4+4+4+2+a+a) vs 9 = Stand
16 (4+4+3+3+a+a) vs 9 = Stand
16 (4+4+3+2+2+a) vs 9 = Stand
16 (4+3+3+3+2+a) vs 9 = Stand
16 (4+4+2+2+2+2) vs 9 = Stand
16 (4+3+3+2+2+2) vs 9 = Stand
16 (5+5+3+a+a+a) vs 9 = Stand
16 (5+4+4+a+a+a) vs 9 = Stand
16 (5+5+2+2+a+a) vs 9 = Stand
16 (5+4+3+2+a+a) vs 9 = Stand
16 (5+3+3+3+a+a) vs 9 = Stand
16 (5+4+2+2+2+a) vs 9 = Stand
16 (5+3+3+2+2+a) vs 9 = Stand
16 (5+3+2+2+2+2) vs 9 = Stand
16 (6+6+A+A+A+A) vs 10 = Hit
16 (6+3+2+2+2+A) vs 10 = Hit
16 (6+2+2+2+2+2) vs 10 = Hit

Methodology

The fine points of basic strategy was determined using a combinatronic and recursive program that made the optimal play at every step considering the exact distribution of remaining cards. This program was also used to create the basic strategy charts for one and multiple decks.

Internal Links

Blackjack main page.
Appendix 1:Total dependent expected return table for an infinite deck.
Appendix 2a:Dealer probabilities after dealer peeks for blackjack.
Appendix 2b:Dealer probabilities before dealer peeks for blackjack.
Appendix 3a:Composition dependent exceptions to single deck basic strategy where the dealer stands on soft 17.
Appendix 3b:Composition dependent exceptions to double deck basic strategy where the dealer stands on soft 17.
Appendix 3c:Composition dependent exceptions to single deck basic strategy where the dealer hits a soft 17.
Appendix 4:Details on the standard deviation in blackjack.
Appendix 5:Infinite deck expected return according to player hand and dealer up card.
Appendix 6:Fine points of when to surrender.
Appendix 7:Effect of card removal.
Appendix 8:Analysis of some popular blackjack side bets includingSuper Sevens, Streak, Royal Match, and a tie.
Appendix 9:Composition dependent expected returns for 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, and 8 decks.
Appendix 10:The effect on the house edge of the continuous shuffling machines vs. the cut card.
Appendix 11: Value and strategy for 678 and 777 bonuses.
Appendix 12:Risk of ruin statistics.
Appendix 13:Probabilities in the first four cards. May be used to test for the number of decks in online blackjack.
Appendix 14:Value of each initial player card.
Appendix 15:House edge using total dependent vs composition dependent basic strategy
Appendix 16: Basic strategy when dealer exposes both cards.
Appendix 17: The Ace-Five Count. Possibly the easiest way to count cards.
Appendix 18: Basic strategy exceptions for three to six cards.
Appendix 19: Blackjack splitting strategy when a back-player is betting.
Appendix 20: Blackjack doubling strategy, when doubling after splitting aces is allowed.
Appendix 21: Details on the Wizard's Simple Strategy.
'21' Movie — Truth and Fiction : My comments on the movie '21.'
Australian Blackjack: Rules and odds for blackjack down under.
Rule Variations: The effect of just about every known blackjack rule change.
Automatic Winner Charlie Rule in Blackjack.