Blackjack is a game of chance, but it’s also a game where your luck can be improved through the use of solid strategies. Learn how to play blackjack and apply basic strategy, which minimizes the house edge and maximizes your chances of winning.

To start a round of blackjack, players place their bets. Then, the dealer deals two cards to each player, including themselves. Each player must decide whether to “hit” (receive additional cards) or stand (“keep their current hand”), and the highest-valued hand wins. If a player’s hand exceeds 21, they lose. The dealer, on the other hand, must hit if his or her total is 16 or lower and stand when it’s 17 or higher.

There are several important rules when playing blackjack, and understanding them is crucial to your success. Besides knowing when to hit, stand, and double down, you should also understand the difference between a soft and hard hand. Also, it’s essential to know the proper way to handle splitting and doubling, as well as the rules regarding splitting and re-splitting.

The most fundamental strategy is to always hit when your two cards add up to 11 or less. This is because it’s impossible to bust at this point, and hitting will give you a better chance of beating the dealer’s upcard. In addition, hitting a pair of eights or nines against a dealer’s 2 or 3 is an excellent play, as is splitting aces and 10s against a dealer’s 6 or 8.

When you have a strong two-card hand, you should double down if the dealer shows a face card of 9 or less. This will make you the favorite when the dealer has a weak starting hand, and it will improve your odds of getting closer to 21 than the dealer. However, you must be able to resist the temptation to double down on a weak hand just because it feels good.

It’s important to keep in mind that blackjack is a game of probabilities, and you will have both losing and winning streaks. The key to long-term success is consistency, and sticking with your strategy, even when the results don’t seem to be going your way.

One final tip: when you’re playing blackjack in a casino, always be sure to use a basic strategy chart that matches the rules of the game you’re playing. These charts will help you determine the best course of action for every situation, based on mathematical principles. They will take the emotion out of your decision-making and allow you to play the game more rationally.