ProEdge

Double-Deck Blackjack Basic Strategy Chart — Dealer Hits Soft 17

Two-deck "pitch" games offer a lower house edge than shoes — every card dealt shifts the remaining composition more, which makes doubles and splits more valuable. Most double-deck games have the dealer hit soft 17; this chart is built for exactly that game. Don't reuse your shoe chart here: several plays flip.

Hard totals

Your handvs dealer2345678910A
8 or lessHHHHHHHHHH
9DhDhDhDhDhHHHHH
10DhDhDhDhDhDhDhDhHH
11DhDhDhDhDhDhDhDhDhDh
12HHSSSHHHHH
13SSSSSHHHHH
14SSSSSHHHHH
15SSSSSHHHRhRh
16SSSSSHHHRhRh
17SSSSSSSSSRs
18+SSSSSSSSSS

Soft totals

Your handvs dealer2345678910A
A,2HHHDhDhHHHHH
A,3HHHDhDhHHHHH
A,4HHDhDhDhHHHHH
A,5HHDhDhDhHHHHH
A,6HDhDhDhDhHHHHH
A,7DsDsDsDsDsSSHHH
A,8SSSSDsSSSSS
A,9SSSSSSSSSS

Pairs

Your handvs dealer2345678910A
2,2PhPhPPPPHHHH
3,3PhPhPPPPHHHH
4,4HHHPhPhHHHHH
5,5HHHHHHHHHH
6,6PPPPPPhHHHH
7,7PPPPPPPhHHH
8,8PPPPPPPPPRp
9,9PPPPPSPPSS
10,10HHHHHHHHHH
A,APPPPPPPPPP
H
Hit
S
Stand
Dh
Double if allowed, otherwise hit
Ds
Double if allowed, otherwise stand
P
Split
Ph
Split if double after split is allowed, otherwise hit
Rh
Surrender if allowed, otherwise hit
Rs
Surrender if allowed, otherwise stand
Rp
Surrender if allowed and double after split not allowed, otherwise split

Chart assumes double after split is allowed and doubling on any two cards. Where a play depends on a rule your table doesn't offer, the code gives the fallback — e.g. Rh means surrender if you can, otherwise hit.

How double-deck differs from a shoe game

With only two decks in play, aggressive money-on-the-table plays gain value. Versus the 6-deck H17 chart:

  • Double 9 against a dealer 2 — a hit in shoe games.
  • Split 6,6 against a 7 and 7,7 against an 8 (when double after split is allowed).
  • Hard 16 against a 9 is a hit, not a surrender. Save the white flag for 16 vs 10 and ace, and 15 vs 10 and ace.
  • H17 plays still apply: surrender 15 and 17 against an ace, double soft 18 vs 2 and soft 19 vs 6.

Playing a different game?

The correct plays change with the deck count and the dealer's soft-17 rule. Grab the chart that matches your table, or start with the complete basic strategy guide.