Blackjack — Player's Seat

Dealer

DISCARD

SHOE

—

Shuffling the shoe

Your seat

The read WAITING

Place a bet

then hit deal

You hold—

Dealer shows—

Their hand reads—

Sit down, put a bet out, and I'll walk you through every decision from your side of the table — what you're holding, what the dealer is likely holding, and what that means for your money.

Dealer busts if you stand—

You bust on the next card—

Grade appears here after each decision.

Correct plays0 / 0

Card counting 6 DECK · HI-LO

Running count0

True count (RC ÷ decks left)0.0

Decks remaining6.0

Suggested bet1 unit

Shoe penetration — reshuffle at 75%.

Count quizzes0 / 0

The Hi-Lo values

2 · 3 · 4 · 5 · 6 low cards gone → good for you

7 · 8 · 9

10 · J · Q · K · A good cards gone → bad for you

−1

Running count — add these up as cards come out. True count — running count ÷ decks still in the shoe. That's the number that says how rich the shoe really is.

Why deck count changes everything

1 deck — every card is 2% of the shoe. The count swings violently and one true count point is worth a lot. Hardest to beat because the shuffle comes fast.
2 decks — still sharp swings, and true count ≈ running count for most of the shoe.
4 decks — the middle ground. Divide by decks remaining and the count starts to matter more than the raw running number.
6 decks — the casino standard. Slow, small edges; a +6 running count with 5 decks left is only a true +1.2 and means almost nothing.

The rules from your seat

How the game works

Beat the dealer without going over 21. You only ever play against the dealer.
Face cards = 10. Ace = 11 or 1, whichever helps you.
Hit take a card. Stand keep your total.
Double double your bet and take exactly one more card.
Split a pair becomes two hands, each with its own bet.
Blackjack (ace + ten on your first two) pays 3 to 2.
The dealer has no choices — they hit to 16 and stand on all 17s. That's why the dealer's up card tells you so much.

Basic strategy in one breath

Hard 17+: stand. Hard 12–16: stand vs dealer 2–6, hit vs 7–A.
Hard 11: double. Hard 10: double vs 2–9. Hard 9: double vs 3–6.
Soft 18 (A,7): double vs 3–6, stand vs 2/7/8, hit vs 9/10/A.
Always split aces and 8s. Never split 5s or 10s.