Blackjack Basic Strategy Trainer
Practise basic strategy on random hands with instant feedback and a score by category. Free trainer for classic, H17 and UK no hole card rules.
The trainer deals you a hand, shows a dealer up-card and asks for your play, then tells you straight away whether it matched basic blackjack strategy and why. It keeps a running score by hand type so you can see which part of the chart you still get wrong.
How the trainer works
Each round is one decision. You are dealt a random two-card hand and the dealer shows one card. You choose hit, stand, double, split or surrender. The trainer compares your choice with the decision table for the rule profile you selected, marks it right or wrong, and shows the correct play with a one-line reason, for example "Stand: the dealer busts 42% of the time showing a 6 and you cannot improve a 14 without risk".
Pairs are offered at their natural frequency, which is about one hand in sixteen, and you can weight the deal towards pairs or soft hands if you want to drill them. Your score is tracked separately for hard totals, soft totals and pairs, and as an overall figure across every hand dealt. No real money is involved and nothing is wagered; the trainer scores decisions, not results.
Choose your rules
The trainer uses the same decision tables as our blackjack calculator, under three profiles. All assume 6 decks, double on any two cards and double after split.
| Profile | Dealer soft 17 | Hole card | Surrender | What changes from Classic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Classic S17 | Stands | Yes | Late surrender on | Nothing: this is the reference chart |
| Dealer hits soft 17 | Hits | Yes | Late surrender on | 11 v A double; A,7 v 2 double; A,8 v 6 double; 15 v A surrender; 8,8 v A surrender |
| UK no hole card | Stands | No | Off | 11 v 10 hit; 11 v A hit; A,A v A hit; 8,8 v 10 hit; 8,8 v A hit |
Pick the profile for the game you actually play. Most UK live and online tables are the third profile. Drilling the classic chart and then playing a UK no hole card game will cost you on exactly the five hands listed, which is why the profile matters. The reasoning is on our UK blackjack strategy guide.
What to practise first
Learning the whole chart at once is slow because mistakes in one section hide progress in another. Work through it in stages, and move on only when you pass the mark over a run of at least 50 hands.
| Stage | What to drill | Pass mark |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hard totals only (5 to 17+, no pairs, no aces) | 95% |
| 2 | Soft totals only (A,2 to A,9) | 95% |
| 3 | Pairs only (A,A to 10,10) | 95% |
| 4 | Mixed deal at natural frequency | 98% |
Hard totals come first because they are about two thirds of all hands and the pattern is simple: stand on 12 to 16 against 2 to 6 (except 12 against 2 and 3), hit against 7 to ace, double 9, 10 and 11 where the chart says. Soft hands are the next most common and have the most doubles. Pairs are the smallest group but contain the most memorable exceptions.
Reading your results
A category score below 90% means you are guessing part of that section rather than recalling it. Switch the deal to that category alone and read the reason line on every wrong answer until the score climbs. A high overall score with one weak category is common, and the weak category is almost always pairs or the soft doubles.
Some hands are missed far more than others. These are the ones to watch in your results:
| Hand | Correct play (Classic S17) | Why it is missed |
|---|---|---|
| 12 v 2 and 12 v 3 | Hit | Players stand on all stiff hands against small cards; 12 is the exception because the dealer busts only 35% to 37% of the time and 12 is hard to bust |
| 16 v 10 | Surrender if allowed, otherwise hit | Standing feels safer; it is not |
| A,7 v 9 | Hit | 18 feels like a standing hand; against a 9 it loses more often than it wins |
| A,A and 8,8 | Always split (except under UK rules against 10 or A) | Players keep 16 or play soft 12 rather than split |
| 9,9 v 7 | Stand | The one place in the 9,9 row where you stand against a card smaller than 10 |
If you keep missing the same hand, look it up on the blackjack strategy chart and read the row around it, so you learn the pattern rather than the single cell.
Frequently asked questions
Is the trainer free?
Yes. There is no charge, no account and no limit on hands. Your scores are stored on your own device so they are there when you come back, and nothing is sent anywhere.
Does it use real money?
No. There is no stake, no balance and no payout. The trainer scores whether your decision matched basic strategy, not whether the hand would have won, because a correct play can lose and a wrong play can win on any single hand. Basic strategy reduces the house edge over the long run; it does not guarantee a win.
How long until I know basic strategy?
Most people can reach 95% on hard totals in one or two sessions of 100 hands, and pass the mixed test at 98% within a week of short daily sessions. The slower part is keeping it: come back after a gap and run 50 hands to check nothing has slipped. Our learn basic strategy guide sets out the same stages with memory aids.
Does it cover card counting?
No. The trainer tests basic strategy, which is the fixed best play for every hand without any knowledge of the cards already dealt. Counting changes a small number of those plays depending on the count and is a separate skill. Learn basic strategy to the 98% mark first, then read our card counting page.
Can I use it on my phone?
Yes. The five choices sit as large buttons under the cards, so the trainer works one-handed on a phone screen as well as with the keyboard on a desktop. Your scores are saved per device, so a phone session and a desktop session keep separate records.
Back to Blackjack strategy: basic strategy explained, with the full chart