Complete Blackjack Basic Strategy for Maxim88

The full basic strategy chart for hard totals, soft totals and pairs — reduce the house edge to under 0.5% at Maxim88 Malaysia.

By Ahmad Faiz, Casino Strategy Analyst  |  Updated June 2026  |  10 min read

Why Blackjack Basic Strategy is Essential

Blackjack is unique among casino games because skill directly affects the house edge. Without any strategy, the average player faces a house edge of 2–4% due to incorrect decisions on borderline hands. By applying basic strategy — a mathematically derived set of optimal decisions for every possible hand combination — you can reduce the house edge to approximately 0.5% on standard 6-deck games at Maxim88.

That 0.5% edge means for every MYR 100 wagered over many hands, you theoretically lose only MYR 0.50. Compare this to baccarat's Banker bet at 1.06%, American roulette at 5.26%, or slots averaging 3–4%. Blackjack played with perfect basic strategy is statistically the most favourable game available at Maxim88 Malaysia.

House Edge: With vs Without Basic Strategy

How to Read the Basic Strategy Chart

The charts below show the optimal action for every possible player hand against every possible dealer upcard. The dealer's upcard is shown across the top (2–Ace). Your hand total is shown down the left column. Find the intersection and that is your correct play.

Hard Totals Strategy Chart (6-Deck, Dealer Stands on Soft 17)

Soft Totals Strategy Chart (Ace + another card)

Pairs Strategy Chart (Split or Not?)

Key Decision Explanations

Hard Totals: The Most Important Rules

Hard 8 and below — always Hit. No total under 9 benefits from standing or doubling. Take the card and improve your position.

Hard 9 — Double vs 3–6, Hit otherwise. When the dealer shows a bust card (3–6), doubling on 9 capitalises on the dealer's weak position. Against a strong dealer card, simply hit.

Hard 10 — Double vs 2–9, Hit vs 10 and Ace. Hard 10 is one of the strongest doubling hands in the game. Against a dealer 10 or Ace, the risk of being beaten by the dealer's superior hand makes hitting preferable.

Hard 11 — Double vs 2–10, Hit vs Ace. Hard 11 is the most powerful doubling hand. You are likely to hit a 10-value card for 21. Only against an Ace — where the dealer may already have blackjack — does hitting become correct.

Hard 12 — Stand vs 4–6, Hit otherwise. Against dealer 4–6 (the most dangerous bust cards), standing on 12 makes sense because the dealer has high bust probability. Against any other upcard, you must take the risk of hitting.

Hard 13–16 — Stand vs 2–6, Hit vs 7+. Dealer bust cards (2–6) mean you can be conservative. Against a dealer showing 7 or higher, their likely strong hand forces you to take a card despite the bust risk.

Hard 17+ — Always Stand. Hard 17 or more is a made hand. The probability of busting by hitting (61% on hard 17) far outweighs the benefit of improving.

Soft Totals: Common Mistakes Corrected

Soft 17 (A,6) — Never Stand. Many players stand on soft 17, mistakenly treating it like a hard 17. However, soft 17 cannot bust from a single hit — the Ace drops from 11 to 1. Double against dealer 3–6, otherwise Hit. Standing on soft 17 costs you significant expected value.

Soft 18 (A,7) — Double vs 3–6, Stand vs 2/7/8, Hit vs 9/10/A. This is the most nuanced soft hand. Against dealer 3–6, doubling turns a modest advantage into maximum profit. Against dealer 9, 10 or Ace, your soft 18 is likely losing — you must hit to try to improve.

Soft 19 and 20 (A,8 and A,9) — Always Stand. These are strong made hands. Never risk them.

Pairs: What to Split and What to Keep

Always split Aces. Two Aces together equal 12 or 2 — a weak hand. Each Ace as a new starting card gives you a strong chance of hitting 21. This is non-negotiable in basic strategy.

Always split 8s. A pair of 8s totals 16 — statistically the worst hard hand in blackjack with an extremely high bust rate if you hit. Splitting gives two hands starting at 8, each improvable. Even against a dealer Ace, splitting 8s is mathematically correct.

Never split 10s. A pair of tens gives hard 20 — one of the strongest hands in blackjack. You win this hand the vast majority of the time. Splitting risks turning a near-certain win into two uncertain hands.

Never split 5s. Two 5s total 10 — an excellent doubling hand. Treat them as hard 10 and double against dealer 2–9.

Split 2s and 3s vs dealer 2–7. These weak pairs become reasonable starting cards when the dealer shows a vulnerable upcard.

Split 9s vs 2–6 and 8–9, Stand vs 7/10/A. When the dealer shows 7, your 18 beats the dealer's likely 17. Against 10 or Ace, your 18 is likely behind anyway — splitting won't help.

Deviation Rules (Advanced Play)

Basic strategy is designed for conditions where you have no additional information. Experienced players learn deviation rules — adjustments made when you know the deck composition is unusual. The most common deviations in a 6-deck game are:

• Insurance: Never take insurance unless you are card counting and the true count is +3 or above.
• 16 vs 10: Stand (instead of surrender) when the true count is 0 or positive.
• 15 vs 10: Stand (instead of surrender) when the true count is +4 or above.
• 12 vs 3: Stand (instead of hit) when the true count is +2 or above.

For most players at Maxim88, standard basic strategy without deviations is sufficient to achieve a sub-0.5% house edge.

Card Counting: Educational Overview

Card counting is a technique that tracks the ratio of high cards (10-value and Aces) to low cards (2–6) remaining in the deck. When more high cards remain, the player has an advantage — increasing the bet in these situations and decreasing it when the deck favours the dealer.

The Hi-Lo counting system assigns values: 2–6 = +1, 7–9 = 0, 10–Ace = −1. A running count is maintained throughout the shoe. The true count is the running count divided by decks remaining.

Important: Card counting is largely ineffective at Maxim88's online live blackjack tables. The continuous shuffle machine used by most Evolution Gaming live tables resets the deck between rounds, eliminating any count advantage. This section is provided for educational understanding of blackjack mathematics only.

Frequently Asked Questions — Blackjack Strategy

Last reviewed: July 2026