I am sorry, I know you play for yourself but there is plenty of cases when one player can ruin the hand for the rest of the table. If you have a 13 but the dealer is showing a 6 and you hit and get an 8, congratulations you have a 21, but the dealer then turns over 16 and draws a 4 making 20, yeah you would win, but most of the other players would not because you did take the dealers bust card. The odds of blackjack are greatly increased if everyone at the table plays by basic strategy and makes the correct move(s). The hands in blackjack directly effect the hands that will be played after that, so one bad move or a number of bad moves can change the entire shoe. I know you are out to just win for yourself, but if everyone at the table is winning, then so are you.
If you are confused about what you should do, ask the dealer, anyone that has been doing it for a while or knows the game should be glad to share with you what you should do for any given hand. They are giving away the casino's money if they lose, not their own. More wins for the players means more potential tips for them.
Get yourself a basic strategy card from the casino and follow that. Another basic rule that I like to follow is "Always or never", this applies to some of the hands where strategy can go either way, like a 12 against a dealer 2. Strategy says you can hit it or stay, which ever you choose, do the same thing all the time always hit it or never hit it. Same thing with splitting, doubling or insurance, just play consistent. If you chose to play against the strategies, make sure the table knows it and be consistent with it, don't change your mind on gut feelings or reactions.
