For 2-8 deck games, always try to play in casinos where dealer must stand on soft 17.

• Blackjack Dealer Has To Hit 17
• Blackjack Dealer Stand On 17
• Blackjack 17 Boat
• 1744 Blackjack Simpson Road

The soft 17 rule in casino blackjack is something every skilled blackjack player should be aware of and understand. Blackjack is a simple game, but this one simple change has a surprisingly large effect on the house edge — raising it by 0.2%. In games with this rule in effect, basic strategy changes, too. Before we proceed, let’s go through some basics. A blackjack soft 17 hand is any hand that contains an ACE (where the counted ACE is 11) and any other card that makes it up to 17. For example, ACE-6 is a blackjack soft 17 hand, 2-2-ACE-2 is also a blackjack soft 17 hand. The most heeded blackjack advice tells players never to hit on a Hard 17. Soft-17 – a soft-17 is a hand with a value of 17, but one which can also be counted as a total value of seven (hand must have an Ace).

As players access different blackjack games online, they will find that some games have various rules for the dealer. One rule that players will encounter is the Soft 17 rule, which states that dealers must hit when they have a soft 17. A soft 17 will include an ace, which will be counted as 11. When dealers have a soft 17 and the rule is in effect, they must hit. The rules of the game will clearly be displayed and any game that states dealer Must Hit on 17 indicates that the soft 17 rule is in play. With this rule, the house edge is increased, so players may want to find games that do not use the soft 17 rule so they have better chances at collecting winnings.

Even though there is a higher house edge, players should not always avoid this game. In some cases, the edge is made up for by offering a single or double deck game over a standard game that use 6 or 8 decks. This evens out the edge, providing players more chances to win with fewer decks in play.

Adjusting Playing Strategies

Count on a fun online game of Blackjack. Play for free online! Search MSN Games. Genre: Card & Casino. If you like Blackjack, you'll love Microsoft Bubble! What is a soft 17 in blackjack? A soft 17 not only affects the dealer, but it also effects the player. A soft hand occurs with an Ace, while a hard hand can occur with an Ace but it has to equal one, not 11. A soft hand is when the Ace exists as 11. So when we are talking about whether a 17 is hard or soft, the Ace is integral to the hand.

Most players who play blackjack will make use of standard game strategies and there are some alterations that will have to be made when the Soft 17 rule is being used. In regards to doubling down, players should use this option when they have a hand of 11 and the dealer shows an Ace. They should also double a soft 19 when the dealer shows a 6 and double with a soft 18 with a dealer card of 2.

With single deck games the basic strategy is slightly altered and players should hit a soft 18 hand when an ace is shown. They should also split a pair of 9s is there is an Ace. If the selected game allows for surrendering, choose this option with a hard 15 with a dealer Ace and a hard 17 with an Ace.

For double deck games, always double in a soft 14 with a dealer 4 and a soft 18 with a dealer 2. Try to use the surrender option when one holds a hard 15 hand against the dealer Ace. With these basic strategies, players can benefit from having the Soft 17 rule in play and will find they are able to win more hands.

Soft 17 vs Hard 17

When determining the blackjack rules, pay close attention to the term Soft and Hard 17. This means that the value of an Ace will be 11 and will help dealers create better hands. With Hard 17, the cards used will not contain an Ace, such as hands that have 10 and 7, 9 and 8 and so on. The soft 17 is only created with an Ace. The Ace does not always equal 11, as sometimes it can be worth 1. Any hand that uses an Ace to create a hand of 17 will be considered a soft hand. It is important for players to know the difference between soft and hard hands so they can better understand game rules and know which strategies to use when playing for real money.

The Soft 17 rule will benefit the dealer in most cases as it allows them to hit and possibly get a better hand. However, when the proper strategies are used, the rule does not alter the chances for the player much, especially when playing games that use fewer decks of cards. Most players will try to find games that do not have this rule as the majority of blackjack games do use more than two decks of cards. The soft 17 hand is a difficult one to play, but when the Soft 17 rule is in play, dealers have the ability to hit and have another chance at drawing a card that will get them closer to 21 without busting, especially since the Ace can be counted as either 1 or 11.

Soft 17 Best Strategy Plays

The Soft 17 strategy will depend on several factors, such as the value of the player’s/dealer’s cards and the Soft 17 rule, which directs the dealer’s next move. In other words, the dealers are not at liberty to make their own choices about hitting or standing; instead, the game has pre-set rules, which automatically determine the next step.

Unlike the dealers who must follow the fixed pattern, the players have the freedom to strategize, adjusting their gameplay to the dealer’s upcard. Certain Soft 17 strategic rules are universal and should always be implemented – both in the Blackjack variants where the dealer stands on Soft 17, and on the tables where the Soft 17 hand requires them to hit.

The following S17 guidelines can be employed regardless of the variant:

• Hit when you have hard 4 – 8 vs the dealer’s A or 2 through 10 upcard
• Hit when you have hard 9 vs the dealer’s A, 2 or 7 through 10 upcard
• Hit when you have hard 10 vs the dealer’s A or 10 upcard
• Hit when you have hard 12 vs the dealer’s A, 2, 3, and 7 through 10 upcard
• Hit when you have hard 13 or 14 vs the dealer’s A and 7 through 10 upcard
• Surrender when you have hard 16 vs the dealer’s A, 9 or 10. If surrendering is not an option, then hit
• Surrender when you have hard 15 vs the dealer’s 10. Hit if surrendering not allowed
• Double when you have hard 9 vs the dealer’s 3 through 6
• Double when you have hard 10 or 11 vs the dealer’s 2 through 9. Hit if doubling is not allowed
• Double when you have hard 11 vs the dealer’s 10 or hit if doubling is not allowed
• Stand on hard 17 and up

The principles listed above are quite easy to remember as the basic Blackjack rule for all multideck games is to hit when the dealer’s hand is 2 through 7 or an Ace.

The strategy is just as easy if you are the one holding the Soft 17:

• Player’s Soft 17 vs 2 – hit
• Player’s Soft 17 vs 3 – double down
• Player’s Soft 17 vs 4 – hit
• Player’s Soft 17 vs 5 – double down
• Player’s Soft 17 vs 6 – hit
• Player’s Soft 17 vs 7 – hit
• Player’s Soft 17 vs 9 – hit

As one can easily conclude, there is virtually no standing on Soft 17 for the players. The reason is simple – there is no risk of busting (unlike with the hard hands), and the extra card can significantly improve your odds of beating the house.

Dealer Stands on Soft 17 Blackjack Variant – When to Stand, Double, Split or Surender?

Once again, we need to turn our attention to the dealer’s upcard and our hand. Generally speaking, soft hands are easier to handle, as hitting is almost always the best option. There are, however, some exceptions, and doubling would be the best move under the following circumstances:

• The player holds a soft 13 – 17 hand and the dealer’s upcard is 5 or 6
• The player holds a soft 15 through 17 hand and the dealer’s upcard is 4
• The player holds a soft 17 hand and the dealer’s upcard is 3

If doubling is not permitted, the players should hit instead.

Doubling is also recommended on soft 18 but only if the dealer’s upcard is 3 – 6. Otherwise, the player should stand or hit on dealer’s 9, 10, or Ace. The soft 19 is generally considered as a favourable hand and the majority of players will decide to stand.

Most pairs should be split in the Blackjack variants which require the dealer to stand on Soft 17. The question is – when not to split? Once again, we should look at the dealer’s hand for guidance:

• 2,2 or 3,3 – split if the dealer’s upcard is 4 through 7; the same pairs should be split if the dealer’s upcard is 2 or 3 and the players are allowed to double after a split. If not, then hit. 2,2 / 3,3 pairs vs dealer’s A, 8, 9, and 10 should be hit.
• 4,4 – play separately if doubling is allowed after a split and the dealer’s upcard is 5 or 6. Otherwise hit.
• 6,6 – split if doubling is allowed after a split and the dealer’s upcard is 2, otherwise hit. The same pair should be split on dealer’s 3 – 6 or hit on Ace, 7, 8, 9 and 10
• 7,7 – split if the dealer’s upcard is 2 – 7, hit otherwise
• 8,8 – always split
• 9,9 – always split unless the dealer’s upcard is 7, 10, or A, in which case you should stand
• A,A – always split

Dealer Hits on Soft 17 Blackjack Variant – the Strategy Variations

Most of the rules listed above will also apply to Blackjack games where dealers are required to hit on Soft 17, but certain discrepancies can be noted:

Blackjack Dealer Has To Hit 17

• Instead of hitting on hard 11 when the dealer’s upcard is an Ace, the players should double, and only hit if doubling is not an option.
• If the player holds a hard 15 hand and the dealer’s upcard is an Ace, surrendering is recommended. Otherwise, hit.
• Surrendering is also advised on hard 17 vs A. If the option is unavailable, then stand.
• Doubling should be applied on soft 18 vs dealer’s 2, where possible. If not allowed, the players should stand. The same principle should be applied to soft 19 vs 6.

The splitting strategy is the same – the only difference is that the players should surrender 8,8 hand against the dealer’s Ace and only split if surrendering is not possible.

In Conclusion

When the Soft 17 rule is being used with online blackjack, players will have to understand the creation of hands and will also have to know how to change their game strategies to be a successful player. While the rule may not seem like a big deal to novice players, those with experience will know that it lowers the player odds of winning. When choosing blackjack games, always be sure to know the rules for the dealer. If the dealer must stand on all 17 hands, players will have the advantage but with the Soft 17 rule, allowing dealers to hit on these hands, the house edge is increased and players will have fewer opportunities to win, especially if they have not adapted their playing strategies to accommodate for this rule.

During every game, players face a lot of tough choices. To be able to tackle them successfully, gamblers need to prepare beforehand and know what the odds and possible outcomes of the situation are.

Along with solid knowledge and a very good strategy, players need to have a decent bankroll, discipline, and money management. The best way to learn is through practice, however. If players don’t want to lose a considerable amount of money, they need to make sure they are familiar with the casino and the game’s rules and requirements before they play.

What Are Soft Hands

Many of the moves from the basic strategy chart are logical and intuitive to novice blackjack players. For example, they understand that hitting hard 16 is recommended whenever the dealer has a ten or an ace or that they should split 8s when the dealer starts with a 5 or a 6.

However, some basic strategy plays are not so intuitive, causing novices to frequently misplay certain hands. Such is often the case with soft 13 through soft 17, so these are the hands we are going to examine today. But first, let’s explain what the term “soft hands” refers to.

Players need to know how to proceed in cases where they have soft hands as such situations occur more often than gamblers realise. Players have such a hand when one of the cards is an ace valued as 11, meaning that they will not go bust next time they take an extra card. The reason for it is that any other card in the deck will either be equal to or less than 21 and there is no chance for players to go over this total.

For instance, a hand containing A-2 is soft 13 while one consisting of A-2-3 is a soft 16. If you draw another deuce on your soft 16, you will end up holding soft 18. You can draw again without the risk of breaking your hand. If you catch a higher card, like 9 for instance, your ace will automatically assume the value of 1, preventing the bust and giving you a hand total of hard 17. The flexibility soft hands give to the blackjack player is what makes them so valuable.

Gamblers must understand that having an ace in their hand gives them the opportunity to be very flexible and decide whether they would like to value it as 1 or 11. It allows them to change their hand’s total value accordingly and it is the card gamblers hope for the most. Additionally, soft hands present players with great opportunities for profit maximisation when the dealer is weak. This usually happens with the help of soft doubling, but we shall tackle this topic a little later on.

To illustrate how players should proceed in cases where they have a soft hand 13 to 17, it will be best to consider some example situations which players struggle to deal with the most. Gamblers need to bear in mind that whenever they have an ace in their hand, they have a soft hand and need to take full advantage of this situation.

Such types of hands give players the chance to double down and it can really work in their favour. However, players need to make sure they understand thoroughly what the term soft hands means in order to make the best possible move.

Soft 13 Cases

A very favourable situation is when players’ two cards are a deuce and an ace as this leaves them with a soft 13 hand, of course, if they decide to value the ace as an 11. The reason why this is an advantageous position for them is that whatever card players draw next, they can’t go bust as the ace gives them the needed flexibility to change it accordingly.

If gamblers get, let’s say, a 10, they have the opportunity to easily switch and value their ace as 1, which leaves them with a hard 13 hand.

In such cases where players have a deuce and an ace as the two cards in their hand, it will be best for them to be prepared in advance how to proceed. This preparation involves familiarising themselves with the playing conditions that await them at their chosen table. This is because the recommended playing strategy for soft 13 is impacted by the number of decks a blackjack variation implements.

If the dealer’s upcard is 5 or 6, the players should double down if the game is dealt out of two to eight decks. The dealer’s fixed standing rule does not influence the strategy for soft 13. With the rest of the dealer’s possible upcards, players should hit.

Aggressive play through doubling is advisable against a 5 or a 6 because the dealer’s probability of busting is the highest with these two upcards. Players should strive to capitalise on this weakness by doubling their wager on soft 13 and generating twice as much in profit in the process.

As for those of you who are into playing single-deck blackjack variations, you must double on your soft 13 when the dealer shows 4, 5, or 6. Hit the soft 13 against all the other dealer upcards, namely 2, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10, and ace. If players follow this strategy, their chances of going bust are significantly decreased.

Soft 14-15-16 Cases

Whenever players have a card combination which leaves them with any of the following hands – soft 14, 15 or 16, they should choose to make the same move as the strategy applies to all of them when one is playing with a single deck of cards only. If the dealer’s upcard is a 4, 5, or 6, players need to double down. The monetary sanction for doubling down according to a basic strategy chart intended for multiple-deck S17 games when playing single-deck blackjack is very small. You will give up only 0.008% of your advantage.

Making the optimal playing moves is of greater importance at single-deck tables because of the more prominent effect of card removal. The bad news is many single-deck variations of the game prohibit players from doubling on soft hands, restricting this move only to hard totals 9, 10, and 11.

For the rest of the possibilities for the upcard of the dealer, players need to hit. It is observable that the only difference between the strategy for soft 13 and soft 14, 15, and 16 is when players are against 4 as the dealer’s upcard.

Let’s have a look at the following case where gamblers have soft 15 and the dealer’s upcard is 6 and what the possible outcomes of this situation will be, provided players will follow the strategy and double down.

If gamblers get a 3, this leaves them with a total of 18 for their hand which is pretty good but still, we need to remember that the average winning hand is 18.5 and 18 doesn’t guarantee us winning.

If players get a 2, then their hand totals 17 and if they draw an ace, the total value of their hand will be 16. What players need to hope for is to get a 4, 5, or 6 as this will leave them with a hand totalling respectively 19, 20, and 21. The rest of the cards will form a hand totalling 15 or less, which is unfavourable for the players.

There are small deviations from the above-listed strategy when one is up against multiple decks of cards. To be specific, soft 14 calls for soft doubling only when the dealer’s face-up card is either a 5 or a 6. You hit against the 4 and all the other possible dealer upcards.

As for doubling on soft 15 and soft 16, you should do it against 4, 5, and 6, and hit versus the rest of the dealer upcards. In double-deck blackjack with a dealer who draws to soft 17, doubling is recommended with the soft 14 against the dealer’s 4 as well. This leads to a minuscule gain for the player, but still allows you to earn more from your soft 14.

Holding soft 16 is one of the trickiest spots rookie players can find themselves in. Some rookies approach this hand the same way they would play hard 16. Standing on soft 16 is never recommended for the simple reason you cannot exceed 21 with a one-card draw.

So why not try and improve your situation by doubling or hitting on your soft 16? In reality, the only way for you to win by standing on soft 16 is if the dealer goes over 21. The probability of winning with a hard total of 16 coincides with that of winning with 3-2 or A-A (soft 12).

Soft 17 Cases

If players have an ace and a 6 in their hand, this means that they have a soft 17 hand. A soft 17 (eg. A-6, A-2-4, A-3-3) is, by and large, one of the most commonly misplayed totals in the entire game of blackjack. To be able to make the best possible move, gamblers should always act according to the dealer’s upcard and their hand’s total value. In this sense, if the dealer’s upcard is 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6, players’ best move is to double down provided that they play single-deck variants.

Doubling yields optimal value in all single-deck games no matter what the standing rules for the dealer are. Given that a single-deck table disallows soft doubling altogether, you should hit your soft 17 instead. Hitting on soft 17 is advisable against dealer upcards 7 through ace as well.

The reason for it is that if players have a soft 17 and get a 10 or any of the face cards, this will leave them with a hard 17. In this case, if players decide to follow this strategy and double down, they have a better chance to win more money as it places them in a favourable position.

As for multiple and double-deck blackjack, doubling down on soft 17 is a good move only if the dealer starts their hand with lower upcards 3 through 6. Hitting is the best play against all other upcards in multiple-deck blackjack.

Mistakes to Avoid when You Have Soft 17

Soft 17 is a very tricky hand rookies often do not know how to approach correctly. Many people choose to settle for a total of 17, declining additional cards. This is a terrible idea because a total of 17, soft or hard, generally does not hold well regardless of the value of the dealer’s upcard.

The sad reality is that declining cards on your soft 17 would cost you more money compared to both doubling and hitting. Under no circumstances should you stand on soft 17, period. If you are still skeptical this is a bad move, consider the following.

One of the two common house fixed rules is for the dealer to hit rather than stand on soft 17. This boosts the casino advantage (by 0.22%) as it gives the dealer a room for improvement with no danger of busting on the next one-card draw. Exactly the same goes for the player with soft 17.

Apart from that, new players often struggle with playing correctly soft 17 hands that contain multiple cards, i.e. such that have already been drawn to. One example is a hard hand that starts with 4-2 versus the dealer’s 5. The player hits as basic strategy says and pulls out an ace so now they have a soft 17 (4-2-A).

Doubling down on a multi-card soft 17 is no longer possible in most variations of the game. Many rookies would choose to stand on this hand whereas the correct strategy is to hit the soft 17. What happens next depends on the player’s total and what the dealer holds. Do not hesitate to consult with your strategy chart if you are unsure about the move.

As we already told you, doubling on soft hands 13 through 17 is normally advisable versus small upcards that result in greater bust rates for the dealer. Some misguided players, however, double on soft 17 against the dealer’s 7. This is an unwise decision because the dealer is not as weak when holding a 7.

Blackjack Dealer Stand On 17

The dealer’s probability of exceeding 21 is not as high at 26.19% of the time in six-deck S17 games. Meanwhile, the dealer would manage to reach a total of 17 roughly 37% of the time and push with the player’s soft 17. Hitting is recommended over doubling because the dealer is not at such a high disadvantage with a 7 to justify pouring more money into the hand.

Another common scenario inexperienced players struggle with involves holding a soft 17 versus the dealer’s 6. Here we have another action hand, meaning that standing on it is out of the question.

In standard six-pack blackjack, standing on soft 17 versus the 6 will earn you around £1.20 on average whereas hitting nets you around £12 per every £100 wagered in the long run. Doubling is the best play in this case, giving you long-term profits of approximately £26 per £100 wagered.

Conclusion

It is of crucial importance for players to be aware of the meaning of soft hand as it will give them a better understanding how the game works. Due to the fact that this phrase is not a basic rule, many gamblers who play for years still don’t know what it means. In order to play their hand in the best possible way, players need to know what will be the result of every move they make.

Soft hands can be formed in a number of ways and this is the reason why gamblers need to know the meaning behind this phrase. Only then they will be able to make wise choices for every hand and achieve the desired result.

Blackjack 17 Boat

1744 Blackjack Simpson Road