What Is A Soft 17 In Blackjack | How Do You Play It?
A hand with a total of 17 and an ace that can be valued as either a 1 or an 11 is known as a soft 17. Continue reading to find out more about this, including the dealer rules and how to play the game.
What Does a Blackjack Soft Hand Mean?
Because they can have a value of either 1 or 11, aces play a unique role in blackjack. Because aces are flexible, a hand holding an ace is said to be soft. Let’s examine an illustration.
This hand is a 19 with the Ace-8 (11 for the Ace + 8 for the Eight). The Ace gives you flexibility even if it’s a strong hand; you could take a hit without worrying about busting at all. (Why is a 19 missing a card? Doubling down is an aggressive move to make if the dealer shows a 5.)
TIP: The only thing that counts in the showdown, or final round of the game, is the numerical value of your hand and the dealer’s hand comparison. It makes no difference if it’s a soft or hard 19, as far as winning or losing is concerned.
Let’s examine one more illustration. The hand in this instance is Ace-2, resulting in a Soft 13 (11 + 2). This hand could be described by some dealers as “either 3 or 13”.
There’s not a single situation in which you should stand on a Soft 13. Even if the dealer is displaying a bust card (2 through 6), it is still accurate. Always strive to improve your 13 by taking a risk-free hit.
However, the approach is different if this hand was a Hard 13 rather than a Soft 13. You would probably receive a big card and lose if you were to take a blow on a Hard 13. For instance, the optimal play on Hard 13 against a dealer’s 5 would be to stand on your (very weak) 13 and hope the dealer busts.
What Does a Blackjack Soft 17 Mean?
The hand in question is now available: Soft 17. As previously stated, a Soft 17 is a soft hand with a total of 17 and an ace that can be tallied as either an 11 or a 1. If you draw one more card, you cannot bust. A typical example of a Soft 17 is Ace-6.
Blackjack: Hard 17 vs. Soft 17
A Hard 17 hand has a fixed value of 17, and drawing another card increases the likelihood of going over 21, but a Soft 17 hand contains an ace that can be counted as either 1 or 11 to keep you from busting.
An ace might still be present in a Hard 17, but it would only be worth one. A 10 and 7 or a 9 and 8 are two more instances of a Hard 17.
TIP: Although the majority of the following guidance assumes that you are dealt an Ace-6, your hand may begin as something different and end up as a Soft 17. For instance, you might start off with a 3-3 hand and draw an Ace on your opening hit. If you have a Soft 17, regardless of how many cards you have in your hand, you should play according to the strategy listed below.
Blackjack Dealer Guidelines for Soft 17
Every time, the dealer’s hand is determined by a straightforward formula.
The dealer must hit until the hand hits 17 or higher, or busts, if the hand is 16 or lower.
The dealer will stand on a Soft 18 or higher if they have an Ace.
Different casinos will have different rules for a dealer Soft 17 (and occasionally between tables). The dealer must hit on Soft 17 in certain games, which is somewhat helpful for the players, but in most cases, the dealer must stand on Soft 17.
Is Hand 17 Soft Enough?
When a player’s hand totals seventeen or more, they usually stand. That doesn’t mean, however, that the hand you’re taught to stand on 17 is a good one. Actually, the reverse is true.
A 17-valued hand lulls players into thinking they are safe. Only when the dealer busts does a 17 win. Furthermore, statistical data indicates that 17 is ultimately a losing hand. In other words, you would gradually but definitely lose money if you played a blackjack game in which you were handed a 17 on every hand. To put it technically, a hand with 17 has a negative win expectation.
…but there’s a catch, of course. Even if 17 isn’t a strong hand, you still have a chance to strengthen your Soft 17. A Soft 17 allows you to improve a depressing music, whereas a Hard 17 leaves you with no other options. Simply abide by these three guidelines.
Rule #1 for Playing Blackjack Soft 17: Don’t Just Stand There
You’ve reached a dead end if your score is Hard 17. You can’t safely take a hit to try to strengthen your weak hand because of its weakness. Soft 17 strategy necessitates at least taking a risk-free hit because of this.
Going back to the numbers, striking on Soft 17 causes your expectation to change from being somewhat negative to slightly positive. Thus, never forget the first Soft 17 strategy rule: Never, ever stand.
ADVICE: It’s never too late. Does the Dealer Display a Seven? Strike. Is it true that the person in front of me just drew several little cards? Strike. Taking the lead when playing at the table? Strike. Having fun with a particular rule modification? Strike. Never stand with a Soft 17—say it with me.
Rule#2: Accept Failure
Although some players are reluctant to split up a hand rated at 17, hitting on Soft 17 increases your chances of winning. Just keep the math in mind: it’s better to work on your hand.
The good news is that your Soft 17 will not become a worse hand if you choose five out of the thirteen card ranks in the deck. The remaining eight options will either make it better or leave it as is. Consequently, if in doubt, take a hit—Rule #2 of the Soft 17 strategy.
Rule #3: Try to double down if you can
Sometimes, you’ll feel so good about yourself that you want to do better than merely hit your Soft 17. In certain situations, you ought to put in more effort. Check out this piece on when to double down if you need a refresher.
Naturally, the dealer’s chances of busting increase significantly if they are displaying a bust card (2 through 6). Therefore, in this case, you want to double down to increase your stake size if the regulations allow it. Rule #3 of the Soft 17 strategy states that if the dealer shows a 3, 4, 5, or 6 you should double down (if permitted).
TIP: The player can only double down on a hand of nine, ten, or eleven in most blackjack games. Should that be the case, you would have to be content with just reaching your Soft 17.
Variations of Advanced Rules
For players with more experience, here are several subtle variations on the three Soft 17 strategy guidelines.
Blackjack games with only one deck are uncommon, but if you happen to come across one that permits you to double down on any two cards, you should do so when you are up against a dealer 2 (or even 3 through 6).
There is a well-known list of fundamental strategy deviations for card counters that illustrates 18 scenarios in which a player should adjust their play based on the make-up of the remaining deck. Since Soft 17 is not on that list, counters should abide by these guidelines just like everyone else.[Action Items To Take After Reaching Your Soft 17
You should now have at least one card added to your Soft 17 if you followed the previous instructions. Let’s talk about the possible outcomes once you score a Soft 17.
When you hit or double on a Soft 17, the most common result is that you become a Hard 17 by adding a 10, Jack, Queen, or King. Standing there and hoping the dealer busts is your only option.
Congratulations! You’ve improved your Soft 17 to an 18 or better if you draw an Ace, 2, 3, or 4. You have a positive win expectation whenever your hand hits 18, therefore you’ll usually stand.
Even though your hand is worse when you draw a 5 through 9 on your Soft 17, play still goes on. Your hand currently has a value ranging from 12 to 16. Gross! Just go back to using basic blackjack strategy at this time (these blackjack strategy charts can help). Stand up against a dealer bust card. If not, you should take the chance to hit and get better at your bad hand.
Study the guidelines. Never Give Up.
Blackjack players are haunted by that last situation. It is disgusting to witness a dealer with a strong up card bust after taking a seemingly good 17 and busting. The player will be inclined to hold pat the next time a Soft 17 shows up.
Avoid slipping into that trap! Playing out Soft 17 hands is bound to result in some terrible beats. Just keep in mind the numbers, though. Furthermore keep in mind that Soft 17 provides you with a way out, even though 17 is a dead-end hand. Make use of it! Additionally, you’ll be a stronger blackjack player if you adhere to the three Soft 17 strategy rules listed above.
