Soft Hands

Soft hands, for those of you who are new to the game of blackjack, are those in which there is an ace counting as 11 points. For example, a two card soft hand of 17 would be a 6 and an ace.

Soft hands often raise all sorts of questions: Which is better, playing on a blackjack game where the dealer hits a soft 17, or on one in which he stands? Should the player mimic the dealer and hit or stand based on the dealer’s rules? And what is the correct play for a soft 18? We will endeavour to answer such questions here as simply as we can…

• First, it is slightly better to play in a game where the dealer stands on a soft hand of 17. When you play a game in which the dealer hits a soft 17, you give the house an additional two-tenths of one percent advantage. This is due to the fact that, when a soft 17 is showing, an ace, 2, 3 or 4 improves the dealer’s hand and a 10, Jack, Queen or King leaves it of equivalent value. Consequently, 8 of every 13 cards either improves the dealer’s hand or keeps it the same. If any of the other 5 cards are drawn, the dealer still has a chance to convalesce his hand with another draw.

• Basic strategy dictates that the player should always hit a soft hand of 17, or double down against a dealer who is showing a 3, 4, 5, 6. A 17 in blackjack is a hell-bound hand over the long haul, but the alternative strategy of hitting a hard 17 would only multiply your losses. However, with a soft hand of 17 you at least have the possibility of taking another card, which could improve your hand. This is why basic strategy charts dictate either hitting or doubling down, but never standing on a soft 17.

• A soft 18 (ace-seven) is one of those tricky hands about which numerous experts disagree. The consensus is to stand on 2, 7, 8; double down when playing rules allows it against a 3-6; and hit against a 9 or 10 count card. But against an ace, the pros are nearly divided between hitting and standing. We side with the half that recommends hitting versus standing when confronting an ace.
 

Online Blackjack Strategies homepage.