This is because the dealer has two chances to make a stiff hand of 17 or better. Double soft 18 vs. This is an important hand in the game of blackjack as it gives you a safety net against busts. Factor in the following changes: Double 11 vs. Fremont has the typical Downtown Las Vegas Boyd Gaming rules. A soft 17 is a hand that’s made up of an ace (counting as 11) and a 6. 4%. For a single. Dealer hits soft 17 and stands on hard 17: (H17) You will see this rule on basic strategy charts as H17. The blackjack table will EITHER be dealer hits soft 17, OR dealer stays soft 17. The smiling dealer deals the cards to three players. A "soft hand" is a hand with an ace that counts as 11. But at some games there is an exception when the dealer has a hand of "soft" 17. You should double down when you have a total of 9, 10, or 11, and the dealer has a low card (2 to 6). These rules change the gameplay and. That’s why playing with Soft 17 is different from a Hard 17, where you’d stand. 17. Founded in 1998, our basic blackjack strategy engine generates optimal strategy charts for 1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8 decks. For years in Las Vegas dealers have been forced to stand on all 17’s. Surrender 15, 88 and 17 vs dealer Ace. 1334 for hitting, vs. It is also possible for dealers to land soft hands. How Do Blackjack Variations Impact the Odds and House Edge (Blackjack Odds Table) Whether the dealer hits or stands after a soft 17, the number of decks, side bets, or if blackjack is paid in 3:2 or 6:5 odds are just some of the factors that impact the odds of winning and the overall house edge. 00% . The general rule of thumb in most casino blackjack games is that the dealer always hits a total of 16 or less and always lands a total of 17 or more. Vegas Strip Blackjack: By Las Vegas rules, blackjack is played with four. But Soft 17 can be made with three or even more cards, as long as the Ace is there like Ace-Ace-2-4, Ace-3-3 etc. Double soft 15 or 16 vs. With hard 17, of course, we stand. ” You draw a 3 and you now have 15 against a dealer’s 2. Therefore, an ace-6 is a soft 17. Soft 17 comes up quite frequently – in about 6. It also allows doubling down before and after splitting, but not re-splitting aces or surrendering. Hard hands: Hard 8 or less - Hard 9 - Hard 10 - Hard 11 - Hard 12 - Hard 13 - 16 - Hard 17 to 21 Soft hands:. For every upcard where a soft 17 is possible, the dealer’s final hand is strengthened more than twice as frequently as it’s weakened. If any of those are true, then hitting the soft 18 has a good chance of hurting your hand instead of helping. These hands are called soft as you cannot bust; your hand can either get better or worse by taking more cards. There are some fabulous casino gamers who stream their slots action online for free. Harrah’s. In contrast, a hard hand is simply one without an Ace, or which includes an Ace but it can bust if another card is. 4 cents per dollar. When in doubt, use the "dealer hits on soft 17" strategy instead of the "dealer stands on soft 17" strategy as this will mean fewer losses over time. If you drew an ace + 5, 6, or 7, you’ll get to a soft total of 16, 17, or 18. 4 decks. Live Evolution Gaming Blackjack Chart Players playing on the Evolution Gaming's Live Blackjack tables have requested a separate chart as the dealer will check for Blackjack if the face-up card is. The Blackjack 21 comes with complete classic blackjack. 126 for doubling). Blackjack cheat sheet 2 – Dealer hits on soft 17. When the dealer hits a soft 17, the house gets an opportunity to. Wizard of Odds' Blackjack Hand Calculator shows EV of splitting is -0. The Dealer Stands on Soft 17. 6% of the time. Don. This can also be referred. Your total is now 20 (17 + 3) or your total is 10 (7 + 3 = 10). Previous page. Stand on 17+ – The first rule in blackjack is to stand on a hard 17, or higher. As a result, many Las Vegas casinos have rules in place that dictate how the dealer should handle Soft 17 hands. 07%. The goal of the game is to accumulate cards that total as close to 21 as possible without going over. d. A hard 17 is a hand with a total of 17 and an Ace card with a value of 11, whereas a soft 17 is a hand with a total of 17 but no Ace card. 40%; Blackjack automatic winner: . e. Six-deck Blackjack where the dealer hits on soft 17 is one of the most common Blackjack variants. If you are playing blackjack online and you have an Ace, it will automatically be counted as 1 if your hand goes. The 6:5 games are typically $15, while 6:5 Free Bet Blackjack is $25. Hit soft 17 (A6) or less. they have. Dealer must stand on soft 17. This is called a “Stand 17” game. blackjack games. If the total exceeds 21, the ace will be valued at one to prevent the hand from busting. BLACKJACK STRATEGIES. Basic strategy: Double down on a two-card soft 17, hit a soft 17 of three or more cards, stand on hard 17. Basic strategy instructs a player to hit a soft seventeen in every situation, yet most players are hesitant to do so, assuming their chances of winning are better if they stand on 17 than if they risk decreasing the value of the hand with subsequent hits. 2% increase when the dealer hits soft 17. It doesn't matter if the dealer gets 21 or 25. Atlantic City Blackjack And The Soft 17. The Amazon Book ReviewBlackJack (Free) Blackjack, also known as Twenty-one or Vingt-et-un (French: "twenty-one"), is the most widely played casino banking game in the world. Most players, especially beginners, think that standing is also the best possible move with a soft 17 too. Most of the games require the dealer to hit on soft 17. The rules will be clear on each table at online and live casinos so that you can take your pick. The blackjack rules on soft 17 have a significant effect on gameplay. A soft hand in blackjack is any hand containing an ace counted at 11. Written by: Michael Shackleford. For example, ACE-6 is a blackjack soft 17 hand, 2-2-ACE-2 is also a blackjack soft 17 hand. Because a soft hand can be improved and used to lower the house edge even further, a rule allowing the dealer to hit a soft 17 was brought into place. dealer 3-6. Hit soft 18 vs. Nearly all low-limit tables, even those that use multiple decks, now have the dealer hit soft 17. Ameristar Vicksburg MS. Does hand composition affect basic strategy? Yes, soft and hard hands directly impact certain betting decisions highlighted in the basic strategy sheet. When the dealer hits on a soft 17, the dealer will bust about 29. With a hand totalling 14, the chance you’ll bust if hitting is at 46%. Blackjack chart hit soft 17 - Casa Larrate Check Details Blackjack chart hit soft 17. What is Soft 17 in Blackjack? In short, a soft 17 is any hand that has a total value of 17 and contains an Ace. Hit or Stand. Publisher. A very important 1-deck blackjack strategy is that you should never take insurance or even money because the house edge on insurance in a single-deck blackjack is 5. And this rule does not take into account whether the total is soft or hard. What does stand on soft 17 mean? In every game of blackjack, the dealer either plays Soft 17 or higher, or hits Soft 17, which means they can only play Hard 17, plus any 18 or higher. This is where the S17 vs H17 rule comes in. The player may not Double Up on a blackjack. Conversely, hitting can help improve your hand without the risk of busting on a soft 17 or lower. Fremont’s Blackjack Tables. 2%. Hitting soft 17 gives the dealer the chance to make the 18, 19, 20 and 21 hands that can win on their own against a player pat hand. 11%, and under the Microgaming rules the house edge is 0. Publisher. 91" X 4. The game is mostly self-explanatory. In the world of blackjack some casinos require dealers to stand when their hand is a soft 17 (designated as s17), whereas others require dealers to hit soft 17 (i. If the dealer's upcard is a 3, 4, 5, or 6, then she probably has a stiff hand, which means she has a good chance of going bust. The “soft 17 rule” is a rule that requires the dealer to hit on soft 17. 4/6/8 Decks, Dealer Stands on all 17s. Blackjack buffs are better off when dealers must stand on rather than hit "soft 17s" hands like ace-six or ace-four-two where ace is valued at 11. In most blackjack games at the casino, a dealer must take a card if he hits 16 or below and stand at 17 or above. You should double down when you have a total of 9, 10, or 11, and the dealer has a low card (2 to 6). The general rules of Blackjack are for the dealer to hit until he reaches 17 or above, regardless of the players’ hand. 42%. Player is dealt a Soft 17. Grand (Tunica): 6 decks, dealer stands on soft 17, double on hard 9-11 only,double after split not allowed, tied blackjack wins, split only once. See all details. Fun Card Games. 2. If the dealer goes over 21 points, then any player who didn't already bust will win. Whether to hit or stand on a soft fifteen or sixteen, or double down. HITTING SOFT 17. The rules will be clear on each table at online and live casinos so that you can take your pick. With a hand totalling 14, the chance you’ll bust if hitting is at 46%. A PROVEN WINNING SYSTEMThe dealer must stand on all 17 hands, including soft 17. For you to use the basic strategy, you look up your hand from the vertical edge and the upcard of the dealer. Soft 17 Double After Split Double Splits Number Re split aces Draw to split aces Peek Surr-ender Return Total Decks Live Game; Blackjack: 1. Although both the soft and. 2 as a double, which is wrong. To Double Up, the player will make an additional wager, equal to his original wager, in the designated Double Up circle. Blackjack pays 6 to 5. However, if we skip ties, the probability is 46. There is some debate in the blackjack community about whether or not a blackjack dealer hit on a soft 17. If it is more than 6, Stand. We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. This is the most common ruleset online. Blackjack dealers have to follow a strict algorithm that varies from casino to casino. What if your soft 17 consists of more than two cards, like 2-4-A and it is impossible to double? Again, the best course of action is to take a hit on your soft 17. For dealer probabilities before the dealer checks for blackjack please see Dealer Odds in Blackjack under European Rules. Atlantic City Blackjack has a number of player-friendly rules that keep the house edge at a quite low 0. For example, a hand of Ace + 6 is a Soft 17. Atlantic City Blackjack. Blackjack Strategy Additional Rules. ago. com. Wynn Casino in Las Vegas is a place where high rollers fill the tables. Arnold is also the author of our books The Blackjack Shuffle Tracker's Cookbook and Risk of Ruin. Dealer Stands on Soft 17. Such is the case with soft 18 against a dealer showing a deuce. If you hit, the profit is 2. Otherwise, hit. If you have a soft 17 and the dealer has 2,4,6,7,8 or 9 – hit. And you definitely want to avoid rules that increase the house edge, such as a blackjack paying 6-5 instead of 3-2, dealer hits soft 17, or no soft doubling allowed. Blackjack Rule 5 – Hitting on Soft 17: When a player wants another card, it is called “hitting”. House edge: 0. Hitting soft 17 increases the house edge by 0. Player uses basic strategy. Six-deck tables that stand on soft 17 and offer surrender and re-split aces come in second place on the best Las Vegas blackjack. Getting dealt a card with a higher value still puts you close to 21 so there’s a shot you could win the hand. There’s no second hit after doubling. The following printable blackjack cheat sheet is for Vegas USA blackjack, played with 4 or more decks, and with a dealer that hits on a soft 17. You then get one more card – and only one. Blackjack pays 3 to 2. When the dealer hits on a soft 17, the dealer will bust about 29. 12 hours ago · The dealer must hit 16 or less and stand on 17 or more. 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). Las Vegas Itinerary. h17. 5143 in 6 deck, but in a S17 game it's roughly -0. Card Book. Mandalay Bay has some s17 tables at $25 limits - off peak those table limits may be at. dealer’s Ace. Thanks in advance! Standing is better for the player. Hits a soft 17Doubling down soft blackjack hands is a strategy that professional blackjack players love to devise and execute. (The greater the mix of player-favorable rules, the lower will be the house edge. Most land-based casinos offer shoe-dealt blackjack with six decks, but you’ll also find eight-deck options often. Blackjack was my closest thing to meditation and shutting out thinking about my job, etc. If you are looking for a change of pace from traditional blackjack but insist on a game. The main difference between soft 17 vs hard 17 is the ease of play: You should always stand with a Hard 17. STAND. Wizard Recommends. Players may split up to three times to makeBlackjack Basic Strategy Chart: 4/6/8 Decks, Dealer Hits Soft 17 [Kenneth R Smith] on Amazon. The dealer standing on soft 17 is a good opportunity for the player again to increase the odds and beat the dealer with certain plays. English. When a player “hits” or asks for extra cards, they are dealt face up. What is considered a soft 17 in blackjack? By Modern Man Editor The soft 17 blackjack is the main algorithm for the gambling table. Stand on 17+ – The first rule in blackjack is to stand on a hard 17, or higher. 36%. A soft hand in blackjack is any hand that contains an ace that is counted as an 11. When you have a hand of 13 through 16, stand if the dealer reveals a hand of 2 through 6. These blackjack rules are generally the second most common. Advertisement Coins. At BetAmerica, for example, most of the tables do not allow the dealer to hit on soft 17. Single-deck blackjack is played with a single deck, and the dealer hits on soft 17 in this game. Actually, it is the opposite: This hand offers a chance to. This is because the dealer has two chances to make a stiff hand of 17 or better. At such a blackjack table, the dealer must draw on all soft 17 hands until he or she obtains a point total of a hard 17 or higher. 92%, it is quite popular among gamers around the world. When playing with a single deck, the correct strategy requires you to double on your soft 17 against dealer upcards 2 through 6. Atlantic City was one of the first gambling jurisdictions to amend the rules of blackjack by forcing the dealer to hit a soft 17. Learn how soft 17 blackjack affects the dealer's play and the player's chances of winning. When it comes to soft hands, the situation is much more straightforward. g. {"payload":{"allShortcutsEnabled":false,"fileTree":{"src/blackjack/game":{"items":[{"name":"__init__. A hard-17 is considered a strong hand, yet is the poorest hard total players are recommended to stand on. For example, ACE-6 is a blackjack soft 17 hand, 2-2-ACE-2 is also a blackjack soft 17 hand. If the casino dealer gets to hit a soft 17 then we have some different decisions from most charts out there and they all involve the ace: Double 11 versus ace. Resplit aces. Hits a soft 17 Blackjack Appendix 3C lists exceptions to the single deck, dealer hits on soft 17, basic strategy based on the exact composition of the player's hand. Rules. Split a pair of 8s & Aces. 42%. The rule is. The only exception to the basic strategy, when the dealer hits a soft 17, is to hit a suited 6 and 7 against a dealer. Does the dealer stop at 17 in blackjack? Yes. As my blackjack appendix 9 shows the expected value for standing is -0. Blackjack pays 3 to 2, and insurance pays 2 to 1. The dealer must stand on all 17 hands, including soft 17. 9 cents. Therefore, the astute blackjack player will try to avoid blackjack tables where the dealer can hit on soft 17. The rule soft 17 means the dealers have to hit when they land a soft 17 hand. If the dealer stands on a soft 17, the correct decision is to Surrender, or Hit. Always hit hard 11 or less. Dealer stands on soft 17. These games do not permit re-split aces. In the blackjack strategy chart above, we have not provided separate rows for 5- and 10-pair hands as we have taken those hands as hard 10s and hard 20s and covered them in that corresponding table for hard hands. It reveals: how the dealer plays a combination with a total of soft 17. In literal terms, Soft 17 is another way of describing a blackjack hand worth 17 which includes an Ace, where the Ace counted either as 1 or 11. If the dealer hits hard 17, the dealer has to remove and "burn" the card which went above 17. Made and printed in the USA. It reveals: how the dealer plays a combination. Print length. an A and a 6). Connecticut casinos offer similar rules for blackjack: Natural blackjack normally pays 3-to-2. If. Dealer Stands on Soft 17 – This rule can affect the house edge by more than 0. Dealer must hit soft 17: A "soft". Vegas Blackjack: 0. Perfect strategy for the 1 deck blackjack game where the dealer hits soft 17. Blackjack basic strategy chart : 1 deck, dealer hits soft 17Basics of blackjack ᐈ charts for one-, two-, multiple decks The blackjack chart sheet for each teamBlackjack strategy deck single 17 soft dealer hits basic odds wizard chart poker bj jack cards rules play hands player. A hard 17 is made up of any combination of cards that add up to exactly 17 (e. Double down on any two cards. House edge:. Seven Card Charlie available at BetMGM has a house edge 0. Dealer stands on soft 17. The cards are easy to use, but if you need more information, complete instructions can be found at StrategyCard. Never hit if you have a hard 17. View Instructions. Hit hard 11 or less. Dealer Hits on Soft 17 House Edge. Let’s look at some of the common variations and how they stack up when the dealer hits on soft 17. Under the standard Las Vegas rules, with six decks, the dealer hits a soft 17, and a switched blackjack counts as 21 points, the house edge is 0. Perfect Blackjack Strategy ChartsBlackjack 17 soft deck single bj card chart dealer strategy stands glossary counting terminology layout play table history informationBlackjack chart hit soft 17 Casinojr blog: blackjack basic strategyBlackjack strategy deck bj odds wizard decks wizardofodds s17 rules chart hit basic 17 dealer soft hits stands help charts. Appendix 4 :Details on the standard deviation in blackjack. 8 decks. See moreThis "soft" designation is crucial, because it means you cannot bust by taking a hit. If the dealer does not bust, then the higher point total between the player and dealer will win. Blackjack pays 3 to 2. There are three. A soft 17 includes an Ace being counted as 11. As the ace counts as 1 or 11 in blackjack, the potential for confusion is present. And now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for: the soft 17 and hard 17 blackjack rules. What is a soft 17 in blackjack? A soft 17 not only affects the dealer, but it also effects the player. At the end of the game, if your count is the same as the dealer’s, it is a “push” (neither the dealer or you win). Also, don't know why they don't have a -1 index for H17 11 vs. It also allows doubling down before and after splitting, but not re-splitting aces or surrendering. All cards are randomly shuffled before each hand. As with other versions, try to find a blackjack that pays 3:2. Basic strategy in a six-deck game (with double after split, dealer stays on soft 17 etc. Whether or not the dealer must hit on a soft 17 (a hand of 17 containing an ace being counted as 11) differs from casino to casino. This option allows you to take advantage of some hands by doubling the stake for a single additional card, thus further lowering the casino’s house edge when following the blackjack cheat sheet. 17: The Ace-Five card counting method; 18: Basic strategy exceptions for three to six cards; 19: Blackjack splitting strategy when a back-player is betting; 20: Blackjack doubling strategy when doubling after splitting aces is allowed; 21: Details on the Wizard\’s Simple Strategy; Miscellaneous. " The better play would have been to double down the soft 13. Here’s what you need to know: The aim of Atlantic City blackjack is still to beat the dealer’s hand without going over 21. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Hit or Stand on Soft 17: The house edge is higher when the dealer has to hit on soft 17 rather than stand on that value. The strategy of hitting on a soft 17 is based on the assumption that the player will receive more favorable hands than average. The general rule of thumb in most casino blackjack games is that the dealer always hits a total of 16 or less and always lands a total of 17 or more. All other Las Vegas six- and eight-deck blackjack games hit on soft 17. The S17 and H17 rules are two important strategies in the game of blackjack. The cocktail waitress was very. Split aces get one card only. Blackjack charts – chart maker, 3-deck, 6-deck, 8-deckBlackjack odds table printable Strategy blackjack basic chart deck charts double 17 dealer play decks tables soft simple hitting multi stands specific vs strategies6 deck blackjack counting strategy « pelaa ja voita oikeaa rahaa online. Make a bet from $1 to all-in. Player may split only once. Hitting and Standing. These large-format cards are pocket size: 2. The house will win when players bust, regardless of the final dealer hand. Player may re-split any pair (including aces) up to three times. If you have a soft 16 (A-5) treat it as a 6 which means always hit; The same actions above will apply if you have hit for 3 cards, 4 cards, or 5 cards and your total 16 for all cards! Playing 17+ Totals on 6 Deck Blackjack Tables. The variation where the dealer must hit soft 17 is abbreviated "H17" in blackjack literature, with "S17" used for the stand-on-soft-17 variation. A soft hand is one that contains an ace, so a “soft 17” is an ace plus a 6. Dealer hits on soft 17. Always stand on hard 17 or more. In this case, they push—in other words, the player who got Blackjack simply gets their original bet back. Player should Double Down. . For double deck blackjack, double down soft 14 if the dealer has 4. Its $100 tables stand on all 17s. Stand 17 Table Felt. If you can't find the rules then assume Surrenders are NOT allowed and the Dealer will STAND on Soft 17 (this will almost always be the case). Similar to other types of American blackjack, the dealer receives two cards, one face-up. 4-8 Decks Blackjack Dealer STANDS on Soft 17 Chart. For example with a "soft 17" (an ace and a 6), the total is 7 or 17. This is known as a ‘H17’ game – and is the most common rule variation for blackjack. Dealer Stands on Soft 17 – This rule can affect the house edge by more than 0. WAR BLACKJACK BETTING A round of War Blackjack begins with each player placing two (2) separate bets on the table, (1) in the War bonus wager circle or logo directly in front of the player (note: this bet is optional) and (2)High quality, full-color, full-bleed printing on both sides. Here are a few pointers to have in mind: Always stand on soft 19 or 20 ; Stand when you have soft 18 against the dealer’s 2–8 ; If the dealer shows 9–ace, you should hit on a soft 17 or less; Blackjack Hit or Stand Charts. Dealer peeks for blackjack with a ten or ace up. The player has an edge if the casino dealer has to stand on soft 17. When a dealer is allowed to hit soft 17, it adds about 0. Soft 17 Rule for the Dealer. The blackjack chart under “Help” will update depending on the online cialis sale options and rules of the game. Split 10, J, Q or K only once. Blackjack odds and payoutsWe’re on a journey to advance and democratize artificial intelligence through open source and open science. When you have a soft 19 and the dealer shows a six. To make a soft 17, the Ace must be counted as 11 or one. A soft 17 is a hand that’s made up of an ace (counting as 11) and a 6. Format is as follows: 9 / A - You have 9 points and the dealer drew an Ace, X-X - a pair of X's, Soft ## - Ace high, Double-Hit - double or hit if. Learn the rules and Wizard's Simple Strategy in this introductory video. **Dealer up card is 3: If you double down, your average profit is 5. When we have the edge, we want to maximize profits, so we press home that edge and double down. Most players who have experience playing blackjack will avoid any game that uses the. Veteran blackjack players no doubt have noticed a change in the last few years. 36%. Palms is the only casino in the locals and off-Strip markets with a double-deck game that stands on a soft 17. Assuming: Dealer hits on soft 17, Double after Split is allowed. Reasoning. Although both the soft and. draw to 16 and “stand” when 17 or more is reached, or on select games, the dealer will hit a soft 17. Resplit aces. Playing ten hands of Blackjack grants the Courier the Double Down achievement/trophy. The lounge includes two double-deck blackjack games, one six-deck stand soft 17 blackjack table and five baccarat tables. For double- and multi-deck games, hit soft. 22% to the house. There are eight casinos in this section. Let me determine the correct basic strategy for you, under just about any set of rules, using my basic strategy calculator. The dealer hits soft 17. Poker Night. If the card is 17 or higher, the dealer is required to stay. Blackjack Online - Home Blackjack Strategy How to Play. Hitting soft 17 increases the house edge by 0. Also, some casinos require the dealer to stand with a soft 17, and some mandate the dealer to hit with a soft 17. Follow this article to get an update on 17 soft hands, the best strategy to take advantage of soft 17, and common mistakes to avoid when playing with this hand. If you’re playing a multi-deck game and you have a hard 11, double down instead of taking a hit. When the dealer hits soft 17, basic strategy calls for surrender in three more situations: Hard 15 against an Ace; hard 17 against an Ace and 8-8 against an Ace. Insurance: Safeguard against dealer’s Blackjack. In the most popular, classic version of blackjack, the dealer will dish out two cards to themselves and two to you. Poker Night. Yet, on the appendix, the player's expected return is HIGHER if you hit, rather than double (compare . The number of decks in blackjack affects probability, which is why you can’t apply a single strategy chart to every variation. Blackjack Tips. October 1, 2008. 17 versus ace is surrender instead of stand. Blackjack soft hands strategy ultimately makes it impossible to lose your hand when you have an Ace. Bayview Strategies LLC. When it comes to soft hands, the situation is much more straightforward. At such a blackjack table, the dealer must draw on all soft 17 hands until he or she obtains a point total of a hard 17 or higher. Stand on hard 17 or more. However, if the dealer has a soft hand, he can choose to stand on the Soft 17, and the Soft 17 can be formed in a variety of ways. Indeed, the soft 17 in blackjack, as mentioned, will tilt the house advantage to the casino by as much as 0. The value of each card is either the number on the card, or 10 for face cards, or one or 11 for an ace. R/Poker is currently…12pm cut off point for Next day Delivery - UK customers only†Blackjack soft dealer 17 hits deck multi strategy hit chart basic bj choices player. 59 percent house edge. Master Those Tricky Hands Two hand values give players more trouble than any other when learning how to play blackjack: hard/soft 17 and hard/soft 16. Dealers must either hit or stand on a soft 17. Appendix 5 :Infinite deck expected return according to player hand and dealer up card. The following would be examples of soft hands: A-2 = Soft 13; A-3 = Soft 14; A-4 = Soft 15; A-5 = Soft 16; A-6 = Soft 17; A soft hand is one that cannot be busted by taking one hit. A starting hand of a 10 valued card and an Ace is called a Blackjack or natural and beats all hands other than another Blackjack. Learn the difference between soft and hard hands in blackjack, and how to use the soft 17 rule to your advantage. 100502. SP. Meanwhile, when the dealer is required to hit on Soft 17, they can improve their hand value and end up with either 18, 19, 20 or 21.