How to Play a Soft 17 in Blackjack?
Out of all the hands that players can get during a typical blackjack game, one seems to confuse newbies a lot—a soft 17. Naturally, several questions pop up in mind: Should you stand or hit? Is doubling down a beneficial strategy? Let’s answer these questions—and much more—so you can enhance your crypto casino gambling experience.
What Is a Soft Hand in Blackjack?
Let’s start with the basics. Aces in blackjack games can be worth 1 or 11, and due to their flexible nature, we call a hand with an Ace a soft hand.
An example will make things much more clear for you. Let’s say you have a hand Ace-9. This is a powerful hand that has a total value of 19, but the Ace adds a bit of flexibility. As such, blackjack players with this hand can take a hit without the risk of busting.
Since your hand is compared to the dealer’s hand at the end of the game, all that matters is the numerical value of the cards both of you have. It doesn’t matter if you have a soft or a hard hand; the same blackjack rules apply.
What Is a Soft 17 in Blackjack?
A soft 17 in blackjack casino games means that you get a hand that totals 17 and contains an Ace. That way, you cannot bust if you take another card, so here are some examples of a soft 17 blackjack hand:
- Ace, 6
- Ace, 3, 3
- Ace, 4, 2
- Ace, 2, 2, 2
Soft 17 vs Hard 17 In Blackjack
Generally, both a soft 17 and a hard 17 are good hands you can get when playing blackjack, but how do they compare exactly? Here is a short overview and comparison of those hands that will undoubtedly come in handy the next time you are seated at a blackjack table.
The Soft 17 Rule Explained
Besides the number of decks used, payouts, and the house edge of a blackjack game, whether a dealer stands or hits soft 17 is a crucial rule. You won’t miss this, as every game has it written on the table itself.
Blackjack players can do whatever they want with their hands, but dealers can’t. In every blackjack title, either the dealer stands or hits soft 17, so let’s look at the specific rules and how they impact the basic blackjack strategy.
Standing on Soft 17
According to basic strategy, players should never stand on a soft 17—regardless of what the dealer’s upcard is. This may seem a bit odd since 17 is seemingly a good hand, but the basic strategy says that you will lose money in the long run if you stand.
An illustration when it comes to the dealer’s hand will explain the situation better here. If the game specifies that the dealer must hit soft 17, the house edge increases, so hitting a soft 17 hand is better for the dealer than standing. Naturally, the same applies to players.
Doubling Down on Soft 17
Before playing blackjack titles, you need to understand the logic of doubling down in blackjack soft 17. It is not so much to outdraw the dealer; your goal here is to make more money since the dealer can bust. Once again, the standard basic strategy applies to doubling down on soft 17:
- Multi-Deck Blackjack: Double down when the dealer’s upcard is a 3-6.
- Single-Deck Blackjack Games: Double down if the dealer has 2-6.
Multi-Card Soft 17
Let’s say you hit your hand and after drawing, you then reach a soft 17. Here, the playing rules in some online and land-based casinos in Las Vegas, for example, prohibit you from doubling down after you draw a third card. In that scenario, if you hold a multi-card soft 17, the best course of action is to hit.
Hitting Soft 17
If you are to hit soft 17 hands, here are the guidelines on when you are best advised to do so:
- Double and Multi-Deck Games: Always hit if the dealer’s upcard is a 2 or 7 and an Ace.
- Single-Deck Blackjack Game: Always hit when the dealer has an upcard of 7-Ace.
When you decide to hit a soft 17, the next action depends on your hand total and, of course, the dealer’s upcard. Once again, these situations require you to refer to the basic strategy table for blackjack and decide how to play your hand accordingly.
Counting Cards and the Soft 17
Some blackjack players are good at counting cards, and if you are one of them, you will generally have a good idea of how many low and high cards are left in the deck. By knowing this information, you will be able to follow specific rules on how to change your bet size and implement a strategy to exploit these moments.
Nonetheless, card counting is only viable if there is one deck in play. Multi-deck blackjack titles almost eliminate the possibility of counting cards. The house edge of multi-deck games also increases, so it is easy to see why single-deck blackjack titles are becoming extinct.
For the sake of the argument, here are two scenarios where card counting can come in handy in soft 17 hands:
- Positive Count: Double down on soft 17 if the dealer has a 2 upcard.
- Negative Count: Hit if the dealer has 3-6 as an upcard.
Soft 17 in Blackjack – Challenge the Dealer and Test Your Skills
As you can see, the soft 17 rule in blackjack is something you must understand before you dive into the real money gambling adventure. Knowing how to act when you get a hand like that will be crucial to determining the round’s outcomes.
So, now that you are well aware of the different scenarios when you get a soft 17 hand, it is time to dive straight into the real money gambling action. Register at Cryptorush and get full access to all online and live blackjack titles where you can personally test the above-mentioned soft 17 strategies!
FAQs
What is a soft 17 hand in blackjack?
A soft 17 hand is a hand where you get a total card value of 17. The crucial element here is that one of the two cards you receive is an Ace. The Ace in blackjack can have both a 1 or 11 value, hence the name soft 17.
Is it a good idea to stand on soft 17?
According to the basic strategy chart for blackjack, standing on soft 17 is never an optimal move. Instead, there are different situations that explain when you can hit or double down.
When do I double down if I have a soft 17 hand?
This depends on the type of blackjack casino game you play. For example, in blackjack titles with several decks, you need to double down if the dealer’s upcard is a 3-6. When playing a single-deck game, you are advised to double-down if the dealer shows a 2-6.
