A hand totaling 18 or 19 is much stronger than having a 16. The chart below displays a strategy for blackjack where the dealer stands on Soft 17. Casinoly Casino. Blackjack Strategy Additional Rules. Double soft 17 or 18 vs dealer 3-6. Dealer peeks at hole card for blackjack. 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. 37. That said, were their card a two, a seven or an eight, your best choice is to stand. Skip side bets unless you count cards. 4%. The heart of the matter is, there are 3 cards to improve the hand and 6 cards to diminish it, why do the odds say hit or double down. You should always hit when you have a soft 17 or less. For a shoe game, there are 3 differences in basic strategy: A7v2, A8v6, and 11vA. In the simplest of terms, a hard blackjack hand is any two-card total which does not include an ace. Conversely, a ‘hard hand’ is a hand either without an Ace or with an Ace valued as 1 point. 10 – 6 = Hard 16. why would you want to hit on a soft 18 especially if the dealer has a 8,9 or 10 showing, your chances of geting an ace 2 or 3 are vey low and you could ruin your hand with a lot of different cards. Of course, even a two-card hand where one card is an Ace is a multiple-card soft hand, but players who have memorized the proper basic. A fair amount of blackjack players will stand on a soft 18. 77 percent. Let's start with soft 17. Basic strategy advises players to stand whenever the dealer’s upcard is a 2, a 7 or an 8. lol "Live On Line" Blackjack. Conclusion: Your best course of action is only ever to hit A-7 when the dealer presents a 9, 10, or Ace in an effort to reach either a soft 17 or a soft 18. Step 2: receive. For example, an ace and 7, therefore being a hand that can be. The player may not Double Up on a blackjack. Basic strategy for a soft 18 against a dealer 10 is to hit, regardless if your hand is composed of Ace-7, Ace-3-4, or even the above five-card hand. The logic behind this is that 17 is a good hand, but not a great hand. The following tables display expected returns for any play in blackjack based on the following rules: dealer stands on a soft 17, an infinite deck, the player may double after a split, split up to three times except for aces, and draw only one card to split aces. If the dealer has a deuce, double down soft 18; Soft 19 should be doubled down against a dealer 6; Use them together with the tips in the upper list. Instead of splitting, the strategy recommends hitting your soft 12 against an Ace and splitting against dealer upcards deuce through 10. Appendix 7 :Effect of card removal. So when we are talking about whether a 17 is hard or soft, the Ace is integral to the hand. Grab a bite at one of four restaurants, catch a show, and find yourself in. Double soft 15 or 16 vs dealer 4-6. A hard hand is one. When I change that to S17 the tables still show +1. On the other hand, a “hard” hand consists of cards that don’t have an Ace, or the Ace counts as 1 point only. Most players stand with an A-7 (soft 18) against a dealer’s 9 upcard, reasoning that an 18 is good enough to beat the dealer. 18% 3. Stand on your soft 18 but always hit when the dealer has 9, 10, or ace. To use this guide first go to the list according to the number of cards in your hand. The dealer never splits in blackjack as that is against the rules. A,A – always split. As the other reply noted, he's talking about soft 18, not hard 18. Conclusion – The combination of playing cards and the mix of playing rules determine the ideal playing strategy for every blackjack game in a casino on mobile. It’s one of the only hands where you must decide whether to take a card or not. He replied that a soft 18 against a dealer ace, in a double-deck game, where the dealer stands on soft 17, was such a play. With this hand, you have a total of 18 that contains an ace which can be designated value of 11 without the hand going over 21. Soft 18 in blackjack (A-7) is a commonly misplayed hand. We explain what it means to double down, & the hands on which such a move should be performed. dealer stands on soft 17, blackjack pays even money, late surrender allowed, player may only double on 10 or 11, double after split not allowed, split aces get one card each, only one split allowed, six card Charlie, dealer must stop with six cards. Having a soft 18 already puts you in a good situation, but using double down could put you in an even better one. Hit: When the dealer has anything else showing. So hitting soft 18 against a dealer's 10 upcard is the correct play (even when your soft 18 hand consists of three or more cards, such as Ace-2-Ace-4). For example, playing 10-8 is a hard 18. With a hand totalling 14, the chance you’ll bust if hitting is at 46%. Real Money vs. The player has a soft 18 with A7 against the dealer's 2, 7 and 8 The player has a soft 19 with A8 unless they are doubling down against a 6 in a table where the dealer has to hit a soft 17 In another scenario, when the dealer has a card between 7 and Ace, the player should stop hitting only when they have a 17 or higher. At all the Santa Fe's six-deck blackjack tables, players have the option to make an Instant 18 side bet on a second hand with exactly 18 points. A blackjack basic strategy can decrease the house edge. Miami dice casino mobile and download app they have agreed on one thing so far: wiping out the triangl. Assume a six-deck game in which dealers hit soft 17 — the most common set of rules in today’s casinos. Whether you’re looking to win big or just have some fun, Elements Casino Victoria offers exciting choices for all! Play the latest of our 770 Slots from $0. Note that the casino edge over a basic strategy player for a single deck game with h17 is only 0. A hard hand is any hand that either does not contain an ace, of if it does, counts the ace as 1. Blackjack tips and strategies straight from the professional blackjack players. Single deck. 22–23, 51–56. This is regardless if it was one of the initial cards or if it was subsequently hit. Hitting soft 17 increases the house edge by 0. Speaking of the strategy for playing soft hands, players should ideally hit on soft 13, 14, 15, and 16 unless the dealer's upcard is a 4, 5, or 6 and in such instances, doubling down is the way forward. Some people believe that it does, while others believe that it does not. dealer’s Ace. Soft 17: Double down: Split 2s through 10s: Split aces: Draw to split aces: Double after split:. dealer’s 2. By splitting eights, you take a stiff hand (soft 16), and turn it into two potential eighteen's. 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. 395% with 20 takes up majority of 34%) By Hitting on a Soft 18, you are converting yourself to a Hard 8 unless you draw. Red Dead Redemption. 79%) for the house against perfect basic strategy by players. But many Blackjack beginners would think about what it has to do with soft and hard hands in the game. You hit on soft 17 or less. For example, A-6 and A-3-3 are both a soft 17. " Thanks. Win - the player wins as much as he bet. Hard and soft hands in blackjack are all determined by one card: the Ace. Blackjack soft hands strategy ultimately makes it impossible to lose your hand when you have an Ace. Basic strategy for blackjack says hit soft 18 - ace-seven - against dealer upcards of nine, 10, and ace. The correct basic strategy will get you down to. Beware Short Pays on a Blackjack. With the expectation of a 10, it is. It's always better to play two potentially good hands with no chance of busting than it is to play one tough hand that isn't. Even if all the players at the table have 18, the dealer must stand if he ends up with a 17. Soft 18 (A7) – Double down against dealer’s 4 6, unless when you have 4 or more cards. Soft 18 is a complex hand for people to grasp. In every blackjack game, the dealer either stands on Soft 17 or higher, or hits Soft 17, which means they can only stand on Hard 17, plus any 18 or more. Hit soft 18 vs. For instance, a hand containing A-2 is soft 13 while one consisting of A-2-3 is a soft 16. When a player gets a soft 17, they face a fork in the road. When To Split Pairs. They know that this can have a significant impact on their bankroll. Soft 13s and 14s should be doubled down against 5s and 6sAlways 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. For a soft 18 against the dealer’s 2 through 8, according to strategy charts, you should stand. If this happens, it might mean that you are not yet ready, but that is not necessarily true in 100% of cases when players make a mistake. Lastly, as indicated on the basic blackjack strategy chart, if you are unable to double down due to the blackjack variation you are playing, you should hit except for 4 scenarios where its highly recommended to rather stand. Some standing hands will be 16 or less if the dealer’s up card is 6 or lower and the soft 17 has three or more cards. And yes, if the dealer must hit all hard and soft 17s, the player. Blackjack Online - Home Blackjack Strategy How to Play. Vegas Strip Blackjack. The dealer needs to stay if he has a soft 18 or a soft 19 in his possession. Cardoza Publishing. 50. With regards to hard hands, you should always stand on a hard 17 and any higher number, stand on hard 13 to 16 if the dealer has a card between two to six and stand on hard 12 when. Please Play Responsibly. If you hit a soft 18 and the dealer has a 9, 10 or Ace and must stand on a soft 17, your win percentage is 43-45. 9 cents. dealer’s ace. 2% of the time when you do make your hand worse you can hit again to try and improve except when you draw exactly a 9. IE 53. Nevertheless, learning to play properly can be a little arduous at times because of the complexities of adopting a stratagem. 7,8,9) in an equal number, a player would have a substantial advantage (~18%) as long as he played correct strategy. Hi all, I'm interested in anyone's opinion on playing soft 18 vs. Hard hands are hands that don’t contain an Ace, which means they have a. After splitting aces, the player may only stand or Double Up. 5% over time and gets more consistent wins. Never split a pair of 5s and 10s. Lincoln Casino is an established casino in the American market, having an official gambling license and paying attention to table games in addition to slots. What. however, to stand at a-7 against a dealer's 9, 10 or a is a. All the information about blackjack you want, both for serious advantage players and for casual players. If one of your initial cards is an ace, it means that you have two courses of attack. It just depends on what the player prefers. 100502 and for hitting is -0. Or if the dealer draws to reach a total of soft 17 you already have him beat. A soft hand is when the Ace exists as 11. Dealers hit, too, and one of the most important rules is whether the dealer hits on a soft 17. Soft 19 is an excellent in blackjack soft hand, as it positions players close to the coveted total of 21. 14% Player is only allowed to double with a total of 10 or 11 +0. Let’s look at soft-hand basic blackjack strategy in a six-deck game in which the dealer hits soft 17. Blackjack vs. He replied that a soft 18 against a dealer ace, in a double-deck game, where the dealer stands on soft 17, was such a play. Stand on hard 12 vs dealer 4-6. Of course, having a soft 18 already puts you in a good position. More and more tables are showing up that pay less than the full 3 to 2 on a blackjack. Stand on soft 18 (hit when the dealer has 10, 9 or A). Some hard hands may be better than others. 18%: Dealer hits on soft 17-0. Basic strategy advises players to stand whenever the dealer’s upcard is a 2, a. You can probably memorize this simplified blackjack basic strategy in less than an hour, in fact. Hi all, I'm interested in anyone's opinion on playing soft 18 vs. Basic strategy calls for hitting that soft 18 vs. What is a hard 18 in blackjack. How to Play a Soft Eighteen Total in Blackjack - Soft 18. Soft 19 calls for doubling in H17 games only when the dealer is at their most vulnerable with a 6. Always stand on soft 18+. 9K subscribers. ”. The chart obviously says hit your soft 18 vs. Basic strategy when the dealer stands on all 17s calls for you to surrender in four situations: hard 15 against a dealer’s 10 and hard 16 against a dealer’s 9, 10 or Ace. Splitting eights limits one's losses and improves one's hand. 12 is a hit against anything but 4, 5, or 6 where it is a stand. A ‘soft hand’ in Blackjack refers to any hand containing an Ace, which can be valued as 11 points. The house edge depends on exactly the rules followed. And a soft 18 is one of those misplayed blackjack hands. (I’ll ignore 6-6 for the moment and come back to it shortly. Do dealers hit on a soft 17? A dealer who hits soft 17 cans can’t win against a dealer who stands on soft 17 cans. The value of a hand is the sum of the point values of the individual cards. 2. Rating 9. The biggest swing though is standing on soft 17 vs. Soft 18 versus a high upcard is enigmatic because no possibility is propitious and. Factor in the following changes: Double 11 vs. Basically, hard hands do not have an ace. Dealer Hits Soft 17 Generally, the dealer in blackjack must hit if he has a total of 16 or less, and stand if he has 17 or more. If. If your total is soft 17 or less, you should always hit in compliance with the blackjack strategy chart. ♣️ Soft 18: If you hold an Ace and 7, you will have a soft 18 hand. A hand that contains an Ace is called a "soft" hand if the Ace can be counted as 1 or 11 without the total going over 21. 438% (winning against dealer's 17, soft 17 (11. The fully responsive simulator can be accessed from a desktop or most modern mobile devices, which effectively means – if you have an internet connection – you’ll be able to learn anywhere. Yes--that's the right box. Chance of winning 32. If you draw another deuce on your soft 16, you will end up holding soft 18. If you want to lower that edge, then your best bet are the different blackjack charts. 21% Player is not allowed to double after splitting +0. Using the ordinary total-depenendent basic strategy the player advantage under the Boss Media rules is 0. All this points to the fact that you can improve your hand with the final card. Double after split allowed. Terms such as track-zone, play-zone, NRS formula, plugs, pseudo-decks, 1-pass or 2-pass R&R (riffle and restack). the dealer's 8 is. A soft 18 is one of the possible hands you can be dealt in blackjack. In a S17 game, stand against a 2. Soft 17 is a situation in which the blackjack hand contains a total of 17 with a single ace (6+A, 4+2+A, etc. . They should stand on the three-card soft 18. Double down soft 18 and soft 19 if the dealer has 2 and 6, respectively. There are 13 ranks of cards. Likewise, a pair consisting of an Ace and a seven is called the soft 18, and so on. You have a soft 18 with A7 against the dealer's 2, 7 and 8; You have a soft 19 with A8 unless you are doubling against a 6 in a table where the dealer has to hit a soft 17; A soft hand in blackjack is a hand where one of the two cards is an ace. When you have soft 18 any A,2,3,T,J,Q,orK on the next card will make your hand no worse. What is a soft hand and a hard hand in Blackjack? In Blackjack, all starting hands can be split into hard and soft hands. Blackjack (formerly black jack and vingt-un) is a casino banking game. So, a soft 18 would be an Ace and a 7. Your chose to hit and get a 10 – this takes your hand from a soft 16 to a hard 16 (1+5+10+16) You hit again -because the chart tells you to hit on a hard 16 if the dealer’s card is a 10. Blackjack is a fairly uncomplicated but very compelling card game to play, and its popularity isn’t all that surprising. Surrender 15, a pair of 8s, and 17 vs. For example, 10-8 is a hard 18; 5-A-10-2 is a hard 18. Hitting that soft 18 vs. There are several ways to get an 18 when you play blackjack. As with any blackjack game, soft aces change how you play many hands. Learn the rules and Wizard's Simple Strategy in this introductory video. The dealer must stand on all 17 hands, including soft 17. Now as you know what both hands mean, you have an idea of the difference between hard and soft blackjack hands. Statistically, when you hit a soft 18, you’ll improve your hand with the first hit only 23 out of 100 times. 9 cents. 45%: Blackjack pays 6-5-1. They should stand on the three-card soft 18. Whether or not to hit, stand, or double down with a soft total of 13 or 14 in blackjack. As my blackjack appendix 9 shows the expected value for standing is -0. If the dealer has an 8 – Hit on everything from soft 12 thru soft 17. the other 46. Soft 18 - A soft total of A-7 versus a 7 up card (Doubling) Hard 11 - A hard total of 11 against the blackjack dealers 6 up card (Double Down Hand) Hard 20 - A Hard total of 20 vs. 2 percent. As the basic strategy charts tell you, you. On the other hand, with a hand total of 15, the chance of busting increases to 54%. 2. With the soft 17 rule, it stands to be a handy companion for the dealer. The dealer must stand on all 17. then hit, except stand on soft 18. These are to double as opposed to hit on both soft 18 versus two-up and soft 19 versus six-up. To use this table, look. The basic strategy we list for you below is based on the different moves you can make. Here we are going to take a look at some common errors seen in civilians and beginning advantage players. The most valuable starting hands in blackjack in order of ascending value to the player is: Traditional 21 - Blackjack. The final category of hands consists of those in which the first two cards. : 342 It is the most widely played casino banking game in the world. Hard Total. 19, 18, and 17 are all considered great blackjack hands, with good winning odds for standing. Or they might have an ace that is worth 1 only. Double 11 vs. In a single deck game, always hit if the dealer has an upcard between 7 through to the dealer ACE, In a double and multiple deck games, hit when the dealer’s upcard is 3 or 6 through to the dealer ACE. Stand on soft 18 or more. How to play correct basic strategy when you have a soft 15 or a soft 16 in a blackjack game. But why is necessary to make this distinction? The key is the nature of the Ace in blackjack – this is the only card in the game that does not have a fixed value. You can hit when your hand is a: Soft 17. Always double down on a hard 11. 58%: Non. If you can play it some other way, you usually should. The odds will go more in the house’s favor and your odds of winning will significantly decrease. Always double a soft 16 vs. The reason why players should hit in such cases is that the dealer has the so-called standing hand. Basic blackjack strategy says you should always stand on a hand of 18 no matter what, but this doesn’t apply if you have a soft 18 and the dealer shows a nine, 10 or ace. pp. Soft 18 (A,7) Hit double against 9 through Ace, otherwise stand: Soft 17 (A,6) Stand with doubles against 2. The double-down Blackjack bet is when you double your bet during the middle of a hand. Soft 19 is a hand that totals either 9 or 19 since the Ace it contains can be assigned a value of 1 or 11 depending on which of the two values the player chooses. Soft hands offer a relaxed gameplay that favors you. Each card is worth only what it says it is and that limits the options that a player will have. Soft 19 and soft 20 hands should also stand. The strategy changes a tiny notch in games where the house rules require the dealer to hit. A hard hand is one that can usually risk being busted with just one hit. You receive a 3 for 18. The basic strategy for doubling down is as follows: With a. Side bets: Additional bets can be placed alongside the main Blackjack game. To stand on a soft 19 or bigger. Player may split any pair a total of three (3) times. The chance of a dealer winning with a 20 or 21, including a blackjack, is 51. Don't shoot the messenger: "Playing Better Blackjack. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features NFL Sunday Ticket Press Copyright. For example, a two-card 21 pays only $6. Appendix 5 :Infinite deck expected return according to player hand and dealer up card. dealer 2. Hard 16: 8-8, 10-6, 9-7, 6-4-6, and 10-2-3-A. WHAT ARE SOFT HANDS IN BLACKJACK?. This means that the chances of achieving a soft 18 are very small, even if you play the game repeatedly. After all players have acted, the dealer shall hit to a hard or soft 16. Understanding the dynamics of soft 17 blackjack is crucial because it is one of the few situations where your decisions can significantly affect the outcome of the game. 29. If Dealer Hits Soft 17. Worse, it's a hand on which weak decisions may strongly erode expected returns. Las Vegas Blackjack Table Minimums. Introducing hard & soft hands in blackjack. When you have a soft 16, 17, or 18 A “soft” hand is when you have an ace since it counts as either 1 or 11. In a single deck game, always hit if the dealer has an upcard between 7 through to the dealer ACE, In a double and multiple deck games, hit when the dealer’s upcard is 3 or 6 through to the dealer ACE. If you are dealt a soft 13 or 14 hand, and the dealer’s up card is a 5 or 6, you should always double down. In this situation, standing is the recommended move in most. 07% Player isn’t allowed to hit split aces +0. The following are some things to do in blackjack games when the dealer hits soft 17. Ace. Such is the case whenever the player gets a starting hand of 6-2 for a hard 8 against the dealer’s 5. Most blackjack dealers must draw cards until they reach a total of 17 or higher. Like all things in gaming the first instinct of player is often counter intuitive to the hard. Double down when the dealer has a 3, 4, 5, or 6. If the dealer has a 9, 10 or Ace – In these situations you should hit all hands that are soft 12 thru soft 18 and stand on soft 19 and soft 20. Basic strategy calls for hitting that soft 18 vs. Hit on hard 13 if the dealer does not have 2-6. If it is more than 6, Stand. Detailed probability odds charts for blackjack and how the odds change in different situations of the game. 35 per $100 bet at the start of the round. A soft 16 for example would be A+5=16 where as a hard 16 would be 10+6. Our Blackjack Basic Strategy charts are the secret to playing perfect blackjack ️ Learn how they work and when to hit, stand, double and split. A soft hand is any hand that counts an ace as 11 rather than 1. Blackjack basic strategy chart: 1 deck, dealer stands on all 17s. If you get an ace and a 7, then you’ll have yourself a Soft 18. To make a soft 17, the Ace must be counted as 11 or one. Blackjack cheat sheet 1 – Dealer stands on soft 17. That's why so many casinos changed their rules from S17 (casino stands on soft 17) to H17. Worse, it's a hand on which weak decisions may strongly. Playing a total hand of 18 doesn’t always count as a soft 18. Just. Rating. The strategy for soft 18, on the other hand, is a bit complicated because three probable actions can be taken. dealer's 5 or 6. Soft 18. 27%: I also have a longer list of rule variations. 22%. He replied that a soft 18 against a dealer ace, in a double-deck game, where the dealer stands on soft 17, was such a play. There are several ways to get an 18 when you play blackjack. Double on soft 15 and soft 16 against a dealer 4, 5, or 6, otherwise hit; Double on soft 17 against a dealer 3, 4, 5 or 6, otherwise hit; Double on soft 18 against a dealer 3, 4, 5 or 6, otherwise stand; Let’s now examine an example with a soft 17 against a dealer with a 4 to see the exact differences in the net profits when you hit and double. koda: hitting on a soft 18And a soft 18 is one of those misplayed blackjack hands. You take a third card an Ace. As we know, we can only see one card the dealer has, while the other one is facing. House edge: 0. Consider the following:What is that soft 18 in blackjack - Blackjack, the world famous casino banking game, holds the title of the most played game of its kind in the world. Since hard 13 is more prone to busting than hard 12 (with 5 out of 13 card denominations that can break the hand), players should approach it more conservatively. The house edge is the mathematical probability the casino will gain over time. That’s because if you use the blackjack double down bet, then you have the option to use the ace as either a 1 or an 11. What does hitting on soft 17 mean? A soft 17 is a total of 17 consisting of an Ace. This is a common one, and although 18 isn’t a bad total in Blackjack, when the Dealer has a 9 there is a high chance they will get a Ten or an Ace (38% of the time to be exact), so give yourself a chance to win and Hit it! Hitting 11 when Dealer shows Ten3-Deck Hard Totals Blackjack Chart. Like all things in gaming the first instinct of player is often counter intuitive to the hard. 48% of blackjack games end in a push, leaving the probability of a loss at 49. Dealer's standing on soft 18, meaning dealer hits all soft 17s (H17), gives the biggest edge (0. Blackjack Soft Hands Strategy. Blackjack variants for standing on soft 17 are more common and most of the blackjack cheat sheet 2022 examples are based on this. Chart showing how to play free hands in Free Bet Blackjack. a 6 and the worst move you can do is double a soft 17 vs. For example (Ace, 7) is a soft 18 or (Ace, King) is a soft 21 (Blackjack or Natural). you should avoid blackjack tables where the dealer hits on a soft 17, as this adds 0. Appendix 3c :Composition dependent exceptions to single deck basic strategy where the dealer hits a soft 17. ) Hit if the dealer shows a 2; or double down on cards 3 through 6 if you have an ace, 2, 3, 4 or 5. By splitting aces, you take a mediocre hand (soft 12), and turn it into. Other examples of soft 19 include 2-6-A, 5-3-A, and A-7-A. On the other hand, a soft hand is the one that involves an ace that is worth either 1 or 11. If you are a basic strategy player, the house edge increases by 20% when the dealer hits on a soft 17. If the table doesn’t allow surrendering, then hit. 36%. Infinite Blackjack — Similarly to Unlimited. Doubling on soft hands gets trickier when the dealer exposes a 3 or a 4 but not when you abide by the Rule of 9. That lack of an ace means that the hand is much more rigid. Mike: Good question. Double, lose 54. dealer A. a 6 (lose 38. Push -. When you hit, you also lose more than you win but you don't lose quite as much as when you stand. Having an Ace in your blackjack hand makes it a soft hand, while not having one makes it a hard hand. The 10, Jack, Queen, and King are all valued at 10. This means that, on average, the house will earn money. Worst cards in blackjack There are no stiff soft hands. Blackjack Training Simulator Practice Optimal Strategy. However, this does not mean the house wins 57. Player may double after a splitTo recap and digest all this, 18 is no great hand in blackjack. If the dealer shows 9, 10, or an ace, hit. Perfect Pairs: Get paid up to 30:1 when you are dealt a pair. This is when you have an ace valued as 11 and an 8 in your hand. If your hand contains an Ace, you can choose between a hard and a soft hand. Such is the case whenever the player gets a starting hand of 6-2 for a hard 8 against the dealer’s 5. The basic strategy when it comes to hitting a soft 17 is simple and straightforward. When to double: Always accept a free double. The Optimal Plays for Soft 19 under the H17 and the S17 Rules. Spanish 21 is based on blackjack, but the rules are so different that it’s often considered a separate game. A hand that contains an Ace is called a "soft" hand if the Ace can be counted as 1 or 11 without the total going over 21. Clearly. You should also double down if you have a soft 19 and the dealer has a 6. then this is another good chance to use the double down Blackjack bet. To them it seems like there is no other possible way to play this hand. 10%. The stand vs. Save. The hand is soft because it can't bust on the next card. 2 for a 6 deck shoe, S17 and double any two cards, hi-lo count. 79%) for the house against perfect basic strategy by players. 19 or more: Always Stand. For example, you would stand on a hard 18 against a dealer 9. Examples of hard hands in 21 are K-8 or 6-A-J; soft hands can be A-4 or A-9. You would stand against an ace in a S17, SD game, and you would hit in a shoe game, but it is a very close play. Based on those figures, the best move you can do is double a soft 17 vs. Payment Grade. Always stand on soft 19 and up. The number of decks in play also matters, regardless of if the dealer hits on soft 17. Essentially, a “soft” hand includes an Ace that counts as 11 points, combined with one or more other cards.