In fact, every single hand in blackjack can be classified as either a hard or a soft hand – any two-card hand that does not include an Ace is referred to as a hard hand, while hands with Aces in them fall under the category of soft hands. Furthermore, casiual players tend to make more mistakes when playing with a soft hand than with any other hand. It is soft hands, in particular, that often cause uncertainty even in those who consider themselves experienced blackjack players.

It seems that one of the most confusing ideas in blackjack theory is that of the “soft and hard hands”. Due to its relative simplicity and extremely low house edge, it is preferred by both skilled and average players but in order to maximize their winnings, they must learn how to play the game correctly. With the dealer hits soft 17 rule, the probability of the dealer drawing to a hard 17 is 14.02%.As one of the most popular casino games, blackjack can be found in most land-based and online casinos. With the dealer stands on soft 17 rule, the probability of the dealer drawing to 17 is 15.25%. * Probabilities rounded to the nearest one hundredth of a percent. All else being equal your odds are better when the dealer stands on soft 17. The net result of the hit soft 17 rule is that it adds. Hit Soft 17 14.82% 14.24 19.06% 7.86% 30.00%Īs you can see, when the dealer hits soft 17 rule is in effect there is a greater probability the dealer will draw to 18, 19, 20, or 21.

It’s a sinking feeling when you have 19 or 20 and then dealer hits on a soft 17 and pulls 21 to wipe out the table.īelow are the dealer outcome probabilities for a 6-deck shoe for stand soft 17 versus hit soft 17.* The reality is the dealer will improve his hand often enough that it will more than offset the increase in dealer busts. Yes, the dealer will bust more often, but the dealer also has the opportunity to improve on a weak total of 17. Not only do most players fail to recognize the difference, some believe that the hit on soft 17 rule works in their favor since the dealer will bust more often. Dealer stands on soft 17 was the standard rule in years past, but a growing number of casinos now require the dealer to hit on soft 17 (hands like Ace, 6). Most blackjack players are oblivious to whether the dealer stands or hits on soft 17.

Blackjack dealer hits soft 17