Understand the Soft 17 Blackjack Rule

In the game of blackjack, the term “soft 17” is a crucial concept that can significantly impact your strategy and the house edge. Whether you’re a beginner just getting started or an experienced player looking to refine your tactics, understanding the soft 17 rule is essential for mastering the game.

On this page we will delve into what soft 17 means, how to play with this rule, and how it affects your chances of winning at blackjack online at Instant Casino.

What is Soft 17?

In the blackjack game, the concept of a “Soft 17” is crucial for understanding strategy and gameplay. A Soft 17 refers to a hand that totals 17 but includes an Ace counted as 11. This flexibility allows the Ace to be valued as either 1 or 11, depending on which value benefits the hand the most.

For example, the most common Soft 17 hand is an Ace paired with a 6. However, a Soft 17 can also be formed with multiple cards, as long as the Ace is counted as 11.

Understanding Soft Hands

In playing blackjack, hands containing an Ace are referred to as “soft” due to the flexibility the Ace provides. For instance, if you’re dealt an Ace and an 8, this hand totals 19—a strong hand in blackjack.

The flexibility of the Ace means you could take another card without risking a bust because if you draw a high card, the Ace can be revalued as 1. This ability to switch the Ace’s value makes a soft hand particularly advantageous.

Soft 17 vs. Hard 17

The distinction between a blackjack Soft 17 and a Hard 17 is significant. While a Soft 17 contains an Ace that can be counted as 1 or 11, a Hard 17 has a fixed value of 17, and drawing another card carries the risk of busting.

For example, a hand consisting of a 10 and a 7 is a Hard 17—there’s no flexibility with the Ace here, and any additional card could easily cause the hand to exceed 21. A Soft 17, on the other hand, provides more opportunities to improve your hand without the risk of busting.

Importance in Single Deck Blackjack Games

In single deck blackjack games, understanding the difference between Soft and Hard hands is even more critical due to the lower number of cards in play. Since each card drawn has a more significant impact on the remaining deck, knowing when to hit or stand on a Soft 17 can greatly influence the outcome of the game.

Strategic Implications

The best play with a Soft 17 can vary depending on the situation. For instance, against a dealer showing a weak upcard, hitting or even doubling down might be more advantageous than standing. In contrast, with a Hard 17, standing is often the best choice because the risk of busting is too high if another card is drawn.

Understanding and applying the Soft 17 rule is key to mastering the blackjack game. It allows you to make more informed decisions that can increase your chances of winning, whether you’re playing in a physical casino or online at Instant Casino. By recognizing the flexibility of the Ace and how it can be counted, you can adjust your strategy to make the most of every hand.

Playing with Soft 17 rule

When a game hits soft 17, it’s essential to understand how this impacts both the player’s and the dealer’s decisions. Let’s explore some key aspects of playing with a blackjack soft 17.

STANDING ON SOFT 17

Standing on a soft 17 is a strategy that some blackjack players might consider, particularly when they believe that hitting could lead to a weaker hand. For example, if a dealer is showing a high upcard like a 9, 10, or Ace, a blackjack player might decide to stand on a soft 17 to avoid the risk of drawing a lower card that could turn their hand into a weaker total.

However, standing on a soft 17 is generally seen as a conservative approach because, with a soft hand, there is still potential for improvement by taking another card.

DOUBLING DOWN ON SOFT 17

Doubling down on a soft 17 can be a powerful move in blackjack, especially when the dealer shows a weak upcard, such as a 3, 4, 5, or 6. In this scenario, doubling down means that you double your initial bet in exchange for committing to receive only one additional card.

For example, if you hold an Ace and a 6 and the dealer shows a 5, the basic blackjack strategy suggests doubling down because the chances of improving your hand are high. The Ace gives flexibility, ensuring that even if you draw a low card, your blackjack hand still has the potential to remain competitive.

MULTI-CARD SOFT 17

A multi-card soft 17 occurs when your hand totals 17 with three or more cards, including an Ace counted as 11. For instance, if you’re dealt an Ace, a 3, and a 3, you have a multi-card soft 17. Blackjack players must recognize that a multi-card soft 17 still offers opportunities for improvement, and the additional cards can help create a stronger hand.

Be aware this basic strategy might change slightly if the dealer shows a strong upcard, requiring a more cautious approach.

HITTING SOFT 17

Hitting on a soft 17 is often the optimal play, particularly when the dealer shows a high card such as a 9, 10, or Ace. By hitting, the blackjack player has the chance to improve their hand without the risk of busting since the Ace can be counted as 1 if a high card is drawn. For example, if you hit on a soft 17 and draw a 9, your hand becomes a hard 16, allowing you to decide whether to hit again or stand based on the dealer’s upcard. This flexibility makes hitting on a soft 17 a valuable part of a basic blackjack strategy.

Soft 17 and the House Edge

The rule surrounding whether a dealer hits or stands on a soft 17 (a hand that includes an Ace counted as 11) significantly impacts the house edge in blackjack. In casino gambling, even a small change in the rules can alter the odds, and the soft 17 rule is a prime example of this.

When a dealer stands on a soft 17 (S17), it generally favors the blackjack player. In this scenario, the dealer has no opportunity to improve their hand beyond 17, meaning they are more likely to push or lose against stronger hands held by the player. This rule typically lowers the house edge because the dealer is limited in their ability to build a more competitive hand.

On the other hand, when a dealer hits a soft 17 (H17), the house edge increases by about 0.2% against basic strategy players. This increase happens because the dealer has a chance to improve their hand to 18, 19, 20, or even 21, all of which could potentially beat a player’s hand. While the dealer also faces a slightly higher chance of busting (around 0.4% more often), the overall advantage shifts towards the house, as the probability of the dealer forming a stronger hand outweighs the risk of busting.

In the context of casino games, this 0.2% increase might seem small, but in the long run, it can make a substantial difference, especially in games with low house edges like blackjack. For example, in a typical European blackjack game where the house edge is around 0.7%, an additional 0.2% could represent a nearly 30% increase in the house’s advantage over the player.

Moreover, the soft 17 rule influences not only the house edge but also the basic strategy. Players must adjust their strategies to account for whether the dealer hits or stands on soft 17, often adopting a more aggressive approach by doubling down in situations where they might otherwise stand or hit.

Blackjack Strategies and Soft 17 Rule

When playing blackjack, understanding the impact of the soft 17 rule is crucial for any basic strategy player. The rule that dictates whether the dealer hits or stands on a soft 17 (H17 or S17), it can significantly influence the optimal strategy you should employ, especially when it comes to decisions like hitting, standing, doubling down, or splitting.

Adjusting Your Strategy for Soft 17 (H17 vs. S17)

As a blackjack player, your approach to the game should change depending on whether the dealer is required to hit or stand on soft 17. This adjustment is necessary because the dealer’s actions can alter the expected outcome of certain hands.

• Hitting on Soft 17 (H17): When the dealer hits on a soft 17, the house edge increases by approximately 0.2%. This is because the dealer has a higher chance of improving their hand to a stronger total (like 18, 19, 20, or 21), which can beat your hand. In this case, you should adopt a more aggressive strategy, particularly when it comes to doubling down and splitting pairs. The logic here is to capitalize on situations where you can either gain an advantage over the dealer or minimize losses when the dealer improves their hand.
• Standing on Soft 17 (S17): If the dealer stands on soft 17, the house edge decreases slightly, favoring the player. In this scenario, a more conservative strategy is generally advisable because the dealer is more likely to push or lose against a strong player hand. This means fewer adjustments to the basic strategy are needed, and you can follow standard guidelines more closely.

Examples of Adjusted Strategies

Double-Deck and Multi-Deck Strategies

In double-deck and multi-deck blackjack games, where multiple decks are used, the adjustments to basic strategy are primarily focused on doubling down and splitting pairs. Here’s how a basic strategy player should adjust:

• Double Down on Soft 18 Against Dealer’s 2: In an H17 game, doubling down on a soft 18 when the dealer shows a 2 becomes more favorable. The reasoning is that the dealer has a better chance of improving their hand, so you should take advantage of the opportunity to increase your bet when you’re in a strong position.
• Double Down on 11 Against Dealer’s Ace: When the dealer is hitting a soft 17, doubling down on an 11 against an Ace becomes a recommended strategy. This move is aggressive but necessary to counterbalance the increased likelihood that the dealer will improve their hand.
• Splitting 9s Against Dealer’s Ace: In a double-deck H17 game, splitting a pair of 9s against a dealer’s Ace can be advantageous. This move is particularly relevant in games that allow double down after splitting, as it provides additional opportunities to maximize winnings.

Single-Deck Strategy

Single-deck blackjack games, though less common, require more nuanced adjustments due to the lower number of cards in play. The soft 17 rule has a significant impact on single-deck games, and strategy adjustments are more pronounced:

• Hit Soft 18 Against Dealer’s Ace: In a single-deck game with the H17 rule, hitting on a soft 18 against a dealer’s Ace is often the better play. Standing on soft 18 may not provide enough of an advantage if the dealer improves their hand.
• Split 9s Against Dealer’s Ace: Similar to the multi-deck strategy, in a single-deck H17 game, splitting 9s against a dealer’s Ace is advisable. This is particularly effective if the game rules allow for doubling down after splitting.
• Surrendering in H17 Games: If the game allows surrender, basic strategy charts often recommend surrendering hands like hard 15 or hard 17 against a dealer’s Ace in H17 games. The rationale is that these hands have a reduced chance of winning when the dealer has a strong upcard and the ability to improve a soft 17.

Adjusting your blackjack strategy to account for the soft 17 rule is essential for optimizing your chances of winning. Whether you are playing a single-deck or multi-deck game, being aware of how the dealer’s actions on a soft 17 influence the house edge will help you make better decisions at the table. By adopting a more aggressive approach in H17 games and being mindful of key strategy adjustments, you can reduce the house’s advantage and improve your overall gameplay in both online and live casino environments.

Card Counting

Card counting is an advanced technique in blackjack where players track the ratio of high to low cards left in the deck, allowing them to adjust their bets and strategies accordingly. The effectiveness of this strategy is impacted by whether the dealer hits or stands on a soft 17 (H17 or S17).

In H17 games, where the dealer hits on soft 17, the house edge increases because the dealer has more opportunities to improve their hand to 18, 19, 20, or 21, reducing the likelihood of a dealer bust. This forces card counters to adjust their strategy. For example, a lower True Count is needed to justify aggressive plays, such as doubling down on 11 against a dealer’s Ace, compared to S17 games where the dealer stands on soft 17.

In Las Vegas and other major casino hubs, while card counting remains a challenge due to countermeasures like frequent shuffling, skilled players can still exploit the differences in house edge between H17 and S17 games. Understanding how the soft 17 rule affects the likelihood of dealer busts and adjusting the True Count accordingly is crucial for maximizing your edge as a card counter.

FAQ

If you really want to know everything about soft 17 blackjack, read the questions that other blackjack players have:

What is a Soft 17 in blackjack?
A Soft 17 is a blackjack hand that totals 17 and includes an Ace counted as 11. For example, an Ace and a 6 create a Soft 17.

How does the Soft 17 rule affect the house edge?
When the dealer hits a Soft 17 (H17), the house edge increases by about 0.2%, making it slightly harder for the player to win compared to when the dealer stands on Soft 17 (S17).

Should I double down on Soft 17?
Yes, doubling down on Soft 17 can be beneficial, especially if the dealer shows a weak card like a 5 or 6, as it increases your chances of improving your hand.

Does Instant Casino offer games with the Soft 17 rule?
Instant Casino offers various blackjack games, including those where the dealer hits on Soft 17 (H17), which you can play to test your strategies.

How can I adjust my strategy for H17 games?
In H17 games, consider being more aggressive by doubling down and splitting pairs more often to counter the dealer’s increased chance of improving their hand.