How to play soft 17 in blackjack
A feature of blackjack is the soft 17 hand, and it’s a phrase that often makes an appearance as it affects the rules. But what does soft 17 mean for the player in blackjack? And how does it affect the dealer?
Soft 17 simply means that the tally contains an ace that is counted as 11, something that players should know how to react to. If you are uncertain about what a soft 17 in blackjack is and how to play it, read on.
Terminology
H17 – dealer must hit soft 17.
Soft 17 is referred to as, slightly confusingly, H17, meaning ‘hit 17’ and not ‘soft 17’.
S17 – dealer must stand on 17 and draw to 16.
This type of blackjack game is referred to as S17, meaning ‘stand 17’ and not ‘soft 17’.
Player’s soft 17 hand
A soft hand in blackjack is when an ace is part of the equation. It’s malleable because holding the ace provides options, as it can be used as either an 11 or a 1. So, a soft 17 in blackjack simply means having 17 with an ace. There are different ways to achieve this, but most commonly, this is an ace + 6 situation from the deal.
17 is considered by many players as a good spot on which to stand. However, the consensus of how to play the soft 17 in blackjack is to always hit.
Dealer’s soft 17 hand
The most common type of blackjack rule that you will find, whether this is in a brick-and-mortar establishment or an online casino, is the dealer having to hit on a soft 17 (H17).
The other variation, where the dealer has to stand on 17 instead, is a much rarer table at which to sit (S17). If you are not sure what game you are walking into, just look at the blackjack table. The terms of an H17 game will be right there alongside the odds, stating, ‘Dealer Must Hit Soft 17’.
If the dealer pulls out an ace and a 6, then you know that they must go on for at least one further card. Hitting a soft 17 increases the dealer’s (and, therefore the house’s) chance of winning by less than half a percent.
What is the difference between the soft 17 hands?
With a soft 17, you cannot bust because the ace card can be used as a 1 or an 11. So, even if you pull out a queen with your first hit, you will simply leave the ace low and tally up to 18. If instead you pulled a 3, then you are probably leaving the ace high to jump up to 20.
The simple difference between a soft 17 in blackjack and a hard 17 is that the latter doesn’t include an ace. Soft 17 scenarios are most typically seen in the first two cards dealt to a player – therefore, the ace and a 6. However, it can be built in various other ways, such as a 5 + 2, and then hitting an ace.
What is the soft 17 rule?
The player doesn’t have to adhere to any special rules when they get a soft 17 in blackjack. They are under no obligation to push on and can stand that 17 if they desire (even if it’s not recommended for strategy). The player can essentially do what they want.
What does soft 17 mean in blackjack? The simple explanation to this question is that it forces the dealer to play. What difference does this rule mean to the dealer? First, it increases their chances of busting because of being unable to stand on 17, but it also, counter-intuitively perhaps, increases their chance of building a better hand.
The simple way to think about this is if the dealer does not bust from a soft 17 hit, then they are immediately in a stronger position, as the dealer can also use the ace as an 11 or 1, just like the player can.
If you have stood on 18 and the dealer turns a soft 17, then your situation will not be looking good, as they will, at the very least, meet you on 18 with their draw.
There is only a 0.4% increased risk of a dealer going bust from a soft 17 in comparison to about a 0.8% chance of them hitting 18 or above.
Soft 17 in blackjack vs hard 17
The consensus is that the S17 version of blackjack is better for the player, as in that situation, the dealer has to stand if they pull 17. This opens a window of opportunity for the player to win the hand.
However, in terms of the house edge, things are negligible for the player between the two formats, unless over time you are playing with large sums of money.
If you were to stake £1,000 in blackjack on an S17 table where the dealer stands on 17, you would, percentage-wise, get around £2 more returned than if you played the same amount at an H17 table, as there’s only a 0.2% difference in house edge on tables where the dealer must hit soft 17.
How to play a soft 17 hand
What does a soft 17 in blackjack mean in terms of strategy for a player? It means that some minor adjustments are required to your basic strategy when it comes to the common format of multi-deck games. The strategy is essentially down to what the dealer has for their up card.
Hit
A straight hit is usually the common practice if facing a dealer’s 2, 7 or ace up card.
Double down
If you are facing a dealer’s 3 through 6 up card, then you will want to consider doubling down. If you are playing a rare single-deck game, then double down on a 2 through 6.
The purpose of doubling down at this point is an opportunity to get more money onto the table because of being in a strong position against the dealer. If you are doubling down on a soft 17 and the dealer has, for example, a 4, then it’s an opportunity to be aggressive.
Stand
Never.
What does a soft 17 mean in blackjack for a multi-card hand?
It’s possible to land on a soft 17 after having drawn at least one more card. The rules of the game will change a little at this point, as in most blackjack games, you can’t double down once you have hit.
However, this simplifies the equation, meaning that if you’re on a multi-card soft 17, the next move is to hit, as that ace is still an 11 or a 1.
Where should I hit after a soft 17?
What should you do after hitting soft 17? Just refer to your basic blackjack strategy. Be guided by what the new card in your hand is and continue to keep in mind what the dealer’s up card is, as you drive towards a place to stand or, of course, 21.
Should I stand on a soft 17?
Again, no. That’s the big takeaway from this guide for basic blackjack strategy. Remember, what does a soft 17 mean in blackjack? Not standing!
Although 17 is not a bad number to stand on in a regular game, it’s not for a soft 17 in blackjack scenario. We mentioned above that the house edge grows 0.2% by the dealer having to hit on 17. Well, this also applies to the player. There’s a slightly better chance of winning by hitting instead of standing on a soft 17 – take the cue from the dealer rules.