The odds will go more in the house’s favor and your odds of winning will significantly decrease. Sering ada tangan yang salah dalam permainan blackjack ketika pemain mencoba memainkan blackjack soft 18. 19, 18, and 17 are all considered great blackjack hands, with good winning odds for standing. You take a third card an Ace. Skip side bets unless you count cards. 45%: Blackjack pays 6-5-1. We explain what it means to double down, & the hands on which such a move should be performed. Keep in mind that your risk of busting if hitting is higher than if you have a 14-hand total. Things are a bit different when your starting hand is soft 18 where there are 8 cards that can help you get into the safe zone against the dealer’s weak card, namely the Ace. Double soft 18 against dealer’s 2. If you have a soft total, it’s advised that you stand on a soft 19 and 20, stand on a soft 18 unless the dealer has a nine, 10 or ace and hit a soft 17 or less. Ace-10 = Blackjack! Stand. however, to stand at a-7 against a dealer's 9, 10 or a is a. Arnold is also the author of our books The Blackjack Shuffle Tracker's Cookbook and Risk of Ruin. Blackjack is also known as twenty-one when played with a single deck. Soft hands are some of the most misplayed hand in blackjack. Playing free blackjack games on Casino. As I've said many times, the above strategy will be fine under any set of rules. When any hand contains an ace, it’s called a soft hand since aces in blackjack can count as both 1 and 11. 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. 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. Please note that the hands shown on the pictures below stand for the examples of hands you can get. Mike: Good question. Playing free blackjack games on Casino. For example, an ace-5 is a soft 16 and a 3-ace-5 is a soft 19. Hitting and Standing. A three card 18 is of course not worse, it just carries risk in drawing that card. dealer’s ace. When insurance is offered, there's a great temptation to call for even money. iRage89 13 years ago #1. This group is the most common. Dealer peeks at hole card for blackjack. a 6 and the worst move you can do is double a soft 17 vs. Soft 18 versus a high upcard is enigmatic because no possibility is propitious and. Worse, it's a hand on which weak decisions may strongly. When basic blackjack strategy calls for a double down, understand that if you can’t double, you should hit instead. When I use CVCX and select the strategy ( Wong, Basic High-Low, Full Indexes, DAS, Multi-deck, H17 ); the tables show soft 19 vs 6 has an index of +1. Shuffle-tracking: An advantage play strategy for hand-shuffled games where you compose the decks for the next shoe, steering slugs of high-cards towards the front of the deck and betting big from the start. The reason behind this is that your chances of getting a high-value card in Blackjack are pretty good. Double a soft 17 or 18 against a dealer 3 through 6. 22% to the house edge. This is because you have a fantastic chance to hit 21, and even if you don’t, you’re likely to get a score close to that magic number. Here are the full rules of the game. After the. 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. For example, 10-8 is a hard 18; 5-A-10-2 is a hard 18. A hard hand is any hand that either does not contain an ace, of if it does, counts the ace as 1. 18%: Dealer hits on soft 17-0. Basic strategy for soft totals of thirteen and fourteen. If they hit soft 17, you should surrender 15, 16 and 17 regardless of the number of. 2 If you have a hand of 12 against the dealer’s 2 in double-deck games, you should stand at a count of +4 or higher; 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. So, you’ll improve your hand almost 33 out. a dealers 8 up card (Standing) So I asked Don Schlesinger, author of Blackjack Attack, if there were any known play where the best play on the initial hand is different from the best play to maximize the expected value of the overall game of blackjack. : 342 It is the most widely played casino banking game in the world. See full list on 888casino. If the dealer has 6 or less, we double down. Could someone clarify a couple of points for me: 5 decks, Dealer hits Soft 17, Allowed Double after Splitting, Only Lose Original Bets on Dealer BJ 1) According to the charts for the above game, 16 v T is already surrender at 0, right? When would we surrender vs hit vs stand? 2) According to the charts for the above game, 11 vs. When you play blackjack, the ace is worth 11 or 1 – it can either be the game’s highest-ranking card or its lowest. This includes when you display a soft 18 and the dealer displays a 6, 5, 4, or 3. The dealer waits until the players have exercised all their options, then the dealer reveals their hidden card and hits until they have at least 17 (most common). The rules they play by are generally hit on 16, stand on soft 17, blackjack pays 3-2, no surrender, double after split. Dealer Hits on Soft 17 House Edge. A soft 17 not only affects the dealer, but it also effects the player. IE 53. This family also includes European games suchGet to know the game of Double Deck Blackjack, learning more about the rules, including doubling, splitting and more. here are examples of soft hands. ♠️ Soft 19-20: Soft 19 and soft 20 hands consist of an Ace and 8, and an Ace and 9, respectively. After all players have acted, the dealer shall hit to a hard or soft 16. In turn, a blackjack player win and have a great time. 10%. 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. then this is another good chance to use the double down Blackjack bet. Dank Memer's implementation of blackjack is simply the dealer stands on soft 17 ruleset, which the chart represents. The basic strategy when it comes to hitting a soft 17 is simple and straightforward. Dealer stands on soft 17. Stand on soft 19 (A8) or more. Dealer hits at a soft 17 instead of standing +0. The following are some things to do in blackjack games when the dealer hits soft 17. The chart below displays a strategy for blackjack where the dealer stands on Soft 17. For example, you would stand on a hard 18 against a dealer 9. Based on those figures, the best move you can do is double a soft 17 vs. If you are a basic strategy player, the house edge increases by 20% when the dealer hits on a soft 17. Soft 13s and 14s should be doubled down against 5s and 6s Always 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. Single Deck Blackjack; Multi-Deck Blackjack; Atlantic City. Playing a total hand of 18 doesn’t always count as a soft 18. With a hand totalling 14, the chance you’ll bust if hitting is at 46%. That's why so many casinos changed their rules from S17 (casino stands on soft 17) to H17. Many players struggle with those plays, thinking of 18 as a solid hand. [1] : 342 It is the most widely played casino banking game in the world. A hand with a flexible Ace is known as a 'soft hand'. 9K subscribers. ConclusionSoft 13 or 14. Step 2: receive. One thing to consider is whether your blackjack hand are soft or hard. Stand on soft 18 or more. Because aces are worth either 1 or 11, even if you draw a high-value card like a 10, it will. The most heeded blackjack advice tells players never to hit on a Hard 17. For example, a two-card 21 pays only $6. 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. Win - the player wins as much as he bet. Soft 20 (A,9) always stands. 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. By splitting eights, you take a stiff hand (soft 16), and turn it into two potential eighteen's. Enjoy the best free blackjack games available online. . Basic Blackjack Strategy. When on any soft 19 and above. Founded in 1998, our basic blackjack strategy engine generates optimal strategy charts for 1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8 decks. The strategy for soft 18, on the other hand, is a bit complicated because three probable actions can be taken. Blackjack Strategy Additional Rules. 3-Deck Soft Totals Blackjack Chart 6-Deck Blackjack Chart/ Late Surrender/ Dealer Peek. Instead of splitting, the strategy recommends hitting your soft 12 against an Ace and splitting against dealer upcards deuce through 10. 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. These are the two key elements in the soft blackjack hand – the presence of the ace and its attached value. If the player busts (goes over 21), then he or she loses whatever they had bet plus half their wager. Based on these rules, the player's expected value is -0. Hit hard 11 or less. 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. Now as you know what both hands mean, you have an idea of the difference between hard and soft blackjack hands. Doubling in blackjack is a highly profitable option for players. Always stand on soft 19 and up. MULTI-CARD SOFT 18 The rules in most video blackjack games in land-based casinos. how should you play a 3 card soft 18. The basic playing strategy for doubling down. Soft 18 in blackjack (A-7) is a commonly misplayed hand. To make a soft 17, the Ace must be counted as 11 or one. 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. The 8s are never surrendered in multi-deck S17 blackjack, they are always split. Not included is Ace-Ace, which falls under pair splitting strategy instead. What is a hard 18 in blackjack. Double after split allowed. This means that "Soft 18" stands for any hand totaling "18", with an Ace counting as "11". Make a bet from $1 to all-in. Factor in the following changes: Double 11 vs. Soft 18 is classified that way because it differs from other blackjack strategies of playing. 9, 10 or Ace, yet so many frown or voice displeasure when the player makes the right play. In Stanford Wongs book "Professional Blackjack" it doesnt show any indices for soft 18 vs 10 in a S17 game, only to hit although you would stand with a soft 18 vs A at a TC+1 or higher in the same game . [4]This is more important with soft blackjack hands than any other kind of hand, but those are also some of the harder hands to make decisions about. 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. 93 percent. Soft 18 and the dealer has an 8, 9, or 10. SOFT 18 VS. 10 – 6 = Hard 16. Other_Criticism9888 • 14 days ago. A soft hand in blackjack is any hand containing an ace counted at 11. In this case, using a double down bet could make your position even better. When you hit, you also lose more than you win but you don't lose quite as much as when you stand. Like all things in gaming the first instinct of player is often counter intuitive to the hard. Ace-seven or soft 18 = Stand against a dealer two, seven, and eight, hit against a nine, 10, or ace, and double against three, four, five,. The basic strategy here is to get the dealer to go bust. Even if all the players at the table have 18, the dealer must stand if he ends up with a 17. In that same vein, you’ll make 38 stiffs (12 thru 16), which you will continue to hit! With the continued hitting, you’ll improve your hand, to 19 or better, 10 more times out of the 38. Double Down/Doubling - You can place an additional bet equal to your original one, and you will receive one extra card. For a soft 18 against the dealer’s 2 through 8, according to strategy charts, you should stand. If the upcard is between three and six, to your soft 18, then you should double down. It is the most popular table game in the United States, and is easily found in casinos throughout the world. If they stand on all 17s, always surrender 16 no matter how many decks are in play. Place the bet in the circle in front of you on the table. Therefore, they provide less liquidity and fewer choices for the player. Tips for Navigating Hard Hands. The terms ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ in blackjack refer to whether or not a hand features a flexible Ace. Blackjack Strategy: How to play a Soft 18 at Blackjack - 888casino. 01 to $5 machines, enjoy. The table can say “dealer stands on soft 17” or “dealer hits on soft 17”. 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. 9 to 11 is a double or a hit. With a soft total of 17, you’ll double against any dealer 6 or less. Blackjack soft hands strategy ultimately makes it impossible to lose your hand when you have an Ace. I realize that many people think an 18 is a pretty solid lock in blackjack, but in reality, it ain't. Soft 13 or 14. Play Here. How Does Casino Work, Blackjack Soft 18, Agen 1s Casino, Slot Machines For Iphone, Situs Judi Slot Online Bonus New Member Tanpa Deposit, Roulette Odds Red Black Payout, Slot Machine Locations Borderlands 2Below are several examples for hard totals 14 through 16: Hard 14: 7-7, 10-4, 6-8, 9-5, 10-3-A, and 9-3-A-A. For example, a hand consisting of an Ace and a 6 is referred to as a ‘soft 17’ because the Ace is valued as 11 points (11 + 6 = 17). Double soft 18 vs. 27%: I also have a longer list of rule variations. Soft Hand Ideology A soft hand contains an ace that’s counted as an 11. When the dealer hits on a soft 17 in Blackjack a lot of things will change. Blackjack - a card game where you must beat the dealer's hand without scoring over 21. ”. See more Get bonus. The reason you should stand on a 16 when your hand contains three or more cards. Hard hands: Hard 8 or less - Hard 9 - Hard 10 - Hard 11 - Hard 12 - Hard 13 - 16 - Hard 17 to 21. Playing 18 in blackjack. Why to stand on soft 18. Correct basic strategy decisions for a blackjack hand with a soft 17 for the total. Soft 19 calls for doubling in H17 games only when the dealer is at their most vulnerable with a 6. com ♣️ Soft 18: If you hold an Ace and 7, you will have a soft 18 hand. Stand on hard 12 vs dealer 4-6. What effect does this have on house edge and is the only way to reduce that edge to increase your bet? I was estimating 10% (because you’re really betting $5. You will see that with three cards you should stand on 16 against 10. For example, a hand consisting of an Ace and a 6 is referred to as a ‘soft 17’ because the Ace is valued as 11 points (11 + 6 = 17). That’s not a lot of memorizing to do, and it’s a great starting point. Player #1 is dealt an Ace-2 against the dealer’s 10 upcard. The dealer must stand on all 17. On the other hand, a “hard” hand consists of cards that don’t have an Ace, or the Ace counts as 1 point only. The 'soft 17 rule' is a rule that requires the dealer to hit on soft 17. ace-6 = soft 17. Basic strategy advises players to stand whenever the dealer’s upcard is a 2, a. Hit on hard 13 if the dealer does not have 2-6. Hi all, I'm interested in anyone's opinion on playing soft 18 vs. 1. The blackjack rules mean that each game starts with players receiving two cards each, along with the dealer. Rating 9. The following printable blackjack cheat sheet is for Vegas USA blackjack, played with 4 or more decks, and with a dealer that stands on a soft 17. Chance of winning 32. The optimal plays for soft 18 in double-deck and multiple-deck S17 blackjack largely coincide. While hitting isn't +EV either, it's greater than -17. How to play correct basic strategy when you have a soft 15 or a soft 16 in a blackjack game. Always hit soft 17 or less. There are 16 total tables, for 1 to 8 decks and whether or not the dealer stands or hits on soft 17. 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. 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. In a S17 game, stand against a 2. Soft 18 (A7) – Double down against dealer’s 4 6, unless when you have 4 or more cards. I’ve shared my struggles remembering when to hit a soft 18 numerous times. 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. The biggest mistake that. An 18 is an 18 and should be played the same way regardless of the. Hard 16: 8-8, 10-6, 9-7, 6-4-6, and 10-2-3-A. How to Play Free Bet 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. The dealer has such a hand whenever they show a card from 7 through ace. If the dealer stands on a soft 17 and reveals a six, it is recommended to double down on a soft 13 to a soft 18, but stand on 19 or more. Detailed probability odds charts for blackjack and how the odds change in different situations of the game. Soft 18 in blackjack (A-7) is a commonly misplayed hand. Unlike many older casino games, Spanish 21 is a trademarked game from a specific company—Masque Publishing Inc. Getting dealt a card with a higher value still puts you close to 21 so there’s a shot you could win the hand. Always double down on a hard 11. Players should stay on their hard 18 if the dealer is stronger with upcards 7, 10 (10, K, Q, J), and Ace; These moves are considered optimal for this pair when one plays single-deck blackjack variations where the dealers must stand on soft totals of 17. 9,9 – always split unless the dealer’s upcard is 7, 10, or A, in which case you should stand. Exactly 18: Hit only if you're "behind". The blackjack strategy chart effectively lowers the house advantage up to 0. Soft 17: depends on if the game is H17 or S17. This is how it works. Blackjacket paving has the crew, experience, leadership, and equipment to get any paving work done successfully while exceeding customer expectations on all fronts. Essentially, a “soft” hand includes an Ace that counts as 11 points, combined with one or more other cards. 79%) for the house against perfect basic strategy by players. 3 cents) vs. 18% 3. BASIC STRATEGY Maximizing advantages was popularized by RogerBLACKJACK RULES: HARD VS SOFT HAND. When you are dealt a soft 18 containing three or more cards, doubling down is not allowed. the dealer's 8 is. Games Played. tl;dr 18 v 10 is -EV, but hitting and trying to improve your hand is less -EV. Soft 18 is a complex hand for people to grasp. 18: Basic strategy exceptions for three to six cards; 19: Blackjack splitting strategy when a back-player is betting; 20: Blackjack doubling strategy when doubling after splitting aces is allowed; 21: Details on the Wizard’s Simple Strategy. a 6 (lose 38. The chart obviously says hit your soft 18 vs. 511734%. a 6 and the worst move you can do is double a soft 17 vs. 22–23, 51–56. They get caught up in the 18 part and forget about the Ace. Single Deck Blackjack; Multi-Deck Blackjack; Atlantic City. A hard 12 can be made up of 7-5, 8-4, 9-3, or 10-2. rebm1t • 3 yr. Ace. Instead of surrendering, you. That's 7 out of 13 cards. Using 52 cards, Blackjack is part of the international family of casino banking games known as Twenty-One. They often offer high payouts but also have a higher house edge than the main game. Pairs of 8s give players the worst hand total they can possibly get at the blackjack table, hard 16. If you get an ace and a 7, then you’ll have yourself a Soft 18. Of course, having a soft 18 already puts you in a good position. SOFT 18 VS. -0. The hand is soft because it can't bust on the next card. Some people believe that it does, while others believe that it does not. One thing to consider is whether your blackjack hand are soft or hard. Blackjack variants for standing on soft 17 are more common and most of the blackjack cheat sheet 2022 examples are based on this. Here are a few examples of hard 13 hands: 7-6, 8-5, 9-4, 10-3, 10-2-A, and 9-3-A. Much harder for casinos to detect this. When you have soft 18 any A,2,3,T,J,Q,orK on the next card will make your hand no worse. Soft totals of 17 and 18 should be doubled when the dealer shows a Three through to a Six. 100502. You should double on soft 18 when playing against an H17 dealer with small upcards 2 through 6. When I first started writing about gaming and really watching what other players were doing, this seemed to. Hitting that soft 18 vs. Aces however, can only be split once. In general, you must stand if the total value of your hand is 17, 18, 19 or 20 in Blackjack. The basic playing strategy for doubling down. Using 52 decks of cards, Blackjack is part of the international family of casino banking games known as Twenty One. 22%. 4 cents. That is the question posed by a new blackjack side bet seen at the Santa Fe Station in October, 2010. What they should really worry about is people who double Soft 19. Rules. Soft 19 calls for doubling in H17 games only when the dealer is at their most vulnerable with a 6. I have all my indices worked using risk averse indices, I'm more worried about keeping my already high ROR as low as possible than I am of increased win rate, but of course sometimes this means taking risks where greater chance of profits lay. dealer’s Ace. begin with the premise that you'll be dealt a ten when you take a hit. However, this does not mean the house wins 57. It turns out there is a difference between a 16 made up of two cards, such as 10-6 and 9-7, and one made up of three cards, such as 4-5-7. 36%. If the dealer has an 8 – Hit on everything from soft 12 thru soft 17. If you drew an ace + 5, 6, or 7, you’ll get to a soft total of 16, 17, or 18. Surrender 15, pair-eights and 17 against the dealer’s ace. The biggest swing though is standing on soft 17 vs. When on a soft 18 vs. This article covers the use of a blackjack basic strategy and how to easily memorize it. Why can't he count the Ace as 1 and continue drawing? Isn't this how the Ace works the best in this case? Quoting from Wikipedia: "A player and the dealer can count an ace as 1 point or 11 points. If you have an Ace and a 7, you have a soft 18. In the soft blackjack hand, the ace has a value of 11. Most of these tables pay 6 to 5, but some even. Soft 18 falls into the category of one of the most frequently misplayed hands in blackjack. Beware Short Pays on a Blackjack. A hand of Free Bet Blackjack starts with making a wager. 10, and Ace with a hand of soft 18, comprising an ace and a 7; Double against cards 3 to 6 or else stand with a hand of soft 17, comprising an ace and a 6; Double against cards 4 to 6 or else, hit. 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. In general, this rule actually decreases the advantage to the house, according to this article. Mixed pairs pay 5:1, colored pairs pay 10:1, and perfect pairs (pair of exact same cards) pay 30:1. In the simplest of terms, a hard blackjack hand is any two-card total which does not include an ace. What does hitting on soft 17 mean? A soft 17 is a total of 17 consisting of an Ace. With the soft 17 rule, it stands to be a handy companion for the dealer. Obviously, the winner of the blackjack soft vs hard comparison is the “soft” hands: They contain an Ace and let you get 11 points from the beginning. Change in probability of dealers’ final results when the blackjack rule is changed so dealers must hit. Having a soft 18 already puts you in a good situation, but using double down could put you in an even better one. 438% (winning against dealer's 17, soft 17 (11. In the “Dealer Hits Soft 17” games. On top of the blackjack strategy charts above, here are a few additional rules to remember: Surrender if you have a 16 and the dealer is showing a 10. A fair amount of blackjack players will stand on a soft 18. Mastering the 10 most difficult hands. Another reason why it may be difficult to determine whether or not there is a soft 18 in blackjack is that some casinos may not let players know if they have. Players should stand with soft 18s against 2s, 7s, and 8s; Players should stand with all soft 19s unless they want to take the double down option against a 5 or 6; Players should stand with all soft 20s; Doubling Down Soft Hands in Blackjack. 11%, and under the Microgaming rules the house edge is 0. 5% over time and gets more consistent wins. Soft 19 is an excellent in blackjack soft hand, as it positions players close to the coveted total of 21. This means that, on average, the house will earn money. For example, if you have an ace and a 6, your hand is worth 7 or 17. On the other hand, a “hard” hand consists of cards that don’t have an Ace, or the Ace counts as 1 point only. The player takes a hit and receives an ace for a soft 18. Multi-card soft 18s should also be hit against 9 thru Ace. Please Play Responsibly. Not that the effect is very big; the former enhances expectation by only $0. 91 percent. 18: Basic strategy exceptions for three to six cards. dealer’s 6. Red Dead Redemption. For example if you have a 16 composed of a 10, 4, and 2 against a 10 look under the 3 card list. 6K views 6 years ago. Basic strategy calls for hitting that soft 18 vs. A-7 is a soft 18 in blackjack and players feel that it is a strong hand that is not to be messed with and hence, they prefer to stand. Blackjack Online - Home Blackjack Strategy How to Play. The dealer hits on soft 17; Aces can be split and players get one card to each ace, which cannot further be re-split; The total of a hand with a split ace and a 10 value card is not a blackjack; The payout for blackjack is 3:2, winning insurance bets payout is 2:1 and the same for the other winning hands is 1:1; Single vs Multiple Deck BlackjackIf it is more than 6, Stand. Casinoly Casino. Double up on Soft 19 against 6; Double up on Soft 18 against 2 – 6; Double up on Soft 17 against 3 – 6; Double up on Soft 16 against 4 – 6;. 9 – 4 = Hard 13. Dealer hits any total of soft 17, and stands on soft 18 (or larger) or hard 17 (or larger) Blackjack pays 3:2. A ‘soft hand’ in Blackjack refers to any hand containing an Ace, which can be valued as 11 points. Our Blackjack Basic Strategy charts are the secret to playing perfect blackjack ️ Learn how they work and when to hit, stand, double and split. Critics (myself included). Hard hands: Hard 8 or less - Hard 9 - Hard 10 - Hard 11 - Hard 12 - Hard 13 - 16 - Hard 17 to 21. 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. Yes--that's the right box. Going into a soft 18 (Ace-7), it is important to take note whether the dealer hits or stands on a soft. A pair of aces gives the blackjack player a starting hand value of either a 2 or a soft 12 which is a problematic starting hand in either case. 25%)) Chance of push is 11. If it doesn’t, the hand is hard; if it does, the hand is soft. Always stand on soft 19 or more. Such is the case whenever the player gets a starting hand of 6-2 for a hard 8 against the dealer’s 5.