If you’ve spent any time playing blackjack online or at a live casino, you’ve probably seen table rules mentioning whether the dealer hits or stands on soft 17. It’s one of those rules that looks pretty insignificant at first, but you’d be surprised at just how much impact it has on the house edge – and your long-term results!
In fact, according Bart from Online Casino Groups Australia, the soft 17 rule is one of the most misunderstood parts of blackjack – especially among casual players who tend to stick solely to basic strategy charts, without understanding why those strategies can sometimes change.
In today’s post, we’re going to break down exactly what soft 17 means, how it works, and why it matters when choosing where to play blackjack online.
In simple terms, a soft 17 is a hand that totals 18, and includes an Ace – which is counted as 11. (In blackjack, Aces are counted as either 1, or 11.)
A pretty common example would be:
Because the Ace can also be counted as 1 if needed, the hand is considered “soft”. That means that if you choose to draw another card, it’s physically impossible to bust (go over 21), as the Ace would revert to a value of 1 if you drew a card higher than a 4.
Some more examples:
The reason soft 17 gets so much attention is simple: dealer rules. At blackjack tables, you’ll see one of two rules:
This single rule changes how aggressive the dealer plays, and it actually changes the house edge, and the basic strategy that you should follow while playing on that specific table.
When the dealer stands on soft 17, any hand made up of an Ace and a 6 is immediately “locked” at 17. The dealer is not allowed to take another card, even though the Ace could safely drop from 11 to 1 if needed. This version of the game is best for you, the player, as it limits the dealer’s ability to try and improve weaker hands into stronger ones.
On the other hand, when the dealer hits on a soft 18, the same Ace and 6 combination requires the dealer to draw another card. Because the Ace can still adjust in value, the dealer has multiple opportunities to improve their hand without risking an immediate bust-out.
It can be a bit confusing, especially if you’re new to the game – and if you’re reading this thinking “I’d like to learn more about blackjack and how to play”, don’t forget to check out our guide: How to Play Blackjack & Master Popular Strategies.
Yes, on paper, the difference sounds very small, but in blackjack, these small edges matter – a lot. Playing a table where the dealer must hit on soft 17 reduces the house edge by around 0.2%, while tables where the dealer hits on soft 17 increases the house edye by around 0.2%
Sure, that may not sound like much, but over thousands of hands? It adds up, and this is why experienced players try to always find tables where the dealer is required to stand on soft 17.
Whether the dealer hits or stands on soft 17 changes optimal player decisions, especially on soft hands like Ace + 7 or Ace + 8.
For example, if you’re playing on a table where the dealer hits soft 17s, you are usually required to hit or double down more aggressively, while on tables where the dealer stands on soft 17, you can play slightly more cautiously.
This is why strategy charts are sometimes labelled “H17” or “S17”. Using the wrong one quietly increases the house edge against you.
The soft 17 rule also affects when you should double down (and when you should avoid it.) In games where the dealer hits on soft 17s, the dealer’s hand improves more often. As a result, you often need to double down earlier, when holding strong soft totals.
If you’re unclear on when doubling is actually profitable, our guide What Does Double Down Mean in Blackjack? breaks down exactly when and why it makes sense.
Again, it may not sound like much, but understanding this connection helps you avoid one of the most common mistakes in blackjack: playing soft hands too passively.
Yes, although indirectly. Now, while the soft 17 rule doesn’t change when you’re actually allowed to split, it does affect the expected value of hands that result from splits; especially when Aces are involved.
Of course, splitting in general can be confusing, especially as many land-based casinos and online casinos have slightly different rule variations. So, to help you understand more about splitting, we’ve put together a dedicated guide: When Should You Split in Blackjack? The Ultimate Player’s Guide.
Most online RNG blackjack games clearly display whether the dealer hits or stands on soft 17. Live dealer blackjack tables usually do as well, but it’s not something players generally look for when playing in land-based casinos.
When comparing platforms, this is one of the reasons why it’s so important to look at the details of a game before sitting down and committing any of your own money to actually playing.
Why? Because, when comparing platforms, this is one of the details that separates average sites from genuinely player-friendly ones. Many New Zealand players look for this rule specifically when choosing where to play, especially on pages like Online Blackjack NZ: Top 10 Blackjack Sites, where higher house edges and fair rules are what players actively look for.
The soft/hard 17 rule isn’t something trivial that should be ignored. Yes, it’s not going to have a HUGE impact in the short-term, but if you play blackjack a lot, you’d be surprised at just how much it ends up shaping the entire game!
Understanding whether the dealer hits or stands on soft 17 (and how to adapt your play accordingly) allows you to choose to sit down at better blackjack tables, use the correct basic strategy chart, and reduce the house edge. It also helps you make smarter decisions when it comes to doubling down and hitting!
Blackjack, after all, is a game of small edges and informed choices – and the more you understand rules like soft/hard 17, the more control you have over your own results, even though luck always plays a role, too.
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