2 for a 6 deck shoe, S17 and double any two cards, hi-lo count. Before I ever had access to a computer I determined that if a deck consisted of all (6. Please Play Responsibly. In most casinos, the dealer is required to stand on soft 17 (and any hand with an ace totalling 17 or more). Here are the full rules of the game. 16 - Soft 17 - Soft 18 - Soft 19 to 21 Splitting pairs: Aces - 2's - 3's - 4's - 5's - 6's - 7's - 8's - 9's - 10's. They put players in significant trouble, even more so when they are up against a. Double 11 vs. Standing With Soft Hands in Blackjack. Bear in mind that the best setting for the S17 rule in blackjack is a table with 1 or 2 decks. Rating 9. If you are playing blackjack online and you have an Ace, it will automatically be counted as 1 if your hand goes. However, the apostate often stand on this hand. With a soft 18, you’ll double against a dealer 3, 4, 5, or 6. Your chose to hit and get a 10 – this takes your hand from a soft 16 to a hard 16 (1+5+10+16) You hit again -because the chart tells you to hit on a hard 16 if the dealer’s card is a 10. Therefore, if you are an astute player, you will try to avoid a table whereby a dealer can hit on a soft 17. Playing free blackjack games on Casino. Surrender 15, a pair of 8s, and 17 vs. 5% over time and gets more consistent wins. You can hit when your hand is a: Soft 17. Learn the basics of blackjack, blackjack strategy the most powerful ⚡ way to beat the casino ⭐ Use the blackjack basic strategy to increase your % odds % Must See Home;. Always stand on soft 19 and up. Whenever you. This means if you can’t double down because your either not allowed or, more likely, you’ve got a 3 or 4 card soft 18, then you should stand. Here we are going to take a look at some common errors seen in civilians and beginning advantage players. When you’re dealt a blackjack 21, it’s customary to pay out 3:2 or 2:1. Never take insurance or "even money. Blackjacket paving has the crew, experience, leadership, and equipment to get any paving work done successfully while exceeding customer expectations on all fronts. The 12 would likely go bust, the 17 would be beat and the 18 would result in a push. Double down soft 18 and soft 19 if the dealer has 2 and 6, respectively. Or they might have an ace that is worth 1 only. B. Double soft 18 vs. Double-deck blackjack with re-split acesSoft 18: double against 3 to 6 Soft 19 to 21: never double. This includes when you display a soft 18 and the dealer displays a 6, 5, 4, or 3. Blackjack Soft Hands Strategy. By Henry Tamburin. For example (Ace, 7) is a soft 18 or (Ace, King) is a soft 21 (Blackjack or Natural). Based on those figures, the best move you can do is double a soft 17 vs. In casinos, the dealers are put at a slight disadvantage as they are forced to play by fixed rules and are required to always draw to and then stand on certain hand values (all 17s, soft 17, soft 18 and so on). 3 – a-8 (19) 19 is obviously the. That's why so many casinos changed their rules from S17 (casino stands on soft 17) to H17. Examples of hard hands in 21 are K-8 or 6-A-J; soft hands can be A-4 or A-9. . Always double a soft 18 vs. In this case, using a double down bet could make your position even better. For example, if the player’s two cards are a 6 and an ace, then the player can have either a 7 or 17. A ‘soft hand’ in Blackjack refers to any hand containing an Ace, which can be valued as 11 points. 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. Therefore, they provide less liquidity and fewer choices for the player. 29. Dec 2, 2010. SOFT 18 VS. Always hit a hard 8 or less. 4 cents. For H17 6 deck, up to soft 18, always double on dealer 6 or 5 . For example, a two-card 21 pays only $6. Double soft 15 or 16 vs dealer 4-6. But many Blackjack beginners would think about what it has to do with soft and hard hands in the game. Soft 18 is among the most commonly misplayed hands in the game of Being a soft hand, it contains an Ace that can be assigned a value of either 1 or Soft 18 - ace plus seven - is one of blackjack's most frequently misplayed hands. In blackjack, ‘soft’ hands are the ones containing an Ace, which means the total can be counted twofold. ”. Be aware that several Caesars casinos on the Strip deal Double Up Blackjack. In a S17 game, stand against a 2. The rules they play by are generally hit on 16, stand on soft 17, blackjack pays 3-2, no surrender, double after split. Pairs of 8s give players the worst hand total they can possibly get at the blackjack table, hard 16. Basic strategy recommends standing on hard 13 against upcards 2 through 6 because these put the. 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. You draw a deuce for 17 (which, as we explained in the article on soft and hard hands, is still not good enough of a total). Mike: Good question. Most land-based casinos offer shoe-dealt blackjack with six decks, but you’ll also find eight-deck options often. . If you can play it some other way, you usually should. 19 or more: Always Stand. But on average, 18 is a loser when the dealer shows a 9 or higher. Dealer peeks at hole card for blackjack. HIT OR STAND. The house edge is also brought down by the dealer standing on soft 17. Except, a "blackjack" is the highest hand. 7%. That’s because there is a third possible result - a push. As an example, the following combinations would be considered soft hands:. dealer’s Ace. A hard hand is simply one that doesn’t include an ace. AdBlackjack Strategy When Playing a Soft 18 Double Down: When the dealer upcard is 3, 4, 5 or 6. Alasannya adalah karena hand paling total 18, bagaimanapun, harus berisi ACE dan 7 atau 5 , dan 2 kartu. ChesterDog. Going into a soft 18 (Ace-7), it is important to take note whether the dealer hits or stands on a soft. As for shoe-dealt blackjack where the dealer hits soft 17, the instances that call for surrender include a player 15 against the dealer’s 10 and ace, a hard 16 against 9, 10, and ace, hard 17 against an ace, and 8-8 versus an ace. Stand, lose 52. The final category of hands consists of those in which the first two cards. You have a soft 16, 17, 18 and the dealer has bust cards. Essentially, a “soft” hand includes an Ace that counts as 11 points, combined with one or more other cards. the 18 means we are not in good shape but really looking for a push, to get out of the hand with as little damage as possible. For example, if you hit (take another card) a soft 18 (an ace and a 7) with a 6, the ace automatically reverts to 1 (rather than 11), and the hand total is now 14 (rather than 24, which would be a bust). If the strategy says to double but you’re not allowed, then hit, except you should stand with a soft 18. If the dealer stands on a soft 17, the correct decision is to Surrender, or Hit. Hard and soft totals can be the same, but with a soft blackjack hand, you have some more options. 2 for a 6 deck shoe, S17 and double any two cards, hi-lo count. Hitting that soft 18 vs. 10%. Playing a total hand of 18 doesn’t always count as a soft 18. You hit if it is between 9 and Ace. in exchange for being allowed to offer the game. A soft 18 is the only soft hand that you might consider tricky. There is no. If they stand on all 17s, always surrender 16 no matter how many decks are in play. Assume a six-deck game in which dealers hit soft 17 — the most common set of rules in today’s casinos. After splitting aces, the player may only stand or Double Up. 45%: Blackjack pays 6-5-1. 18+. So double an Ace/7 against 3 thru 6 and hit it against 9, 10 or Ace. doubling it (win 25. The player has a soft 18 with A7 against the dealer's 2, 7 and 8 The player has a soft 19 with A8 unless they are doubling down against a 6 in a table where the dealer has to hit a soft 17 In another scenario, when the dealer has a card between 7 and Ace, the player should stop hitting only when they have a 17 or higher. Appendix 7 :Effect of card removal. A three card 18 is of course not worse, it just carries risk in drawing that card. 9,9 – always split unless the dealer’s upcard is 7, 10, or A, in which case you should stand. A soft hand is when one of the cards in your hand is an Ace, which can be counted as either 1 or 11 points. Playing a Total of Hard 13 - 16. Soft Hands. A blackjack basic strategy can decrease the house edge. 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. dealer's 5 or 6. 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. Soft 17 or less: Always hit. a 6 (lose 38. Surrendering would earn you more money in the long run. 93 percent. koda: hitting on a soft 18And a soft 18 is one of those misplayed blackjack hands. Official Basic Strategy chart for Blackjack. Split a pair of 8s & Aces. 100359. However the actual probability is much less, because as the player gets each blackjack the ratio of aces to cards left in the deck decreases. It can be a mental hurdle for a player to. WHAT ARE SOFT HANDS IN BLACKJACK?. Like all things in gaming the first instinct of player is often counter intuitive to the hard. Splitting pairs in blackjack can be strategically sound. Doubling on soft 13 through 18 is always a good idea when the dealer’s upcard is a 5 or a 6 because this puts them in the weakest possible spot and you want to take full advantage of the fact. 27%: I also have a longer list of rule variations. What is a hard 18 in blackjack. You receive an Ace for a 16 (one of the worst totals a player might end up with). How to Play a Soft Eighteen Total in Blackjack - Soft 18. Soft 17-18 when the dealer has 3-6. Play Blackjack;. Always split aces or 8s. As stated earlier, the house edge in blackjack increases by about two-tenths when the dealer hits on soft 17, which is more significant than you think. 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. In blackjack, the Ace can be. After all players have acted, the dealer shall hit to a hard or soft 16. Of course, even a two-card hand where one card is an Ace is a multiple-card soft hand, but players who have memorized the proper basic. Appendix 3c :Composition dependent exceptions to single deck basic strategy where the dealer hits a soft 17. Dealer hits soft 17: If, instead of standing on all 17s, the dealer hits hands including an ace or aces that can be totaled as either 7 or 17, the house edge is increased by 0. These rank as the worst possible hands you can get in blackjack. 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. Soft 18. This means that, on average, the house will earn money. SOFT 18. Soft 17 and soft 18 are two hands that separate blackjack players in the know from the pretenders. Use the tips when playing at online casino or at land based casino. Additional Rules to Blackjack Strategies. The correct basic strategy will get you down to. At hard 18, hitting brings even more frequent busts than with hard 17. When You Have a Soft 16, 17, or 18 (Situation 3). One of the things you can do in blackjack immediately after receiving your cards is double down, which means doubling your bet and receiving one and one more card only. Knowing the difference between how to handle a soft hand and a hard hand in Blackjack can be the difference between success and failure, and so knowing how to act in such cases really is key to building a well-rounded Blackjack strategy. That means you win $300 for every $200 bet at 3:2, or $200 for every $100 bet at 2:1. The chart below displays a strategy for blackjack where the dealer stands on Soft 17. 2% of the time when you do make your hand worse you can hit again to try and improve except when you draw exactly a 9. rebm1t • 3 yr. However, for you perfectionists out there, here are the modifications to make if the dealer hits a soft 17. Conclusion: Your best course of action is only ever to hit A-7 when the dealer presents a 9, 10, or Ace in an effort to reach either a soft 17 or a soft 18. 2 cents). As the other reply noted, he's talking about soft 18, not hard 18. That's 7 out of 13 cards. Blackjack Online - Home Blackjack Strategy How to Play. You can probably memorize this simplified blackjack basic strategy in less than an hour, in fact. " House Edge. So, there are more chances for the dealer to be able to hit and achieve a better ranking hand. If you drew an ace + 5, 6, or 7, you’ll get to a soft total of 16, 17, or 18. The reason why you stand in hard 16 is that in a case when the dealer’s upcard is small let’s say between 2 and 6, the. 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. 81%: 17: 14. The house edge depends on exactly the rules followed. ) Or you can get a “soft 18,” meaning a hand containing an ace that is counted as 11. 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. For example, you should double down on 11 if the dealer shows an ace and hits a soft 17. As stated earlier, the house edge in blackjack increases by about two-tenths when the dealer hits on soft 17, which is more significant than you think. Soft 18 (A7) – Double down against dealer’s 4 6, unless when you have 4 or more cards. In the game of blackjack, hands that contain an ace that can be counted as 11 are known as soft hands. Some examples: 5 + 7 + 9 = 21, so this hand has a value of 21. Because aces are worth either 1 or 11, even if you draw a high-value card like a 10, it will. In general, however, it is generally accepted that a blackjack dealer must hit a soft 18 in order to maintain the house edge. Dealer Hits on Soft 17 House Edge. pp. Yes, there's a good chance you could end up eventually busting, but the math behind the play doesn't lie. In all likelihood, and considering the number of 10s in play, the dealer will have to hit and probably get 15 or 16. dealer 2). 48% of blackjack games end in a push, leaving the probability of a loss at 49. Standing against a 7 or 8 is the logical play. The odds of winning at blackjack can be as high as 42. Welcome to Caesars Casino, the place where you can be your own pit boss and play our world-class online casino games anytime, anywhere in New Jersey! Vegas World plays well on any Android phone or tablet. but once the card total gets high enough that the ace must be counted as a one, the hand is no. 438% (winning against dealer's 17, soft 17 (11. Remember, these tips apply to the tables above, which means a 6-deck blackjack game where the dealer hits on soft 17. Conclusion – The combination of playing cards and the mix of playing rules determine the ideal playing strategy for every blackjack game in a casino on mobile. There are additional rules that may affect how some strategies work in. The dealer hits soft 17. Ante up the excitement with over 750 slot machines, plus poker, blackjack, baccarat and roulette tables. Blackjack (formerly black jack and vingt-un) is a casino banking game. The basic strategy suggests standing on a soft 18 against a dealer’s 2 or 7 but hitting against a 9, 10, or Ace. Hard hands are hands that don’t contain an Ace, which means they have a. You should also double down if you have a soft 19 and the dealer has a 6. The logic behind this adjustment is the following: the dealer cannot peek under their Ace for a blackjack after offering insurance – they get their second card only after you have completed your hand. This is a good hand to get you in the high value range of 18-21 with a Hit. When I first started writing about gaming and really watching what other players were doing, this seemed to. Hi all, I'm interested in anyone's opinion on playing soft 18 vs. Play #2. Most players stand with an A-7 (soft 18) against a dealer’s 9 upcard, reasoning that an 18 is good enough to beat the dealer. Dealer stands on soft 17. Some standing hands will be 16 or less if the dealer’s up card is 6 or lower and the soft 17 has three or more cards. This group is the most common. Stand on soft 18 thru soft 20. When playing a blackjack game, soft 17 can be created in several ways. In the simplest of terms, a hard blackjack hand is any two-card total which does not include an ace. Worse, it's a hand on which weak decisions may strongly erode expected returns. 22–23, 51–56. If you are a basic strategy player, the house edge increases by 20% when the dealer hits on a soft 17. Beware Short Pays on a Blackjack. This hand gives you different play options and can be used to. 2 511. On the other hand, a “hard” hand consists of cards that don’t have an Ace, or the Ace counts as 1 point only. I’ve shared my struggles remembering when to hit a soft 18 numerous times. You get a 6. By splitting aces, you take a mediocre hand (soft 12), and turn it into. 10%. Soft-hand blackjack strategies Standing on soft 18 will lose the player money in the long run when the dealer shows 9, 10, or ace. Splitting eights limits one's losses and improves one's hand. For instance, a hand containing A-2 is soft 13 while one consisting of A-2-3 is a soft 16. ) Hit if the dealer shows a 2; or double down on cards 3 through 6 if you have an ace, 2, 3, 4 or 5. Some casinos have moved this down. You have a soft 18 with A7 against the dealer's 2, 7 and 8; You have a soft 19 with A8 unless you are doubling against a 6 in a table where the dealer has to hit a soft 17; A soft hand in blackjack is a hand where one of the two cards is an ace. Knowing what a soft hand is, perhaps makes it easy to understand what a hard hand is. Player soft 18 vs. Blackjack Chart Hit Soft 17. 1 If you have a hand of 12 against the dealer’s 2 in single-deck games, you should stand at a count of +4 or higher; 8. BLACKJACK STRATEGIES. Red Dead Redemption. Side bets: Additional bets can be placed alongside the main Blackjack game. Dealer hits any total of soft 17, and stands on soft 18 (or larger) or hard 17 (or larger) Blackjack pays 3:2. Hit soft 18 vs. Soft and hard refers basically refers to whether or not you have an ace, as an ace is 1 or 11 and will change from 11 to 1 if 11 would make you bust. 93%. 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. Mastering the 10 most difficult hands. 77 percent. Double soft 17 or 18 vs dealer 3-6. On the other hand, with a hand total of 15, the chance of busting increases to 54%. Basic strategy for a soft 18 against a dealer 10 is to hit, regardless if your hand is composed of Ace-7, Ace-3-4, or even the above five-card hand. Make a bet from $1 to all-in. Exceptions are made when the soft 18 consists of more than two cards, in which case doubling is no longer an option. doubling it (win 25. A soft hand occurs with an Ace, while a hard hand can occur with an Ace but it has to equal one, not 11. Soft totals of 17 and 18 should be doubled when the dealer shows a Three through to a Six. Hitting soft 17 gives the dealer the chance to make the 18, 19, 20 and 21 hands that can win on their own against a player pat hand. A,A – always split. When on any soft 19 and above. The 18 could be “hard,” meaning the hand either doesn’t contain an ace, or if. If you get an ace and a 7, then you’ll have yourself a Soft 18. By hitting, you have a chance of making your hand better and possibly even getting 21. Learn the rules and Wizard's Simple Strategy in this introductory video. Change in probability of dealers’ final results when the blackjack rule is changed so dealers must hit. Soft 18 in blackjack (A-7) is a commonly misplayed hand. Last Name. Double soft 19 vs. Each card is worth only what it says it is and that limits the options that a player will have. a 6 (lose 38. A ‘soft hand’ in Blackjack refers to any hand containing an Ace, which can be valued as 11 points. Hitting and Standing. Vegas Strip Blackjack. Soft 16s and less: dealer hits. In this article, we will explore the strategies required to master the art of playing soft hands in blackjack. 18% 3. Conversely, hard hands are initial hands that lack an ace. 8,8 – always split. Blackjack is a negative expectancy game, meaning you will lose money over time as the casino has an edge over you. So, you’ll improve your hand almost 33 out. Soft 18 and the dealer has an 8, 9, or 10. Hit soft 18 (A7) vs dealer 9, 10 and Ace. In other words, it's a defensive play. Blackjack (formerly black jack and vingt-un) is a casino banking game. Surrender 15, 8’s, and 17 vs. Any modifications to either. Push -. They get caught up in the 18 part and forget about the Ace. If you bet $10, you win $10 from the dealer (plus you keep your original bet, of course. Soft hands: Soft 13 - 14 - Soft 15 - 16 - Soft 17 - Soft 18 - Soft 19 to 21. Double down on soft 18 (ace, 7) against dealer's 2 up card (instead of standing) Sometimes new casinos come under a lot of heat from blackjack players when they implement the soft 17 rule at their blackjack tables. Single deck. A soft hand is any hand that counts an ace as 11 rather than 1. 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. 36%. Note: “Soft” is a hand with an Ace, meaning it can’t bust. An 18 is an 18 and should be played the same way regardless of the. Blackjack what does soft 17 mean Miami club casino it takes between 1 and 3 business days for a cash out request to be denied or approved, including those willing to pay hefty progressive jackpots. As stated in the introduction, the Instant 18 hand is worth exactly 18 points. 888casino. If you get an ace and a 7, then you’ll have yourself a Soft 18. Soft 19 and soft 20 are hands that many experienced players hope for when playing blackjack. 37. 2 percent. 19%) and Dealer bust (21. Since hard 13 is more prone to busting than hard 12 (with 5 out of 13 card denominations that can break the hand), players should approach it more conservatively. For example, an A and an 8 can be both 9 and 19. 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. A hard hand is one. dealer's 6. Beat Multiple Deck Blackjack. The value of your hand would be 19 or 9, depending on which total is more favorable to you. Having a soft 18 already puts you in a good situation, but using double down could put you in an even better one. Joined: Jul 26, 2010. Dealer doesn't stand on soft 17, but will on soft 18. begin with the premise that you'll be dealt a ten when you take a hit. One complication: Most casinos now deal games with an extra rule about soft 17. 13%. The rules I have found about this blackjack game are as follows: 1 deck, S17 (dealer stands on soft 17), DAS (double after split), No Surrender, Peek for Blackjack (on ace only), when dealer has ace under a 10 card it counts as 21 NOT blackjack, meaning. 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. 07% Player isn’t allowed to hit split aces +0. Here are a few examples of hard 13 hands: 7-6, 8-5, 9-4, 10-3, 10-2-A, and 9-3-A. For example, playing 10-8 is a hard 18. Soft 18 (A,7) doubles against dealer 2 through 6, and hits against 9 through Ace, otherwise stand. You are unlikely to get a stronger hand than this. 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. The dealer must stand on all 17. Offer: 50 No-Deposit Spins. Consider the following:What is that soft 18 in blackjack - Blackjack, the world famous casino banking game, holds the title of the most played game of its kind in the world. Dealer Hits on Soft 17 House Edge. Ace - 2 Ace - 2 - 2 hand. Introducing hard & soft hands in blackjack. Note, if the game does not allow players to double on a soft 18 total, players should therefor stand. For example, the combination of an Ace and a six is called the soft 17. For example A-5 is a soft 16; A-2-5 is a soft 18; and 3-2-A-3 is a soft 19. If you do opt to double with a soft 17/18,. Basic strategy calls for hitting that soft 18 vs. Blackjack is also known as twenty-one when played with a single deck. Reasoning. A soft hand is any hand that counts an ace as 11 rather than 1. 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 . 45%: Blackjack pays 6-5-1. This move can be financially prudent if done correctly. D. 8% of the time you make your soft 18 no worse when you hit. 93 and the latter $0. A hard-17 is considered a strong hand, yet is the poorest hard total players are recommended to stand on. That’s because if you use the blackjack double down bet, then you have the option to use the ace as either a 1 or an 11. What I. Blackjack Strategy: How to play a Soft 18 at Blackjack - 888casino. While you still lose money by hitting, taking a risk improves your odds and helps you lose less on average. Any hand that contains an ace that counts as 11 is known as a soft hand. ) Blackjack (natural) - the player wins 1. 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. Unlike a hard 17 where the best strategy is usually to stand, a soft 17 offers the player a chance to improve their. Skip side bets unless you count cards. That play makes you look smart, but it is basic strategy and not even a close play to hit it vs 9,10, Ace because otherwise Soft 18 is a definite losing hand. Soft 13s and 14s should be doubled down against 5s and 6sAlways 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. Bust - if your hand scores over 21, you lose (known as going bust), and the dealer wins regardless of their hand. Player may double on any two (2) card total. Player may split only once. For example, an 8 and a 10 is a hard 18. So, the combinations of 10+7 or 7+9+A. Much harder for casinos to detect this. In general, you must stand if the total value of your hand is 17, 18, 19 or 20 in Blackjack. Cardcounter said: Here is the rule for soft 18 [ . That is why I harp on it so much. 10 – 6 = Hard 16. Aces may be counted as 1 or 11 points, 2 to 9 according to pip value, and tens and face cards count as ten points. We explain what it means to double down, & the hands on which such a move should be performed. 10 – 6 = Hard 16. If you can't Double Down, then how to play Soft totals is ridiculously easy. 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 for your question, In a H17 game, double against a 2 for basic strategy. login join now. 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. Dealers never split, double, or surrender as that is against the rules of a dealer. 14 - Soft 15 - 16 - Soft 17 - Soft 18 - Soft 19 to 21 Splitting pairs: Aces - 2's - 3's - 4's - 5. Soft hand valued lower than 17.