7-7 or 10-Q. For instance, a hand containing A-2 is soft 13 while one consisting of A-2-3 is a soft 16. I did a 31-million hand simulation using Blackjack Count Analyzer, which shows a house edge of 4. Nearly every option is available for you while you play the new split. g. If the dealer stands on a soft 17, the correct decision is to Surrender, or Hit. Soft hands are flexible since their aces can revert to a value of 1, if necessary, as more cards are added to. This is also important to the dealer as each casino will specify whether the dealer has to stand or hit on soft seventeen. If this is your first visit to the Blackjack Forum, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. To elaborate, the entire basic strategy chart includes 340 distinct permutations of player totals and dealer up cards that are possible. g. When it comes to types of blackjack hands, these are the preferred choice for many, as players will have the. This wager’s outcome is depends on the first two cards dealt. (*) Soft 17 is probably the trickiest hand in blackjack online. There are four aces in any deck. Get ready to focus and memorize, because there are three blackjack hands to consider. . Hands to play in blackjack . A "soft hand" is a hand with an ace that counts as 11. Ace/3 against a 7. 2246, which is 0. But the odds are not so simple. This term describes the combination of a card with a value of ten (10, K, Q, J) and an Ace. If you have a total of ten or eleven, you should always double down, unless the dealer’s up card is a ten or an ace. If you have A-8 (a soft 9), it’s best to stand,. Blackjack: The best possible hand in blackjack. A soft hand is one that contains an ace, so a “soft 17” is an ace plus a 6. This Ace allows players to adjust its value to 1, allowing. In blackjack hands, 9-7 and Ace-5 can both be read as totals of 16, but they’re very different hands that require different approaches to strategy. We already explained the splits, but now, we would like to pay greater attention to soft and hard hands, see how they differ, and how the presence of the Ace can change. If one of the cards is an Ace counted as 11 – the hand is soft. This ace, as many know already, can be used as a 1 or an 11. 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. The chances of landing a low value card if you hit are minimal. Your total is still 20, but this time it is a “soft” blackjack hand. A soft hand is generally considered to be a good thing, because it gives the player a better chance of winning. The difference is that the dealer has the casino watching over him to ensure he will follow the rules. A blackjack hand's total value is the sum of all the cards' numeric denomination. Blackjack odds of winning can be high only if players fully understand the rules of the game and basic blackjack strategy, which means that players should understand the difference between playing soft hand and hard hand. This is when you have an ace valued as 11 and an 8 in your hand. In most scenarios, if your soft hand goes over 21, it becomes a hard hand. The ace can be counted as either 1 or 11, which gives the player more flexibility. You choose your preferred chip denomination and click on your betting box to place a wager. e. 46% and 0. Dealer Hits Soft 17 Generally, the dealer in blackjack must hit if he has a total of 16 or less, and stand if he has 17 or more. Resplit the 9s as many times as the table conditions allow you. Blackjack is a slightly deceptive game. You can get a blackjack (a 21) after starting with a soft hand: if you receive a 10 and an ace, then receive another 10, you’ll end up with 21 (counting the ace as 1, of. Blackjack Strategy for Soft Hands vs Hard Hands. These are either 1 or 11. You’d. Anything less than a ten (except a 9, or an 8 or 9 when playing the soft 14) is going to improve your hand. Player #1 is dealt an Ace-2 against the dealer’s 10 upcard. Soft Total - any hand containing an ace which has a value of 11. g. Both rules are detrimental to the player, especially the reduced blackjack payout, which significantly increases the house advantage. Hard Hands vs. An example would be if you bet $100 and were dealt a 16 versus a dealer’s 10, you might prefer to “surrender” the hand and get $50 back instead of potentially losing the entire $100. See also Natural. By the Rule of 9, doubling down is your best play. : 342 It is the most widely played casino banking game in the world. Below are the strategies to take on blackjack soft hands. While this is a risky move and only works if the dealer has a weak upcard, it also dramatically improves your chances of winning if you have a good hand. 2. Or they might have an ace that is worth 1 only. The player hits and draws an Ace, hits again and draws a 4, and as the dealer intones “8 or 18,” decides to stand. Blackjack pays 6-5: Common on single-deck games on the Las Vegas Strip, this game is a bankroll breaker for players. For example, A-6 and A-3-3 are both a soft 17. Your 2 plus the dealer's 4 equals only 6, therefore you should just hit. In blackjack, ‘soft’ hands are the ones containing an Ace, which means the total can be counted twofold. #105-147 Victoria st. These hands are considered to be very. Doubling Soft hands which include an Ace is one of the secrets of winning blackjack. With soft hands, you hit soft 13 through 17. You have 15-16: HIT if a dealer has 2,3, 7-Ace; if a dealer has 4-6 - DOUBLE. Optimal Strategy for Blackjack. For example, many single-deck games pay at a rate of 6 to 5 for blackjacks and require the dealer to hit soft 17. Soft 17 – One of the Most Frequently Displayed Hands in Blackjack. In the simplest of terms, soft hands consist of two cards, one of which is an Ace, while hard hands do not include an Ace. 84%. If a hand total is considered to be a soft hand, it also sets the "softHand" variable that's passed in to true. Interestingly enough, the house edge in single-deck blackjack is slightly higher than in multi-deck ones (5. Hit or Stand on Soft 17: The house edge is higher when the dealer has to hit on soft 17 rather than stand on that value. What is a Soft Hand in Blackjack? A soft hand in blackjack contains an Ace. The only hand that can beat this is a dealer’s blackjack, which is unlikely. Win - the player wins as much as he bet. by Henry Tamburin. Sit at a table where blackjack pays 3-2 and steer clear of the tables that pay 6-5. IF a dealer can hit until hard. Step 2: receive. When you surrender in blackjack you are immediately forfeiting your hand and getting 50% of your bet returned to you. On a basic strategy chart it makes sense and we can see what we're supposed to do with any 2 card soft hand against a certain dealer upcard. Soft 19 and soft 20 are hands that many experienced players hope for when playing blackjack. Then you hit the Deal button to have your cards dealt and play out your hand as you normally would,. I know, the name does not make these hands sound all that bad. In live Blackjack, a hard hand means what it implies – the hand is tough because there is no Ace. If the dealer is showing 3-6, hit. Some blackjack casinos require the dealer to hit on a soft 17. But why is necessary to make this distinction? The key is the nature of the Ace in blackjack – this is the only card in the game that does not have a fixed value. If a hand has an ace, it’s classed as a hard hand when the ace counts as 1. These rules don’t really matter. lest the hand bust. The chances of improving your hand are excellent, and the chances of the dealer busting even if you don't improve. Hard 9 Against the Dealer’s Low Cards. At a percentage value of 77. What differentiates them? It all boils down to the value of the ace card. e. Examples of hard hands in 21 are K-8 or 6-A-J; soft hands can be A-4 or A-9. The box where soft 16 and the dealer’s 9 intersect contains the letter H which means the optimal play for this situation is to hit. So what is the distinction between soft and hard hands? Hard hands in blackjack either do not contain an Ace or when they do, the Ace is assigned a value of 1 and cannot be counted as 11. . Blackjack deck single strategy basic dealer beat double bj lifesmith . For example, they understand that hitting hard 16 is recommended whenever the dealer has a ten or an ace or that they should split 8s when the dealer starts with a 5 or a 6. This code should to generate a blackjack hand, keep score, and tally the number of soft aces. 8-A. The difference between these two bets is that the low bet is riskier; you can win a lot more money if you win, but you can also lose a lot more if you lose. Written directly on the table alongside blackjack and insurance payouts, it should say something along the lines of — “ dealer must hit soft 17 ” (H17 game) or “ dealer stands on 17 and must draw to 16 ” (S17 game). If there’s no splitting, take the pair as a hard hand. 00:00 How. The dealer having an upcard is a very helpful tool, but can create tough situations. Blackjack: When to hit. ) If the Dealer Stands on a Soft 17: They have a 14. A soft hand is any hand that contains an Ace, which can be counted as either 1 or 11. When you have a soft hand or soft total in blackjack, one of the cards you hold is an ace, and your hand total can change depending on which gives you more advantage. If the player gets an A-7 and the dealer shows 3-6, the player must stand on 2, 7 and 8. g. A soft hand contains an ace that’s counted as an 11. Double. But at some games there is an exception when the dealer has a hand of "soft" 17. Strategy With ‘Soft’ Hands. A 'hard hand' in blackjack either has no Aces, or the Ace has a card value of 1 and cannot change. Most players, especially beginners, think that standing is also the best possible move with a soft 17 too. Stand against 2-6 and hit against 7-ace with a hard hand 13 through 16. Likewise, a pair consisting of an Ace and a seven is called the. Stand on 17 or higher. After you hit a soft 17, what you do next depends upon the total of your hand and the dealer’s upcard. Or they might have an ace that is worth 1 only. You can be more aggressive with soft hands because there’s no risk of busting. It will be best to have a look at all of these cases at once where players have a hand totalling 14, 15, and 16 as the strategy that needs to be used is the same. A hand with a flexible Ace is known as a 'soft hand'. The Ace counts as 11 to start. How to read the basic strategy chart?Improve your blackjack game with our basic strategy charts. Hit — Hit is the exact opposite of stand. A "hard hand" is a blackjack hand with no ace, or with an ace that must count as 1. Here’s the list. Winning hands in Blackjack will generally pay one-to-one (1:1), also known as ‘evens’ or ‘even money’. Soft 17 hands give us a chance to add an extra playing card without a bust risk. Always hit soft totals 13 through 17 and stand on soft 19. Blackjack soft hand vs hard hand, soft hit vs hard hit blackjack Blackjack soft hand vs hard hand Blackjack soft hand vs hard hand What are Hybrid Bitcoin Casinos, blackjack soft hand vs hard hand. The difference to the house. Don't shoot the messenger: "Playing Better Blackjack. Hit 16 against a dealer with a ten-value card or Ace, otherwise surrender if allowed. For the second reason, aces can form a soft hand. Hard and soft hands in blackjack are all determined by one card: the Ace. Learn the odds of different hands you will see at the blackjack table. However, analyzing the dealer’s upcard and the specific game rules is essential for making the right move with soft 19. Likewise, a soft 13 would be made up of an ace and a 2. 62% probability of a total of 18; a 14. To express this number as a percentage, you have to multiply it by 100, or 0. After splitting your hands, you will play two hands within your turn, getting a new card for each of the split cards. There are special rules and strategies when playing soft hand and they differ from basic blackjack strategy and. Surrendering would earn you more money in the long run. Soft Hands. 1 day ago · Blackjack is a game of strategy, and luck; in this guide, Canadian players can find the rules and strategies to this popular table game. The dealer gives a card to each player as well as themselves. Progressive Blackjack Additional Tips Other than that, progressive blackjack uses the same interface and gameplay as the standard online variants of 21. It's called soft because the hand has two values - either 1 or 11, plus the other cards. Aces are important in Soft Hand totals which will be covered shortly. A 'hard hand' in blackjack either has no Aces, or the Ace has a card value of 1 and cannot change. With a soft hand, the player can choose to hit or stand, depending on the situation. 9,9 – always split unless the dealer’s upcard is 7, 10, or A, in which case you should stand. The pairs you can split against a dealer with a 7 are those consisting of 2-2, 3-3, 7-7, 8-8, and A-A. On the other hand, a soft hand is the one that involves an ace that is worth either 1 or 11. A soft hand is when the Ace exists as 11. However, to balance things out, a rule was added to the game that allows dealers to hit a soft 17. This is basic strategy for soft hands in. R simulates Blackjack games (based on 10,000,000 moves with 8 decks and 3 people playing) to generate a database that will be analyzed with the data. When you place a blackjack bet in an online casino with an ace that can be counted as 11, you have a soft hand that allows the ace value to change. Below is a chart showing the dealer’s odds of drawing each final hand: Natural blackjack – 4. 1. Blackjack Soft Hands: Learn How to Play, Basic Strategy & Rules Each hand in a blackjack game can be classified as a hard or a soft hand. When a player holds an ace and an eight they have a soft 19. Therefore, if your hand is made up of a 3 and an 8, for example, this will mean that you have a hard 11. “Hard” blackjack hands are those that do not contain an Ace and have. (*) Soft 17 is probably the trickiest hand in blackjack online. What Is a Soft Hand in Blackjack? A soft hand in blackjack is any hand where you can choose to use the ace as 1 or as 11. An example of this is when a dealer has a six and the player. The Soft 17 rule can drastically alter the outcome of games if players are not used to the rule. Make a bet from $1 to all-in. Exclusive BlackJack Casino Offers: Miami Club Casino Miami Club. There are two types of hard hand in blackjack: those without aces, and those with an ace. For example, if you wager $20 on a hand suitable for doubling down, you can double for an amount smaller than $20, like $15 or $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. Ace - 6 hand. 7-7 or 10-Q. A hard hand is any blackjack hand that doesn’t include an Ace or a hand that includes an Ace but counts the Ace as a 1. Always treat 5,5 as a 10. Statistically, when playing blackjack, if your chances of winning a hand is 25% and your chance of losing is 75%, you should surrender and walk away with 50%. When playing optimally, single-deck blackjack has a house edge of just 0. Spanish 21 is the most popular Blackjack variation and combines the action of Blackjack with the exciting payouts of a slot machine. Splitting in blackjack means playing your hole cards as two separate hands for the cost of doubling the initial bet. 5x payout, but this is mathematically the same as taking insurance. Generally, it is better to play a soft hand if the player has an Ace and a low card, such as a 2, 3, or 4. WHAT ARE SOFT HANDS IN BLACKJACK? Of course, there’s a bit more to your hand in a blackjack game than that. This type of hand is called Soft, because Ace can give 1 or 11 points, and this characteristic changes many things in the blackjack what to do chart. Meet Mr Blackjack. Soft/hard hands: Since an ace can be worth either 1 or 11, the value of some hands is up to player choice. Stand on these stiff hands when the dealer has 4 through 6. A natural blackjack usually has a tiny chance of occurring, but when it does, the payout is 3:2. ) Blackjack (natural) - the player wins 1. Hard hands; Soft hands; Pairs; TIP: Soft hands have an ace that can be counted as either 1 or 11 without going over 21, e. Push - the hand is a draw. Conversely, a ‘hard hand’ is a hand either without an Ace or with an Ace valued as 1 point. The blackjack rules on soft 17 have a significant effect on gameplay. For a single-deck game, hit when the dealer’s upcard is 7 through ace. Get dealt Blackjack while playing a. Stand on a 13, 14, 15, or 16 against a 2 through 6, hit against any other cardThe Essence of Soft Hands in Blackjack; Differentiating Between Hard And Soft Hands; Soft Hands in Blackjack. Double Deck Games with Disadvantageous Rules. But in blackjack having an Ace dealt to you at the beginning of a round can be a good thing and a bad thing. Soft player's hand (Ace is counted as 11) Dealer's hand (face up card) Basic rules. In fact, below are five common mistakes made by players; but first, I want to be sure you understand what is meant by a “soft 17” hand. An average of 8. Blackjack soft hand. Other examples of soft 19 include 2-6-A, 5-3-A, and A-7-A. Now as you know what both hands mean, you have an idea of the difference between hard and soft blackjack hands. A soft blackjack hand is any hand of two cards which contains an ace. Every player has two cards face up, and the dealer has one card face down and one face up. Double down when the dealer has a 3, 4, 5, or 6. . 65%. 62% probability of a total of 18; a 14. stiffPairs and soft hands are some of the most profitable hands you can be dealt at the blackjack table. On the other hand, with a hand total of 15, the chance of busting increases to 54%. 3. Chris Peters The ability to play simply for the fun of it. Double a soft 17 or 18 against a dealer 3 through 6. 3) Soft & Hard hands in blackjack As part of the basic blackjack strategy, we gave 3 different tables for 3 different scenarios — soft hands, hard hands, and split hands. These would give you 21 and are classed as natural blackjack. Pair of 9s Vs. Blackjack Soft Hand 19 or 20. If the table is designated a must-hit-soft-17 Blackjack game, the dealer must draw on all soft 17 hands until he or she obtains a point total of a. For example, ACE-6 is a blackjack soft 17 hand, 2-2-ACE-2 is also a blackjack soft 17 hand. Again, the moves vary between the two different blackjack strategy charts. At most casinos, blackjack plays 3:2. A soft 17 is a total of 17 that contains an ace and can be both 7 and 17. 65%. Adjusting Your Bet Size in Multiple-Deck Games Additional Tips Assuming you play at a table where the minimum is $5, you should start the session by betting 1 unit, or $5, when the count is negative, 0 or +1. This happens when an Ace that could previously have been used as a 1 or an 11 is forced into being used as a 1 after a hit. Soft 18. You will notice that some charts have separate instructions for soft and hard hands. Double. Hard totals: A hard total is any hand that does not start with an ace in it, or it has been dealt an ace that can only be counted as 1 instead of 11. Soft hands only – play just soft hands (hands with an ace). Surrendering would earn you more money in the long run. These are called soft hands, and example being soft 15 (ace-5). The matter is that most of the beginners play using so called “basic blackjack chart”. Two: always double against a 5 or 6. Finden Sie heraus, wann zu schlagen, zu stoppen, oder zu verdoppeln. The exact reduction in percentage is rule-dependent and is also influenced by the deck number the respective blackjack variation uses. In Spanish 21 there are multiple ways to win each time you play a hand! Spanish 21 is played with a “Spanish Deck” which means it contains only 48 cards and doesn’t contain any of the. The dealer. When you have a soft hand or soft total in blackjack, one of the cards you hold is an ace, and your hand total can change depending on which gives you more advantage. The Hard 20. With a hard 10 or 11, double if you have more points than the dealer, treating a dealer ace as 11. You may find some blackjack on the Las Vegas Strip that let you surrender and re-split aces. Vancouver, Canada--News Direct--Blackjack is a game played. If the total exceeds 21, the ace will be valued at one to prevent the hand from busting. You go down the first row of the section pertaining to soft totals until you find soft 16. Blackjack Strategy with soft or hard hands. The main reason for this is that 17 is such a common hand value. Understanding blackjack hand values and blackjack card values ins an essential part of learning how to play the game, both at the casinos and online. Just plug in the rules and it produces an immediately basic strategy and is ready to run a simulation. The Blackjack trainer will develop your playing acumen, and enable you to optimise your. Double. Soft hands are flexible and give the scope to adjust the. The dealer must always hit on 16 or less and stand on 17 or more. The house rules can vary a bit when it comes to a soft 17. With a hand totalling 14, the chance you’ll bust if hitting is at 46%. The idea of splitting two 8s when the dealer is showing 9 or 10 was introduced back in the late ’50s by James McDermott, Roger Baldwin, William. Splits only – play just splitting hands. HARD HAND – 17 A ten makes a soft hand a hardAlso, some blackjack variants offer more favorable playing conditions than others. The absence of this Ace gives the players fewer options. Here are those soft combinations: A2 - 13 (13 or 3) A3 - 14 (14 or 4) A4 - 15 (15 or 5) A5 - 16 (16 or 6). Hard hands are those that don’t have an Ace and their value is fixed. A+4 or A + 5 – double down against a dealer 4 through 6, hit everything else. The reason why players should hit in such cases is that the dealer has the so-called standing hand. Therefore, if you are an astute player, you will try to avoid a table whereby a dealer can hit on a soft 17. A hand with a flexible Ace is known as a 'soft hand'. For example, an ace and a 6 is a soft 17. You should also choose it when you have a soft 16, 17, or 18, and the dealer has a low or medium. For example, an A and an 8 can be both 9 and 19. Expert: J. What is a soft hand in blackjack is an essential concept, referring to hands that contain an Ace valued at 11. In short, basic blackjack strategy changes based on whether you’re playing soft 17 blackjack or not. 1. Keep in mind the phrase “divide and conquer” while you study the basic strategy for the casino game of Blackjack Soft. Soft hands are actually the most misplayed hands in blackjack. How to read the basic strategy chart? Experts recommend doubling down when you have a total of 11 in your hand, and the dealer is not displaying an Ace. A soft 17 not only affects the dealer, but it also effects the player. An Ace is a special card in blackjack because it can be counted as either a 1 or an 11, which can give you more options regarding hitting, standing or doubling down. If you have Ace 4 or Ace 5: Double if the dealer has 4 thru 6 - otherwise hit. Although both the soft and hard hand make a total of 17, the main difference is that you can never bust when you are hitting a soft 17, but it isn’t so in. This type of hand is considered more player. This means that you’re confident that your hand will beat the dealer during the showdown. Soft hand is the name of a hand with two cards one of which is an Ace. Imagine that you’re dealt a hand, an ace, and a 5. Regardless the casino does not care if you have a basic strategy chart. 8,8 – always split. If you manage to understand how to play soft hands, you will be able to make wiser decisions for your moves and significantly improve your performance. Las Vegas hit-on-soft-17 “shoe” (six- or eight-deck) blackjack games. Be Very Careful when the Dealer Shows Cards 9 through AceLearn how to spot the best blackjack hand every time. 22%. Blackjack Soft Hand Hard Hand - 150% Up To 00. When your cards total 11. In online blackjack always stand with this hand. 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. Insurance is a bad bet. Hit if you have a hard hand of 12-13. Ultimately soft hands are probably more favourable as a blackjack hand. Dealers hit, too, and one of the most important rules is whether the dealer hits on a soft 17. Depending on the house rules, this hand is usually awarded 3:2 on the player’s. 32%, winning with this hand against an upcard of seven wins you €77. With this hand, you have a total of 18 that contains an ace which can be designated value of 11 without the hand going over 21. If your third card is a nine, the ace in your hand will count as one so the total of your 3-card hand would be 18. Hard hands are usually considered more advantageous because they offer a higher chance of achieving a winning hand. The house has a. 4-Deck to 8-Deck Blackjack Strategy Introduction. For example: an Ace and an Eight is called a soft 19 because it can be either 19 points or nine. How Do Blackjack Variations Impact the Odds and House Edge (Blackjack Odds Table) Whether the dealer hits or stands after a soft 17, the number of decks, side bets, or if blackjack is paid in 3:2 or 6:5 odds are just some of the factors that impact the odds of winning and the overall house edge. The Edge of Soft Hands; Tackling Soft Totals; Master Card Counting. Multi-Hand Blackjack: Multi-hand blackjack allows a player to wager on multiple. Soft and Hard Hands in Blackjack. Once you’ve set up the table to your linking, the Blackjack Chart will update itself to show the optimum blackjack strategy to play. Hit. The following would be examples of soft hands: A-2 = Soft 13; A-3 = Soft 14; A-4 = Soft 15; A-5 = Soft 16; A-6 = Soft 17; A soft hand is one that cannot be busted by taking one hit. The reason is they don't understand the doubling potential of the various soft hands – like the three below:Basic strategy: Double down on a two-card soft 17, hit a soft 17 of three or more cards, stand on hard 17. You have 13-14: HIT if a dealer has 2-4, 7-Ace; if a dealer has 5 or 6 - DOUBLE. A 10-7 is an example of a hard hand, but so is A-7-9; if the hand doesn’t contain an ace or has one or more aces counted as one, then the. See moreWhat is a soft hand in blackjack? The best way to look at the blackjack soft hand definition is to say this: a soft hand over twelve which contains aces. The blackjack rules on soft 17 have a significant effect on gameplay. Hard hands; Soft hands; Pairs; TIP: Soft hands have an ace that can be counted as either 1 or 11 without going over 21, e. Lernen Sie, wie Sie jedes Mal das beste Blackjack Blatt erkennen. Hand signals are the unspoken language of this dance, ensuring every move is executed with precision and grace. Statistically, when playing blackjack, if your chances of winning a hand is 25% and your chance of losing is 75%, you should surrender and walk away with 50%. I was looking at a new online blackjack game, and their basic strategy said to double down on a soft 12 against a 5 or 6. 2246×100=22. Even the basic rules of the game dictate specific actions by the dealer. The code isn't arranged properly and keeps the "total" value and/or "hand" empty giving an infinite while loop. Soft 19 is a hand that totals either 9 or 19 since the Ace it contains can be assigned a value of 1 or 11 depending on which of the two values the player chooses. Any hand that. In this series he'll take you through basic strategy, card counting, and bankroll management. Your 2 plus the dealer's 4 equals only 6, therefore you should just hit. As a result, when the dealer is forced to hit on soft 17, they will bust more often, but also improve losing hands more often. If your initial hand is 20 in aggregate, you’ll receive a bonus payout. Soft hands are generally great because the Ace renders it impossible for the player to bust by drawing one more card. 48% of blackjack games end in a push, leaving the probability of a loss at 49. Unlike hard hands, where there is no room for flexibility, soft hands allow players to. If you are playing blackjack online and you have an Ace, it will automatically be counted as 1 if your hand goes. Soft hands pose as a more significant challenge and so do pairs. Hands that contain an Ace that can be valued as 1 or 11 are called “soft”. You can never go bust when taking a card holding a ‘soft’ hand. In blackjack, hard hands are hands in which you have an Ace, which is counted as one, or in which there is not an Ace at all. Pays 3 to 2, unless the Dealer also draws Blackjack. Hard 8 and below will always hit. Hard 13 through 16 will stand against 2-6, hit against 7-ace. A blackjack game dealt from a shoe. If one of the cards is an Ace counted as 11 – the hand is soft. How to Play Soft Hands in Blackjack. Adoption. When you are dealt a hand with an ace, this is called a soft hand. The reason you can risk a high hand is. To make a soft 17, the Ace must be counted as 11 or one. This hand is played similarly to a soft 13 or 14, and for similar reasons. Similarly, a hard 20 comes in handy against a dealer’s seven. The basic strategy rules for hitting soft 17 are as follows: For double- and multi-deck games, hit when the dealer‘s upcard is a 2 or 7 through ace. Hitting Soft Hands in Blackjack.