Blackjack Hands

• Blackjack Hands Chart
• How To Play Blackjack Correctly

Learning how to play blackjack in a casino gives a gambler access to the casino game with the best house odds, from a player’s perspective. Blackjack is a game of skill, where strategy and research make a difference. Blackjack is an exciting table game because it attracts smart bettors who understand the game can be profitable in the right circumstances. Practicing blackjack tips prepares a gambler for the most entertaining casino game, whether they play blackjack online for real money or visit a brick-and-mortar casino’s blackjack tables.

Blackjack Hand 14, 15 or 16 « Blackjack Hand 12 or 13 Surrender Rule » If players’ priority is to win and to improve with every single blackjack game, then they need to put effort and time into achieving it. Every player is dealt two cards at the beginning of a round of blackjack so this chart tells you the percentage of getting different categories of hands. A natural blackjack is only 4.8%, which essentially is an ace dealt with a ten card straight off the initial deal. Normally the odds are 3 to 2 and you would win $3 for every $2 wagered.

In this blackjack 101 guide, we’ll discuss blackjack rules, basic strategy, tips and tricks, and game selection. This guide covers land-based blackjack, online blackjack, and the trendy new versions of the game, such as mobile blackjack and live dealer blackjack. I’ll cover more advanced topics like money management and card counting while providing step-by-step instructions on how to play blackjack online. When finished, you’ll have all the information you need to pick the right blackjack casino, then succeed in the exciting, competitive world of online blackjack

Soft and Hard 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. 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. Sometimes you’ll see a blackjack player playing two hands on every round. Other times a player may start a shoe playing one hand, and then suddenly, in the middle of the shoe, spread to two hands. Why do some players do the latter? Mostly to “change the flow of the cards,” which they mistakenly believe will change their luck.

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Where to Play Blackjack

The decision of where to play blackjack is important because different online and offline casino have wildly disparate rules. Blackjack rules affect the house edge, so when you’re playing for real money, the house rules are as important as learning the basic strategy or card counting. Blackjack in land-based casinos might offer advantageous single-hand blackjack, but have other rules which make the 6-hand blackjack table next to it a better game. Playing blackjack online all-but-eliminated card counting, because of automatic reshuffles on each hand. Live dealer blackjack allows online card counters a chance again. Whichever blackjack variant you choose to play, remember to study a basic strategy chart and practice blackjack online for free.

There Advantages of Land-Based Blackjack

Card Counting: Land-based casinos deal cards from a shoe, with 75% penetration of the deck, so card counting works.

Live Betting: Playing live blackjack in an opulent brick-and-mortar casino is glamorous and fun.

Camaraderie: Blackjack in a land casino allows people to socialize with fellow blackjack players.

Three Disadvantages of Land-Based Blackjack

Inconvenience: Many Americans live more than 100 miles from a land-based casino, making gambling difficult.

Cost: Trips to casino destinations are costly, involving hotel rooms and airfare. Also, no welcome bonuses.

Less Selection: Even big land-based casinos might not have your favorite blackjack rules.

Three Advantages of Online Blackjack

Bonus Promotions: Online casinos have welcome bonuses, table game bonuses, and reload bonuses.

Huge Selection: The best online blackjack casinos have dozens of blackjack variants.

Live Blackjack: Live dealer blackjack allow real-life card hands, as well as card counting.

Three Disadvantages of Online Blackjack

No Card Counting: Random number generators reshuffle the blackjack deck each hand, so no card counting works.

Quicker Hands: Online blackjack allows rapid-fire hands, increasing the effect of the house edge.

Limited Access: Depending on the jurisdiction you live in, playing options are sometimes limited.

Best Online Blackjack Casinos

Given the sheer number of choices, playing blackjack online for real money is the best choice for blackjack players. The benefits of playing blackjack online are legion: online blackjack casinos are more convenient, offer more and better rules, and have more ways to play blackjack games. Mobile blackjack means you can play anytime during the day and anywhere you go. Multi-hand blackjack with the maximum hands and bet limits provides the biggest thrills for high roller blackjack players.

If you want to count cards, playing online blackjack with live dealers allows a card counter to keep a count with a computer program and without being seen by the dealer or pit boss. Card counters should choose the best blackjack online casinos with the live dealer option because it’s how you make money playing blackjack online.

Best US Based Blackjack Online Casinos

Best International Blackjack Online Casinos

How to Play Blackjack – Basics Rules

Learning how to play blackjack is easy. Playing a hand of blackjack is not hard, compared to other games. The basic rules are easy to follow, though mastering how to win at blackjack is a bit harder. This blackjack 101 guide provides the basic rules of blackjack and a few tips to make help you improve your game. If you play for real money against a live dealer, you’ll want to memorize a basic strategy chart for the specific rules you use. If you play at a live casino online, keep a basic strategy chart next on your desk or in a separate tab for easy reference. Basic blackjack rules do not include card counting, so that skill requires additional study.

Top 5 Blackjack Rules

Blackjack Rule 1 – Player vs. Dealer: Each player at the blackjack table is matched against the dealer. You don’t compete against other blackjack players. The player goes first, meaning you can bust first, which provides the house edge.

Blackjack Rule 2 – Closest to 21 Wins: The hand which is closest to 21 without going over wins. If you get 22 or more, you bust. If you get 21 with the two-hole cards, it is called a natural twenty-one or blackjack.

Blackjack Rule 3 – Splitting Paired Hands: If you receive two cards of the same value on a deal (2-2, A-A, J-J), you can split the cards into two hands in most games. Basic strategy charts explain when it is advantageous to split cards.

Blackjack Rule 4 – Double Down Bet: After the deal, a player who thinks he or she has an advantage can place a second bet for the same amount as their ante bet — a process called doubling down. Strict rules determine whether you can double down after splits.

Blackjack Rule 5 – Hitting on Soft 17: When a player wants another card, it is called “hitting”. Dealers hit, too, and one of the most important rules is whether the dealer hits on a soft 17. Note: “Soft” is a hand with an Ace, meaning it can’t bust.

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Blackjack Strategy Chart

A blackjack basic strategy chart gives a player the right move on every single hand combination. These blackjack cheat sheet charts are designed using computational simulations on millions, perhaps billions, of hands. Therefore, a blackjack hit-or-stand chart is a mathematical breakdown of the optimal play. Whether you play blackjack online or in a brick-and-mortar casino, it helps to have a basic blackjack hand chart at your side. Remember that basic strategy charts exist for every single rule combination, so optimal play is only achieved if you memorize the right chart. The best way to learn basic blackjack strategy is to learn the game online first for free, then play blackjack for real money.

House Edge in Blackjack

The house edge in blackjack is the probabilistic advantage a casino has over the player. Learning basic strategy does not change the blackjack odds of winning, but it helps a player achieve optimal play, meaning the stated house edge is the effective house edge. Understanding the blackjack house edge helps you understand the odds you face, while helping you select the correct version of blackjack to play. Each rule either positively or negatively affects your chances of winning at blackjack, so study how each rule affects your blackjack odds. Also understand that the casino’s house edge exists every time you play, unless you use card counting to gain an advantage. The blackjack house edge is explained further below, as I discuss how each blackjack trick helps a blackjack player succeed.

Top 3 Blackjack Strategies to Lower the House Edge

Basic Strategy: Basic strategy does not give you the advantage. It assures a 0.50% house edge doesn’t become a 2.50% house edge. Mastery basic strategy charts help you achieve optimal play.

Money Management: Money management techniques teach a player how to handle their bankroll. A key concept to learn is determining the size of your bankroll and setting how much you should wager on each hand, but loss limits and win goals are important for maintaining discipline and focus. Using loss limits, bankroll management is key to stretching your gambling budget until luck comes their way. Using win goals, money management helps players lock in winnings when they have big winning sessions.

Card Counting: Once you achieve optimal play, card counting helps you vary your bets at advantageous times, giving you the advantage over the casino. Card counting plus basic strategy helps you gain a 100%+ return to player (RTP), which is why casinos don’t like card counters.

How to Play Blackjack and Win – Avoid Mistakes

Play blackjack at home in practice mode allows a player to master the basics. Like in sports, winning play for beginners learning how to play blackjack isn’t about brilliant moves, but about eliminating careless mistakes. When you first play blackjack in a casino, your goal should be to learn how to avoid mistakes. Avoiding mistakes helps a player achieve optimal play, because less-than-optimal play leads to more losses, whether you play in online or land-based casinos. With study of a basic strategy chart, you’ll learn how to play blackjack and win at black jack. To win consistently at blackjack, but all your knowledge together to learn winning strategies, use good bankroll management, and avoid blackjack mistakes.

Worst Blackjack Mistakes

The worst blackjack mistakes happen when you’re misinformed. You might read an article named “How to Win Blackjack without Counting Cards” and the writer might discuss betting tips that sound reasonable, but actually hurt your chances of winning in the long run. You might read a strategy chart with the wrong tips. Avoid the worst blackjack mistakes and you’ll enjoy blackjack betting a lot more. Read tips sections like “Casino Pit Boss Confessions” to learn the most common mistakes blackjack bettors make.

Blackjack Mistake 1 – Progressive Betting Tips: Avoid progressive betting like the Martingale, D’Alembert, or Fibonacci betting techniques. Martingale betting provides a lot of small winning hands, but when you get unlucky, you’ll risk losing your entire bankroll.

Blackjack Mistake 2 – Online Card Counting: One huge mistake online blackjack players make is counting cards. Virtual blackjack in an online casino uses a random number generator, which reshuffles the deck after each hand. RNG reshuffles make card counting useless. Choose live dealer blackjack if you wish to count cards online.

Blackjack Mistake 4 – Drinking Too Much: Whether playing with free drinks in a land-based casino or sampling from the liquor cabinet while playing online at home, avoid drinking-and-betting. The reason casinos offer free alcohol is it’s an investment. If you lack inhibitions while you play, you’re likely to make bad bets and chase after losses.

Blackjack Mistake 5 – Bad Budgeting: Too many blackjack players make bigger bets than their budget allows, or stays at the table too long. Players should treat their bankroll like a budget. Money management helps you make realistic size bets while limiting the length of your gambling sessions.

Blackjack Mistake 5 – Playing 6:5 Tables: Rules that stipulate 6:5 blackjacks instead of 3:2 blackjacks cost players the most money. If you see a single-hand table that pays 6:5 for a blackjack, the casino is trying to trick you into playing a worse game. Avoid 6:5 payouts always.

Blackjack Tips for Playing at Online Casino

Some blackjack advice doesn’t fit neatly into the strategy and rules sections. When you play blackjack for real money online, transition to online casino blackjack with a live dealer as soon as you feel comfortable doing so. Before you do so, practice blackjack online for free at a site like Bovada, Betway, or BetOnline, which allow practice mode blackjack in their software. The following blackjack tips focus on playing at online casinos. Remember that some rules found at land based casinos do not apply to the online casinos, which I’ll explain in the 5 Best Blackjack Tips below.

Five Best Blackjack Tips

Blackjack Tip 1 – Ignore the Law of Averages: Don’t assume that you’re “due”, or the table is either “hot” or “cold”. The law of averages is a gambling myth. When using a random number generator, each blackjack hand has no connection to the previous or the next hand. Instead, pay attention to the blackjack odds when making decisions.

Blackjack Tip 2 – Don’t Take Insurance: Insurance is a sucker bet. Insurance pays 1:1 if you lose in certain situations, but those situations only happen about 1 times every 3 hands. That’s a losing proposition. Unless you’re a skilled card counter and the count calls for insurance (and it seldom does), avoid insurance.

Blackjack Tip 3 – Use Flat Betting: Unless you’re a card counter, don’t vary your betting. Progressive and regressive betting styles don’t change the house edge. Instead, figure out the appropriate flat bet for your bankroll, then focus on basic strategy and optimal play.

Blackjack Tip 4 – Split 8s and Aces: Many splitting tips exist, but two times you always should split is when you hold a pair of 8s or a pair of aces. Remember this blackjack splitting tip as the start of your knowledge on playing blackjack hands.

Blackjack Tip 5 – Avoid Side Bets: Side bets have bigger payouts. Side bet also has a worse house edge than the main bet in blackjack. If you decide to play Perfect Pairs or Progressive Blackjack with your eyes wide open, wager on the side bets. If you simply want to play blackjack for the best odds, avoid side bets.

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Blackjack Game Variations

Bettors will find many variations of blackjack at online casinos. Here are several of the most popular blackjack game variations. The best online casinos offer these games, including practice mode blackjack and real money versions. Keep in mind that black jack games have different names throughout the world. Before you start playing blackjack games for real money, read a basic strategy chart for each blackjack variant and play for free in practice mode to learn how to play.

Classic Blackjack: Classic Blackjack is the name of the basic and most popular version of blackjack. This includes 3:2 for a natural blackjack, along with rules that allow splitting and doubling. The dealer hits on a soft 17 in this version.

Pontoon: English Pontoon is a variant in which a blackjack is called a pontoon, while the 5-card trick in in play. The five-card trick is when you receive five cards without busting. Pontoon is popular in the United Kingdom.

Australian Pontoon: Australian Pontoon is known as Spanish 21 in some online casinos. In this game, the Spanish deck (without 10s) is used, while hands built with 777 or 678 are given special payouts. Australian Pontoon is popular in Australia, New Zealand, and India.

European Blackjack: European Blackjack forces the dealer to stand on soft 17 — a huge advantage for players. Unfortunately, the “No Peek” rule is in effect, meaning you lose the entire bet when the dealer has a natural blackjack. Doubling is more limited, too. European Blackjack is popular in Germany and Eastern Europe.

Perfect Pairs: Perfect Pairs is a side bet in which you receive payouts when you receive a pair. A mixed color pair pays 5:1. A same color pair pays 10:1. A matching pair of the same color and suit pays out 30:1. This is found in most Microgaming and RTG online casinos.

Zappit Blackjack: Zappit Blackjack plays like a combination of classic blackjack and 5-card draw. If you don’t like your hole cards, you can hit the Zappit button to receive 2 different cards. Zappit Blackjack is exclusive to RTG casinos, such as Bovada, Bodog, Slots.lv, and Ignition Casino.

Blackjack Switch: In Blackjack Switch, the dealer deals two sets of hole cards to each player. The player has the option to switch cards between both hands in order to make a stronger hand. The drawback is you have an equal bet on both hands, so strategy is required to create the strongest set of hands.

Double Exposure: Most black jack games deal one hole card and one face card to the dealer, meaning you only see one card. Double Exposure deals both dealer cards face-up. The drawback is the dealer wins on tie hands, along with a handful of other advantages.

Blackjack Hands Chart

Progressive Blackjack: Progressive blackjack is played with a side bet which involves a progressive side bet. Online casinos feature many variations on the accumulated side bet. This has a big payout, but the progressive jackpot has a high house edge.

Multi-Hand Blackjack: Multi-hand blackjack allows a player to wager on multiple hands at one time. This lowers the volatility of the game, but also allows high rollers to exceed the maximum bet limit on a single bet. Multi-hand blackjack is therefore popular with high stakes blackjack players.

Practice Blackjack Online for Free

This article has reiterated several times that players should practice blackjack online for free. Whether you plan on gambling in a land-based casino or an online casino, playing online blackjack for free is a good idea for beginners. Free online blackjack allows you to learn the rules and master basic blackjack strategies. When it’s time to play blackjack for real money, you’ll be able to play optimal blackjack.

The best online casinos allow account owners to practice blackjack using their software. US blackjack players can practice online blackjack for free at Bovada Casino, Slots.lv, or Ignition Casino. International blackjack players can play online blackjack for free at BetOnline Casino, 888 Casino, or Betway Casino.

Playing Blackjack Against Live Dealer

Playing for real money with a live dealer is the best way to bet on blackjack online. Blackjack with a live dealer gives a player the convenience and privacy of traditional online blackjack while streaming live hands of blackjack dealt by real-life blackjack dealers in real time. Live dealer blackjack is the best of both worlds, including the ability to count cards, because live blackjack is dealt from a shoe. Players can see the hand dealt from several camera angles, but be prepared to make decisions like you would in a brick-and-mortar casino, because other blackjack players will be seated at the table. Wagers tend to range between $5 and $5000 a hand.

Choosing Reputable Online Casino to Play Blackjack

Now that you have an overview of the many options available to online blackjack players, you may want advice on choosing a reputable online casino in which to play blackjack. Legitimate online casinos for blackjack exist in the US, UK, and international gaming markets, but you’ll need to do your due diligence. Learn how to pick a trusted casino to play blackjack by researching a site’s gaming license, software providers, online reputation, and third-party auditing to assure fairness.

Third-party auditors like eCOGRA, iTech Labs, and Technical Systems Testing (TST) are a few of the most respected auditing firms or watchdog organizations. The UK Gambling Commission is one of the most respected regulatory agencies, while regulators in Gibraltar, Malta, Kahnawake (Canada), Antigua and Barbuda, Curacao, Costa Rica, Panama, Alderney, and the Isle of Man also license online casinos. NetEnt, RealTime Gaming (RTG), Rival, Microgaming, and 888 are popular software providers you’ll encounter.

Blackjack Online Casino: How to Play

Online blackjack can be fun and profitable if you know where to play, which variants to choose, and optimal blackjack strategy. Once you learn the online casino blackjack play rules and basic strategies, you’ll have the hard part down. Learning how to play at a blackjack online casino is easy. Simply follow the online blackjack casino signup guide below to learn how to play at an online blackjack casino.

Guide to Playing Online Blackjack

Step 1 – Enter the Online Casino: Sign in to your online casino account, or register if you have no account. Fund your account with Visa, MasterCard, Skrill, Neteller, Bitcoin, or several other deposit methods.

Step 1 – Choose Blackjack Game: Casino sites have online, mobile, and live dealer blackjack versions. Once you choose which of the three you want to play, then click on the online blackjack variant you prefer.

Step 2 – Placing a Blackjack Bet: Make a bet using your keypad and mouse, or with the touchscreen on your mobile device. Vary the bet by clicking on the virtual chip stacks, which usually come in denominations of $1, $5, $10, $50, and $100.

Step 3 – Blackjack Strategy and Tips: Once blackjack hands begin, use a combination of basic strategy, money management, and card counting to achieve optimal results. Blackjack is a game of skill, so study and practice improve your results when playing online blackjack.

Step 4 – Collect Blackjack Winnings: Once you win, visit the Cashier page to make a withdrawal of your blackjack winnings. The best online casinos provide several payout options, including bitcoin, web wallet, courier check, bank wire transfer.

Step 5 – Study Basic Strategy: Remember, anytime you play a new variant of blackjack, you need to study the blackjack online table rules for that version of the game. Refer back to basic strategy charts if you forget which decisions to make while playing online blackjack.

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History of Blackjack

The history of blackjack spans centuries, as the game was created in either Spain or France during the Renaissance. Blackjack is at least 400 years old, because Miguel de Cervantes mentioned the game “veintiuna” (twenty-one) in Novelas ejemplares, a novel first printed in 1613. The game gained the name “blackjack” when it came to the New World, as American casinos paid out a 10-to-1 when a player received the ace of spade and a “black jack” — which was either a jack of spades or a jack of clubs.

The first attempt to define blackjack basic strategy was in 1956, when the Journal of the American Statistical Association published the article “The Optimum Strategy in Blackjack”. This inspired Edward O. Thorp to write the first book on basic strategy and card counting, “Beat the Dealer”, in 1963. Since then, the science of card counting has been refined by waves of blackjack authors, who revolutionized the playing of blackjack for real money in casinos by giving blackjack gamblers a theoretical advantage.

As one of the most popular casino games, blackjack can be found in most land-based and online casinos. Due to its relative simplicity and extremely low house edge, it is preferred by both skilled and average players but in order to maximize their winnings, they must learn how to play the game correctly. It seems that one of the most confusing ideas in blackjack theory is that of the “soft and hard hands”.

It is soft hands, in particular, that often cause uncertainty even in those who consider themselves experienced blackjack players. Furthermore, casiual players tend to make more mistakes when playing with a soft hand than with any other hand. In fact, every single hand in blackjack can be classified as either a hard or a soft hand – any two-card hand that does not include an Ace is referred to as a hard hand, while hands with Aces in them fall under the category of soft hands.

This is, at least, the simplest explanation but real-life blackjack is a little more complicated than that. While the definitions of hardness and softness are quite simple and straightforward, the correct strategy of playing out these two types of hands is often elusive.

Soft and Hard 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. 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. It counts as either 1 or 11 so it cannot be busted by Hitting once. To describe this in a simpler manner, let us see some examples of hard and soft hands:

• Hard Hands – 3-5 (hard 8), 9-4 (hard 13), 7-10 (hard 17)
• Soft Hands – Ace-3 (soft 14), Ace-5 (hard 16), Ace-6 (soft 17)

Players who are dealt a hard hand at the beginning of a round – 7-10 for example, are presented with little freedom as to how to play out their hand. If they Hit, i.e. decide to draw another card, they have a big chance of exceeding 21 and busting. If it is a soft 17, however, Ace-6, the hand can be counted as either 17 or 7 and if players Hit, the risk of busting is considerably smaller. Imagine you receive 17 and you decide to Hit – you are dealt 7. The hard hand will reach 24 and therefore bust, while the soft hand will become 16, only here, the Ace will count as 1 and not 11.

And this is where the theory becomes more interesting. While many players and even blackjack guides consider only two-card hands as being hard or soft, real-life play requires you to look at a hand of 3 or even more cards. Not all hands with an Ace in them are soft – in fact, all hands with an Ace that counts as 1 are hard hands. Let us take the 17 hand example, once again.

A soft 17 would be Ace-6, as well as various other combinations such as Ace-4-2, Ace-2-2-2, and even Ace-Ace-3-2. In that last example, the hand should still be considered soft because one of the Aces may count as 11 or 1 without resulting in a bust. The hand still has a lot of liquidity as it can be counted as 17 or as 7.

There are, however, hands where the Ace must be counted as 1 otherwise the hand will bust. In these instances, this will be a hard hand even though it contains an Ace. A good example of this is a hand of 8-9 (hard 17) – an inexperienced player, who does not know the basic blackjack strategy, may decide to Hit. This would not be the optimal decision and, in fact, 17 is not a very good hand in blackjack but let us get back to the imaginary scenario.

The player Hits and an Ace is dealt – the hand will be 8-9-Ace and the Ace cannot count as 11 because the player will bust. In this case, the Ace always counts as 1 – once again, a rigid hand with a fixed value that cannot be adjusted, hence, this will be a hard 18.

Playing Out Soft Hands

As you can see, the Ace plays an important and a really unique role in blackjack. Players should know one basic rule when they are dealt a hand with an Ace – always count the Ace as 11 as long as your hand does not bust. There are many more fundamental things players need to understand when playing out a soft hand and if they do that correctly, their chances of making some decent profits from blackjack will increase – even without counting the cards.

As we always count the Ace as 11 in soft hands, there will be only several soft hands that can be dealt initially – from soft 12 (Ace-Ace) to soft 20 (Ace-9). A soft 21 (Ace-10/Ace-Jack, etc.), as we all know, is blackjack and it always wins in the standard game. A soft 12 is also a special case as it can count as 2 or 12 but it is also a pair that brings great opportunities when it is split. And here comes the second universal rule that applies to all variations of blackjack – you should always Split a pair of Aces.

How To Play Blackjack Correctly

However, a few other things should be considered. First and foremost, most versions of blackjack would allow only one card to be dealt to each of the split hands. After that, the two hands automatically Stand and are compared to the dealer’s hand. The best scenario, in this case, is receiving 10-value cards (10, J, Q, or K) to your split Aces for a total of 21. Other beneficial outcomes would be getting 8 or 9, which would result in hands of 19 or 20, respectively. If they are dealt 7, the total of 18 would still be relatively good. If the cards are below 7, however, the outcome will not be favorable to players at all.

But the Ace-Ace hand is a special hand and players need to know how to play the other soft hands – whether they Stand, Hit or even Double Down.

Standing on Soft Hands

Most skilled blackjack players would never Stand on soft hands – with just a few exceptions. And there is a good reason for this – the flexibility of soft hands allows the player to make the most of the hand without having to fear busting. In fact, the decision whether to Stand, Hit, or Double would depend not only on the exact value of the player’s hand but also on the dealer’s card that is shown on the table and the number of decks used in the game.

You should never Stand on soft 17 or less. There are just a handful of scenarios when players are advised to Stand on a soft hand. They should always Stand when they have a soft 20 or more. If they have a soft 19, they should also Stand, except when the dealer has a 6 – here, they should Double if this option is permitted. They should also Stand when they have a soft 18 and the dealer holds 7 or 8. This applies to games where the dealer is required to hit on soft 17. If the dealer must stand on soft 17, the player should always stand on soft 19 or more, as well as on soft 18 and dealer 2, 7, or 8.

As for the number of decks in play, the above-mentioned rules should be considered mostly for games with 4, 6, or 8 decks. Most casinos – both online and land-based, tend to opt for blackjack versions with 4 to 8 decks.

Hitting on Soft Hands

Soft hands are much safer to play than hard hands, especially when it comes to drawing more hands to them. Often, players would avoid hitting on hard hands over 12 or 13 as the new card may easily lead to a bust. It is much more different when you have an Ace – if the hand goes over 21, the Ace will simply count as 1 and save the player from losing immediately.

The general rule is to Stand on all hands that are higher than 18 and to Hit on soft hands with a total of 17 or less. There are, of course, some exceptions. Typically, players are also advised to Hit on soft 18 if the dealer’s up card is 9, 10, or an Ace. In fact, soft 18 may be a little confusing for some players, as depending on the dealer’s card, they may be better off doubling down.

Doubling Down on Soft Hands

Many blackjack players, especially those with little knowledge of the basic strategy for this game, would avoid the Double option altogether. But if played correctly, it can bring them good winnings in the long term. In reality, professional players know exactly when to Double when having soft hands and this is why they tend to quickly catch the attention of casinos – remember that many casinos associate professional blackjack players with card counters.

But you do not need to count cards to know when doubling on soft hands is profitable. There are two cards that are not favorable to the dealer – these are 5 and 6, which is why players should always Double against these two numbers on their soft 13 through soft 18. It is also a good strategy to Double Down against dealer 4 if you hold soft 15 through soft 18.

Soft 17 Rule for the Dealer

This is one of the fundamental rules in blackjack and it is usually displayed on the table itself. Most casinos used to require the dealer to Stand on soft 17, which was and still is favorable to the player. After all, the average winning hand in blackjack has been calculated to be 18.5 (i.e. at least 18) and dealers who Stand on soft 17 are easier to beat.

However, many games in recent years have introduced another rule – dealers must draw to 16 but if they hold a soft 17, they must Hit. This allows them to improve their hand against the player and is, therefore, beneficial for the casino, not the player. After all, soft hands cannot bust – they can only be improved. So, blackjack tables where the dealer Hits on soft 17 increase the house edge. Players are advised to choose games where the dealer must Stand on all 17’s.

Basic Strategy for Soft Hands

As you can see, playing with soft hands is not too complex but to avoid mistakes, players should learn how to act in every situation. There may be dozens of tips and strategies developed over the years but both professional and occasional blackjack players show learn the basic strategy of the game. As there are many different versions of 21, there may be slight changes but overall, this basic strategy for soft hands will apply to most blackjack games.

• H – Hit
• S – Stand
• D/H – Double, if it is not allowed, you should Hit
• D/S – Double, if it is not allowed, you should Stand
• SP – Split