Basic Strategy Chart for Single Deck Blackjack: Dealer Stands on Soft 17. But at some games there is an exception when the dealer has a hand of "soft" 17. It’s okay if the players can see each others’ hands—all that matters is that they can’t see the dealer’s first card. A 10-8 and a 7-A-10 hand are both hard 18s. The term ‘soft’ can be taken to mean flexible or malleable — this is because an ace is a card with an adjustable value, which is extremely beneficial. #40 Tip — Game Play for Soft Hands. In this series he'll take you through basic strategy, card counting, and bankroll management. Doubling down gets more money in action, which is good to do in this situation, since the combination of a potential dealer. The Casino Guardian strategy calculator also enables users to adjust the standing rules for the dealer, that is whether they must stand or hit soft hands of 17. 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. With a hand totalling 14, the chance you’ll bust if hitting is at 46%. For example, the combination of an Ace and a six is called the soft 17. Blackjack Soft Hands Strategy Below you can read the detailed rules for soft hands (with an Ace, counted as 11). Soft hands of 18: Here’s where it gets tricky! If the dealer stands on a soft 17, you should double down. There are set of possible and advised decisions for players taking in account the number of points in player's and dealer's hands. Blackjack strategy charts for the specific tables you play on. This is basic strategy for soft hands in. Sponsor a Pup & Shop. 62% probability of a total of 18; a 14. This blackjack hand is in the middle of a hand you should hit and stand. Hard 20 is the best blackjack hand you can hope for, aside from natural 21. Total the dealer’s card and your kicker. stiffPairs and soft hands are some of the most profitable hands you can be dealt at the blackjack table. The main reason for this is that 17 is such a common hand value. If one of the cards is an Ace counted as 11 – the hand is soft. To double down basically means to double your initial bet. The reason why players should hit in such cases is that the dealer has the so-called standing hand. 66%. Understanding Soft Hands in Blackjack. Hit if you have a soft hand except of the following soft hands: Ace + 5,6,7. Hard 12 will stand against 4-6, hit against everything else. The Hi-Lo Strategy; Winning Big with Soft Hand Blackjack: A Comprehensive Guide; Develop a Strategy. The value of the hand can change depending on the card paired with the ace. 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. 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. Soft 17 – One of the Most Frequently Displayed Hands in Blackjack. For instance, a hand containing A-2 is soft 13 while one consisting of A-2-3 is a soft 16. What differentiates them? It all boils down to the value of the ace card. The tall table on the left is for hard hands, the table in the upper right is for soft hands, and the table in the lower right is for pairs. This wager’s outcome is depends on the first two cards dealt. « Blackjack Hand 14, 15 or 16 Blackjack Soft Hand 13 to 17 » It is no secret that the only way players can win in blackjack is if they have the needed knowledge and preparation. At the heart of Blackjack lies a rhythm, a dance between the player and the dealer. Stand on your pair of 9s when the dealer is in a stronger starting position with 7, 10, or Ace. By the Rule of 9, doubling down is your best play. So, your chances of getting a blackjack are lower with more decks in play. 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. But that’s not all. It gets its name from the fact that its value is customizable (1 or 11), depending on the other card. You will notice that some charts have separate instructions for soft and hard hands. You have 17: HIT if a dealer has 2, 7-Ace; if a dealer has 3-6 - DOUBLE. If players have an ace and a 7, then they have a soft 18 hand. 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. (*) Soft 17 is probably the trickiest hand in blackjack online. Whether a dealer hits on a soft 17 is usually spelled out in bold white letters right. Conversely, a ‘hard hand’ is a hand either without an Ace or with an Ace valued as 1 point. When you have a soft 16. If you’re dealt a card with a lower value, you have the chance to get a blackjack or even closer to 21. Hitting Soft Hands in Blackjack. , go over 21). On top of that, the presence of the Ace determines the type of a hand in blackjack. Double. With a hard hand, the player must always hit if the hand totals less than 17. Soft and Hard Blackjack hands – What is a hard hand? Knowing what a soft hand is, perhaps makes it easy to understand what a hard hand is. One of the hands that blackjack players often misplay is soft 18. In online blackjack always stand with this hand. For instance, a soft hand of thirteen in blackjack would be counted as an Ace and 2, while a hard hand would be a 10 and 3. Blackjack (formerly black jack and vingt-un) is a casino banking game. If you draw another deuce on your soft 16, you will end up holding soft 18. Many of the moves from the basic strategy chart are logical and intuitive to novice blackjack players. Soft: A hand that includes an ace that still counts as 11 points. Blackjack Soft Hand Hard Hand - 150% Up To 00. Soft Blackjack Hands. A soft 17 is a total of 17 that contains an ace and can be both 7 and 17. In some versions, a dealer hits on a soft 17. Strategy With ‘Soft’ Hands. Random mode – purely random shuffle. The basic strategy detailed below is based on blackjack games played with 4 or more decks. The blackjack strategy for hard hands and soft hands varies and the presence or absence of the Ace in the player's hand has a significant effect on the game plan. As a soft hand, it can be worth either 6 or 16. In other words, you get to surrender instead of hitting, standing, splitting, or doubling. Other examples of soft 19 include 2-6-A, 5-3-A, and A-7-A. ) Blackjack (natural) - the player wins 1. The Blackjack trainer will develop your playing acumen, and enable you to optimise your. The dealer gives a card to each player as well as themselves. Hard hands are usually considered more advantageous because they offer a higher chance of achieving a winning hand. Basic Strategy Has An Order Of Operations: Can I/should I Surrender? If you’re playing at a casino that offers surrender (also known as late surrender or LS), you will only have the option to surrender on the first. The proper strategic play for soft blackjack hands can vary significantly depending. On the other hand, a soft hand is when the Ace can be counted as either 1 or 11. Pair SplittingA soft hand is one that has an Ace which has been elected to count as 11. 474^2=0. Shoe games typically use more than 2 decks. If there’s no splitting, take the pair as a hard hand. Dealer 9. Many players see an 18 and are conditioned to stand. Again, the moves vary between the two different blackjack strategy charts. The basic strategy says that players should: Split aces. A "soft" hand is one with at least one ace, which may still count as one or eleven points. This hand is played similarly to a soft 13 or 14, and for similar reasons. Soft hand is the name of the player's hand with Aces which are counted as 11. soft A soft hand is a hand that includes an ace valued as 11, as opposed to 1. The hands are considered “soft” because they can be played in two ways. Surrender 16 against 9- Ace and 15 against a 10. You now have a good hand in blackjack that can outdraw many of the dealer’s holdings. Blackjack Hard vs Soft Hands. Note: “Soft” is a hand with an Ace, meaning it can’t bust. The entire deal with this hand is that it affects gameplay in terms of strategy. In the event that your hand looks like. Soft hands only – play just soft hands (hands with an ace). Exclusive BlackJack Casino Offers: Miami Club Casino Miami Club. It is essential to remember the correct playing decisions for soft and hard 18 differ despite the fact the two. Hard hands are hands that don’t contain an Ace, which means they have a fixed value. lest the hand bust. 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. In blackjack, a “soft hand” refers to a hand that contains an ace card. 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. Other examples of soft 19 include 2-6-A, 5-3-A, and A-7-A. In contrast, “hard” ( also called “stiff. Blackjack is the strongest hand one can possibly obtain and as such, usually pays 3 to 2. For example, an A and an 8 can be both 9 and 19. Soft 14 (A,3) doubles against dealer 5 through 6, otherwise hit. When that becomes the case, you have a hard. Doubling down on low cards is a must, in this position, as you will get double the reward whenever your hand is best. 32. The next two rules concern soft hands, or hands with an ace that counts as either a 1 or 11. Always stand on soft 21 and 20; Double down against 6 or else stand with a hand of soft 19, comprising ace and 8;Soft 19 is an excellent in blackjack soft hand, as it positions players close to the coveted total of 21. 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. By the Rule of 9, doubling down is your best play. g. To view the chart, click the Help button. Natural (blackjack hand): A player who receives an Ace and a 10-point card as the initial two cards on a deal is said to have a “natural 21” or a “blackjack”. 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%. Hands to play in blackjack . The ace can be counted as either 1 or 11, which gives the player more flexibility. Similarly, a hard 20 comes in handy against a dealer’s seven. In most scenarios, if your soft hand goes over 21, it becomes a hard hand. 32%, winning with this hand against an upcard of seven wins you €77. If soft doubling is not allowed stand on A,7 Vs 2 – 8. This means that you’re confident that your hand will beat the dealer during the showdown. Soft 13 or 14 versus dealer’s 5 or 6, hit. 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. 8-A. Just as the dealer must follow certain rules, so must you. Every hand with an Ace is considered a soft hand, because Ace can be valued either 1 or 11. The chances of landing a low value card if you hit are minimal. When you have a soft 16, 17, or 18 A “soft” hand is when you have an ace since it counts as either 1 or 11. Hitting and Standing. These rules don’t really matter. Discover the optimal moves for every hand and increase your chances of winning at the casino. In this case, Ace is counted as 11. A hard hand has no ace or an ace worth 1, while a soft hand has an ace which counts as 11. Shoe Composition: 1 deck 2 decks 3 decks 4 decks 5 decks 6 decks 7 decks 8 decks. The only hand that can beat this is a dealer’s blackjack, which is unlikely. Hands of A-8, A-2-6, and 3-5-A are all examples of soft 19. 13 or 14. You go down the first row of the section pertaining to soft totals until you find soft 16. If you bet $10, you win $10 from the dealer (plus you keep your original bet, of course. That means understanding how to play a soft 19. It represents an Ace at hand. Interestingly enough, the house edge in single-deck blackjack is slightly higher than in multi-deck ones (5. Double a soft 13 or 14 against a dealer 5 or 6. Because of this peculiarity of the rules, the Aces are easily the most important cards in blackjack. Soft 18 falls into the category of one of the most frequently misplayed hands in blackjack. WHAT ARE SOFT HANDS IN BLACKJACK? Of course, there’s a bit more to your hand in a blackjack game than that. Hard 10 will double against 2-9. Standing with a soft hand. 10 / 1) x 100 = -0. Alternatively, the basic blackjack strategy for soft hands would look like this: Player’s Hand: Dealer’s hand (2-6) Dealer’s hand (7-A) 13-15: Hit: Hit: 16-18: Double: Hit: 19-21: Stand: Stand: Another thing to note is that in blackjack, there is an optional action called Pair Splitting. To double down basically means to double your initial bet. But only if you know what you are doing. For example, an A and an 8 can be both 9 and 19. After you hit a soft 17, what you do next depends upon the total of your hand and the dealer’s upcard. In this situation, standing is the recommended move in most cases. From top to bottom are the hard totals, soft totals, and splittable hands. Yahoo! Blackjack - Follow Basic Strategy. You have 15-16: HIT if a dealer has 2,3, 7-Ace; if a dealer has 4-6 - DOUBLE. While all three hard totals are bad for the player, nothing quite beats the disadvantage hard 16 puts you at. On the other hand, a soft hand is the one that involves an ace that is worth either 1 or 11. Choose to play at tables with liberal playing rules — even if it means you will have to scout the tables for a while. g. In this case the 17 is known as a soft 17. On the other hand, if you pair it with a low-valued card, its value can be 11. Now as you know what both hands mean, you have an idea of the difference between hard and soft blackjack hands. 65%. Soft 19 and soft 20 are hands that many experienced players hope for when playing blackjack. So for example, if you bet $10, getting blackjack pays $15. Stand on 17 or higher. Basic Strategy Chart for Single Deck Blackjack: Dealer Stands on Soft 17. Let’s look at hard hands first. You will be paid at 3:2 unless the dealer also has Blackjack, in which case the hand is a tie. Soft 19, in particular, is often misplayed by less knowledgeable players. One: never double against a deuce. So an ace and a six would give you a soft seventeen. How to Play Soft Hands in Blackjack. The odds of winning at blackjack can be as high as 42. Hard hand — This is a hand with no ace. 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. Some blackjack casinos require the dealer to hit on a soft 17. 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. These hands are considered to be very. The phrase soft and hard hands basically refers to the hand composition. Hard and soft hands in blackjack are all determined by one card: the Ace. In essence, a ‘Hard Hand’ is characterized as a hand that consists of any two cards with an inflexible value. Examples include the Ace-3-3 hand and Ace-Ace-2-4. Stanford Wong's Blackjack Count Analyzer is perfect for questions like this. In this situation players should use the Strategy for Splitting Pairs. Then, way down at the bottom of the barrel comes doubling down with their "soft" hands, like Ace/2 or Ace/7. Lernen Sie, wie Sie jedes Mal das beste Blackjack Blatt erkennen. Whether looking at newbies or professionals, this is one of the most misplayed hands that there is. Soft Total - any hand containing an ace which has a value of 11. If so, hit your soft 18. 2246, which is 0. Blackjack soft hand. There are nine valid soft scores in blackjack, the lowest of which is 13 (A 2). 65%. Hard 14 Total. Basic strategy recommends standing on hard 13 against upcards 2 through 6 because these put the. On the contrary, players end up busting in many cases with this hand. Soft hands are generally great because the Ace renders it impossible for the player to bust by drawing one more card. In the arena of Blackjack, the soft 17 blackjack hand sits as a game-changer, tipping the scales of strategy for both the dealer and the player. 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. , 2, 3, or 4), while soft hands are hands that have a low number of face cards (e. Double. Four-deck blackjack with the dealer standing on soft 17’s and allowing the player to double after splits have an edge of 0. You can never go bust when taking a card holding a ‘soft’ hand. Quickly analyse any blackjack hand and increase your odds of winning. Some blackjack hands are particularly tricky to win as the odds between dealer and player are very close. However, if your dealer has a low face-up card, it is better to stand at a hard 4. Player #1 is dealt an Ace-2 against the dealer’s 10 upcard. The difference to the house. These rules change the gameplay and. The fully responsive simulator can be accessed from a desktop or most modern mobile devices, which effectively means – if you have an internet connection – you’ll be able to learn anywhere. A soft hand is one that features an ace. It is typical for some conservative or underbanked players to take advantage. Hence, the strategy to play hard & soft hands should be entirely different. A hand with a flexible Ace is known as a 'soft hand'. The value of a hand is the sum of the point values of the individual cards. For instance, if you received a 7, the hand would be worth 13 now (6+7). You should never split this hand: We will list the best hands to split in blackjack below but the hard 20 is not one of them. But at some games there is an exception when the dealer has a hand of "soft" 17. A hard-17 is considered a strong hand, yet is the poorest hard total players are recommended to stand on. There are special basic strategies for hard and soft hands. PRO TIP:When playing a soft hand in Blackjack, it is important to remember that the Ace can be counted as either a 1 or an 11. 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. Soft/Soft Hand:. Bust - having a hand totalling more than 21 points,. e. Dealers hit, too, and one of the most important rules is whether the dealer hits on a soft 17. One thing to consider is whether your blackjack hand are soft or hard. Blackjack’s house edge is already pretty low, and with the right strategy involving a soft hand, you can take it down even further. A ‘soft hand’ in Blackjack refers to any hand containing an Ace, which can be valued as 11 points. Pairs of 9-9 against a dealer 7 call for standing while pairs 8-8, 9-9, and A-A against a dealer 8 call for a split. Also. 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 combination of an ace with a card other than a ten-card is known as a "soft hand," because the player can count the ace as a 1 or 11, and either draw cards or not. An example of an Aceless hard hand is K-6 which makes for a hard total of 16. 2s. The most common changes concern the dealer’s drawing rules on soft totals of 17. This applies to both live dealer blackjack and regular. If the dealer shows a 9 or higher, stand against other hands. Soft hands are actually the most misplayed hands in blackjack. The soft 19 and 20 totals are easy. For the 10-10 pair also, a stand is the best action. Once you’ve set up the table to your linking, the Blackjack Chart will update itself to show the optimum blackjack strategy to play. 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). 1. If this is your first visit to the Blackjack Forum, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. Finally, a hard hand with a score lower than 9. 1,731 likes · 1 talking about this · 57 were here. Are you having trouble reading soft hands in Blackjack? Then this video is for you! We go over how to read soft hands in blackjack, such as soft 17. In blackjack, a hand is considered “hard” if it doesn’t have an ace, or if the ace has a value of 1. Player should Double Down. As you know, the dealer will give each player two cards. Ultimately soft hands are probably more favourable as a blackjack hand. The flip side is that, from that point on, you don’t get to decide whether to hit or stand. A hand with a flexible Ace is known as a 'soft hand'. 2%. Soft hands contain an ace card. Against a dealer who must hit on soft 17, you should do the same except that you should also double against a 2 rather than standing. Sad as it is, this confusing cluster of hands is never learned correctly by 98% of the blackjack players. (*) Soft 17 is probably the trickiest hand in blackjack online. [1] : 342 It is the most widely played casino banking game in the world. If you are playing blackjack online and you have an Ace, it will automatically be counted as 1 if your hand goes. The seven is of particular importance as an upcard, as the rules of blackjack state that the dealer must always stand on a total of 17. Blackjack pays 6-5: Common on single-deck games on the Las Vegas Strip, this game is a bankroll breaker for players. If the dealer stands on a soft 17, the correct decision is to Surrender, or Hit. Most players, especially beginners, think that standing is also the best possible move with a soft 17 too. An example of this is when a dealer has a six and the player. 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. The dealer. Doubling down on low cards is a must, in this position, as you will get double the reward whenever your hand is best. Soft hands are those that contain an Ace. Unlike hard hands, where there is no room for flexibility, soft hands allow players to adapt their play based on. The dealer's revealed card is in every chart, which you can see at the top. 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. A soft hand is any hand that contains an Ace, which can be counted as either 1 or 11. It’s an option you can use after placing your bet, receiving your two cards, seeing the dealer’s up card, and before the dealer draws new cards. Whether or not the dealer must hit on a soft 17 (a hand of 17 containing an ace being counted as 11) differs from casino. Hit when the dealer is showing a 9,10, or 11 (Ace). Therefore, if you are an astute player, you will try to avoid a table whereby a dealer can hit on a soft 17. Hard 11 will always double down. dealerPlay - This plays using standard BlackJack dealer play strategy. The dealer has a high probability of exceeding 21 and losing the round when they start with these two low upcards. Double down when the dealer has a 3, 4, 5, or 6. Double on all Soft hands worth 18 or less against 5 and 6. See also Natural. The best possible blackjack hand is an opening deal of an ace with any ten-point card. 5x payout, but this is mathematically the same as taking insurance. A soft blackjack hand is any hand of two cards which contains an ace. 10. A soft hand of blackjack is a hand which contains an Ace and where this Ace can be counted as 11 without busting. Soft hands pose as a more significant challenge and so do pairs. Soft & Hard Hands. You should always soft double against a dealer's 5 or 6 when you have Ace/2 through Ace/7. A soft hand is generally considered to be a good thing, because it gives the player a better chance of winning. If the player busts or the dealer has a higher total, the entire sum goes to the house. However, a soft hand is not guaranteed to improve after you’ve hit. In most variations of blackjack, only the cards with the same rank can be split, meaning a pair of 2s, 8s, aces, and others. 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. Blackjack soft game hit stand strategy universal hand against play hands stiff dealer casinonewsdailyUniversal strategy for blackjack. Soft 18 falls into the category of one of the most frequently misplayed hands in blackjack. STAND. Try doubling down on hard nine, ten, or 11. From top to bottom are the hard totals, soft totals, and splittable hands. A hard hand is any hand that either does not contain an ace, of if it does, counts the ace as 1. 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. split If a player is dealt two cards of the same rank, they can choose to play each of them separately, putting up a bet for each one. 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. Soft/Soft Hand: A soft hand is a hand that includes an ace valued at 11 instead of 1. Blackjack soft hand. Hit. Understanding the dynamics of soft 17 blackjack is crucial because it is one of the few situations where your decisions can significantly affect the outcome of the game. When you are dealt a hand with an ace, this is called a soft hand. Double. 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. A soft hand. For example, when a player is dealt an Ace and 5 the hand can be played as a 6 or 16. This calculator will show you the best return for a blackjack hand. Soft hands are actually the most misplayed hands in blackjack. Step 2: receive. A hard hand in blackjack is a hand where neither of the two cards is an ace and therefore has no flexibility. The bust percentages for a dealer holding a 6 are 43. Double a soft 19 against a dealer 6 if using H17 rules. The basic strategy here is to get the dealer to go bust. The Rules of Pontoon. A blackjack hand comprising an ace, a 7, and a 9 is a "hard 17. Blackjack Basic Strategy for Soft Hands. Therefore, if you wager 20 chips and win your hand, you will usually receive 20 chips in profit on top of your original wager. The tables assume the dealer already checked for, and did not have, blackjack. In both cases, an A stands for ace. Blackjack Hard vs Soft Hands. In conclusion, a soft hand and a hard hand in blackjack are two different types of hands that can be played in the game. 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. In the bustling environment of a casino, verbal communication can often be drowned out by background noise. 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. If one of the cards is an Ace counted as 11 – the hand is soft. Expert: J. As mentioned above, the term “soft” refers to a hand where you have an ace plus another card. Soft hands are blackjack hands that contain an ace, which can be valued at 1 or 11. You need to beat the dealer with a hand whose total is as closer to 21 as possible but without going over. If players have an ace and a 7, then they have a soft 18 hand. Here is presented the basic strategy when playing blackjack with a hand that consists of a pair. In blackjack, ‘soft’ hands are the ones containing an Ace, which means the total can be counted twofold. Your 7 plus the dealer's 3 equals 10. The house has a. Home. 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. Fewer blackjacks mean a bigger house edge. A hand with an ace value of 11 is a. Let’s look at an example – If the player has two 6♠, the total is 12, and. Ace/3 against a 7. Double Deck Games with Disadvantageous Rules. WHAT ARE SOFT HANDS IN BLACKJACK? Of course, there’s a bit more to your hand in a blackjack game than that. This option is only available if you hold 4♠4♦ or 7♣ 7♠. How to Play Hard Hands. Hard and soft hands in blackjack are all determined by one card: the Ace. If your hand’s total is nine and the up card of the dealer is a three, a four, a five or a six, you should double down. This Ace allows players to adjust its value to 1, allowing. When playing a blackjack game, soft 17 can be created in several ways. Understanding Soft Hands in Blackjack. If your hand has less than a 50 percent chance of winning against the dealer, then it’s time to consider surrender. The game indeed requires a lot of skills and personal qualities such as discipline, but it really pays off to players who have dedicated themselves to have. A soft hand in blackjack is any hand containing an ace counted at 11. To elaborate, the entire basic strategy chart includes 340 distinct permutations of player totals and dealer up cards that are possible. Ace/3 against a 7. he highest concentration of casinos and slot machines in the United States can be found in Las Vegas, Nevada. A soft hand occurs with an Ace, while a hard hand can occur with an Ace but it has to equal one, not 11.