Soft Hands in Blackjack

Many players believe that they play a pretty good game of Blackjack, but the truth is that most people seem to have trouble with their soft hands. As a matter of fact, understanding how to play soft hands is probably the most misunderstood aspect of the game.

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As you may know, a soft hand is one that contains an Ace that is counted as 11. So, if you are dealt an Ace and a 6, you have what is called a soft 17. Soft hands are played differently because if you get a card that causes you go over 21, then you can turn that Ace into a 1.

Below are three options to choose when you have a soft hand:

  • Stand. This is not advisable until you have a soft 17 or less.
  • Hit. This will be discussed in a moment.
  • Double Down. This involves doubling your bet so that you receive one additional card.

What you do with a soft hand is based on what the dealer's up card is. Now we will examine each of the above situations.

Let's say that the dealer has a 5 or a 6. Here you should be sure to double down if you have a soft 13 through a soft 18. This is because there is a good probability that the dealer will bust, regardless if you get a good card for your hand or not.

When the dealer has a 3 or 4. Here you should use the 'rule of 9'. This rules says that if the dealer's up card is added to your card (anything other than an Ace) and it totals 9 or more, then the best thing to do is to double down. If the total is under 9 then you should hit. The exception to this rule is if you have a soft 19 or 20 (Ace, 8 or 9) wherein you should stand or if the dealer has a 4 and you a soft 15 ( an Ace and a 4). In this circumstance you should hit.

When the dealer has a 7. You should hit on anything ranging from a soft 12 through a soft 17. In the case that you have a soft 18, then stand with the hopes for a push. You should also stand on soft 19 and soft 20 hands.

When the dealer has a 9, 10 or Ace. In these cases, you should hit on all hands that are soft 12 through soft 18 and stand on soft 19 and soft 20.

Although it may take some time before you master this quick guide, you should definitely notice a change in your game once you grasp these scenarios. Understanding how to play the soft hands in Blackjack should make the game more enjoyable as well as increase your chances of winning more often.

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