Blackjack basics
Hard vs soft hands in blackjack
A soft hand has an Ace counted as 11. A hard hand has no Ace, or has an Ace that has to count as 1. An Ace and a 6 is soft 17. A 10 and a 7 is hard 17.
These answers are for a 6 deck game where the dealer stands on soft 17, blackjack pays 3 to 2, and you can double on any two cards, including after a split.
Why
The difference is whether one card can bust you. A soft hand cannot bust on the next card, because the Ace drops to 1 if it needs to. A hard 12 to 16 can.
That is why soft hands are hit and doubled more often. A soft 17 is a hit or a double, but a hard 17 is always a stand.
A soft hand can turn hard. An Ace and a 6 that draws a 9 is a hard 16, because the Ace now has to count as 1.
The play against every dealer card
| Hand | Total |
|---|---|
| Ace, 6 | Soft 17 |
| 10, 7 | Hard 17 |
| Ace, 6, 9 | Hard 16 |
| Ace, 7 | Soft 18 |
Questions players ask
- What is a soft hand in blackjack?
- A hand with an Ace that counts as 11.
- What is a hard hand in blackjack?
- A hand with no Ace, or with an Ace that has to count as 1.
Related answers
- What does soft 17 mean?
- Soft 17 strategy: should I hit soft 17?
- Should I hit 17?
- What to do with Ace 7 (soft 18)
- Blackjack card values
- Blackjack basic strategy chart
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