However, the dealer’s behaviour in case of a soft 17 changes. In all cases, the dealer must stand on a hard 17. Soft 17 rules in blackjack tables generally come in two variants depending on dealer behavior. It is important for players to know the difference between soft and hard hands so they can better understand game rules and know which strategies to use when playing for real money. For example, an Ace and a 6 are soft 16, and so on. In fact, any hand that uses an Ace is considered a “soft” hand. The Ace does not always equal 11, as sometimes it can be worth 1, as discussed above. With Hard 17, the cards used will not contain an Ace, such as hands that have 10 and 7, 9 and 8 and so on. This means that the value of an Ace can be both 1 and 11 and will help you create better hands. When determining blackjack rules, pay close attention to the term Soft and Hard 17. However, table rules may vary in regards to whether a dealer stands or doesn’t on a soft 17. Soft 17 rules are universal in regards to what soft 17 means in blackjack. Not only is it the only way to get a blackjack, but it also adds a safety net against busts.

This is what makes an Ace such a universally powerful card. In most cases, it starts out at an 11 and is switched over to a 1 if you bust and go over 21.

Well, an Ace can be counted as both 1 and 11 according to most blackjack rulesets.

For example, a hand of Ace + 6 is a Soft 17. In short, a soft 17 is any hand that has a total value of 17 and contains an Ace.

Blackjack dealer hits on soft 17