Does the dealer have to hit on 17?

In most casino blackjack games, a dealer must take a card if he hits 16 or below and stand at 17 or above. Some tables, though, say the dealer must hit soft 17, meaning he has a chance to increase his score up to 21.

Does dealer have to hit on hard 17?

The Dealer's Play

If the total is 17 or more, it must stand. If the total is 16 or under, they must take a card. The dealer must continue to take cards until the total is 17 or more, at which point the dealer must stand.

Is it better for dealer to hit or stand on 17?

When a dealer has a seven, eight or nine card it is impossible for them to make a blackjack, so your chances increase. However, they can still get a better hand of 17 or more so you will again need a strong hand to compete. When holding nine or less or 12-16 it's best to hit, but stand on a total of 17 or more.

Why does the dealer have to stay at 17?

Hitting soft 17 gives the dealer the chance to make the 18, 19, 20 and 21 hands that can win on their own against a player pat hand. This comes into play most often when the dealer's face up card is an Ace and basic strategy players hit until they have 17 or better.

What does dealer must draw to 16 and stand on 17?

The Dealer must draw on 16 or less, and stand on 17 or more. If your hand totals closer to 21 than the Dealer's, you win, and are paid even money. If your hand is lower than the Dealer's, you lose. If the Dealer busts, all remaining hands are paid even money, except a Blackjack which is paid 3 to 2.

Dealer Reaches 17 Rule in Blackjack

Do you always hit a soft 17?

If it's good enough for the dealer, it's the same for players … hitting soft 17 is always better than standing. Therefore, one of the golden rules of smart play is this: No matter what blackjack game you are playing, never stand on soft 17.

Do you hit if dealer shows 7 and you have 16?

On all your two-card hard 16s, you gain by hitting whenever the dealer has 7 or higher, but the gain is biggest when the dealer has a 7 up. There are some hands of three or more cards where it's a better play to stand on 16 vs. 10, but that gets us into composition-dependent strategies — a topic for another time.

Is it better to hit soft 17 or stand soft 17?

When the casino rules specify that dealer's must hit their soft 17 (rather than stand), the house edge increases, meaning hitting a soft 17 is better for the dealer than standing. It's the same for players … hitting soft 17 is always better than standing.

Is it better to hit the 16 or stand in blackjack?

If you hit the 16, you will win 25.23 percent of the time, bust out 69.31 percent of the time and push 5.46 percent of the time for a net loss of 44.08 percent of the time. By standing on the “hard 16” you will win 29.01 percent of the time and lose 70.99 percent of the time for a loss of 41.98 percent of the time.

Can you make a living playing blackjack?

It's definitely possible to play blackjack for a living. It takes hard work, determination, and self control, but we are living proof that you can make a living counting cards at blackjack (not to mention the 100 people we hang out with at the blackjack ball, half of which are millionaires thanks to the casinos).

Do you hit on 15 against a 7?

Regardless of the number of decks of cards or the mix of playing rules, the correct playing strategy for a soft 15 is: Hit against a dealer's 2, 3, and 7 through ace.

Do most casinos hit on soft 17?

These days you almost have to play in games where the dealer hits soft 17, as most casinos have adopted this policy. But if you have a choice, playing where they stand is better.

Do you hit 15 against 5?

16 stands against dealer 2 through 6, otherwise hit. 15 stands against dealer 2 through 6, otherwise hit.

What is the soft 17 rule?

In literal terms, Soft 17 is another way of describing a blackjack hand worth 17 which includes an Ace, where the Ace counted either as 1 or 11. A Soft hand cannot bust if you take one card more. In contrast, a hard hand is simply one without an Ace, or which includes an Ace but it can bust if another card is taken.

Does dealer have to stay on soft 17?

The Dealer must draw on 16 or under and must stand on 17 or over. The Dealer's first ace counts as 11 unless it busts the hand. Subsequent aces count as one. If the player's total is closer to 21 than the Dealer's, the player wins even money (1 – 1).

What is the basic strategy for soft 17?

But if the dealer hits soft 17, basic strategy players go ahead and double against the Ace, too. With Ace-7 — a two-card soft 18 — we double down against 3 through 6 if the dealer stands on all 17s. If the dealer hits soft 17, we double against all those up cards, and also double against a 2.

Should you always hit 12 in blackjack?

Blackjack: When to hit

Ultimately, the game's main aim is to beat the dealer's hand. While it's not advised, some players choose to hit when they have a hand total of 12 or 13 and the dealer has a lower card. That hand is very unlikely to win but it just might, depending on what card you'll draw next.

Should I always double down on 11?

For most people, particularly those who are newer to blackjack, it's almost always a good idea to double down when you are showing an 11.

Is blackjack more skill or luck?

Purely based on statistics, some casino gamblers get lucky and win money. Blackjack, however, can be beaten based on skill—no luck involved.

Why hit soft 17 against 7?

Doubling yields optimal value in all single-deck games no matter what the standing rules for the dealer are. Given that a single-deck table disallows soft doubling altogether, you should hit your soft 17 instead. Hitting on soft 17 is advisable against dealer upcards 7 through ace as well.

Do you hit on soft 13?

Soft 13 and soft 14 should be hit against all dealer cards except for 5 and 6. Soft 15 and soft 16 should be hit against all upcards of the dealer except for 5, 4, and 6. Soft 18 is hit when the dealer has 9 through ace. Players should stand against the dealer's deuces, 7, and 8.

Do you hit on 15 if dealer shows 10?

In a double- or multi-deck game, if your 15 consists of an 8-7, hit against a dealer 10 upcard (rather than surrender). In all games, if your 16 is multi-card or the result of a pair split, stand against a dealer's 10 upcard instead of hit.

Can the dealer twist on 17?

Dealers are required to hit until they have a winning hand. Whether they stand or hit on soft 17 is based on house rules. The basic rules of the game are set up so that the player has choices but the dealer does not. The dealer must always hit on any hand value of 16 or less and stand on any value above 17.

Should I hit on 14 when the dealer has a three?

When dealt A-3, you have a soft 14. This is a much better situation to be in since it is impossible to break this hand with a one-card draw. You have an advantage against a dealer who starts with weak small cards 4 through 6. In single-deck S17 blackjack, you must double on soft 14 versus the dealer's 4, 5, and 6.