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 if dealer stands or hits on soft 17?

Dealers do not bust more often when standing on soft 17. After all, there is no risk of busting when they stand on the hand. When the dealer stands on all 17s, he busts about 29.1 percent of the time, and that increases to 29.6 if he hits soft 17. However, a dealer who stands on soft 17 can't improve the hand.

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.

Are you supposed to hit a soft 17?

But there is one significant difference. 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.

Do you stay on soft 17?

As a player, you can do virtually whatever you like with your hand, but the dealer must act according to a simple rule. In every blackjack game, the dealer either stands on Soft 17 or higher, or hits Soft 17, which means they can only stand on Hard 17, plus any 18 or more.

Dealer Reaches 17 Rule in Blackjack

Should I hit 16 when the dealer has 7?

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.

Should you hit or stand on hard 17?

It is best to hit when holding a hand of 10 or 12-16, and stand on anything 17 and over. An ace gives you a good chance of making 21 with a hit. When a dealer has a seven, eight or nine card it is impossible for them to make a blackjack, so your chances increase.

Is it better to play blackjack at a full table?

NUMBER OF PLAYERS

Given this fact, you are better off playing at a full table rather than a table with fewer players, or worse, heads up against the dealer. The reason is you'll get fewer hands dealt to you at a full table, which will reduce the exposure of your bankroll to the house edge.

Does blackjack pay 3 to 1?

In many casinos, a blackjack pays only 6:5 or even 1:1 instead of the usual 3:2. This is most common at tables with lower table minimums. Although this payoff was originally limited to single-deck games, it has spread to double-deck and shoe games.

What is the max bet on a $5 blackjack table?

To begin a Blackjack hand, players must bet at least the table minimum. For example, at a $5 to $500 table, the minimum bet to play is $5. The player may bet any amount up to the maximum of $500.

Should I hit 13 against a 2?

13 stands against dealer 2 through 6, otherwise hit. 12 stands against dealer 4 through 6, otherwise hit. 11 always doubles. 10 doubles against dealer 2 through 9 otherwise hit.

Should I hit a soft 17 against a 10?

The correct basic strategy for hitting a soft 17 is as follows: For a single-deck game, hit soft 17 when the dealer's upcard is 7 through ace. For double- and multi-deck games, hit soft 17 when the dealer's upcard is a 2 or 7 through ace.

Should you hit on 13 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 split 8s when dealer shows 7?

It's important to note that Shackleford's math indicates there's still an expected loss - likely more than half of your original bet. Other experts advise against splitting 8s against anything but a 7, or unless the dealer shows a bust card of 3, 4, 5 or 6.

Do you always double down on 11?

If the dealer is showing a lower card than a 10, it is good strategy to double down. If the casino rules dictate the dealer must hit soft 17, you should always double down on 11 no matter what the dealers up card.

Do you hit 12 against a 3?

That may be true for most stiff hands (meaning, a hard 12 through 16) but it's not the case when you are holding a 12 against a 3. There are only four cards that could bust your 12 — a ten, jack, queen, or king. On the other hand, five cards will get you to 17–21 (a five, six, seven, eight, or nine).

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.

Is it bad to split 10s in blackjack?

Splitting a 10-10 hand is fine, but not a jack-queen hand, for example. After the first split, doubling down and further splitting of hands may be limited. After the first split, an ace and a ten-card may be regarded as a non-blackjack 21. After splitting aces you're generally not allowed to hit more than once.

Do you hit 12 against a 7?

Traditional basic strategy (also known as “total-dependent strategy”) says to stand on hard 12 against a dealer's 4, 5, and 6 up card, and hit against a dealer's 2, 3, and 7 though Ace up card. The biggest mistake that players make when they are dealt a hard 12 occurs when the dealer's up card is a 2 or 3.

Do you split 8s against a 2?

A split pair of eights is expected to win against dealer upcards of 2 through 7 and to lose less against dealer upcards of 8 through ace. If a player hits on a pair of eights, he is expected to lose $52 for a $100 bet. If the player splits the eights, he is expected to lose only $43 for a $100 bet.

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 you double with 11 against a 2?

Never double down when you're showing anything higher than an 11, as the chances of going bust are too high to risk. It's better to simply hit or stick on a lower total, and then hope that the dealer goes bust. Basically, if you're ever unsure whether to double down, stick to the safe option and keep your bet as it is.

What table game has the highest odds?

Blackjack has the best odds of winning in any game, with a 49% chance of winning. The reason blackjack is so appealing to players is that it is not a game of luck, but rather one based on numbers.

Can you make a living off of 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).