Dealer Hits or Stands on Soft 17
What the rule means, how much it costs you, and which plays change.
Hitting soft 17 helps the dealer, so H17 games are a little worse for you, and a few of your plays change.
What is soft 17?
A soft 17 is a dealer hand of 17 that contains an ace counted as 11, such as ace and 6. In some games the dealer must stand on it (S17). In others the dealer must hit it (H17), which gives the dealer a chance to improve to 18, 19, 20 or 21, or to make a hard 17 or better.
The table rules are usually on the game's help screen or on the table felt. In a casino the sign reads "Dealer stands on all 17s" or "Dealer hits soft 17".
How much does it matter?
Hitting soft 17 adds roughly 0.2 percentage points to the house edge, which means a loss of about 20 pence more for every £100 you bet. It is one of the more significant rule differences, so S17 games are better for you if you have the choice.
The dealer's chance of busting changes a little with the rule. With a dealer ace showing the chance of busting is about 11.5% when the dealer stands on soft 17 and about 13.9% when the dealer hits it. With a 6 showing, it is about 42.3% against about 43.9%.
Which plays change
These are every difference between the two charts for a game with double after split allowed. Everything else is the same.
| Hand against dealer | Dealer stands on soft 17 | Dealer hits soft 17 | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hard 11 v ace | Hit | Double (else hit) | Always |
| Soft 18 (A,7) v 2 | Stand | Double (else stand) | Always |
| Soft 19 (A,8) v 6 | Stand | Double (else stand) | Always |
| Hard 15 v ace | Hit | Surrender | Only when surrender is allowed |
| Hard 17 v ace | Stand | Surrender | Only when surrender is allowed |
| Pair of 8s v ace | Split | Surrender | Only when surrender is allowed |
The ones to remember: double 11 against an ace, double ace-7 against a 2 and double ace-8 against a 6 when the dealer hits soft 17. See each chart in full in the chart.
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Frequently asked questions
Is it better if the dealer stands on soft 17?
Yes. Dealer stands on soft 17 (S17) is better for the player. Hits soft 17 (H17) raises the house edge by roughly 0.2 percentage points.
How do I know which rule my game uses?
Check the table sign, the game's help screen or rules page. If you cannot find it, assume the dealer stands on soft 17, which is what the calculator uses by default.
Which hands change when the dealer hits soft 17?
The main ones are doubling 11 against an ace, doubling ace-7 against a 2 and doubling ace-8 against a 6. If surrender is allowed, you also surrender some 15s, 17s and pairs of 8s against an ace.
Does this change when I split?
Almost never. The only splitting change is a pair of 8s against an ace when surrender is allowed and the dealer hits soft 17, where you surrender.