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Soft Hands in Blackjack

How to play soft 13 to soft 20, such as ace and 6 or ace and 7.

Basic strategy says
Hit low soft hands, double against weak dealers, stand on 19 and 20

A soft hand contains an ace counted as 11, so one more card can never bust it. That is why you can be more aggressive with soft hands than with hard ones.

Soft totals chart

Dealer stands on soft 17, double after split allowed. Dealer card across the top.

2345678910A
A,2HHHDDHHHHH
A,3HHHDDHHHHH
A,4HHDDDHHHHH
A,5HHDDDHHHHH
A,6HDDDDHHHHH
A,7SDsDsDsDsSSHHH
A,8SSSSSSSSSS
A,9SSSSSSSSSS
H HitS StandD Double (else hit) · Ds Double (else stand)P SplitR Surrender (else hit; 17 v A else stand; 8,8 v A else split)

If your game has different rules, use the full chart with rule options.

Soft hand rules in words

  • Soft 13 and 14 (A,2 and A,3): double against a dealer 5 or 6, otherwise hit.
  • Soft 15 and 16 (A,4 and A,5): double against a dealer 4 to 6, otherwise hit.
  • Soft 17 (A,6): double against a dealer 3 to 6, otherwise hit. Never stand on soft 17.
  • Soft 18 (A,7): double against a dealer 3 to 6 (stand if you cannot double). Stand against a 2, 7 or 8. Hit against a 9, 10 or ace. If the dealer hits soft 17, double against a 2 as well.
  • Soft 19 (A,8): stand. If the dealer hits soft 17, double against a 6 (stand if you cannot double).
  • Soft 20 (A,9): always stand.

What counts as a soft hand?

A hand is soft when it contains an ace that can count as 11 without taking the total over 21. Ace and 6 is a soft 17: it is 17 now, but if you hit and get a 10 it becomes a hard 17 (the ace drops to 1). The same hand can change from soft to hard as you take cards.

Once the ace has to count as 1, the hand is hard, and you use the hard totals chart instead. For example, ace, 6 and 5 is a hard 12.

Why soft 18 is the tricky one

Soft 18 (ace and 7) is the soft hand people get wrong most. It looks like a good hand, so many stand against everything. Basic strategy has three different answers depending on the dealer: double against a 3 to 6, stand against a 2, 7 or 8, and hit against a 9, 10 or ace. Against a dealer 9, 10 or ace the dealer often ends with 19 or better, so standing on soft 18 loses more than hitting.

Soft 18 also changes with the dealer soft 17 rule. See the dealer soft 17 guide.

More blackjack strategy guides

Blackjack basic strategy chartA printable chart for hard totals, soft totals and pairs that changes with your table rules.16 against a dealer 10Hit, stand or surrender? The numbers behind blackjack's most famous decision.When to split pairsWhich pairs to split against each dealer card, and which never to split.When to surrenderThe few hands where giving up half your bet is the best move.Dealer hits or stands on soft 17What the rule changes and which plays are different.

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Frequently asked questions

What is a soft hand in blackjack?

A soft hand has an ace that counts as 11. Ace and 6 is a soft 17. Because the ace can drop to 1, you cannot bust by taking one more card.

Should I stand on soft 17?

No. Hit soft 17 against a dealer 2 or 7 to ace, and double against a dealer 3 to 6. Standing on soft 17 gives away money.

What should I do with ace and 7?

Double against a dealer 3 to 6 (stand if you cannot double), stand against a 2, 7 or 8, and hit against a 9, 10 or ace. If the dealer hits soft 17, double against a 2 too.

Why do I hit soft 18 against a 9, 10 or ace?

Against these cards the dealer often ends with 19 or better. Standing on 18 loses more than taking another card, which cannot bust you and gives you a chance to improve.

When do I stand on a soft hand?

Stand on soft 19 and soft 20 in nearly all cases, and on soft 18 against a dealer 2, 7 or 8.