Dealer Hits Soft 17 vs Stands: What It Costs You
What is a soft 17?
A soft 17 is a hand worth 17 that includes an ace counted as 11, such as A,6. Normally the dealer must stand on 17. At some tables, the rule is that the dealer hits soft 17 (called H17). At others, the dealer stands on all 17s (S17).
The table layout usually prints which rule applies. It is easy to miss, and it matters.
Why H17 hurts you
When the dealer stands on soft 17, that hand is final and you can beat it with an 18. When the dealer hits, the dealer has a chance to improve to 18, 19, 20 or 21, and you lose some hands you would have won. The dealer cannot bust on that hit, because with an ace counted as 11 any card is safe. The hit can also turn the hand into a hard total from 12 to 16, and then the dealer keeps drawing and can bust. Overall, the extra draw helps the dealer more than it hurts.
The result is a higher house edge. In our model, H17 adds 0.22 percentage points. That is similar to losing about 22 cents for every $100 you bet, on top of whatever the rest of the game costs.
The classic 6-deck game with H17, double after split and 3:2 blackjack works out to about 0.63%. The same game with S17 is closer to 0.41%.
How strategy changes
H17 changes a few plays, because the dealer's ace is now a stronger card. In a 6 or 8 deck game, these are the differences from S17:
- Hard 11 against an ace: double at H17; just hit at S17.
- Soft 18 (A,7) against 2: double if allowed at H17; stand at S17.
- Soft 19 (A,8) against 6: double if allowed at H17; stand at S17.
- Surrender spots (if allowed): at H17 you also surrender 15 and 17 against an ace, and 8,8 against an ace.
The rest of the chart is the same. See the 6 and 8 deck chart for the full picture. The trainer shows the correct chart when you change the dealer rule in Settings.
Spotting it at the table
Look at the felt. It will say something like "Dealer must draw to 16 and stand on all 17s" or "Dealer hits soft 17." If you cannot tell, ask the dealer. Even in a game that is otherwise good, H17 is worth noticing.
Compare the deal as a whole. A table with H17, 3:2 and double after split can be better than an S17 table paying 6:5. See 6:5 vs 3:2, and the rules overview to add up every effect.
Practice it
Switch the dealer rule in Settings and run Drill. The hands that differ will come up, and Coach explains why the play changes. Hard 11 against an ace is a good one to start with.
Common questions
Is H17 more common than S17?
Many modern shoe games use H17, which is why it is worth learning. Check each table.
Does counting cards help against H17?
H17 does not stop counting, but it raises the house edge you start from, so your gain is a little smaller.
How much does 0.22 cost me in a session?
At an average bet of $25 over 100 hands, you wager $2,500, so 0.22% is about $5.50 in expected loss. This is an average, not a prediction.
Should I leave an H17 table?
Not necessarily. Compare the whole game, then decide.