What Is a Soft Hand?

A soft hand is any hand containing an Ace counted as 11. The hand is “soft” because it’s flexible — if you draw a card that would bust you, the Ace switches from 11 to 1.

Example Total Type
A + 6 17 (soft) Ace = 11
A + 6 + 8 15 (hard) Ace switched to 1
A + 7 18 (soft) Ace = 11
A + 7 + K 18 (hard) Ace switched to 1

Why Soft Hands Are Valuable

Soft hands give you a safety net. You can hit without risk of busting. This makes them fundamentally different from hard hands of the same total:

  • Soft 17 vs. Hard 17: You should hit soft 17 (no bust risk, chance to improve) but stand on hard 17 (high bust risk if you hit)
  • Soft 13 vs. Hard 13: You should hit soft 13 aggressively; hard 13 depends on the dealer’s card

Strategy for Each Soft Hand

Soft 13 (A + 2) and Soft 14 (A + 3)

Dealer Shows Action
2, 3 Hit
4, 5, 6 Double (hit if not allowed)
7-A Hit

These are weak soft hands. Double against the weakest dealer cards; otherwise hit to improve.

Soft 15 (A + 4) and Soft 16 (A + 5)

Dealer Shows Action
2, 3 Hit
4, 5, 6 Double (hit if not allowed)
7-A Hit

Same strategy as soft 13-14. You’re looking for 10-value cards to reach 15-16 (which then become hard and you reassess) or 5s and 6s to push toward 20-21.

Soft 17 (A + 6)

Dealer Shows Action
2 Hit
3, 4, 5, 6 Double (hit if not allowed)
7-A Hit

This is the most important soft hand rule. Never stand on soft 17:

  • 17 is a losing total more often than it wins
  • You can’t bust by hitting
  • Doubling vs. weak dealer cards maximizes your profit

Soft 18 (A + 7)

Dealer Shows Action
2 Stand (or Double)
3, 4, 5, 6 Double (stand if not allowed)
7, 8 Stand
9, 10, A Hit

Soft 18 is the trickiest soft hand:

  • Against dealer 9/10/A, 18 is actually an underdog. Hitting gives you a chance to improve
  • Against 3-6, the dealer is weak enough to justify doubling
  • Against 7-8, your 18 is likely good enough

Soft 19 (A + 8)

Dealer Shows Action
2-5 Stand
6 Double (stand if not allowed)
7-A Stand

Soft 19 is a strong hand. The only exception: double against dealer 6 (the weakest dealer card) to maximize profit.

Soft 20 (A + 9)

Dealer Shows Action
All Stand

A total of 20 is too strong to risk. Always stand.

Common Soft Hand Mistakes

Standing on Soft 17

This is the #1 soft hand error. Players see “17” and think that’s decent. But:

  • Hard 17 and soft 17 are completely different situations
  • You have zero risk of busting
  • The expected value of hitting is significantly better than standing

Standing on Soft 18 Against Strong Cards

Many players treat 18 as a “good hand” regardless. Against dealer 9, 10, or Ace, 18 is actually a losing hand more often than not. Hitting gives you a chance to improve.

Not Doubling Soft Hands

Soft hand doubles are some of the most profitable plays in blackjack. When the dealer shows 4, 5, or 6, doubling your soft hands extracts maximum value from the dealer’s weak position.

Quick Reference

Soft Hand Double Against Hit Against Stand Against
A,2 / A,3 5-6 2-4, 7-A —
A,4 / A,5 4-6 2-3, 7-A —
A,6 3-6 2, 7-A —
A,7 3-6 9-A 2, 7, 8
A,8 6 — 2-5, 7-A
A,9 — — All