Soft 17Blackjack for Beginners: Your First Hand Explained
New to blackjack? The game is simpler than it looks. Here is one complete hand, start to finish, followed by the questions beginners ask most. You can play along for free at Soft 17; there is no sign-up and the chips are play money.
The idea in one sentence
Get closer to 21 than the dealer without going over. Number cards count as their number, Jack, Queen and King count as 10, and an Ace counts as 11 or 1, whichever is better for the hand.
A hand, step by step
- You bet. You put 10 chips in your betting circle.
- Cards are dealt. You are dealt an 8 and a 5, for a total of 13. The dealer shows a 6 and has one card face down.
- Your turn. You can hit (take a card), stand (stay on 13), or sometimes double or split. You choose to hit and draw a 7. That makes 20.
- You stand. 20 is a strong hand, so you stand. Your turn is over.
- The dealer plays. The dealer turns over the hidden card, a 10, making 16. The dealer has no choices here and must keep drawing until reaching 17 or more. They draw a 4 for exactly 20.
- The result. You both have 20. That is a push: nobody wins and your 10 chips are returned.
If the dealer had ended on 19 instead, you would have won and been paid 10 chips for your 10 chip bet. If the dealer had drawn a 6 and gone over 21, the dealer would have busted and you would win.
What if I go over 21?
That is a bust and you lose your bet immediately, even if the dealer would have busted too. This is why the order of play matters: you always act before the dealer.
What is a blackjack?
An Ace plus a ten-value card (10, Jack, Queen or King) as your first two cards is a blackjack, the best hand in the game. It pays 3 to 2, so a 10 bet wins 15, unless the dealer also has blackjack, in which case it is a push.
The four choices you will meet
- Hit: take one more card.
- Stand: stop and keep your total.
- Double down: double your bet, take exactly one more card, then stand.
- Split: if your two cards match in value, split them into two separate hands, each with its own bet.
At Soft 17 buttons that are not available are greyed out, with a short note saying why. A longer list of terms is in the blackjack glossary.
Playing with other people
At a table with other players you are not competing against them. Everyone plays their own hand against the dealer, so you can cheer each other on. To set up a game for your friends, see how to play blackjack with friends.
Frequently asked questions
Do I play against the other players?
No. Every player plays only against the dealer, so other players at the table do not affect whether you win.
What happens if the dealer and I have the same total?
That is a push. Nobody wins, and your bet is returned.
When does the dealer have to draw a card?
The dealer draws on any total of 16 or less and stands on 17 or more. At Soft 17 the dealer also stands on a soft 17.
Is it hard to learn?
The rules take a few minutes to learn. Playing a few practice hands with play-money chips is the quickest way to get comfortable.
Play free blackjack with friends