Soft 17Soft 17 in Blackjack: Does the Dealer Stand or Hit?
A soft 17 is a hand worth 17 that contains an Ace counted as 11, such as Ace and 6. The rule for what the dealer does with it is one of the most important differences between blackjack tables, and it is the reason this game is called Soft 17.
What makes a hand "soft"?
An Ace can count as 1 or 11. A hand where the Ace is currently counted as 11 without going over 21 is a soft hand. Ace and 6 is a soft 17, and so are Ace, 2 and 4, or Ace, 3 and 3. The Ace stays flexible: take another card and you cannot bust, because the Ace simply drops to 1. A hand with no Ace, or where every Ace has to count as 1, is a hard hand.
Two rules: S17 and H17
- S17 (dealer stands on soft 17). The dealer stops on every 17, hard or soft.
- H17 (dealer hits soft 17). The dealer must draw another card on a soft 17 and stops only on hard 17 or higher.
Both rules are common. Casinos and online tables print the rule on the felt, usually as "Dealer must stand on all 17s" or "Dealer must hit soft 17".
Why the rule matters
When the dealer has to hit a soft 17, they get a chance to improve a hand that could not bust. Often that turns a 17 into an 18, 19, 20 or 21. Because the dealer improves more often, hitting soft 17 is better for the casino and worse for players. In typical multi-deck games, H17 adds roughly 0.2 percentage points to the house edge compared with S17. That is small on any one hand, but it adds up over a long session.
The rule at Soft 17
At Soft 17 the dealer stands on all 17s, including soft 17. That is the slightly player-friendlier version. The other rules are the usual ones for a six-deck game: blackjack pays 3 to 2, you can double on any two cards, split pairs, and take insurance. See the full list in how to play blackjack, or compare all the common variations in blackjack rules compared.
How to tell which rule a table uses
- Look at the felt, where the rule is normally printed.
- Check the game's rules or help page for online tables.
- If it is not stated, treat it as a warning sign and ask before you play.
The soft 17 rule is usually listed together with other table rules such as the number of decks and the blackjack payout.
Frequently asked questions
What is a soft 17 in blackjack?
A soft 17 is a hand totalling 17 that includes an Ace counted as 11, for example Ace and 6. Because the Ace can drop to 1, taking another card cannot bust the hand.
Does the dealer hit on soft 17?
It depends on the table. Some tables require the dealer to hit soft 17 (H17) and others require the dealer to stand on all 17s (S17). At Soft 17 the dealer stands on all 17s.
Is S17 or H17 better for the player?
S17 is better for the player. A dealer who must hit soft 17 improves their hand more often, which adds roughly 0.2 percentage points to the house edge in typical multi-deck games.
What is a hard 17?
A hard 17 is a hand worth 17 with no Ace, or where every Ace has to count as 1 to avoid going over 21. Every dealer stands on a hard 17.
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