Blackjack Strategy: Dealer Stands on Soft 17
As with the strategy used when the dealer is obliged to ‘hit' on a soft 17, this strategy assumes multiple decks are in play which is the common circumstance at the UK online casinos we recommend on this site.
The differences of this strategy to that used when the dealer must ‘hit' a soft 17 are subtle – we've flagged the variations with asterisks to make them more obvious – but are well worth knowing if you are dedicated to playing the most effective way whether at a real-world or online Blackjack table.
The strategy is to play as follows:
KEY
| HT | = Hit |
| ST | = Stand |
| DB/H | = Double if game allows, otherwise Hit |
| DB/S | = Double if game allows, otherwise Stand |
| SP | = Split |
| SP/H | = Split if game allows doubling after, otherwise Hit. |
PLAYER HOLDS PAIR
| Dealer’s Face Up Card | ||||||||||
| Player's Hand |
2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | A |
| A-A | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP |
| 10-10 | ST | ST | ST | ST | ST | ST | ST | ST | ST | ST |
| 9-9 | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP | ST | SP | SP | ST | ST |
| 8-8 | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP |
| 7-7 | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP | SP | HT | HT | HT | HT |
| 6-6 | SP/H | SP | SP | SP | SP | HT | HT | HT | HT | HT |
| 5-5 | DB/H | DB/H | DB/H | DB/H | DB/H | DB/H | DB/H | DB/H | HT | HT |
| 4-4 | HT | HT | HT | SP/H | SP/H | HT | HT | HT | HT | HT |
| 3-3 | SP/H | SP/H | SP | SP | SP | SP | HT | HT | HT | HT |
| 2-2 | SP/H | SP/H | SP | SP | SP | SP | HT | HT | HT | HT |
PLAYER HOLDS SOFT TOTAL
| Dealer’s Face Up Card | ||||||||||
| Player’s Hand | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | A |
| A-9 | ST | ST | ST | ST | ST | ST | ST | ST | ST | ST |
| A-8 | ST | ST | ST | ST | ST | ST | ST | ST | ST | ST |
| A-7 | ST | DB / S | DB / S | DB / S | DB / S | ST | ST | HT | HT | HT |
| A-6 | HT | DB / H | DB / H | DB / H | DB / H | HT | HT | HT | HT | HT |
| A-5 | HT | HT | DB / H | DB / H | DB / H | HT | HT | HT | HT | HT |
| A-4 | HT | HT | DB / H | DB / H | DB / H | HT | HT | HT | HT | HT |
| A-3 | HT | HT | HT | DB / H | DB / H | HT | HT | HT | HT | HT |
| A-2 | HT | HT | HT | DB / H | DB / H | HT | HT | HT | HT | HT |
PLAYER HOLDS HARD TOTAL
| Dealer’s Face Up Card | ||||||||||
| Player’s Hand | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | A |
| 17-20 | ST | ST | ST | ST | ST | ST | ST | ST | ST | ST |
| 16 | ST | ST | ST | ST | ST | HT | HT | HT | HT | HT |
| 15 | ST | ST | ST | ST | ST | HT | HT | HT | HT | HT |
| 14 | ST | ST | ST | ST | ST | HT | HT | HT | HT | HT |
| 13 | ST | ST | ST | ST | ST | HT | HT | HT | HT | HT |
| 12 | HT | HT | ST | ST | ST | HT | HT | HT | HT | HT |
| 11 | DB / H | DB / H | DB / H | DB / H | DB / H | DB / H | DB / H | DB / H | DB / H | DB / H |
| 10 | DB / H | DB / H | DB / H | DB / H | DB / H | DB / H | DB / H | DB / H | HT | HT |
| 9 | HT | DB / H | DB / H | DB / H | DB / H | HT | HT | HT | HT | HT |
| 8 | HT | HT | HT | HT | HT | HT | HT | HT | HT | HT |
Implementing this strategy at a land-based casino requires some effort by the player to learn it, so playing Blackjack in an online casino can be especially attractive since you can simply have it to hand (or onscreen) while you play. Another advantage of playing online regularly is that you will probably find, after a time, the strategy will become second nature to you, making it an easier task to use it from memory if you have an opportunity to play the game at a real-world casino.
