Bonus. If the dealer shows 9, 10, or an ace, hit. The 18 could be “hard,” meaning the hand either doesn’t contain an ace, or if. Soft 17-18 when the dealer has 3-6. Keep in mind that your risk of busting if hitting is higher than if you have a 14-hand total. If you get an ace and a 7, then you’ll have yourself a Soft 18. This will be stated somewhere in the table rules. Always double a soft 16 vs. Soft 18 is classified that way because it differs from other blackjack strategies of playing. 100359. 2 percent. 93%. Blackjack is a fairly uncomplicated but very compelling card game to play, and its popularity isn’t all that surprising. With regards to hard hands, you should always stand on a hard 17 and any higher number, stand on hard 13 to 16 if the dealer has a card between two to six and stand on hard 12 when. Just like the player, the dealer now treats it as a. This article covers the use of a blackjack basic strategy and how to easily memorize it. " Thanks. Stand on hard 12 vs dealer 4-6. BetWinner Casino. When I use CVCX and select the strategy ( Wong, Basic High-Low, Full Indexes, DAS, Multi-deck, H17 ); the tables show soft 19 vs 6 has an index of +1. Soft 18 - ace plus seven - is one of blackjack's most frequently misplayed hands. When facing down a dealer’s 2 or 7 standing is a decent play to make. You should double on soft 18 when playing against an H17 dealer with small upcards 2 through 6. Las Vegas Blackjack Table Minimums. 167% (pushing against dealer's 18 (11. This group is the most common. A hand that contains an Ace is called a "soft" hand if the Ace can be counted as 1 or 11 without the total going over 21. by Henry Tamburin. Double down when the dealer has a 3, 4, 5, or 6. For example, 10-8 is a hard 18; 5-A-10-2 is a hard 18. Make a bet from $1 to all-in. Soft 18 in blackjack (A-7) is a commonly misplayed hand. Keep in mind that your risk of busting if hitting is higher than if you have a 14-hand total. For example, A-6 and A-3-3 are both a soft 17. For example, when a player is dealt an Ace and 5 the hand can be played as a 6 or 16. A hard 12 can be made up of 7-5, 8-4, 9-3, or 10-2. The player has a soft 18 with A7 against the dealer's 2, 7 and 8 The player has a soft 19 with A8 unless they are doubling down against a 6 in a table where the dealer has to hit a soft 17 In another scenario, when the dealer has a card between 7 and Ace, the player should stop hitting only when they have a 17 or higher. One thing to consider is whether your blackjack hand are soft or hard. Whether or not to hit, double down, or stand with a hard thirteen for your hand total. Blackjack Chart for When the Dealer Hits on Soft 17 (4. If they hit soft 17, you should surrender 15, 16 and 17 regardless of the number of. Dealer Hits on Soft 17 House Edge. Lastly, as indicated on the basic blackjack strategy chart, if you are unable to double down due to the blackjack variation you are playing, you should hit except for 4 scenarios where its highly recommended to rather stand. Soft 18. It's always better to play two potentially good hands with no chance of busting than it is to play one tough hand that isn't. Hitting and Standing. If you use the double down bet, you have the option to use the ace as a one or an 11, and you could then. If you are a basic strategy player, the house edge increases by 20% when the dealer hits on a soft 17. However, by doing so, you now have the chance to increase the value of your bet by up to 100%. Never take insurance or "even money. 9 to 11 is a double or a hit. The basic strategy we list for you below is based on the different moves you can make. If they do no bust, then the players' hands that are higher than the dealer wins and the ones who are lower loses. Nevertheless, learning to play properly can be a little arduous at times because of the complexities of adopting a stratagem. A soft hand is any hand that counts an ace as 11 rather than 1. Aces however, can only be split once. There are some totals that players would stand on if it were a hard hand, but should hit if it is a soft hand. Blackjack Strategy: How to play a Soft 18 at Blackjack - 888casino. Unlike a hard 17 where the best strategy is usually to stand, a soft 17 offers the player a chance to improve their. ace-6 = soft 17. Blackjack Soft Hand 18 Blackjack Soft Hand 19 or 20. That's why so many casinos changed their rules from S17 (casino stands on soft 17) to H17. 1. ). If your case is neither, choosing to hit would be the smartest choice. Here are a few examples of hard 13 hands: 7-6, 8-5, 9-4, 10-3, 10-2-A, and 9-3-A. 12 is a hit against anything but 4, 5, or 6 where it is a stand. The player takes a hit and receives an ace for a soft 18. In most casinos, the dealer is required to stand on soft 17 (and any hand with an ace totalling 17 or more). Basic strategy for blackjack says hit soft 18 - ace-seven - against dealer upcards of nine, 10, and ace. The reason behind this is that your chances of getting a high-value card in Blackjack are pretty good. Soft Hands. 8 – 7 = Hard 15. The reason for it is that any other card in the deck will either be equal to or less than 21 and there is no chance for players to go over this total. dealer's 2-8 (except when doubling vs. There are several ways to get an 18 when you play blackjack. Thus, with an ace and a six (7 or 17), the player would not stop at 17, but would hit. Angela: Well Mike, what are the best Blackjack rules I can realistically expect to find in Las Vegas. 36%. 9 cents. If you have a soft 18 then stand and hope for a push. Multi-Deck Blackjack Strategy Tips. However, for you perfectionists out there, here are the modifications to make if the dealer hits a soft 17. Our Blackjack Basic Strategy charts are the secret to playing perfect blackjack ️ Learn how they work and when to hit, stand, double and split. If this happens, it might mean that you are not yet ready, but that is not necessarily true in 100% of cases when players make a mistake. A three card 18 is of course not worse, it just carries risk in drawing that card. Double Down: When the dealer upcard is 4, 5 or 6. Try doubling down on hard nine, ten, or 11. however, to stand at a-7 against a dealer's 9, 10 or a is a. 4%. Joined: Jul 26, 2010. They get caught up in the 18 part and forget about the Ace. This is not a strong enough hand to stand on because if we do, the dealer ends up outdrawing us by arriving at their standing total of 17 or above. What I like to tell people is to try to find what I call the liberal strip rules that consists of a six deck shoe game. If your hand contains an Ace, you can choose between a hard and a soft hand. Doubling down now would only increase your risk of going bust. This Blackjack side bet comes with a house edge of 10. Looking for hit or stand charts for a specific game? Use the links below to select your chart. Rules differ slightly depending on whether or not the dealer stands on soft 17 (standard for the Vegas Strip Blackjack), soft 18, or hard 16. Make a bet from $1 to all-in. Another way to look at it is that you are guaranteed not to bust if you hit on your soft hand because the ace can always. As the basic strategy charts tell you, you. tl;dr 18 v 10 is -EV, but hitting and trying to improve your hand is less -EV. Here are the full rules of the game. 39%: Blackjacks pay 1 to 1-2. The dealer needs to stay if he has a soft 18 or a soft 19 in his possession. . Payment Grade. Split aces get one card only. On top of the blackjack strategy charts above, here are a few additional rules to remember: Surrender if you have a 16 and the dealer is showing a 10. However, this does not mean the house wins 57. When on any soft 19 and above. Double 11 vs. A soft 17 not only affects the dealer, but it also effects the player. As for shoe-dealt blackjack where the dealer hits soft 17, the instances that call for surrender include a player 15 against the dealer’s 10 and ace, a hard 16 against 9, 10, and ace, hard 17 against an ace, and 8-8 versus an ace. Save. rebm1t • 3 yr. Always stand on soft 20. A-7 is a soft 18 in blackjack and players feel that it is a strong hand that is not to be messed with and hence, they prefer to stand. Hard and soft totals can be the same, but with a soft blackjack hand, you have some more options. Atlantic City Blackjack. The 18 could be “hard,” meaning the hand either doesn’t contain an ace, or if it does, the ace is counted as one. (two aces). The hand is soft because it can't bust on the next card. The easy way to memorize them is by learning them as actions or use a blackjack strategy chart. Blackjack Training Simulator Practice Optimal Strategy. The strategy for soft 18, on the other hand, is a bit complicated because three probable actions can be taken. The table can say “dealer stands on soft 17” or “dealer hits on soft 17”. For example, an ace and 7, therefore being a hand that can be. Why can't he count the Ace as 1 and continue drawing? Isn't this how the Ace works the best in this case? Quoting from Wikipedia: "A player and the dealer can count an ace as 1 point or 11 points. This is known as a soft 17. Standing on Soft 18 when Dealer shows 9. They put players in significant trouble, even more so when they are up against a. Soft 17 or less: Always hit. A hand totaling 18 or 19 is much stronger than having a 16. The correct basic strategy will get you down to. So when we are talking about whether a 17 is hard or soft, the Ace is integral to the hand. But a soft 18 against a dealer 9 should be hit. Soft 13 - 14 - Soft 15 - 16 - Soft 17 - Soft 18 - Soft 19 to 21 Splitting pairs: Aces - 2's - 3's - 4's - 5's - 6's - 7's - 8's - 9's - 10's. Just choose your favorite free blackjack variant and wait for. 10 – 6 = Hard 16. 07% Player isn’t allowed to hit split aces +0. It does not matter how many cards there are in the hand, as long as there is an Ace. In the simplest of terms, a hard blackjack hand is any two-card total which does not include an ace. According to the Wizard. If he or she is holding a 4, 5 or 6 upcard, there is likelihood that a ten will be hit and then another ten because of the higher density of ten cards being played in. Hard and soft hands in blackjack are all determined by one card: the Ace. Dealer hits soft 17: If, instead of standing on all 17s, the dealer hits hands including an ace or aces that can be totaled as either 7 or 17, the house edge is increased by 0. BASIC STRATEGY Maximizing advantages was popularized by RogerBLACKJACK RULES: HARD VS SOFT HAND. The stand vs. The house will win when players bust, regardless of the final dealer hand. A ‘soft hand’ in Blackjack refers to any hand containing an Ace, which can be valued as 11 points. When To Split Pairs. I have all my indices worked using risk averse indices, I'm more worried about keeping my already high ROR as low as possible than I am of increased win rate, but of course sometimes this means taking risks where greater chance of profits lay. pp. . 8. The strategy changes a tiny notch in games where the house rules require the dealer to hit. Push -. ) These days you almost have to play in games where the dealer hits soft 17, as most casinos have adopted this policy. As with any blackjack game, soft aces change how you play many hands. On the other hand, a “hard” hand consists of cards that don’t have an Ace, or the Ace counts as 1 point only. If you hit a soft 18 and the dealer has a 9, 10 or Ace and must stand on a soft 17, your win percentage is 43-45. Win - the player wins as much as he bet. With the expectation of a 10, it is. 9,9 – always split unless the dealer’s upcard is 7, 10, or A, in which case you should stand. As the other reply noted, he's talking about soft 18, not hard 18. Because aces are worth either 1 or 11, even if you draw a high-value card like a 10, it will. The dealer waits until the players have exercised all their options, then the dealer reveals their hidden card and hits until they have at least 17 (most common). These are the two key elements in the soft blackjack hand – the presence of the ace and its attached value. Atlantic City Blackjack has a number of player-friendly rules that keep the house edge at a quite low 0. Lincoln Casino is an established casino in the American market, having an official gambling license and paying attention to table games in addition to slots. Soft 18 is a complex hand for people to grasp. Strategies Odds Soft and Hard Hands in Blackjack In the simplest of terms, soft hands consist of two cards, one of which is an Ace, while hard hands do not include an Ace. Basic strategy advises players to stand whenever the dealer’s upcard is a 2, a 7 or an 8. 7%. " House Edge. Double soft 19 against dealer’s 6. Your chose to hit and get a 10 – this takes your hand from a soft 16 to a hard 16 (1+5+10+16) You hit again -because the chart tells you to hit on a hard 16 if the dealer’s card is a 10. Other examples of soft 19 include 2-6-A, 5-3-A, and A-7-A. The optimal plays for soft 18 in double-deck and multiple-deck S17 blackjack largely coincide. ChesterDog. Play #2. Playing a total hand of 18 doesn’t always count as a soft 18. Doubling down on low cards is a must, in this position, as you will get double the reward whenever your hand is best. lol "Live On Line" Blackjack. Always stand on hard 17 and up. When the dealer hits on a soft 17 in Blackjack a lot of things will change. Soft 19 is a hand that totals either 9 or 19 since the Ace it contains can be assigned a value of 1 or 11 depending on which of the two values the player chooses. REVIEW. But many Blackjack beginners would think about what it has to do with soft and hard hands in the game. Stand, lose 52. Hard and soft totals can be the same, but with a soft blackjack hand, you have some more options. a 6 (lose 38. In exchange for this, the dealer stands on 16 and pushes a player’s 17, 18, 19, and 20. Hitting that soft 18 vs. 58%: Non. There are additional rules that may affect how some strategies work in. According to some sources, the odds of achieving a soft 18 are about 1 in 500. SOFT 18 VS. It's enough to make the hitting EV for soft eighteen -14. Together, they combine into a powerful basic double deck blackjack strategy which will significantly lower the house edge and increase your winning chances. The blackjack strategy chart effectively lowers the house advantage up to 0. Aces may be counted as 1 or 11 points, 2 to 9 according to pip value, and tens and face cards count as ten points. A 10-8 and a 7-A-10 hand are both hard 18s. You draw a deuce for 17 (which, as we explained in the article on soft and hard hands, is still not good enough of a total). If your third card is a nine, the ace in your hand will count as one so the total of your 3-card hand would be 18. Hit on hard 13 if the dealer does not have 2-6. 22–23, 51–56. 100502 and for hitting is -0. Always hit a hard 8 or less. Release date 07. The basic strategy suggests standing on a soft 18 against a dealer’s 2 or 7 but hitting against a 9, 10, or Ace. Just. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features NFL Sunday Ticket Press Copyright. So, there are more chances for the dealer to be able to hit and achieve a better ranking hand. Please note that the hands shown on the pictures below stand for the examples of hands you can get. . ” A soft hand contains an ace and a hard hand does not. If the dealer has a deuce, double down soft 18; Soft 19 should be doubled down against a dealer 6; Use them together with the tips in the upper list. then this is another good chance to use the double down Blackjack bet. Splitting eights limits one's losses and improves one's hand. 7,7 – split if the dealer’s upcard is 2 – 7, hit otherwise. Soft hands offer a relaxed gameplay that favors you. The dealer must stand on all 17. 18%: Dealer hits on soft 17-0. The basic playing strategy for doubling down in blackjack. 2. Dealer's standing on soft 18, meaning dealer hits all soft 17s (H17), gives the biggest edge (0. That’s because there is a third possible result - a push. Blackjack pays 6-5: Common on single-deck games on the Las Vegas Strip, this game is a bankroll breaker for players. Dealer Hits Soft 17 Generally, the dealer in blackjack must hit if he has a total of 16 or less, and stand if he has 17 or more. Players should stay on their hard 18 if the dealer is stronger with upcards 7, 10 (10, K, Q, J), and Ace; These moves are considered optimal for this pair when one plays single-deck blackjack variations where the dealers must stand on soft totals of 17. Player may double on any two (2) card total. Casinoly Casino. With the Soft 17 rule, dealers must hit when they have a Soft 17, any. You have a soft 16, 17, 18 and the dealer has bust cards. In casinos, the dealers are put at a slight disadvantage as they are forced to play by fixed rules and are required to always draw to and then stand on certain hand values (all 17s, soft 17, soft 18 and so on). I have seen a good number of blackjack players who, while they can handle their hard hands, do not seem to know what to do with soft hands. 1. The chart obviously says hit your soft 18 vs. a 6 (lose 38. The Basic Strategy Has An. The basic playing strategy for, say, ace. Let’s look at soft-hand basic blackjack strategy in a six-deck game in which the dealer hits soft 17. Remember, these tips apply to the tables above, which means a 6-deck blackjack game where the dealer hits on soft 17. You receive an Ace for a 16 (one of the worst totals a player might end up with). If the dealer hits on a soft 17, the correct action is to Surrender, or Hit when your blackjack hand value is 16. Stand on soft 18 or more; Stand on hard 17 or more; If rules 1-5 do not apply then hit; Never take insurance; If played on a game with six decks and the dealer stands on a soft 17 the house edge using this strategy is 0. It is the most popular table game in the United States, and is easily found in casinos throughout the world. A soft 18 is the only soft hand that you might consider tricky. In the soft blackjack hand, the ace has a value of 11. The reason why players should hit in such cases is that the dealer has the so-called standing hand. Surrender 15, 8’s, and 17 vs. However the actual probability is much less, because as the player gets each blackjack the ratio of aces to cards left in the deck decreases. Double down on soft 18 (ace, 7) against dealer's 2 up card (instead of standing) Sometimes new casinos come under a lot of heat from blackjack players when they implement the soft 17 rule at their blackjack tables. Dealer stands on soft 17. Speaking of the strategy for playing soft hands, players should ideally hit on soft 13, 14, 15, and 16 unless the dealer's upcard is a 4, 5, or 6 and in such instances, doubling down is the way forward. One rule variant is that the dealer may hit a. iRage89 13 years ago #1. You can double after split, but I think it's only one card for a. such as a soft 17, 18, or 19. If you want to lower that edge, then your best bet are the different blackjack charts. An 18 is an 18 and should be played the same way regardless of the. Blackjack Strategy Additional Rules. This family also includes European games suchGet to know the game of Double Deck Blackjack, learning more about the rules, including doubling, splitting and more. 22%. 18% 3. Based on these rules, the player's expected value is -0. 9 – 4 = Hard 13. Multi-card soft 18s should also be hit against 9 thru Ace. ♣️ Soft 18: If you hold an Ace and 7, you will have a soft 18 hand. If the dealer has 6 or less, we double down. The preferred option is to double down. While this is a risky move. The most heeded blackjack advice tells players never to hit on a Hard 17. This gives you a good chance of getting a high total (19 to 21) with one more card, while the dealer is likely to bust or end up with a low total. Spanish 21 is based on blackjack, but the rules are so different that it’s often considered a separate game. Joined: Jul 26, 2010. The biggest swing though is standing on soft 17 vs. A pair of aces gives the blackjack player a starting hand value of either a 2 or a soft 12 which is a problematic starting hand in either case. This has got to be the misplayed hand in Vegas at the blackjack tables (even more than 12 vs. If you can't, stand. ♠️ Soft 19-20: Soft 19 and soft 20 hands consist of an Ace and 8, and an Ace and 9, respectively. Soft-hand blackjack strategies Standing on soft 18 will lose the player money in the long run when the dealer shows 9, 10, or ace. Yes, there's a good chance you could end up eventually busting, but the math behind the play doesn't lie. For example, a two-card 21 pays only $6. 8 – 7 = Hard 15. Playing 18 in blackjack. -0. Otherwise, you stand;Zappit — This one includes the ability to “zap” or swap an initial hand if it is for a total of 15 to 18. It can be a mental hurdle for a player to. Instead of splitting, the strategy recommends hitting your soft 12 against an Ace and splitting against dealer upcards deuce through 10. If you bet $10, you win $10 from the dealer (plus you keep your original bet, of course. Hit when the dealer is showing a 9,10, or 11 (Ace). Double soft 15 or 16 vs dealer 4-6. There is much debate about whether or not Vegas blackjack hits on soft 17. Correct basic strategy decisions for a blackjack hand with a soft 17 for the total. OK, you have your soft 18 and the dealer is showing a power card and the chart says hit! The same goes for some soft doubling decisions, particularly the soft 18 (A-7) and soft 19 (A-8). The chart below displays a strategy for blackjack where the dealer stands on Soft 17. This is because you have a fantastic chance to hit 21, and even if you don’t, you’re likely to get a score close to that magic number. Hi all, I'm interested in anyone's opinion on playing soft 18 vs. If you draw another deuce on your soft 16, you will end up holding soft 18. When I change that to S17 the tables still show +1. Appendix 4 :Details on the standard deviation in blackjack. Hi all, I'm interested in anyone's opinion on playing soft 18 vs. 8% of the time you make your soft 18 no worse when you hit. Appendix 3c :Composition dependent exceptions to single deck basic strategy where the dealer hits a soft 17. 19, 18, and 17 are all considered great blackjack hands, with good winning odds for standing. You receive a 3 for 18. Almateable • 22 days ago. More and more tables are showing up that pay less than the full 3 to 2 on a blackjack. There is no such thing as a soft 21 because this hand is deemed to be blackjack. Double Soft 17 or 18 if the dealer holds 3-6 Split Split aces and 8s Don’t split 5s and 10s Split 2s and 3s versus 4 and 7, and against 2 or 3 only if double after. Double soft 17 or 18 against the dealer’s 3 or 6 Surrender Surrender a hard 16 but never a pair of 8s against the dealer’s 9, 10, or Ace. When you hit, you also lose more than you win but you don't lose quite as much as when you stand. If you have a soft total, it’s advised that you stand on a soft 19 and 20, stand on a soft 18 unless the dealer has a nine, 10 or ace and hit a soft 17 or less. Notice how "Dh" represents "Double if possible, otherwise hit" while "Ds" represents "Double if possible, otherwise stand. Surrender 15, pair-eights and 17 against the dealer’s ace. ConclusionSoft 13 or 14. In blackjack, ‘soft’ hands are the ones containing an Ace, which means the total can be counted twofold. If you drew an ace + 5, 6, or 7, you’ll get to a soft total of 16, 17, or 18. Last edited: Dec 2, 2010. 5% over time and gets more consistent wins. Cora Blood. Dealer peeks at hole card for blackjack. Much harder for casinos to detect this. dealer 2. When on a soft 18 vs. Why to stand on soft 18. The terms ‘hard’ and ‘soft’ in blackjack refer to whether or not a hand features a flexible Ace. And split your pair of 9s against everything except a 7, 10 or Ace. It just depends on what the player prefers. Following are the particulars and adjustments to conventional blackjack. The number of expected rounds to reach a quit point was 481 and finally, the expected win per day for Johnson was an impressive $125,000, on average. a 6 and the worst move you can do is double a soft 17 vs. Player may double after a splitTo recap and digest all this, 18 is no great hand in blackjack. Whether to hit or stand on a soft fifteen or sixteen, or double down. Take your non-ace card (lets say its A6, so 6) then sum that number with dealer upcard (lets say 3), if it equals 9 or more. Based on those figures, the best move you can do is double a soft 17 vs. If you are dealt a soft 13 or 14 hand, and the dealer’s up card is a 5 or 6, you should always double down. Finally, always double down on a soft 18 if the dealer has a 2. 5%. For instance, an A-7 hand is a soft 18. dealer's 2 or 3 upcard. Dealer hits at a soft 17 instead of standing +0. The Optimal Plays for Soft 19 under the H17 and the S17 Rules. When dealers hit soft 17, their prospects of busting are 13. Blackjack is the strongest hand one can possibly obtain and as such, usually pays 3 to 2. When you have soft 18 any A,2,3,T,J,Q,orK on the next card will make your hand no worse. TIL when using "perfect strategy" in blackjack, the casino only has a 2% edge over the player in the long run. As we know, we can only see one card the dealer has, while the other one is facing. If the total exceeds 21, the ace will be valued at one to prevent the hand from busting. The cards from 2 through 9 are valued at their face value. This is particularly true when the dealer has a weaker upcard and you have a relatively strong hand, such as a soft 18 or higher. But it is necessary if you want to be a pro at this game. Soft 13s and 14s should be doubled down against 5s and 6sAlways stand on soft 19 or 20 ; Stand when you have soft 18 against the dealer’s 2–8 ; If the dealer shows 9–ace, you should hit on a soft 17 or less; Blackjack Hit or Stand Charts. Soft 19, in particular, is often misplayed by less knowledgeable players. Stand with soft 18 or more, except hit soft 18 when the dealer is showing 9, 10 or Ace. What is a soft hand and a hard hand in Blackjack? In Blackjack, all starting hands can be split into hard and soft hands. a dealers 8 up card (Standing) So I asked Don Schlesinger, author of Blackjack Attack, if there were any known play where the best play on the initial hand is different from the best play to maximize the expected value of the overall game of blackjack. The heart of the matter is, there are 3 cards to improve the hand and 6 cards to diminish it, why do the odds say hit or double down. Blackjack tips and strategies straight from the professional blackjack players. Essentially, a “soft” hand includes an Ace that counts as 11 points, combined with one or more other cards. Cardcounter said: Here is the rule for soft 18 [ . So, you’ll improve your hand almost 33 out. 16 - Soft 17 - Soft 18 - Soft 19 to 21 Splitting pairs: Aces - 2's - 3's - 4's - 5's - 6's - 7's - 8's - 9's - 10's. To use this guide first go to the list according to the number of cards in your hand. Use our blackjack calculator tool to check your answer. These are to double as opposed to hit on both soft 18 versus two-up and soft 19 versus six-up. So, the combinations of 10+7 or 7+9+A. The number of decks in play also matters, regardless of if the dealer hits on soft 17. B. As stated in the introduction, the Instant 18 hand is worth exactly 18 points. No surrender. You take a third card an Ace. 45%: Blackjack pays 6-5-1. DEALER'S 2 UPCARD. Always hit soft 17 or less. Hard hands are more likely to bust than blackjack soft hands, so you should only hit if your hand totals 11 or less. They should stand on the three-card soft 18. A hand of Free Bet Blackjack starts with making a wager. Changing from soft to hard 18 is not in the equation. As stated earlier, the house edge in blackjack increases by about two-tenths when the dealer hits on soft 17, which is more significant than you think. Dank Memer's implementation of blackjack is simply the dealer stands on soft 17 ruleset, which the chart represents. Players should only surrender when: They are dealt 14 and the dealer holds a 10; The dealer holds an Ace and they have a pair of 7s, 9-6 or 10-5;. Do dealers hit on a soft 17? A dealer who hits soft 17 cans can’t win against a dealer who stands on soft 17 cans. That is why I harp on it so much. For dealer probabilities before the dealer checks for blackjack please see Dealer Odds in Blackjack under European Rules .