A common rule for casino tables is that the dealer must hit on a Soft 17 (meaning a hand with a value of 17, containing an Ace valued 11) - if they were operating under rules as suggested in the question, that would make the Ace the worst draw for a dealer (and therefore the casino), as a 17 containing an Ace would mean only a 2, 3 or 4 would not make them bust. In these cases, it really helps to know why you have such a tough time beating blackjack. Below, I’ll discuss 5 reasons why the dealer keeps kicking your butt along with how you can change things around. 1 – The Dealer Acts Second. Some gamblers have adopted an extreme strategy that involves mimicking the dealer. You have to hit 8 or less and stand 12+. Dealer's Card is a 3. There is a very strong possibility that the dealer can still get busted. On the other hand, there's a slight advantage to take a hit when you have a 12 even if a bust will occur in 4 out of 13. It's still wise to double down when you get a 9, 10, or 11. So you should hit 8 or less. Blackjack Tips #1: When To Hit Use the following rules to determine when to Hit, according to your hand and the dealer's face up card.If the dealer's face up card is 7, 8, 9, 10 or Ace, and your hand totals 8 or 12 through 16, Hit.If the dealer's face up card is Ace, and your hand totals 11, do not Double, Hit.

I like to assume that anyone reading one of my posts is starting at zero. I’m not doing exactly that here, because I’m not explaining in detail all the rules of casino blackjack.

But I do want to draw the distinction between hard hands and soft hands.

Blackjack is a simple comparing game where the player and dealer each start with a two-card hand. The one with the higher total points for their hand wins the bet, but only if they keep theirtotal to 21 or below. A total of 22 or higher is an automatic loss.

The cards have points based on their rank. The numbered cards have the same number of points as their numbers: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10. The face cards (jack, queen, and king) are alsoworth 10 points each.

The only exception is the ace. No one would blame you for thinking that an ace is worth 1 point. It is, in fact, in many situations, worth a single point.

Blackjack Guide Chart

But it’s also worth 11 points.

When Do Dealers Have To Hit In Blackjack Machines

When you have a hand with no aces in it, you have a hard total. This means that the total is what the total is.

For example, if you have a jack and a 3, you have a hard total of 13. There’s no wiggle room there. That’s the total.

But if you have an ace and a 3, you have a soft total. That’s because the ace counts as 11, but if you get a card that would otherwise give you a total of 22, you can count it as a 1 instead.

Hit Or Stand Blackjack Practice

With an ace and a 3, you have a soft 14. If you hit that hand and get a 10, you have a hard 14. (Any hand where the ace must be considered 1 point to avoid busting is also considered a hardhand.)

The strategy for a player with a soft hand as opposed to a hard hand is significantly different. Since you have that added layer of protection from busting, the right move is often to play a softtotal more aggressively.

When Do Dealers Have To Hit In Blackjack For Real

But when we talk about a soft 17 “rule” in blackjack, we’re talking about how the dealer plays his hand.