Strategy Chart: Dealer Hits Soft 17

This is basic strategy for shoe games where the dealer hits soft 17. Check the table felt or ask the dealer: the rule is usually printed as "Dealer must hit soft 17" or "Dealer stands on all 17s".

Rules this chart is for

Decks
4 to 8
Soft 17
Dealer hits (H17)
Double down
Any first two cards
Double after split
Allowed
Surrender
Late surrender, where offered
Dealer peeks for blackjack
Yes
Open the calculator with these rules

The chart

Find your hand on the left and the dealer's upcard along the top. If you hold a pair, use the pairs table first. If you hold an ace that counts as 11, use soft totals. Everything else is a hard total.

Hard totals
Your total2345678910A
5-8HHHHHHHHHH
9HDDDDHHHHH
10DDDDDDDDHH
11DDDDDDDDDD
12HHSSSHHHHH
13SSSSSHHHHH
14SSSSSHHHHH
15SSSSSHHHRhRh
16SSSSSHHRhRhRh
17SSSSSSSSSRs
18-21SSSSSSSSSS
Soft totals
Your hand2345678910A
A,2HHHDDHHHHH
A,3HHHDDHHHHH
A,4HHDDDHHHHH
A,5HHDDDHHHHH
A,6HDDDDHHHHH
A,7DsDsDsDsDsSSHHH
A,8SSSSDsSSSSS
A,9SSSSSSSSSS
Pairs
Your pair2345678910A
A,APPPPPPPPPP
10,10SSSSSSSSSS
9,9PPPPPSPPSS
8,8PPPPPPPPPRp
7,7PPPPPPHHHH
6,6PPPPPHHHHH
5,5DDDDDDDDHH
4,4HHHPPHHHHH
3,3PPPPPPHHHH
2,2PPPPPPHHHH

Legend

  • HHit
  • SStand
  • DDouble if allowed, otherwise hit
  • DsDouble if allowed, otherwise stand
  • PSplit
  • RhSurrender if allowed, otherwise hit
  • RsSurrender if allowed, otherwise stand
  • RpSurrender if allowed, otherwise split

See what these plays are worth: when to split, when to double down and the dealer bust odds behind them.

What changes when the dealer hits soft 17

  • Double 11 against an ace (with S17 you hit).
  • Double soft 18 (A,7) against a 2 (with S17 you stand).
  • Double soft 19 (A,8) against a 6 (with S17 you stand).
  • Where late surrender is offered, also surrender 15 and 17 against an ace, and surrender 8,8 against an ace instead of splitting.

A dealer who hits soft 17 takes another card on hands like A,6, which can become 18 to 21 or bust. That shifts the close decisions above; every other cell is the same as on the dealer stands on soft 17 chart.

This chart is generated by the same strategy engine as the calculator on this site, which is tested cell by cell against a reference chart for these rules.

Strategy charts by table rules

Dealer Stands on Soft 174 to 8 decks, dealer stands on all 17sNo Double After SplitSplitting without doubling afterwardsEuropean No Hole CardThe dealer takes no hole card

The numbers behind the charts

When to SplitWhat splitting every pair is worth against each upcardWhen to Double DownWhat doubling hard 8 to 11 and soft hands is worthDealer Bust OddsHow often the dealer busts or finishes on 17 to 21House Edge by RulesWhat each table rule costs or saves you

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