Comments on: Hit Soft 17 – Friend or Foe?

By: donnie

donnie — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 20:22:27 +0000

if the dealer has 6 showing, no one hits with 12 thru 16 against soft 17 ( the ace down) therefore the odds dramatically change in the house favor

By: J

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 06:06:21 +0000

Interesting article…some that I have read actually said it is better if the dealer hits soft 17. Yours is one of the few that seems to have it straight. I found an interesting article written from the casinos point of view. Eye opening…instead of putting a % on it to indicate house edge…they show the extra $$$$ the casino makes when the dealer hits soft 17.

http://www.lastresortconsulting.com/e-zine/articles/hit_vs_stand_17_01_08.pdf

By: Mike Aponte

Mike Aponte — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 15:52:13 +0000

Hey Tom, a soft total is one that has an ace which can be counted as 11 without the total going over 21. An Ace – 6 is obviously a soft 17 since the ace can be counted as 11 for a total of 17. When the dealer hit her Ace – 6 and drew a 8 and then a 2, the total became a “hard” 17. With Ace – 6 – 8 – 2, the ace cannot be counted as 11 because the total would go over 21. That’s why it’s not a soft 17. It’s a hard 17 which is why the dealer stood at that point. As far as doubling down on your 8 versus the dealer’s 6, the correct play in that situation is to hit. The only time basic strategy dictates doubling down on 8 versus 6, is if you are playing single deck blackjack.

By: TOM

TOM — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 13:43:52 +0000

I RECENTLY PLAYED BJ WHERE THE DEALER HAD A / 6 FOR A SOFT 17. SHE THEN DREW AN 8 FOR 15 TOTAL. SHE THEN DREW A 2 FOR 17 TOTAL AND DID NOT HIT AGAIN. I CLAIMED SHE HAD A SOFT 17 AND SHOULD HIT. THE PIT BOSS SAID SHE COULD STAND.
CAN SHE SWITCH THE COUNT FROM 17 TO 7 DURING THE DRAW ?
I HAD DOUBLED DOWN WITH MY 8 AND HER 6 EXPOSED. I DIDN’T DRAW A 10 BUT WOULD HAVE WON IF SHE BROKE. ONCE SHE MADE HER DECISION THAT A / 6 WAS A SOFT 17 CAN SHE THEN COUNT A / 6 AS 7 AND PROCEED TO DRAW ? SHE THEN GOT A HARD 17 AFTER DRAWING TWO CARDS.

By: Mike m

Mike m — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 20:50:51 +0000

I don’t think blackjack is dying at all. Even though multiple decks and auto re-shufflers make it harder and sometimes near impossible to count, the basic game of blackjack still offers one of the best odds in Vegas (next to craps). This article was interesting though because I’m only 24 so I never even knew Vegas use to have dealers stay on a soft 17. I played with someone at a house game recently and they questioned me hitting and I just thought they didn’t know what they were talking about. I guess Vegas is just always looking to improves their odds ( Luke the bonus bets you can do)

By: Rachel

Rachel — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 04:30:07 +0000

I only wish I understood what you wrote!

By: MJ

MJ — Fri, 15 May 2009 18:54:28 +0000

Interesting article Mike. On a side note, what are your thoughts on BJ conditions that exist today as compared to those your team experienced throughout the 90s?

Many players today are under the impression that BJ is a dying game with the advent of H17, lousy penetration, restrictions on mid-shoe entry, 6:5, etc. Do you still think BJ is a worthwhile pursuit for even the most skilled counters?