Online Blackjack Strategies

The soft hand

I have already touched on soft hands and exactly what is meant by the term. To refresh your memory, a soft hand in Blackjack is any hand that contains an Ace except when it is combined with a 10, Jack, Queen, or King. Then, it is a Blackjack.

Realize how powerful you are when an Ace is one of your first two cards. The flexibility of using that card as either an eleven or one, is tremendously strong. No three card total can break you.

As soon as you see an Ace if it's in your hand, you are strong if it's the dealer's up card, he is strong.

In Atlantic City, you have the option of doubling your bet after any combination of two cards, so don't miss opportunities to double down on soft hands.

It is important to repeat the real reason for doubling your bet with any hand, even soft hands: You don't double to improve your hand, you double to increase the amount of money bet against the dealer when he is in trouble. Basic Blackjack Strategy shows doubling with soft hands against the dealer's 3, 4, 5, and 6. It is a chancy move, but there is a slight percentage in your favor when you do so. Hence, I strongly recommend that you adhere to what the chart tells you to do.

It is so important to "get" the dealer when he shows his weak cards. And although the probability of getting a nineteen or better with any of the six soft hands you would double down with is only 3 out of 13 times (23%), you still have the opportunity of doubling your winnings when the dealer busts on his breaking hands.

You may have trouble memorizing these soft moves, but take your time and the logic will eventually come to you. Remember, you want to get at least nineteen.

Suppose you have an Ace with:

2 You are looking for 8, 7, or 6
3 You are looking for 7, 6, or 5
4 You are looking for 6, 5, or 4
5 You are looking for 5, 4, or 3
6 You are looking for 4, 3, or 2
7 You are looking for 3, 2, or Ace

That's right, double down with a soft eighteen, an Ace and a 7. Your prospects for improving your hand is as slight as for the other five soft hands, but I still say to make the move. You already know how frail eighteen can be.