blackjack soft 18. by Henry Tamburin. blackjack soft 18

 
 by Henry Tamburinblackjack soft 18  A soft hand is when the Ace exists as 11

Casinoly Casino. If your hand contains an Ace, you can choose between a hard and a soft hand. Soft 19, in particular, is often misplayed by less knowledgeable players. Surrender 15, 8’s, and 17 vs. A hard hand is simply one that doesn’t include an ace. 21 + 3: Combine your two cards with the dealer’s up-card to make “poker hands. 5 or 6). 1. dealer’s 2. This article covers the use of a blackjack basic strategy and how to easily memorize it. On the other hand, a “hard” hand consists of cards that don’t have an Ace, or the Ace counts as 1 point only. They often offer high payouts but also have a higher house edge than the main game. In a single deck game, always hit if the dealer has an upcard between 7 through to the dealer ACE, In a double and multiple deck games, hit when the dealer’s upcard is 3 or 6 through to the dealer ACE. Hit: When the dealer has anything else showing. A hard hand is one that can usually risk being busted with just one hit. Looking at hard hands: 8 or lower is a hit. Before I ever had access to a computer I determined that if a deck consisted of all (6. Player #1 is dealt an Ace-2 against the dealer’s 10 upcard. 10%. The dealer soft total is the same as a player soft total. When you hit, you also lose more than you win but you don't lose quite as much as when you stand. As my blackjack appendix 9 shows, a 2-card soft 18 vs A has an expected value of hitting of -0. those cards, further making the point how weak an 18 really is. Yes--that's the right box. If you draw another deuce on your soft 16, you will end up holding soft 18. Split aces get one card only. The basic strategy suggests standing on a soft 18 against a dealer’s 2 or 7 but hitting against a 9, 10, or Ace. For example, a hand consisting of an Ace and a 6 is referred to as a ‘soft 17’ because the Ace is valued as 11 points (11 + 6 = 17). 1. Because of the ability to change the Ace’s value, the blackjack strategy for soft hands differs from hard hands. The optimal plays for soft 18 in double-deck and multiple-deck S17 blackjack largely coincide. Blackjack may be played with one to eight decks of 52-card decks. Soft 18 and higher: dealer stands. Soft 17 hands give us a chance to add an extra playing card without a bust risk. As an example, the following combinations would be considered soft hands:. With the soft 17 rule, it stands to be a handy companion for the dealer. New players only. Exactly 18: Hit only if you're "behind". But why is necessary to make this distinction? The key is the nature of the Ace in blackjack – this is the only card in the game that does not have a fixed value. The hand is soft because it can't bust on the next card. Blackjack X-Change is based on standard blackjack rules, which I assume that the reader is already familiar with. ace-6 = soft 17. Changing from soft to hard 18 is not in the equation. 8. 5%. If the strategy says to double but you’re not allowed, then hit, except you should stand with a soft 18. So, we can conclude by saying that though card counting is an established technique of improving the odds of winning at. Always hit soft 17 or less. Stand on soft 18 or more. 39%: Blackjacks pay 1 to 1-2. #6. Double soft 19 vs. To use this guide first go to the list according to the number of cards in your hand. Let's say my hand is 19, the dealer has soft 18 and he loses. However, the Blackjack double down rules mean that once you activate the bet, you can only receive one more card (you must then Stand). 395% (Dealer's 19 to 21 makes up 56. For a shoe game, there are 3 differences in basic strategy: A7v2, A8v6, and 11vA. Welcome to Caesars Casino, the place where you can be your own pit boss and play our world-class online casino games anytime, anywhere in New Jersey! Vegas World plays well on any Android phone or tablet. In Stanford Wongs book "Professional Blackjack" it doesnt show any indices for soft 18 vs 10 in a S17 game, only to hit although you would stand with a soft 18 vs A at a TC+1 or higher in the same game . So double an Ace/7 against 3 thru 6 and hit it against 9, 10 or Ace. Instead of splitting, the strategy recommends hitting your soft 12 against an Ace and splitting against dealer upcards deuce through 10. There is no national or international rule, it depends on the house rules at that casino. 5 cards in blackjack Never split 10’s at the blackjack table. Whether or not to hit, double down, or stand with a hard thirteen for your hand total. Worst cards in blackjack There are no stiff soft hands. 3 cents) vs. The 18 could be “hard,” meaning the hand either doesn’t contain an ace, or if. No surrender. You should also double down if you have a soft 19 and the dealer has a 6. There is no definitive answer to this question as it largely depends on the specific rules and regulations of a particular casino. (I’ll ignore 6-6 for the moment and come back to it shortly. Blackjack tips and strategies straight from the professional blackjack players. You have a good chance to either improve it or stay the same via 1 or more hits. Cardcounter said: Here is the rule for soft 18 [ . For example, in a stay soft 17 game: dealers first two cards of A,6 would be 17, stay. ”. Soft 19 calls for doubling in H17 games only when the dealer is at their most vulnerable with a 6. 8 – 7 = Hard 15. Surrender 15, pair-eights and 17 against the dealer’s ace. When you are dealt a soft 18 containing three or more cards, doubling down is not allowed. Getting dealt a card with a higher value still puts you close to 21 so there’s a shot you could win the hand. 2:1 is a better payout. Splitting pairs: Aces - 2's - 3's - 4's - 5's - 6's - 7's - 8's - 9's - 10's. You get blackjack strategy charts for the different blackjack games. How to Play a Soft Eighteen Total in Blackjack - Soft 18. A three card 18 is of course not worse, it just carries risk in drawing that card. Bust - if your hand scores over 21, you lose (known as going bust), and the dealer wins regardless of their hand. Amreican blackjack (hole card, so dealer peeks for blackjack) Dealer stands on soft 17;. . 22% to the house edge. Soft 18 (A,7) doubles against dealer 2 through 6, and hits against 9 through Ace, otherwise stand. ] hit if the dealer is showing an ace and hits soft 17. Here are some examples: 10 – 2 = Hard 12. Terms such as track-zone, play-zone, NRS formula, plugs, pseudo-decks, 1-pass or 2-pass R&R (riffle and restack). Obviously, the winner of the blackjack soft vs hard comparison is the “soft” hands: They contain an Ace and let you get 11 points from the beginning. Basic blackjack strategy says you should always stand on a hand of 18 no matter what, but this doesn’t apply if you have a soft 18 and the dealer shows a nine, 10 or ace. 2 511. The soft 17 hand is created whenever an Ace is used in the hand. You should also choose it when you have a soft 16, 17, or 18, and the dealer has a low or medium. Split a pair of 8s & Aces. 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. Blackjack Chart for When the Dealer Hits on Soft 17 (4. 1. Hitting that soft 18 vs. Appendix 3c :Composition dependent exceptions to single deck basic strategy where the dealer hits a soft 17. Note, if the game does not allow players to double on a soft 18 total, players should therefor stand. Blackjack Online - Home Blackjack. As the other reply noted, he's talking about soft 18, not hard 18. As we know, we can only see one card the dealer has, while the other one is facing. ” A soft hand contains an ace and a hard hand does not. Dealers never split, double, or surrender as that is against the rules of a dealer. The logic behind this is that 17 is a good hand, but not a great hand. A soft 16 for example would be A+5=16 where as a hard 16 would be 10+6. Here are the full rules of the game. ) Traditional basic strategy (also known as “total-dependent strategy”) says to stand on hard 12 against a dealer’s 4, 5, and 6 up card, and hit against a dealer’s 2, 3, and 7 though Ace up card. To use this table, look. Tips for Navigating Hard Hands. Correct basic strategy decisions for a blackjack hand with a soft 17 for the total. What Is A Soft 18 In Blackjack – Blackjack, the world’s most popular casino banking game, has been called the most played game in the world. That lack of an ace means that the hand is much more rigid. If you have an Ace and a 7, you have a soft 18. 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. What is a soft hand and a hard hand in Blackjack? In Blackjack, all starting hands can be split into hard and soft hands. Things are a bit different when your starting hand is soft 18 where there are 8 cards that can help you get into the safe zone against the dealer’s weak card, namely the Ace. Rating 9. Note: “Soft” is a hand with an Ace, meaning it can’t bust. For dealer probabilities before the dealer checks for blackjack please see Dealer Odds in Blackjack under European Rules . With the expectation of a 10, it is. With this hand, you have a total of 18 that contains an ace which can be designated value of 11 without the hand going over 21. Hard and soft totals can be the same, but with a soft blackjack hand, you have some more options. What they should really worry about is people who double Soft 19. While you still lose money by hitting, taking a risk improves your odds and helps you lose less on average. That would be A6v2 - hit. . 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. The Illustrious 18. In the “Dealer Hits Soft 17” games. That’s why we play the game. Ace. This comes into play most often when the dealer’s face up card is an Ace and basic strategy players hit until they have 17 or better. The dealer stands on a soft 17 which is very good for the player. The theory behind hitting on soft 17 is that if the player has a five or six card hand that is equal to or better than the dealer’s hand, then the player should hit. The house will win when players bust, regardless of the final dealer hand. They get caught up in the 18 part and forget about the Ace. A hard hand is any hand that either does not contain an ace, of if it does, counts the ace as 1. 9 cents. 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. When insurance is offered, there's a great temptation to call for even money. In blackjack, the Ace can be. When you have soft 18 any A,2,3,T,J,Q,orK on the next card will make your hand no worse. When I change that to S17 the tables still show +1. Joined: Jul 26, 2010. Only players above the age of 18 are permitted to play our games. Angela: Well Mike, what are the best Blackjack rules I can realistically expect to find in Las Vegas. Blackjack Soft Hand 18 Blackjack Soft Hand 19 or 20. In all likelihood, and considering the number of 10s in play, the dealer will have to hit and probably get 15 or 16. 81%: 17: 14. Appendix 5 :Infinite deck expected return according to player hand and dealer up card. When basic blackjack strategy calls for a double down, understand that if you can’t double, you should hit instead. com ♣️ Soft 18: If you hold an Ace and 7, you will have a soft 18 hand. Playing free blackjack games on Casino. Blackjack Hard vs Soft Hands. Multi-card soft 18s should also be hit against 9 thru Ace. 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. 91 percent. dealer's 5 or 6. Otherwise soft 18 v 9 or 10 or A is hit whether S17 or H17. 35 per $100 bet at the start of the round. Soft 18. 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. 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. Basic strategy calls for hitting that soft 18 vs. Clearly. 18: Basic strategy exceptions for three to six cards; 19: Blackjack splitting strategy when a back-player is betting; 20: Blackjack doubling strategy when doubling after splitting aces is allowed; 21: Details on the Wizard’s Simple Strategy. Chart showing how to play free hands in Free Bet Blackjack. For example,. For example, playing 10-8 is. When to Hit: Always hit when your hand is a hard 11 or less. 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. If the table doesn’t allow surrendering, then hit. The only way to get a soft 22 is to hit the soft 18 with a four since there are. 2 If you have a hand of 12 against the dealer’s 2 in double-deck games, you should stand at a count of +4 or higher; In every blackjack game, the dealer either stands on Soft 17 or higher, or hits Soft 17, which means they can only stand on Hard 17, plus any 18 or more. With soft 17, it’s best to stand against a dealer’s 7 or 8. 22%. 395% with 20 takes up majority of 34%) By Hitting on a Soft 18, you are converting yourself to a Hard 8 unless you draw. those cards, further making the point how weak an 18 really is. then this is another good chance to use the double down Blackjack bet. org is very simple. 9, 10 or Ace, yet so many frown or voice displeasure when the player makes the right play. One of the most commonly misplayed hands in blackjack is a soft 18. Finally, always double down on a soft 18 if the dealer has a 2. Double Up Blackjack allows the player to double their bet and stand. For example, if you hit (take another card) a soft 18 (an ace and a 7) with a 6, the ace automatically reverts to 1 (rather than 11), and the hand total is now 14 (rather than 24, which would be a bust). The house edge depends on exactly the rules followed. B. Here we are going to take a look at some common errors seen in civilians and beginning advantage players. 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. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features NFL Sunday Ticket Press Copyright. TIL when using "perfect strategy" in blackjack, the casino only has a 2% edge over the player in the long run. According to some sources, the odds of achieving a soft 18 are about 1 in 500. Win - the player wins as much as he bet. Step 2: receive. Double-deck blackjack with re-split acesSoft 18: double against 3 to 6 Soft 19 to 21: never double. For example, a two-card 21 pays only $6. Blackjack may be played with one to eight decks of 52-card decks. Soft 17: Double down: Split 2s through 10s: Split aces: Draw to split aces: Double after split:. You should double on soft 18 when playing against an H17 dealer with small upcards 2 through 6. The strategy changes a tiny notch in games where the house rules require the dealer to hit. 79%) for the house against perfect basic strategy by players. 7%. 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. 167% (pushing against dealer's 18 (11. The odds of winning at blackjack can be as high as 42. D. Your two cards are referred to as your “hand”. This is regardless if it was one of the initial cards or if it was subsequently hit. If the dealer has an 8 – Hit on everything from soft 12 thru soft 17. Blackjack dealers have no options for the in-game decisions of whether to hit or stay; they follow a strict algorithm that will depend on the casino. 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. Conclusion – The combination of playing cards and the mix of playing rules determine the ideal playing strategy for every blackjack game in a casino on mobile. Play Blackjack;. Why Basic Strategy Recommends Us to Split 8s. The basic strategy here is to get the dealer to go bust. The house edge of this game is 2. Soft 18 (A,7) Hit double against 9 through Ace, otherwise stand: Soft 17 (A,6) Stand with doubles against 2. Here we are going to take a look at some common errors seen in civilians and beginning advantage players. Soft 17 is a situation in which the blackjack hand contains a total of 17 with a single ace (6+A, 4+2+A, etc. Blackjack is a negative expectancy game, meaning you will lose money over time as the casino has an edge over you. Some casinos have moved this down. Always stand on soft 19 and up. 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. Even somewhat experienced blackjack players will sometimes struggle with the correct moves on a soft hand. In turn, a blackjack player win and have a great time. That's why so many casinos changed their rules from S17 (casino stands on soft 17) to H17. Some people believe that it does, while others believe that it does not. why would you want to hit on a soft 18 especially if the dealer has a 8,9 or 10 showing, your chances of geting an ace 2 or 3 are vey low and you could ruin your hand with a lot of different cards. Assume a six-deck game in which dealers hit soft 17 — the most common set of rules in today’s casinos. 17 or less: Always Hit. However, this does not mean the house wins 57. Let's start with soft 17. The Blackjack trainer will develop your playing acumen, and enable you to optimise your. Other_Criticism9888 • 14 days ago. Blackjack is also known as twenty-one when played with a single deck. This includes when you display a soft 18 and the dealer displays a 6, 5, 4, or 3. 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. The reason you should stand on a 16 when your hand contains three or more cards. 100359, and of standing -0. By Henry Tamburin Ph. . I realize that many people think an 18 is a pretty solid lock in blackjack, but in reality, it ain't. For example, A-6 and A-3-3 are both a soft 17. If your case is neither, choosing to hit would be the smartest choice. 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. 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. 2 for a 6 deck shoe, S17 and double any two cards, hi-lo count. As I've said many times, the above strategy will be fine under any set of rules. Much harder for casinos to detect this. Stand, lose 52. In general, you must stand if the total value of your hand is 17, 18, 19 or 20 in Blackjack. Soft 18 in blackjack (A-7) is a commonly misplayed hand. Because aces are worth either 1 or 11, even if you draw a high-value card like a 10, it will. Offer: 50 No-Deposit Spins. pp. The fully responsive simulator can be accessed from a desktop or most modern mobile devices, which effectively means – if you have an internet connection – you’ll be able to learn anywhere. 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. For the purposes of this rule, "behind" means you'd lose if you assume a Ten in the hole. Paving. As with any blackjack game, soft aces change how you play many hands. Rank. You’re right about standing against the 7 and 8 as well, but that isn’t the. The Basic Strategy Has An. Soft 13s and 14s should be doubled down against 5s and 6s Always 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. Start by knowing the difference between “hard hands” and “soft hands. The ace can count as 1 or 11. DEALER'S 2 UPCARD. Another example is playing a whole hand of 18, whereby the ACE counts as a 1 as in 5-9-A-3. Trending Article. 19. Dealer peeks at hole card for blackjack. On the other hand, a “hard” hand consists of cards that don’t have an Ace, or the Ace counts as 1 point only. 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. Hit when the dealer is showing a 9,10, or 11 (Ace). Use the tips when playing at online casino or at land based casino. and only the A-8 technically equals nine (in terms of the hard hand), the player would double soft 13-18 against a dealer five, a soft 14-18 against a dealer four, a soft 17-18 against a dealer three and a soft 18 against a. 9,9 – always split unless the dealer’s upcard is 7, 10, or A, in which case you should stand. 2 percent. This means if you can’t double down because your either not allowed or, more likely, you’ve got a 3 or 4 card soft 18, then you should stand. Statistically, when playing blackjack, if your chances of winning a hand is 25% and your chance of losing is 75%, you should surrender and walk away with 50%. Dank Memer's implementation of blackjack is simply the dealer stands on soft 17 ruleset, which the chart represents. 18+. Therefore, they provide less liquidity and fewer choices for the player. 14 - Soft 15 - 16 - Soft 17 - Soft 18 - Soft 19 to 21 Splitting pairs: Aces - 2's - 3's - 4's - 5. With that said, some of the most common misplayed blackjack hands include the following: Soft 18 vs 19; Hard 16 vs 10; Pair of 9s vs 9; A7 vs 9/10//A; 12 vs 3; 16 vs 7; A-6 vs 3/4/5/6; 11 vs 10 Soft Total. Soft 17 (A,6) doubles against dealer 3 through 6,. Factor in the following changes: Double 11 vs. Hard and soft hands in blackjack are all determined by one card: the Ace. Bonus. 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;. The following are some things to do in blackjack games when the dealer hits soft 17. The object of the game of Blackjack is simply to get more points than the dealer without going over 21. Almateable • 22 days ago. These are the two key elements in the soft blackjack hand – the presence of the ace and its attached value. Their unique additions such as player blackjack always winning and 5-card charlie increase player EV, but don't really change our strategy, except perhaps in very specific scenarios which would come up so rarely as to make them. Dealer's standing on soft 18, meaning dealer hits all soft 17s (H17), gives the biggest edge (0. Never split a pair of 5s and 10s. Soft 18 is a complex hand for people to grasp. dealer stands on soft 17, blackjack pays even money, late surrender allowed, player may only double on 10 or 11, double after split not allowed, split aces get one card each, only one split allowed, six card Charlie, dealer must stop with six cards. So, you’ll improve your hand almost 33 out. doubling it (win 25. That is why I harp on it so much. Hitting and Standing. 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. There are some totals that players would stand on if it were a hard hand, but should hit if it is a soft hand. There are a few small adjustments that you may want to consider if you are playing a blackjack game where the dealer hits on soft 17. This group is the most common. That play makes you look smart, but it is basic strategy and not even a close play to hit it vs 9,10, Ace because otherwise Soft 18 is a definite losing hand. Here are a few examples of hard 13 hands: 7-6, 8-5, 9-4, 10-3, 10-2-A, and 9-3-A. With soft 20, you are dealt an ace assigned a value. By hitting, you have a chance of making your hand better and possibly even getting 21. Basic strategy recommends standing on hard 13 against upcards 2 through 6 because these put the. dealer's 9 upcard or less. 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. In short, basic blackjack strategy changes based on whether you’re playing soft 17 blackjack or not. Always double a soft 17 vs. A discussion of how to play a hard 13 with perfect basic strategy in blackjack. While hitting isn't +EV either, it's greater than -17. Hit: When the dealer has a 9, 10 or ace. Casino. The following tables display expected returns for any play in blackjack based on the following rules: dealer stands on a soft 17, an infinite deck, the player may double after a split, split up to three times except for aces, and draw only one card to split aces. On Soft 18 (A,7), you double down if the dealer’s upcard is between 2 and 6. 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. How to Play a Soft Eighteen Total in Blackjack - Soft 18. With a soft total of 17, you’ll double against any dealer 6 or less. Always hit soft 17 or less, and if it becomes a soft 18 or higher, see rule # 1. Appendix 7 :Effect of card removal. A fair amount of blackjack players will stand on a soft 18. 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. The basic strategy when it comes to hitting a soft 17 is simple and straightforward. Splitting eights limits one's losses and improves one's hand. 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. The value of a hand is simply the sum of the point counts of each card in the hand. a hard 18 is a ten and eight, a soft 18 is an ace and a seven. dealer’s Ace. A hard-17 is considered a strong hand, yet is the poorest hard total players are recommended to stand on. That's 7 out of 13 cards. Just the way I like it. 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. Or they might have an ace that is worth 1 only. You shouldn't always assume a Ten in the hole at all times, but it's okay for this. For instance, you should stand if the dealer’s face-up card is a 6 or below and you have a hard 16 (say consisting of a 7 and 9. Whether or not to hit, stand, or double down with a soft total of 13 or 14 in blackjack. Always Split two Aces - If you don’t split your aces, one is given a value of one and the other a. How to Play Free Bet Blackjack. If they hit soft 17, you should surrender 15, 16 and 17 regardless of the number of. If you bet $10, you win $10 from the dealer (plus you keep your original bet, of course. Appendix 4 :Details on the standard deviation in blackjack. In blackjack, ‘soft’ hands are the ones containing an Ace, which means the total can be counted twofold. How to play correct basic strategy when you have a soft 15 or a soft 16 in a blackjack game. You should double on soft 18 when playing against an H17 dealer with small upcards 2 through 6. Casinos which offer Spanish 21 pay royalties to Masque Publishing Inc. Basic strategy for soft 18 against 2-6 says double else stand, which is what OP was describing, playing soft 18 v 6. Even if all the players at the table have 18, the dealer must stand if he ends up with a 17. If the dealer hits over 21, or busts, all remaining player hands win the round. dealer's 9, 10 or Ace upcard. Not included is Ace-Ace, which falls under pair splitting strategy instead.