Soft 17
A blackjack hand of Ace + 6, totalling 7 or 17, which triggers specific dealer drawing rule variations.
Detailed Explanation
Soft 17 (S17 or H17) refers to a casino blackjack rule determining whether the dealer must hit or stand when holding a soft 17 (Ace-6). Under S17 rules (Stand on Soft 17), the dealer stands on any hand totalling 17 including soft 17. Under H17 rules (Hit on Soft 17), the dealer must draw an additional card on soft 17.
The H17 rule increases the house edge by approximately 0.20% over S17, since hitting soft 17 gives the dealer more chances to improve to 18–21. This seemingly minor rule variation is one of the largest single factors in comparing blackjack games across casinos.
For players, the soft 17 rule affects strategy in specific situations. When playing against a dealer who hits soft 17, players should double down Ace-7 versus a dealer Ace. Understanding whether your game uses H17 or S17 rules before sitting down is essential.
Related Entries
Table Game Terms
Ante
A mandatory bet placed before any cards are dealt to initiate a round.
Table Game Terms
Burn Card
A card removed face-down from the top of the deck after a shuffle before dealing begins.
Table Game Terms
Color Up
Exchanging a stack of lower-denomination chips for fewer higher-denomination chips of equal total value.
Table Game Terms
Cut Card
A solid-coloured plastic card used by players to cut the deck before dealing begins.