When Does Dealer Hit In Blackjack

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These forced dealer rules vary depending on the gambling hall and the blackjack table you play at, but are generally classified into two main groups. The dealer is either required to draw to 16 and force-stand on all totals of 17 or must draw to 16, stand on hard 17 and hit soft 17.

I like to assume that anyone reading one of my posts is starting at zero. I’m not doing exactly that here, because I’m not explaining in detail all the rules of casino blackjack.

But I do want to draw the distinction between hard hands and soft hands.

When Does A Dealer Have To Hit In Blackjack

Blackjack is a simple comparing game where the player and dealer each start with a two-card hand. The one with the higher total points for their hand wins the bet, but only if they keep theirtotal to 21 or below. A total of 22 or higher is an automatic loss.

  • If the dealer’s hand equals 16 or less, he has to keep hitting until he gets a 17, a 21, or busts. Most dealers will stand on a soft 17, and all dealers will stand on a “hard” 17, which is a safer bet for the house. Before you begin play, you should always inquire as to the Blackjack dealer’s rules for the casino you’re in.
  • However, should the dealer have an ace exposed, players may take “insurance,” a side-bet that pays 2-1 and hedges the initial bet against a dealer blackjack. If the dealer does not have blackjack, play continues starting with the player seated immediately to the left of the dealer. The following options are then available: Stand.
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Blackjack Guide Chart

The cards have points based on their rank. The numbered cards have the same number of points as their numbers: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10. The face cards (jack, queen, and king) are alsoworth 10 points each.

The only exception is the ace. No one would blame you for thinking that an ace is worth 1 point. It is, in fact, in many situations, worth a single point.

But it’s also worth 11 points.

When you have a hand with no aces in it, you have a hard total. This means that the total is what the total is.

Hands

For example, if you have a jack and a 3, you have a hard total of 13. There’s no wiggle room there. That’s the total.

But if you have an ace and a 3, you have a soft total. That’s because the ace counts as 11, but if you get a card that would otherwise give you a total of 22, you can count it as a 1 instead.

With an ace and a 3, you have a soft 14. If you hit that hand and get a 10, you have a hard 14. (Any hand where the ace must be considered 1 point to avoid busting is also considered a hardhand.)

When Do Dealers Have To Hit In Blackjack

The strategy for a player with a soft hand as opposed to a hard hand is significantly different. Since you have that added layer of protection from busting, the right move is often to play a softtotal more aggressively.

Electronic Blackjack Machines

But when we talk about a soft 17 “rule” in blackjack, we’re talking about how the dealer plays his hand.