Blackjack Strategy Trainer 21
What S17 means
S17 means the dealer stands on soft 17. If the dealer has A,6 or another soft 17 combination, the hand stops. That removes the dealer's chance to turn soft 17 into 18, 19, 20, or 21, which is why S17 is better for the player than H17.
S17 strategy patterns
- Hard 11 doubles against 2 through 10, but hits against Ace.
- Hard 10 doubles against 2 through 9.
- Hard 9 doubles against 3 through 6.
- Soft 18 stands against 2, 7, and 8; doubles against 3 through 6 if allowed; hits against 9, 10, and Ace.
- Aces and 8s always split; 5s and 10s never split.
Why S17 is easier to learn first
S17 is a good training baseline because the dealer Ace is slightly less aggressive than in H17. That keeps a few marginal plays simpler: hard 11 vs Ace is a hit, soft 18 vs 2 is a stand, and soft 19 vs 6 is a stand. Once the S17 chart is automatic, you can add the H17 differences as a short correction list.
S17 vs H17 differences
| Hand | Dealer upcard | S17 | H17 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hard 11 | Ace | Hit | Double |
| A,7 | 2 | Stand | Double if allowed, else stand |
| A,8 | 6 | Stand | Double if allowed, else stand |
| 15, 17, 8,8 with surrender | Ace | Usually play normally | Several become surrender spots |
When to prefer S17 tables
If minimum bets and payouts are similar, prefer S17 over H17. The rule is worth about 0.22% in house edge. Do not overpay for it, though: a $25 S17 table can be worse for your bankroll than a $10 H17 table if your bankroll is small. Always avoid 6:5 blackjack first.