The blackjack card system is relatively simple and easy to memorize and comprehend. All cards are worth their numerical value, while the royal numbers are worth a discount of 10. The ace card can be divided into two numbers: 1 and 11. Now that you’ve become familiar with the card values let’s look at the two types of hands you may encounter in the game and discuss how to deal with them.
What are “Soft Hands”?
In blackjack, “soft hands” are hands that contain an Ace card with a value of 11. For example, if you are dealt an Ace and a 2, you have a soft 13. If you hit and receive a 3, you now have a soft 16.
Aces can be worth 1 or 11—you can choose which value to use. This flexibility can be helpful in certain situations. For example, let’s say you are dealt an Ace and a six, and the dealer has a five showing. You have a soft 17, but if you were to hit, you could potentially bust. So, in this case, you might want to stand since the odds of busting are high.
On the other hand, if you have a soft 18 (Ace + 7) and the dealer has a nine showing, you might want to hit it since the odds of improving your hand are in your favor. It’s important to know when to hit or stand on soft hands since they can be tricky to play.
The Strategy for Playing Soft Hands
The best strategy for playing soft hands in blackjack depends on the game’s rules and the dealer’s up card.
If you play in a game with liberal rules (such as doubling down on any two or splitting pairs), you might want to alter your strategy slightly. For instance, if you have a soft 19 and the dealer has a six showing, you would typically stand since the odds of improving your hand are slim. However, if you are allowed to double down in this situation, you should take advantage since there is a good chance of winning the hand.
Generally, the best strategy for playing soft hands is to be aggressive and hit when the dealer is weak and stand when the dealer is intense. Remember, the goal of blackjack is to beat the dealer and not to bust.
Nonetheless, while obtaining a soft hand when enjoying a game of blackjack live can be great, it is perhaps necessary to recognize that you can also have hard hands..
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What are “Hard Hands”?
In blackjack, “hard hands” are hands that do not contain an Ace card with a value of 11. For example, if you are dealt a five and a 7, you have a hard 12. If you hit and receive a 3, you now have a hard 15.
Hard hands cannot be changed and are stuck at their current value. This can be troublesome since it means that if you have a brutal 17 and the dealer has a seven showing, you will have to stand since hitting could potentially bust your hand.
Knowing when to hit or stand on hard hands is essential since they can be tricky to play.
The Strategy for Playing Hard Hands
The best strategy for playing hard hands in blackjack depends on the game’s rules and the dealer’s up card.
If you are playing a game with liberals, you might want to alter your strategy slightly. For instance, if you have a brutal 11 and the dealer has five shows, you would typically hit since the odds of improving your hand are in your favor. However, if you are allowed to double down in this situation, you should take advantage since there is a good chance of winning the hand.
Generally, the best strategy for playing hard hands is to be conservative and stand when the dealer is weak and hit when the dealer is intense.
Conclusion
If you follow a few simple rules, blackjack hand types aren’t hard to learn. With just one strategy, you can have the basics memorized, and it’ll be much easier to play blackjack well.
