Soft hand · Dealer shows 9
Soft 18 (ace-7) vs a dealer 9
Basic strategyHit.
Why
Eighteen sounds strong, but against a 9 the dealer's most likely finish is 19. Standing on 18 loses more often than it wins here.
Because your ace can count as 1, no single card can bust you. Hitting a soft 18 is a free shot at 19, 20 or 21, and if you draw something that drops you to a stiff total, you play on. Hitting saves about $8 per $100 bet compared with standing.
By the numbers
Average result per $100 initial bet, after the dealer checks for blackjack. A negative number is an average loss; the best play is the one that loses least or wins most.
| Play | Dealer hits soft 17 | Dealer stands on soft 17 |
|---|---|---|
| Hit | −$10.07Best | −$10.07Best |
| Stand | −$18.32 | −$18.32 |
| Double (2× bet) | −$29.02 | −$29.02 |
| Surrender (if offered) | −$50.00 | −$50.00 |
Without surrender, hit beats stand by $8.24 per $100 bet under either soft-17 rule.
Infinite-deck model, which tracks a 6–8 deck shoe closely. Double after split allowed, no resplits. How we calculate.
How the table rules change it
| Table rules (4–8 decks, double after split unless noted) | Play |
|---|---|
| Dealer hits soft 17, no surrender Most Florida and Las Vegas tables | Hit |
| Dealer hits soft 17, surrender allowed Some higher-limit tables | Hit |
| Dealer stands on soft 17, no surrender Felt says “stands on all 17s” | Hit |
| Dealer stands on soft 17, surrender allowed Best common shoe game | Hit |
The answer is the same under every common rule set.
Common mistake
Standing because 18 "is a good hand." Against 9, 10 and ace, it isn't good enough.
Going further
Ace-7 is the most mis-played hand on the chart. It has three different answers: double against 3 through 6 (and 2 at H17 tables), stand against 7 and 8, hit against 9 through ace.
Drill it
This hand first, then the spots people mix it up with. The switches match your table’s rules and carry over to the full trainer.
Questions
What if I hit and get a 5, making hard 13?
Then play hard 13 vs 9: hit again.
Is soft 18 vs 10 also a hit?
Yes. Hit soft 18 against 9, 10 and ace.