Soft hand · Dealer shows 6
Soft 19 (ace-8) vs a dealer 6
Basic strategyDouble if the dealer hits soft 17 (stand if you can't double). Stand if the dealer stands on soft 17.
Why
Soft 19 is already a strong winner against a 6. The question is whether to double it, which means taking exactly one more card.
A 6 is the dealer's worst card, and when they must also hit soft 17, they bust even more often. That's enough to make doubling slightly better at H17 tables. At stand-on-17 tables, standing on your 19 is the better play.
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 | +$23.05 | +$23.98 |
| Stand | +$45.31 | +$49.60Best |
| Double (2× bet) | +$46.11Best | +$47.96 |
| Surrender (if offered) | −$50.00 | −$50.00 |
Dealer hits soft 17: double beats stand by $0.79 per $100. Dealer stands on soft 17: stand beats double by $1.64 per $100. Close call
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 | Double (stand if you can’t) |
| Dealer hits soft 17, surrender allowed Some higher-limit tables | Double (stand if you can’t) |
| Dealer stands on soft 17, no surrender Felt says “stands on all 17s” | Stand |
| Dealer stands on soft 17, surrender allowed Best common shoe game | Stand |
The rules change this play. Read the felt before you sit down.
Common mistake
Doubling ace-8 against every bust card. It's only a double against a 6, and only at H17 tables.
Going further
At stand-on-17 games, Hi-Lo counters double ace-8 vs 6 at a true count of +1 or higher.
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
Isn't doubling a 19 crazy?
It feels that way, but you can't bust on one card and the dealer's 6 busts more than 40% of the time. The math favors the double at H17 tables.
What about ace-8 vs 5?
Stand. It's only a double against a 6.