What Does Soft vs Hard Mean in Blackjack?

When it comes to blackjack, the terms “soft” and “hard” refer to the difference between having an ace in your hand as either a 1 or an 11. A soft hand means that you can count the ace as an 11 without going over 21, while a hard hand means that you must count the ace as a 1.

The advantage of having a soft hand is that you have more flexibility in how you play it. For example, if you have a soft 18 (ace-7), you can hit and try to get closer to 21 without busting.

If you have a hard 18 (10-8), however, you are better off standing since your only other option is to hit and risk going over 21.

Similarly, if you have a soft 17 (ace-6), you can double down and catch up to the dealer’s likely 18 or better. With a hard 17 (7-10), however, doubling down is not advised since hitting gives you a better chance of getting closer to 21 without busting.

In general, then, soft hands are better than hard hands since they give you more options and allow you to take more chances without busting. However, there are some exceptions to this rule – namely when it comes to splitting pairs.

If you have a pair of 8s (16), for example, it is always better to split them into two separate hands since your chances of getting two 10s and thus winning are much higher than if you kept them together as one 16. However, if you have a pair of Aces (2), it is better to keep them together as one soft 12 since splitting them would leave you with two very weak hands.

Ultimately, then, whether or not a hand is soft or hard should not be the only factor that determines how you play it – but it is something that you should definitely keep in mind when making your decision.