Single Deck Blackjack Strategy Adjustments When Dealer Hits Soft 17

We have a peculiar situation when dealing with card distribution in single deck blackjack. The number of cards taken out from the deck and put into play affect the rest of the cards that will have to be dealt later. Certain house rules also bear a large weight on how our basic strategy should go when handling blackjack hands.

One important situation is when the dealer hits on a soft 17. This rule does make important changes to our basic strategy. It is important to review basic soft hand strategy before dealing with these strategy adjustments. Make it a habit to check what the house rules are before playing on any table. We shall deal with the adjustments here depending on how many cards are already in your hand.

If you have two cards in your hand and the dealer hits on soft 17 you don't have to adjust anything to basic strategy except on the following conditions: If you have a hard eight (six and a two) and the dealer shows a six for an up card then you should hit. If you have a hard 12 (a seven and a five/an eight and a four) and the dealer has a three for an up card then you should stand. If your hard 12 consists of a ten card and a two and the dealer shows a four for an up card then you are supposed to hit.

You have to adjust your basic strategy when you already have three cards (or more) in your hand and the dealer hits on soft 17 according to the following: If you have a total of 12 and the dealer has a three for an up card then you have to stand. If you have a total of 16 and the dealer has a ten for an up card then you have to stand.

Other exceptions are the following: If you have three fives against a dealer's ten up card then stand. If you have a six, a five, and a four against a dealer's ten then stand. If you have a couple of sixes and a three against a dealer's ten then stand. If you have a couple of fives and a six against a dealer's nine then stand. If you have an eight and a couple of fours against a dealer's nine then stand If you have an eight, a five, and a three against the dealer's nine then stand. If you have a couple of sixes and a four against the dealer's ten then hit. If you have a seven, a six, and a three against the dealer's ten then hit. If you have an eight, a six, and a two against the dealer's ten then hit. If you have a nine, a six, and an ace against the dealer's ten then hit.

These are your adjustments to basic strategy when the house rules state that the dealer hits on soft 17 in a single deck game. Since certain house rules affect this type of game then you should check them before sitting down to play.