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In blackjack online, a soft hand is a hand that consists of an ace and a card between two and nine. The ace can be utilized as either a one or eleven. The versatility of the ace offers advantages to the blackjack player such as allowing the player to hit or double down profitably when it would normally be unprofitable and unwise to take an additional card. Here are some general guidelines for playing soft hands in blackjack.

When to normally double down and when to hit soft hands

When holding a soft thirteen or fourteen, it is profitable to double down if the dealer is showing a five or six. Otherwise, you should hit your soft thirteen or fourteen. Should you have a soft fifteen or sixteen, you can profitably double down if the dealer displays a four, five or six as the up card. If he has a card showing that is different from the four through six, you should simply hit. With a soft seventeen, you should take a hit if the dealer is not showing a four, five or six – otherwise double down on your soft seventeen.

If the dealer is showing a three, four, five or six, and you have a soft eighteen you may double down. Be prepared to stand if the dealer shows a two, seven or eight. Otherwise, you will be hitting your soft eighteen.

In the event you hold a soft nineteen or soft twenty, you should always stand. The soft twenty-one is obviously blackjack and there is nothing left to do other than collect your winnings.

By following the basic soft hand guidelines, you are well on your way to playing proper basic blackjack. Commit the basic soft hand guidelines to memory and implement this strategy at your next blackjack session.