Guide overview
Learn how an Ace creates a soft total, when it can count as one and why the dealer’s rules matter to decisions.
A soft hand
A hand with an Ace counted as 11 without exceeding 21 is called soft. For example, Ace plus 6 can total 7 or 17, so it has flexibility if another card is drawn. If the extra value would bust the hand, the Ace can count as 1 under standard rules.
A hard hand
A total with no Ace counted as 11, or a hand where the Ace must count as 1, is hard. A hard 17 has no Ace flexibility. The number alone is not enough to decide a play; the dealer up-card and table rules also matter.
Use the table’s strategy reference
Basic strategy charts depend on rules such as number of decks, whether the dealer hits soft 17 and allowed doubles or splits. Check a chart for the exact table rules. Even a mathematically informed decision cannot guarantee the result of a hand.