H17 means the dealer must take another card on a soft 17 (an ace and cards totalling six, such as ace-six). S17 means the dealer stands instead.
H17 is worse for you: it gives the dealer more chances to improve a weak hand, and it changes a handful of your own basic strategy decisions.
This page covers the dealer's rule only, not the player's hand; see how to play soft 17 for that.
How Much Does H17 Cost You?
Switching from S17 to H17 raises the house edge by about 0.22% on a standard six-deck game. In stake terms, on $10 flat bets at 50 hands an hour, that's roughly an extra $1.10 an hour going to the house.
It's one of several table rules that move the edge: deck count and doubling restrictions do too, and you can see how table rules change the edge in more detail elsewhere.
The cards you're dealt don't change. Only what the dealer does with a hand that would otherwise stand changes, and that shift moves a few of your own decisions with it.
The Basic Strategy Changes Under H17
A handful of your plays change once the dealer starts hitting soft 17. Adjust these:
- Double 11 against a dealer ace (hit instead if the dealer stands on soft 17).
- Double soft 19 (ace-eight) against a dealer 6.
- Double soft 18 (ace-seven) against a dealer 2.
- Surrender 15 and hard 17 against a dealer ace, and surrender a pair of 8s against an ace too, where surrender is offered.
None of these turns a losing hand into a winning one. They cut your cost per hand against a dealer who now has an extra shot at improving a weak 17. Check if the blackjack charts you're using are built for H17 before relying on them at the table.
How to Tell Which Rule You're Playing
There's no visual difference between an H17 and S17 table, so check the rules panel or the felt itself. Land-based tables usually print it directly: look for "dealer must hit soft 17" or "dealer stands on all 17s" near the betting spots.
Online and live-dealer tables list it in the game rules or information panel before you sit down. If you can't find it stated anywhere, ask the dealer or check the game info modal, since live-dealer soft 17 rules follow whatever the studio sets and vary by table.
Blackjack Dealer Hits Soft 17 – FAQ
Is H17 or S17 better for the player?
S17 is better for you. When the dealer stands on soft 17, they can't improve a hand that's already a weak 17, which keeps the house edge lower and lets you stick to standard basic strategy.
Do live dealer tables hit soft 17?
It depends on the studio and the table. Some live blackjack tables hit soft 17 and some stand, exactly like land-based and RNG tables, so check the rules panel before you sit down rather than assume either way.
Check the rules panel, then take a seat at the 888casino blackjack tables.
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