Blackjack is one of the most well-known card games, found in many high street casinos across the UK and available online. The game is simple to join in, but there are a few key terms and ideas that might be new to beginners. Two important phrases you may come across are "hard hands" and "soft hands".
Knowing the difference between these hands could be a good starting point for anyone who wants to understand how the game works. Whether you are playing in a real casino or online, the basic ideas are the same.
Ready to find out more? Let’s break down the basics in the next sections.
What Is Hard And Soft In Blackjack?
Each hand in blackjack is made up of two or more cards, and every card has its own value. The word “hard” or “soft” refers to how flexible your hand is in terms of its total value, based on the cards you have been given.
A hand is called “soft” when it includes an Ace that you can count as either 1 or 11, depending on what suits your next move. This means if you have an Ace and a 6, the hand can total 7 or 17. This option gives you more room to adjust as the round develops.
By contrast, a “hard” hand does not allow for this flexibility. In a hard hand, either there is no Ace, or the Ace can only be counted as 1 because counting it as 11 would take the total over 21. For example, if you have a 10, a 7, and an Ace, your total hand is 18 with the Ace as 1.
If you decide to try your hand at blackjack, make sure to do so responsibly and within your means: never wager more than you can afford to lose.
Understanding Hard Hands In Blackjack
In blackjack, a hard hand is any hand without an Ace, or with an Ace that can only count as 1. Because most hands do not include an Ace at 11, hard hands are the ones you will see most often.
Consider a few examples. A 9 and an 8 is a hard 17. A 10, a 5, and an Ace is a hard 16, because the Ace cannot be used as 11 without going over 21. These totals are fixed; there is no way to soften them by changing how the Ace is counted.
Hard hands also have different risk levels. Totals like 12 to 16 are often called stiff because drawing another card can easily push the total over 21, especially against stronger dealer cards. Hard 17 or more tends to be sturdier, but the lack of flexibility remains. The key point is that once the Ace is locked to 1, the hand behaves like a hand with no Ace at all.
Understanding Soft Hands In Blackjack
A soft hand happens when your hand contains an Ace counted as 11 without the total going over 21. The Ace can also be counted as 1 later, which is why these hands are more forgiving when you take another card.
Take Ace and 3, which is a soft 14. You can treat it as 14, but if you draw a high card, the Ace can shift to 1 to keep you in the round. Another good example is Ace and 7, known as soft 18. If you draw a 4, you could treat the Ace as 1 and the total becomes 12, or if you draw a 3, you might keep the Ace as 11 for 21. This ability to switch is what separates soft hands from hard hands.
A potentially useful detail is that a hand can change type as it grows. A soft hand can become hard the moment the Ace must be valued at 1 to stay at 21 or below. From that point on, it no longer carries the same safety net.
How To Play Hard Hands In Blackjack
When you have a hard hand, your total cannot be adjusted using an Ace as 11. This fixed nature shapes the decisions available. Most blackjack games let you hit, stand, split pairs, or double, and the best option varies with your total and the dealer’s visible card.
Players tend to weigh risk carefully with hard totals. Stiff totals such as 12 to 16 carry a higher chance of going over 21 if another card is taken, particularly when the dealer shows a strong card like a 9, 10-value card, or Ace. Hard 17 and above is less fragile, but it still lacks the give that comes with an Ace counted as 11. House rules also affect choices, such as when doubling is allowed or whether splitting is permitted after certain draws, so the game’s help screen is a handy reference before playing for real money.
Understanding how restricted a hard hand can feel sets up a natural contrast with soft hands, where the Ace gives you more space to push for stronger totals.
How To Play Soft Hands In Blackjack
Soft hands offer more flexibility because the Ace can move between 1 and 11 to keep the total within range. This often encourages a more assertive approach compared to equivalent hard totals, as taking one more card cannot bust the hand in a single step.
For instance, with Ace and 6, the total can be 7 or 17. Drawing another card gives you a chance to improve without immediately going over 21 because the Ace can drop to 1 if needed. Many tables allow doubling on certain soft totals, such as soft 16 to soft 18, but the exact options depend on the game. It is worth checking the rules or on-screen help so you know when doubling or splitting is available and how many cards can be drawn after these moves.
Why Do Hard And Soft Hands Matter In Blackjack?
The difference between hard and soft hands matters because it changes the risk and reward of taking another card and affects which moves are available. With a soft hand, drawing is safer in the short term since the Ace can adjust to 1. With a hard hand, every extra card is a firmer commitment, and the risk of going over 21 can rise quickly on middling totals.
Hand type also interacts with house rules. Some tables have the dealer stand on soft 17, while others have the dealer hit on soft 17. This single change alters how often certain totals appear and may influence how valuable soft hands feel in practice. Digital tables usually display your current total and may label hands as hard or soft, making it easier to follow along.
Common Misunderstandings About Hard And Soft Hands
Some beginners believe that an Ace is always counted as 11 in blackjack, but this is not correct. The value of the Ace shifts to whatever gives the best valid total, so it can be 1 or 11 as needed.
Another misunderstanding is that soft hands are always stronger. While they give you more room to manoeuvre, the dealer’s upcard, your total, and the remaining cards you might draw all matter. A soft 13, for example, is not strong on its own; it is simply more flexible than a hard 13.
It is also common to think a hard hand cannot include an Ace. It can, but the Ace counts as 1 in that moment. A related point is that a hand can change from soft to hard after a hit if the Ace must drop to 1 to keep the total at 21 or below.
There is sometimes confusion around doubling and splitting. Rules vary by table, and some games limit doubling after splitting or restrict how Aces are treated after a split, such as allowing only one additional card to each Ace. Another point that trips people up is that an Ace with a 10-value card only counts as blackjack if it is the first two cards; reaching 21 with more than two cards is simply a total of 21, not a natural blackjack.
**The information provided in this blog is intended for educational purposes and should not be construed as betting advice or a guarantee of success. Always gamble responsibly.
*All values (Bet Levels, Maximum Wins etc.) mentioned in relation to these games are subject to change at any time. Game features mentioned may not be available in some jurisdictions.