This is because in blackjack an ace can be counted as one or eleven. In other words, if you are dealt a soft hand you cannot bust the hand with the first hit. The following would be examples of soft hands:Ī soft hand is one that cannot be busted by taking one hit. Soft Blackjack HandsĪ soft blackjack hand is any hand of two cards which contains an ace.
So, when thinking about hard hands the first thing you need to understand about them is that whenever you hit these hands there is a chance you can exceed 21 and bust. Of course a 2 and a 3, for a total of 5, is technically a hard hand but it is not considered as such because the hand can be improved without risk. Here are some examples:Ī hard hand is one that can usually risk being busted with just one hit. In the simplest of terms, a hard blackjack hand is any two-card total which does not include an ace. It is also important to be able to identify these hands and speak of them correctly because all books on card counting and blackjack strategy refer to them as such. Hard and soft hands each have their own place in basic blackjack strategy. Understanding what the differences are between hand and soft blackjack hands, as well as how to play them correctly, is very important for anyone who is serious about becoming a skilled blackjack player. All hands dealt at the blackjack table can be classified as either a hard or soft hand.
