Soft Hand

In blackjack, a soft hand is any hand containing an Ace counted as 11, where taking another card cannot cause a bust. For example, Ace + 6 is a soft 17. If you hit and receive a high card, the Ace automatically counts as 1, making it a hard hand. Soft hands offer strategic flexibility — you can hit more aggressively since you can't bust. Basic strategy for soft hands differs significantly from hard hands. For instance, you should hit soft 17 even though 17 is normally a standing hand. Understanding soft vs hard hands is fundamental to optimal blackjack play.