Blackjack table rules
S17 versus H17: what changes?
A soft 17 contains an ace counted as 11, such as ace-six. The letters on the felt tell you whether the dealer stops or draws again—and that rule changes both the quality of the game and several correct player decisions.
The short definition
The dealer stands on every 17, including soft 17.
The dealer hits soft 17 but still stands on hard 17.
S17 is better for the player than an otherwise identical H17 game. That does not make S17 player-favorable; it means one dealer rule is less costly to the player.
The assumptions matter
The differences below apply to the app’s supported six-deck profiles: dealer peek, double after split, late surrender, no hitting split aces, and a 3:2 blackjack payout. Change those rules and the correct matrix may change too.
Six first decisions added by H17
- Surrender hard 15 against a dealer ace.
- Surrender hard 17 against a dealer ace.
- Surrender a pair of eights against a dealer ace.
- Double hard 11 against a dealer ace.
- Double soft 18 against a dealer 2.
- Double soft 19 against a dealer 6.
These are targeted deviations, not permission to reuse an H17 chart for every table. Blackjack Strategy Playbook keeps S17 and H17 as separate, tested profiles.
What to check before you sit down
- Does the dealer stand or hit on soft 17?
- Does blackjack pay 3:2 or 6:5?
- Is late surrender available?
- Can you double after splitting?
- How many decks are in play?
Those signs tell you more about the game than the felt color or table minimum.