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Lesson 1.4 Blackjack basics
Lesson: The Dealer Follows Fixed Rules
In this lesson you learn how the dealer plays every hand by a fixed rule, with no choices. After the lesson, you will know when the dealer must take a card, what the soft 17 rule means, and which dealer up cards bust most often.
The dealer follows one fixed rule
You make choices at the table. The dealer makes none – the software plays the dealer's hand by a fixed rule.
The dealer has two cards: the up card (face up) and the hole card (face down). After all players finish, the dealer turns over the hole card.
- 16 or less: the dealer takes another card.
- 17 or more: the dealer stands.
- Over 21: the dealer busts, and every player who has not busted wins.
The dealer has 16 here, so the dealer must take another card. This is true even if you stand on 18.
The dealer has 17 here, so the dealer stands, even when your total is higher.
See the full blackjack rules.
The soft 17 rule
The ace counts as 11 unless that would bust the hand, then it counts as 1. A soft hand has an ace counted as 11.
A,6 is soft 17: the ace counts as 11 and the 6 adds 6.
Each table uses one of two rules for this hand. You find it on the table or in the game rules.
- Dealer hits soft 17 – the dealer takes another card on A,6.
- Dealer stands on soft 17 – the dealer stands on A,6.
On a hard 17, such as a 10 and a 7, every dealer stands.
The stand rule is better for you. The house edge – the share of each bet the house keeps over time – is lower.
| Table rule | House edge with basic strategy |
|---|---|
| Dealer stands on soft 17 | 0.40% |
| Dealer hits soft 17 | 0.62% |
Read more about soft 17.
How often the dealer busts
Dealer up card along the bottom; how often the dealer goes over 21 above each bar (6 decks, dealer hits soft 17, before any check for blackjack).
The chart shows how often the dealer busts with each up card. These numbers are for 6 decks with the dealer hitting soft 17.
| Dealer up card | Dealer busts |
|---|---|
| 2 | 35.7% |
| 3 | 37.7% |
| 4 | 39.8% |
| 5 | 42.0% |
| 6 | 43.9% |
| 7 | 26.2% |
| 8 | 24.4% |
| 9 | 22.9% |
| 10 | 21.2% |
| A | 13.9% |
The numbers are counted before the dealer checks for blackjack. With a 10 or an ace up, a dealer blackjack counts as "not busted".
With a 6 showing, the dealer busts 43.9% of the time. With a 10 showing, the dealer busts only 21.2% of the time.
Low up cards often leave the dealer with 12 to 16, and the dealer must take another card. A 10 or an ace often makes 17 or more right away.
Check any up card in the dealer bust calculator and compare it with the chart above.
Why this matters for your choices
The dealer must take a card on 16 or less. So with some low totals, you can stand and let the dealer draw.
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | A |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S | S | S | S | S | H | H | H | H | H |
The chart row for hard 16: stand against 2 to 6, hit against 7 to A.
Against a 6, you stand, because the dealer busts 43.9% of the time.
Against a 10, the dealer busts only 21.2% of the time, so the chart says hit.
Look at the dealer's up card before every decision. Practice this in the trainer below or see the full strategy chart.
Practise: 25 hands
Only hands from this lesson. Your first answer counts.
The lesson on one card
- The dealer has no choices and plays by a fixed rule.
- The dealer takes a card on 16 or less and stands on 17 or more.
- Soft 17 (like A,6): some tables make the dealer hit, others make the dealer stand.
- Dealer stands on soft 17 is the better rule for you.
- The dealer busts 43.9% of the time with a 6 up, 21.2% with a 10 up.
- Use the dealer's up card to decide between hitting and standing.
Check yourself
1. You stand on 18. The dealer turns over the hole card and has a 10 and a 6. What does the dealer do?
The dealer takes another card.
Right. The dealer has 16. The rule says the dealer must take a card on 16 or less.
The dealer stands, because your 18 is higher.
Not quite. The dealer does not look at your total. The dealer must take a card on 16 or less.
The dealer can choose to hit or stand.
Not quite. The dealer has no choices. The fixed rule decides every dealer move.
2. With which up card does the dealer bust most often?
10
Not quite. With a 10 up, the dealer busts only 21.2% of the time. A 10 often makes 17 or more right away.
6
Right. With a 6 up, the dealer busts 43.9% of the time, more than with any other up card.
A
Not quite. With an ace up, the dealer busts only 13.9% of the time, the lowest of all up cards.
3. The table rules say "Dealer stands on soft 17". The dealer turns over the hole card and has A,6. What happens?
The dealer takes another card.
Not quite. That happens at tables where the dealer hits soft 17. This table says the dealer stands.
The dealer counts the ace as 1 and takes a card on 7.
Not quite. The ace counts as 11 unless that would bust the hand. A,6 does not bust with the ace as 11, so the hand is soft 17, not 7.
The dealer stands on 17.
Right. A,6 is soft 17. At this table the dealer stands on soft 17, so the dealer takes no more cards.