Definition of a soft 17.

Hi. Is having a soft 17 comprised of an Ace and 6 the same as having a 17 comprised of an Ace, 2, 4? You would stand with a 17 comprised of an Ace, 2, 4 (totaling 17) against a dealer's 7 but hit with a soft 17 comprised of an Ace and 6 against the same dealer's 7.

In other words, is having a 17 comprised of an Ace, 2, 4, the same play as a soft 17 comprised of an Ace and 6?

I had always played a 17 comprised on an Ace as always soft, but now I know screwed up Basic Strategy.

Any help?

is a soft 17. A,6 or A,4,2 or A, doesn't matter.

Although he did also ask whether A,6 is the same as A,2,4 in general. I missed that

Neither of us addressed why he would want to stand on A,2,4 vs 7 but hit A,6

I think you have an interesting point. I've often wondered if I should always hit the soft 17 after the intial hand has been dealt. In some sits, am I taking the dealers bust card by doing so? Thanks in advance for comments on this. Good Cards, LWC

What I meant by a definition of "soft 17" is: Does a soft 17, or, for that matter, a soft anything, mean a hand with an Ace in it?

A, 6
A, 2, 4
A, 7
A, 4, 2
A, 3, 6, 5
etc.

So the correct play with a hand with an Ace in it is to play it as a soft hand?

It's any 17 which could also be 7 by treating an ace as 1

From your examples:

A, 6 -- soft 17
A, 2, 4 -- soft 17
A, 7 -- soft 18 (????)
A, 4, 2 -- soft 17
A, 3, 6, 5 -- hard 15 (????)

A, 3, 6, 7 would be a hard 17 because the Ace already needs to be 1 to prevent a busted hand.

So with a soft 17, that includes an Ace but not counting that Ace as a 1, would you play that soft 17 according to Basic Strategy's soft 17?:

Dealer's 2: Hit
Dealer's 3: Double
Dealer's 4: Double
Dealer's 5: Double
Dealer's 6: Double
Dealer's 7: Hit
Dealer's 8 Hit
Dealer's 9: Hit
Dealer's 10: Hit
Dealer's Ace: Hit

Is that right? (vs. a hard 17, where you stand on all dealer cards).

Thank you,
Jae

But you can't double on more than two cards. For all multi-card soft 17s, you hit.

Don

And A7 v 7 = Stand? And A7 v 8 = Stand?

Or is there updated basic strategy that I haven't kept up with? Please do elaborate!

Thank you!

Soft 17 (a term I hate using for just this reason of confusion), is NOT A,7; it's A,6!

Don

Thank you. I enjoyed your book.

and if possible reviewed before every upcoming casino trip for the rest of your playing life.