Decision Library
Pair of 7s vs dealer 8 · six decks · dealer stands on soft 17 · double after split allowed
Correct play
HitThe best you can do is hold the loss to -0.378 per unit, and hitting beats splitting by 0.014 per unit.
Deals a pair of 7s against a dealer 8 in the trainer, graded live.
Per unit bet, six decks, dealer stands on soft 17, computed by the engine.
| Option | EV / unit | vs. best |
|---|---|---|
| HitBest | -0.378 | — |
| Split | -0.391 | -0.014 |
| Surrender | -0.500 | -0.122 |
| Stand | -0.516 | -0.138 |
| Double | -0.782 | -0.404 |
Pair of 7s is too low to leave alone against a 8. Standing surrenders the hand to a dealer who reaches a pat total most of the time, so you take the card. Your bust risk on the hit is 46.3%, and against this upcard that risk is worth accepting.
Hitting returns -0.378 per unit versus -0.516 for standing, a +0.138 swing in favor of taking the card.
It is tempting to stand on 14 and hope the dealer busts, but against a 8 that hope is too thin. Standing costs 0.138 per unit versus the correct hitting. Over a few hundred of these hands, that is real money handed back.
Same hand, different table conditions. The correct play holds unless noted.
| Table condition | Correct play |
|---|---|
| 6 decks, stands soft 17 (baseline) | Hit |
| 6 decks, hits soft 17 | Hit |
| Single deck, stands soft 17 | Split changes |
| Double deck, stands soft 17 | Hit |
| No surrender offered | Hit |
The correct play changes under: Single deck, stands soft 17. Everywhere else, hit holds. Use the row that matches your table.
Strategy and expected values from a combinatorial engine validated against Wizard of Odds.