Decision Library
Soft 18 vs dealer Ace · six decks · dealer stands on soft 17 · double after split allowed
Correct play
HitThe best you can do is hold the loss to -0.095 per unit, and hitting beats standing by 0.006 per unit.
Deals soft 18 (Ace-7) against a dealer ace 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 | -0.095 | — |
| Stand | -0.101 | -0.006 |
| Double | -0.365 | -0.270 |
| Surrender | -0.500 | -0.405 |
Soft 18 is too low to leave alone against a ace. 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 0.0%, and against this upcard that risk is worth accepting.
Hitting returns -0.095 per unit versus -0.101 for standing, a +0.006 swing in favor of taking the card.
It is tempting to stand on 18 and hope the dealer busts, but against a ace that hope is too thin. Standing costs 0.006 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 | Hit |
| Double deck, stands soft 17 | Hit |
| No surrender offered | Hit |
The play is stable: hit is correct across deck counts, the soft-17 rule, and whether or not surrender is offered.
Strategy and expected values from a combinatorial engine validated against Wizard of Odds.