The Dreams Of The Season Are Spilled Out On The Floor

"Never hit 17 when you play against the dealer, for you know that the odds won't ride with you." Sound advice, but it could use a little clarity.

The line might be better read as "Never hit a 'Hard 17' when you play against the dealer," but that doesn't really have the same poetic impact. A "Hard 17" being when you have a 7 and a 10 (or face card), versus a "Soft 17," a 6 and an Ace, which can have the value of either 1 or 11.

From a purely statistical standpoint, hitting a Hard 17 will likely bust your hand. If you're counting cards feel free to take your chances and do as you please, even split 10s if you are so daring (read stupid).

On the other hand, since a Soft 17 can also be played as a 7, go ahead and hit it if the dealer is showing a 2, 7, 8, 9, 10 or Ace. The rationale being that the dealer also has a 10 and your Soft 17 will lose to a 20, 19 or 18, push against the dealer's 17 and will perhaps improve your hand against the 2. Additionally, you should double-down on a Soft 17 if the dealer is showing a 3, 4, 5 or 6, based on the assumption that the dealer has a 10 and will draw another 10 (a 9, 8, 7, or 6 depending on the dealer's up card could work, too) and thus bust.

Similarly, it is also advised that you hit a Soft 18 when the dealer shows a 9, 10 or Ace, double-down to the dealer's 3, 4, 5 or 6, but stand on a 2, 7 or 8.

Of course, there is no guarantee that this will work every time. If the game was such that you could win every hand by following a simple set of guidelines, the casino would probably not offer it for you to play against them. However, adhering to a set of best practices will dramatically increase your odds of leaving the table with enough money to take the bus home.

In the end, the line is not incorrect in advising you to stand on a 17 since in the scenarios described above, you are actually hitting a 7.