Soft 20 (Ace-9) in Blackjack: Always Stand?
The short answer: Stand against 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and Ace.
Every number on this page comes from an exact calculation of the remaining shoe, not from a printed chart. It is the same solver the Casino Trainer app grades your decisions against. The game is the common six-deck shoe: dealer hits soft 17, double after split, late surrender, blackjack pays 3:2. The hand was solved as A-9.
Every dealer upcard at a glance
Results are the expected win or loss on a $100 bet, played perfectly from here.
| Dealer shows | Best play | Stand | Hit | Double down | Surrender |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | Stand | +$63.80 | +$18.17 | +$35.91 | −$50.00 |
| 3 | Stand | +$64.55 | +$20.26 | +$40.37 | −$50.00 |
| 4 | Stand | +$65.63 | +$22.90 | +$45.80 | −$50.00 |
| 5 | Stand | +$67.05 | +$25.69 | +$51.38 | −$50.00 |
| 6 | Stand | +$67.80 | +$28.12 | +$56.24 | −$50.00 |
| 7 | Stand | +$77.31 | +$25.49 | +$38.54 | −$50.00 |
| 8 | Stand | +$79.08 | +$19.45 | +$27.83 | −$50.00 |
| 9 | Stand | +$75.94 | +$11.42 | +$13.96 | −$50.00 |
| 10 | Stand | +$55.45 | +$2.25 | −$1.66 | −$50.00 |
| A | Stand | +$60.50 | +$2.90 | −$4.64 | −$50.00 |
Soft 20 vs dealer 2
Stand. Played that way, soft 20 against a 2 is worth +$63.80 per $100 bet. The next-best play, double down, is worth +$35.91, so getting it wrong costs $27.89 per $100.
The dealer busts 35.7% of the time from a 2.
Soft 20 vs dealer 3
Stand. Played that way, soft 20 against a 3 is worth +$64.55 per $100 bet. The next-best play, double down, is worth +$40.37, so getting it wrong costs $24.18 per $100.
The dealer busts 37.7% of the time from a 3.
Soft 20 vs dealer 4
Stand. Played that way, soft 20 against a 4 is worth +$65.63 per $100 bet. The next-best play, double down, is worth +$45.80, so getting it wrong costs $19.83 per $100.
The dealer busts 39.9% of the time from a 4.
Soft 20 vs dealer 5
Stand. Played that way, soft 20 against a 5 is worth +$67.05 per $100 bet. The next-best play, double down, is worth +$51.38, so getting it wrong costs $15.68 per $100.
The dealer busts 42.0% of the time from a 5.
Soft 20 vs dealer 6
Stand. Played that way, soft 20 against a 6 is worth +$67.80 per $100 bet. The next-best play, double down, is worth +$56.24, so getting it wrong costs $11.56 per $100.
The dealer busts 43.9% of the time from a 6.
Soft 20 vs dealer 7
Stand. Played that way, soft 20 against a 7 is worth +$77.31 per $100 bet. The next-best play, double down, is worth +$38.54, so getting it wrong costs $38.77 per $100.
The dealer busts 26.2% of the time from a 7.
Soft 20 vs dealer 8
Stand. Played that way, soft 20 against an 8 is worth +$79.08 per $100 bet. The next-best play, double down, is worth +$27.83, so getting it wrong costs $51.26 per $100.
The dealer busts 24.4% of the time from an 8.
Soft 20 vs dealer 9
Stand. Played that way, soft 20 against a 9 is worth +$75.94 per $100 bet. The next-best play, double down, is worth +$13.96, so getting it wrong costs $61.98 per $100.
The dealer busts 22.9% of the time from a 9.
Soft 20 vs dealer 10
Stand. Played that way, soft 20 against a 10 is worth +$55.45 per $100 bet. The next-best play, hit, is worth +$2.25, so getting it wrong costs $53.20 per $100.
The dealer busts 23.0% of the time from a 10.
Soft 20 vs dealer A
Stand. Played that way, soft 20 against an Ace is worth +$60.50 per $100 bet. The next-best play, hit, is worth +$2.90, so getting it wrong costs $57.61 per $100.
The dealer busts 20.1% of the time from an Ace.
Does it matter if the dealer stands on soft 17?
No. Soft 20 (Ace-9) is played the same way under both rules.
Practise it until it's automatic
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More hands: Soft 19 (Ace-8) · Every blackjack hand · Basic strategy chart
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