Basic Strategy Table unclear for certain soft hands

[Goodtimes0]

As my first post, I'd like to start out by saying that this site has been extremely helpful for an up-and-coming card counter! I still have a long way to go, but I'm starting to get serious on the idea.

With that being said, I'm unsure on certain plays with more than 2 cards using basic strategy regarding soft hands. For reference, I'm referring to the Basic Strategy Engine table for 6 decks, S17, DAS, Late Surrender, Peek.

Here's the table section for soft hands:
___________ 2 3 4 5 6 7
A,2 (soft 13) H H H D D H
A,3 (soft 14) H H H D D H
A,4 (soft 15) H H D D D H
A,5 (soft 16) H H D D D H
A,6 (soft 17) H D D D D H
A,7 (soft 18) S D D D D H


Here's my question - What do you do if you still have a soft hand after you hit on a soft hand, and the chart tells you to double?

For example, lets say that I'm dealt A, 2, giving me a soft 13 and the dealer's up card is 4. Basic strategy tells me to hit, so lets say I hit and get a 3, leaving me with A, 2, 3, or soft 16. Basic strategy tells me to double here, but I can't since I already hit. What would I do in this situation? Hit again or stay?

This example could happen in a few different ways, another example would be if I am dealt A, 3 (soft 14) with a dealer upcard of 3. Again, basic strategy tells me to hit and I get a 3, leaving me with A, 3, 3 (soft 17). Basic strategy tells me to double, but I can't since I already hit. Again, hit or stay?

I've been reading through the lessons and I haven't found this answer yet (I might have overlooked it), so I figured the safest thing would be to post here just in case.

Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Goodtimes0]

Hmm, so even if I have A, 2, 5 (soft 18) against a dealer's 4 up card, I should treat the ace as a 1, making it 8 v 4? Is this the same for a soft 19 or 20 on 3 cards too because that doesn't seem to be in the player's best interest. Is there some point where you draw the line for a 3 card soft hand? Like at 3 card soft 17 and below perhaps?

 

[BJgenius007]

Hmm, so even if I have A, 2, 5 (soft 18) against a dealer's 4 up card, I should treat the ace as a 1, making it 8 v 4? Is this the same for a soft 19 or 20 on 3 cards too because that doesn't seem to be in the player's best interest. Is there some point where you draw the line for a 3 card soft hand? Like at 3 card soft 17 and below perhaps?

My mistake. I should say, after you have more than 2 cards, Ace is counted as 11 if it could make you a good hand, otherwise Ace is 1.

 

[Goodtimes0]

Ah ok, so what would you consider a good hand? Would you say maybe that if you have a 3 card soft hand that you should stay at 17 or higher against a dealer up card of 2-6? Is that a good rule of thumb?

Sorry for being specific but I'm trying to learn this as detailed as possible, haha.

 

[Sonny]

Here's my question - What do you do if you still have a soft hand after you hit on a soft hand, and the chart tells you to double?

Check out Ken's BS engine:

http://www.blackjackinfo.com/bjbse.php?numdecks=6+decks&soft17=s17&dbl=all&das=yes&surr=ls&peek=yes

You'll notice that some of the entries are "D" for Double/Hit and others are "DS" for Double/Stand. That will tell you which soft totals to stand on. As an easy reference, never stand on a soft 17 or less.

-Sonny-

 

[tenzip]

Check out Ken's BS engine:

http://www.blackjackinfo.com/bjbse.php?numdecks=6+decks&soft17=s17&dbl=all&das=yes&surr=ls&peek=yes

You'll notice that some of the entries are "D" for Double/Hit and others are "DS" for Double/Stand. That will tell you which soft totals to stand on. As an easy reference, never stand on a soft 17 or less.

-Sonny-

To make it even more clear (for this specific instance), check the "Double 10, 11 only". That will remove the doubling from the soft hands and just show H or S.

 

[Goodtimes0]

Sonny - I noticed the DS for A,7, but didn't see it for some of the other soft hands. With that being said, I'll just follow your easy rule of never standing on soft 17 or less.

Tenzip - thanks for further clarification, that makes it a lot easier to see without the doubles listed in the table.

Thanks for the help everyone, it's very much appreciated! Now I have to go learn all of the true count tables and further confuse myself, ha.

 

[BJgenius007]

Good hand.

Ah ok, so what would you consider a good hand?

Assuming you have more than 2 cards and can no longer double:

Soft 17 (or under) is never a good hand. (like after you draw A 2 3 A)
Soft 19 (or over) is always a good hand.

Soft 18 is a good hand if dealer's up card is 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 or 8.
Soft 18 is not a good hand if dealer's up card is 9, 10 or A.

 

[duanedibley]

Sonny - I noticed the DS for A,7, but didn't see it for some of the other soft hands.

In general "D" means "Double if allowed, otherwise Hit". In this context you are only allowed to Double on two cards, so if you have three or more cards you should Stand.

The few times when you should Stand instead of Hitting when Double is not a possibility are marked "Ds".

 

[pogostick]

Doubling after you hit is only allowed in spanish 21 ,but stay away from that game. Pogo