Soft 16 (A,5): How to Play

A soft 16 is A,5 — an Ace counted as 11 plus 5. Here is the correct basic-strategy play against each dealer upcard (6-deck, S17, DAS).

Soft 16 vs dealer

Dealer	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	A
Play	H	H	Dh	Dh	Dh	H	H	H	H	H

S = stand · H = hit · D = double · Ds = double if allowed else stand

See the full chart and long-run results for your table.

How do you play a soft 16 (A,5)?

See the row above for the correct play against each dealer upcard. It's for 6-deck, dealer stands on soft 17, DAS.

What does "soft" mean in blackjack?

A soft hand contains an Ace counted as 11, so it can't bust on the next card. Soft 16 is A,5.