Soft 18 (A-7) vs Dealer 5: Double Down?

With a soft 18 (A-7) against a dealer 5, basic strategy says to double. This is the mathematically correct play over the long run — it's exactly what the Blackjack Trainer grades your decisions against.

A dealer showing 5 busts about 42% of the time. That's a weak up-card, which is why you lean toward standing on stiff totals and doubling strong ones — you want money on the table when the dealer is most likely to break.

Doubling is best when it's allowed. If you can't double here (for example after a split), stand instead.

What the dealer does with a 5

Assuming the dealer stands on all 17s, here is how a 5 up-card finishes over the long run:

Soft 18 (A-7) vs every dealer up-card

H = Hit · S = Stand · D = Double · Sp = Split · Su = Surrender. Tap any card to see that matchup.

For entertainment only. No real-money gambling. 21+