In general, it is better for the blackjack dealer to hit if the player has a total of 21 or more. However, there are some cases where it is better for the dealer to stand soft, even if the player has a total of 18 or 19.
There are three main reasons why it is sometimes advantageous for the dealer to stand soft. The first reason is that if the player has a total of 18 or 19, he may be trying to get a free hit.
If the dealer hits, this will cause the player to lose his free hit and pay 2 instead of 1 for his original bet. .
The second reason is that if the player has a total of 19 or 20, he may be attempting to get a blackjack rather than a hand totaling 21. If the dealer hits, this will cause the player to lose his opportunity to get a blackjack and instead end up with a hand totaling 22 or 23.
The third reason is that sometimes players bluff when they have a total of 18 or 19. If the dealer stands soft and hits, this will give the player less opportunity to bluff and potentially lose money because he may need to put more money into the pot before he can try to bluff again.
Overall, it is usually better for the blackjack dealer to hit if the player has a total of 21 or more, but there are some cases where it is better for the dealer to stand soft.
