Should I hit hard 17 against an ace?

No on standard basic strategy: you stand. Hitting raises bust rate without enough expected gain.

Are hard 17 and soft 17 the same for the dealer?

Not always. On H17, dealer hits soft 17 but stands on hard 17. On S17, dealer stands on both.

Keyword: blackjack hard 17

Hard 17 means a total of 17 with no ace as 11, or with an ace that must count as 1 (e.g. 10 + 7). Any extra card busts.

The dealer, on nearly all tables, stands on hard 17. It is a weak hand to beat: many player totals of 18–21 beat it.

Spotting hard vs soft helps apply the right basic strategy line and judge finished-hand odds.

Basic strategy: stand in nearly all cases, whatever the dealer upcard. Hitting hard 17 is mathematically poor: too many cards bust you.

Never double hard 17. Split does not apply except odd cases in practice you stand.

If the dealer shows 7 or higher, hard 17 is often a long-term loser; against 6 or lower you are slightly favored. Accept variance on a modest hand.

When the dealer finishes on hard 17, they beat all your 16 or less and push on 17. You win with 18–21.

Side bets and insurance do not change that core dynamic. Skip insurance unless advanced counting outside casual play.

Pick favorable rules (3:2, S17) to lower overall house edge, not to turn hard 17 into a magic hand.

Should I hit hard 17 against an ace?
No on standard basic strategy: you stand. Hitting raises bust rate without enough expected gain.
Are hard 17 and soft 17 the same for the dealer?
Not always. On H17, dealer hits soft 17 but stands on hard 17. On S17, dealer stands on both.