What is the ace’s value in blackjack?

Just as the ace holds all the cards in poker, so it carries significant weight in blackjack. Most importantly, you need an ace to make blackjack, hitting the magical 21 combining an ace with a ten or picture card.

But the ace also benefits from being valued high or low, so one or 11, which means your starting cards give you two possible angles of attack.

For example, if you are dealt A-6, called soft 17, your hand is valued at 7 or 17. Many recreational players might see 17 and stand because they have a made hand. But more experienced players will see an opportunity to profit further

How to play the ace in your starting hand

In common with other threads of basic blackjack strategy, you should take keen notice of the dealer’s upcard. If the dealer has a weak starting card, like a four, five, or six, it means he is more likely to go bust.

You, therefore, want to get as much money on the table as you can. If you hold the A-6 that we described earlier, don’t stand on the 17, but double down on the 7. The chances are your next card will be a ten or high number, getting you to 17 or close, but with twice as much cash on the table. If, as expected, the dealer goes on to bust, you get twice as much back!

Using the same example of A-6 as a starting hand, and the dealer shows a ten upcard, we must assume his next card will also be ten, giving him 20.

In this case, we should also not stand on a ready-made 17, but take another card (don’t double down, just hit) and see if this gets us straight to 20 or 21 with a three or four, or offers another opportunity with a fourth card.

By understanding what the potential of the dealer’s hand is, based on his upcard, we can use the blackjack ace rules to our advantage.

Splitting aces in blackjack

Two aces are the best starting hand in Texas Hold’em Poker. In blackjack, having two aces is great, but not perfect. You can, like any other pair, split and play two different hands. While it is likely one will end up being 21, many casinos do not count this as a natural blackjack, so you get paid 1:1 rather than the usual 3:2.

Still, don’t get downbeat, splitting aces is a profitable play – and you have twice as much money on the table.

Practice with your aces at BetMGM Casino

The best way to master how much an ace is worth in blackjack is to play the game. You can do so for free at BetMGM Casino, and once you’re confident, make your first deposit. Make sure you collect your new player bonus.