The values of blackjack cards are straightforward. The value of each of the face cards—the Kings, Queens, and Jacks—is 10. The Ace can be worth 1 or 11, depending on your intended application. The values of the remaining cards are as follows: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10. You just need to tally up the values of all the cards in your hand to find the overall value casino near me.
Value Chart for Blackjack Cards
The values of the blackjack cards are as follows:
- Ace: 1 or 11
- 2: 2
- 3: 3
- 4: 4
- 5: 5
- 6: 6
- 7: 7
- 8: 8
- 9: 9
- 10: 10
- Jack: 10
- Queen: 10
- King: 10
Therefore, each face card, also called a picture card, has a value of 10. The Ace card is unique because, depending on how the player chooses to utilize it, it can be counted as either 1 or 11. (For additional information, see below). In blackjack, the values of all the other cards match what is printed on them.
How To Determine Your Hand Value in Total
You just need to tally up the values of all the cards in your hand to find the overall value.
It’s easy arithmetic: Adding 6 and 7 to your original two-card hand of a 6 and a 7 yields 13.
Typically, you would wish to get a different card because 13 is not a favorable hand. Assume that a six is the next card. This would make your overall hand value 19 (6 + 7 + 6 = 19). It’s a solid blackjack hand.
Let’s examine a few more instances:
- Eight plus nine equals seventeen.
- 3 plus 5 plus 8 equals 16.
- Ten plus Queen equals twenty.
- Ace plus six is seven or seventeen.
- Ace plus Ace equals two or twelve. (Counting one Ace as one and one as eleven gives you twelve. You would burst if you counted both as eleven.)
Values of Soft Hand vs. Hard Hand
An Ace in blackjack that can be counted as either 1 or 11 is considered a soft hand. A hard hand is one in which there is no Ace or one in which the Ace has a value of 1.
The difference matters because it influences your approach. There is increased chance of busting (going over 21) in a hard hand, whereas a soft hand allows for greater flexibility.
Let’s take a closer look at this.
An Ace’s Worth in a Soft Hand
Any combination of the 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 cards, as well as the Ace card, which can be classified as a 1 or 11, constitute a soft hand.
Because the Ace is flexible, you won’t be in immediate risk of popping out if you draw ANY other card. This makes your hand “soft” and offers you at least one more chance to get it better casino near me casino near me.
- As an illustration, let’s imagine you have an Ace and a 2.
- Your two-card hand total is either 3 OR 13, as the Ace can be regarded as both 1 and 11.
- In blackjack, neither of these hands is excellent casino near me, so you draw another card.
- You make a three. The Ace card can still be considered as either 1 or 11, thus your three-card hand total is now either 6 or 16. Because you can draw another card without running the risk of breaking out, the hand is still soft.
- You hit again since a 16 is a poor hand.
- A 10-value card is drawn. This makes your hand a “Hard 16.” This is because you would bust (2 + 11 + 3 + 10 = 26) if you continued to count the Ace as an 11.
It is therefore a soft hand until the moment at which one more card draw could potentially collapse your hand. casino.org This is where the hand becomes hard.
The Significance Of An Ace In A Tough Hand
If an Ace is present in a hard hand, it is valued at 1 rather than 11.
This is due to the fact that a flexible value would not be helpful and would instead lead to a blowout. For instance, since you would bust with 26 (7 + 8 + 11), 7 + 8 + Ace can only equal 16 (7 + 8 + 1) casino near me.
As an illustration, suppose your hand total is 17 when the Ace card is not there. It’s a “Hard 17” here.
If you draw one more card, you could break even.
The chances of the game demonstrate that your Hard 17 might already be a losing hand if the dealer is displaying an up-card of an 8, 9, 10, or Ace. It is tempting to strike the hand as a result. The 2, 3, 4, or Ace (counted as 1) is the only card that will improve your hand, according to fundamental strategy, so you should stand. EVERY other card will be more than 21. casino.org You are now in a standing position.
This explains why it’s referred to as a Hard 17. For if you draw ANY card other than an Ace, a 2, 3, 4, or a 5 (which then MUST be counted as a 1), it can lose instantly.
On the other hand, you could play the hand without worrying about busting out if you held a Soft 17 (for example, Ace + 6) casino.org.
The significance of the Soft 17 Hand is such that some brick-and-mortar and virtual casinos utilize it to raise their house edge by declaring that the “Dealer must hit Soft 17.” This implies that in those games, the house edge in blackjack will rise relative to the player using the conventional approach by roughly 0.23%.
What Is A Hand In Blackjack?
A blackjack hand, sometimes referred to as a “natural 21,” consists of two cards: an Ace paired with a 10, Jack, Queen, or King casino.org.
This is so that an automatic 21 is created when an Ace card (counted as 11) casino.org and a 10-value card are combined casino near me.
Unless the dealer also has blackjack, it is the best hand in casino blackjack and usually results in an instant victory.
How the Value of Your Cards Affects Your Strategy in Blackjack
“Basic strategy for blackjack” refers to the most widely utilized blackjack tactic. These are a collection of preset guidelines that specify what you should do with the game’s opening two cards.
Check out these blackjack strategy charts to determine the best course of action based on the strength of your hand. You can be told to hit, stand, double down, divide, or give up .
Six Fast Strategy Guidelines Based on Your Hand Value
- Should the dealer display a 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 as their up-card and your two-card hand total is 12, 13, 14, 15, or 16, you should stand.
- In the event that the dealer displays a 7, 8, 9, 10, Jack, Queen, King, or Ace as their up-card and your two-card hand total is 12, 13, 14, 15, or 16, you should hit.
- Hold a Hard 17 but HIT a Soft 17 if the dealer has an Ace, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10, or other non-standard card.
- If the dealer’s up card is a 5, 6, or 7, then stand on Soft 17.
- Divide 8s and Aces always.
- If the dealer is holding an Ace as their up card and did not have a blackjack (the dealer will verify for this before the hand advances), then double down on 11.