Blackjack basics
Blackjack card values
Cards 2 to 10 count their number. Jacks, Queens and Kings count 10. An Ace counts 11, or 1 if 11 would put you over 21. Suits do not matter.
These answers are for a 6 deck game where the dealer stands on soft 17, blackjack pays 3 to 2, and you can double on any two cards, including after a split.
Why
Because four ranks count 10, a 10 value card is the most common card in the shoe, about four in every thirteen. That is why so much of strategy is about what happens when the next card is a 10.
The Ace is the only card that changes value. A hand with an Ace counted as 11 is called soft, and a hand without one is hard.
The play against every dealer card
| Card | Counts as |
|---|---|
| 2 to 9 | Its number |
| 10, Jack, Queen, King | 10 |
| Ace | 1 or 11 |
Questions players ask
- How much is a King worth in blackjack?
- A King counts as 10, the same as a 10, Jack or Queen.
- Is an Ace 1 or 11 in blackjack?
- Either. It counts 11 unless that would put you over 21, then it counts 1.
Related answers
- Hard vs soft hands in blackjack
- How to play blackjack
- Blackjack terms every player should know
- Blackjack basic strategy chart
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