Veterans of live dealer casino games know that being dealt an ace in the blackjack table game is a pivotal moment. The value of other cards in a player’s hand and how the player proceeds from that point can make the difference between getting a great payout and wasting a golden opportunity.
An ace in blackjack affords players great flexibility in terms of the moves they might make, all with different levels of potential reward and risk. Capitalizing on these moments is part of the learning curve for newer players.
The more information players have about their options in specific blackjack games, the more they’ll be prepared to make the most out of those moments. This starts with understanding blackjack ace value.
How Much is an Ace Worth in Blackjack?
Although some blackjack variants will change the rules slightly, there’s a standard for how much an ace is worth in blackjack. In traditional games, aces in blackjack can be worth either one or 11.
In most cases, players decide for themselves whether they want to treat an ace as a one or 11, but there are some unique versions of blackjack that will fix the value of an ace to either one or 11.
In a typical game of blackjack, smart players assign that value depending on the value of the other cards in their hand and the probabilities of getting other cards. There are many possible paths to take depending on your situation.
How To Play a Single Ace
Many factors influence the best way to play a single ace in your hand. These include when you received the ace, the value of your other cards, and the rules of the game you’re playing.
If the ace is the first card you’re dealt, it’s difficult to ascertain which course of action is best until you get your second card. Should you get an ace as the second card, you will have a better idea of how to proceed because you’ll know exactly where you’re starting from.
Basic blackjack strategies suggest that an ace with a low card, such as a five, calls for you to hit. Even if you get a card higher than five, you can treat your original ace-five combination as a six, so you haven’t busted.
Decisions you’ll face with a single ace call for a good understanding of how many decks are in the game and how many possible combinations you can form. The probabilities can guide whether you should take another card or not.
Should You Hit Or Stand With an Ace?
When you’re holding just one ace in blackjack, the first question is always whether you should hit or stand. That decision completely depends on what your other card is.
If you’ve got an ace and a seven, an ace and an eight, or an ace and a nine, those are absolute must-stand situations. The math suggests that you stand a good chance of winning at those totals using the ace as an 11.
Conversely, if your other card is a five or lower, that’s where the math becomes a little less clear. While you can flex that ace to a one in most cases, the risk of failing to build a winning blackjack hand elevates with each successive hit.
This advice only covers the situation in which you’re holding one ace. The conventional wisdom shifts drastically if you’re holding a pair of aces in blackjack.
How To Play a Pair of Aces
The advice on how to play aces in blackjack when you’re holding two of them gets tremendously more simple compared to the rules for holding just one ace. This is an opportunity to deploy the popular move of splitting aces in blackjack.
In most games, this is one of the best bets for splitting cards in blackjack. Splitting your aces, while increasing your stake, also tremendously improves the strength of your position in the game and puts you in line for a more valuable payout.
This is an instance in which you should consult the blackjack rules of the specific variation you’re playing. Many games will have special considerations for splitting, like whether you can double down after you split.
Make Your Ace Count at BetMGM Casino
Responsible gambling not only protects you from harm but is also key to playing blackjack with confidence. When you set limits and stick to them, you’ll know exactly when your session is over and you can start to prepare for your next round of blackjack hands.
BetMGM is the best blackjack casino for these sessions because of the variety of games available, the frequent and valuable promotions for blackjack fans, and BetMGM’s offering of the best casino rewards program. The decision to register for BetMGM is your first step toward getting the most out of your money and time that you’ve allocated to playing blackjack.
As soon as you sign up and make a qualifying deposit, you can start learning to use your aces wisely with BetMGM’s incredible casino welcome bonus for new players. Let BetMGM be your ace in the hole.
