The basic strategy says to stand since it is a soft 18-or-higher hand. Let‘s say you have A+6 for a soft total of 17. Between 12-16, hit or stand varies based on the dealer‘s upcard. Hard hands: If the total is 11 or less, hit in every scenario. The flexible ace gives you room if the hit busts. Soft hands: Always hit when the total is soft 17 or less. Here are the recommended moves for soft and hard ace hands:

In that case it‘s best to count them as 1 each to start, treating it as a hard 12 rather than a risky soft 22. The only common exception is when dealt two aces. If the player‘s hand goes over 21 with the ace as 11, then the ace must switch to a value of 1. With a hand total between 12-21, the ace counts as 1. With a hand total of 11 or less, the ace always counts as 11 to start. Whether an ace counts as 11 or 1 depends on the player‘s other cards in that hand: That flexibility provides more options for the player on soft ace hands.

With a soft hand, the ace is still able to switch from 11 to 1 if a future card drawn causes the total to exceed 21. Hard Hand: The ace can only be counted as 1 or the hand would bust. Soft Hand: The ace counts as 11 without the total going over 21. The terms 'soft' and 'hard' refer to the value given to an ace in the player‘s current hand: Understanding when the ace counts as 1 versus 11 can help you make better strategic choices during play. The flexible value of the ace is a key aspect that makes blackjack a game of skill versus pure chance. Card Values in Blackjackįirst, a quick refresher on how each card is valued in a game of 21: Let me explain further how ace value works in blackjack and provide some expert strategy tips for playing ace hands optimally as a newer blackjack player. But exactly how much is an ace worth in blackjack? The short answer is the ace can be counted as either 1 or 11, whichever benefits the player‘s hand the most. In blackjack, the ace is hands-down the most powerful and valuable card.

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