Playing aces in blackjack
While some casino games revolve around the luck and good fortune of the player, others allow you to take matters into your own hands somewhat with the deployment of sensible strategies.
Blackjack is one of those card games where you can maximise a strong position or manage a weaker hand, by utilising the percentage plays that are, using probability theory, mathematically sound.
There are no guarantees that you’ll win when adopting a perfect strategy in your blackjack, but you will at least add an all-important context to your betting decisions.
One of the areas that some players struggle with in blackjack is aces – whether they’ve been dealt one or a pair, or perhaps the dealer has one upturned in their hand.
Happily, we’ve got you covered. This is your complete guide on how to play aces in blackjack in your own hand, as well as how to take on the dealer when they have an ace up their sleeve.
How to play aces in blackjack
One of the most important things to remember about playing aces in blackjack is that this is the most powerful card in the deck. Therefore, if you have one in your hand, you will likely be in a position of some advantage. And if you have a pair of aces, we’ll show you how to play those later in this article.
The beauty of aces in blackjack is their versatility, given that they can add either 1 or 11 points to a hand at your discretion. They form part of the unbeatable natural blackjack hand, can contribute to other hands in the region of 21, or can be a low-valued runner in a five-card trick.
A hand containing an ace is said to be ‘soft’ because it doesn’t have a hard value, given that the ace can be 1 or 11. Leveraging this advantage is key to playing aces successfully in blackjack.
But here’s another key takeaway: how you actually play your aces will still largely be dictated by the upturned card that the dealer has in front of them.
Let’s first consider that you have either A8 or A9 in your hand. This is a fantastic position, but you need to do little more than stand here – yes, scores of 19 or 20 can be beaten by the dealer, but this is a low-probability outcome and therefore standing is the percentage play.
A7 is a tougher combination to play, because soft 8 and soft 18 both have winning potential but can also be readily beaten. The general consensus is this: if the dealer’s hand is 6 or lower, you should double down where possible – if they hit 10, they will be left with 16. They would automatically have to hit again, with a low chance of landing a 5 or smaller.
However, if the dealer’s upturned card is a 7 or 8, you should consider standing on A7 – worst-case scenario, they hit 18, and your stake is pushed back to you.
The complication is when the dealer’s upturned card is a 9, 10 or ace – now your A7 starts to look weak, so hitting is the percentage play.
There are other instances in which hitting an ace is the smart move. We’ll show you when later in this article.
Aces in the dealer’s hand
When the dealer has an ace in their hand, they typically become the favourite to win that round – not only due to the card's power, but also because they get to react to your moves and play second.
So, you shouldn’t be risking your bankroll when the dealer has an upturned ace, which means never doubling down and increasing your risk.
This leaves you with two options: standing or hitting. If you have A8 or A9, there’s still logic to standing on your score – ultimately, there are more cards in the deck that can harm the power of the dealer’s ace then enhance it.
However, as soon as you pull an A7 or lower, and the dealer shows you an ace, you start to enter choppy waters, so trying your luck and hitting another card is the play. Who knows, you might get a commanding score of 19 or higher as a result.
Splitting aces in blackjack
There’s one and only one thought process when considering splitting aces in blackjack: do it!
We’ve already alluded to the power of the ace in blackjack, so if you’re lucky enough to be dealt two of them, then it makes sense to split and effectively try to win twice with the same hand.
Look at it the other way: if you played a pair of aces as they came, you’d have an excellent score of 2. But what if you doubled down and landed a 10 or a picture card? You’d have doubled your stake and be in the awkward position of deciding how to play your hand of 12 – one of the toughest spots in blackjack.
You can end any doubts about what to do with a pair of aces right away: split them and don’t look back.
Hitting on an ace in blackjack – when should you do this?
Let’s turn our attention now to the hands of A6 and lower.
In theory, you could stand with a soft score of 16 or 17, but you wouldn’t exactly be in a position of power.
So, these hands really have one of two options available to them – hitting or doubling down – with the decision ultimately taken based upon the dealer’s upturned card.
If the dealer has a 5 or 6, you really want to be taking them on regardless of what your ace hand is – in this scenario, doubling down is the percentage play.
If the dealer’s hand is a 7 or higher, you’re best served to hit – regardless of which of the ace-card combinations of A6 or lower you’re holding. Why? Because probability theory dictates that you will probably lose that hand, so why increase your potential loss by doubling down?
If the dealer’s upturned card is a 4, then doubling down with A4, A5 or A6 is the smart strategy, while you should hit with A2 or A3.
If the dealer’s card is a 3, you should hit with every combination from A5 and lower – but double down with A6, as you still have a position of power with a soft score of 7.
If the dealer’s card is a 3, you should hit – this is because there are many cards in the deck that aid the dealer’s position when they take another.
Playing aces in blackjack FAQs
Should I split a pair of aces?
You should always split a pair of aces, trying to double your advantage of being dealt this powerful card. Playing AA in blackjack as a single hand brings with it all manner of problems, especially if you hit or double down and land a 10-value card next.
Should I hit if I have an ace in my hand?
When you have an ace in your hand, there are two things to consider: your kicker card, and also the upturned card of the dealer. There are different situations where you should stand, hit or double down – learning the basics of basic blackjack strategy will reveal the percentage play in each scenario.