Blackjack Card Values: Learn What Each Card in Blackjack Means
Blackjack is one of the most accessible casino games to learn. It also has the lowest house edge when played optimally. So, it should come as no surprise to learn that it’s one of the most popular games in the casino. It always draws a crowd, with amateurs and pros flocking to real and virtual blackjack tables.
If you’re one of those amateurs, you may have questions about the game’s rules. We covered some of these briefly in our Learn How to Play Blackjack guide, but in this article, we’ll dive deeper into a foundational rule: the card values.
All Card Values in Blackjack
Blackjack card values are straightforward, and there are only three things you need to know:
- Ace can be 1 or 11
- Cards 2 through 10 score the same as their face value
- All picture cards (Jacks, Queens, and Kings) are worth 10
See the table below to learn the value of each card in blackjack:
| Card | Value |
| 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 |
Understanding Blackjack Card Values
The goal of blackjack is to beat the dealer, and you do this by getting as close to 21 as possible. Initially, you and the dealer are dealt two cards. From here, you have several moves to make:
- Hit = Get another card
- Stand = Stick with the cards you have
- Double Down = Wager your initial stake again to receive one more card
- Split (only possible with pairs) = Turn one hand into two
Here are a few examples to help you understand these rules:
- You’re dealt a 10 and 8. You have 18 and stand.
- You’re dealt a 5 and 6. You have 11. You hit and get a king. You now have 21.
- You’re dealt a 4 and 6. You have 10. You double down and get a jack. You now have 20.
- You’re dealt two aces. You split. You now have two hands with one ace each. Those hands are worth either 1 or 11.
How Can Ace Be 1 or 11 in Blackjack?
One of the first things that novices ask is, How can an ace be worth 1 and 11?
You don’t need to choose the value of your ace. It happens automatically, and the score is assumed. If you have an ace, 10, and 5, that ace will score 1 for a total of 16; otherwise, you have 26 and are out of the hand. If you have an ace and a 10, it counts as 21, which means you have a blackjack—the best hand in the game.
Hands with aces are defined as being “soft”, whereas hands without are “hard”. So an ace and a 5 is a “soft 16”, as it can also count as 6.
As discussed in our guide to the best and worst starting hands in Blackjack, 16 is the worst hand. It’s a low score, yet it’s easy to bust if you try to improve it. If it has an ace, it’s favorable. A 5 or less will improve your hand, while a 6 or more will force the ace to act as a 1.
This is why you’ll often see games stating that the dealer “stands on soft 17”, meaning dealers keep drawing until they hit 17 and will then stand, even if the hand has an ace. If they have a soft 16, they will hit until they reach 17 or higher.
What is the Value of Face Cards in Blackjack?
Face cards are always worth 10 in blackjack. Counting the 10 cards, four cards are in each suit with a value of ten, totaling 16 in a deck of 52 cards. This is why the insurance bet (available when the dealer’s upcard is an ace) is offered, as there is a roughly one in three chance that their next card will be a 10 and they will score a blackjack.
Do Card Values in Blackjack Matter?
They matter, but it’s not just about your cards. You also have to think about the dealer’s upcard.
For instance, if you have a 16 and the dealer shows a 10, basic blackjack strategy—based on probability and used by pros—recommends hitting. The chances of improving your hand are slim, but the odds of losing are even higher if you don’t. The dealer will beat you with a 7 or greater, which means they win with 32 of the 52 cards in a deck, and if they hit one of the 20 favorable cards, they’re still in the hand and can beat you.
If they have a 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6, you stand, as the odds are more in your favor, and there’s a high chance they won’t beat you.
To learn more about optimal strategies, check out our multi-hand blackjack strategies.
Summary: Blackjack Card Values
To summarize, an ace is 1 or 11, cards 2 through 10 are worth their face value, and everything else is a 10. Simple, right? Well, that’s the beauty of this game! Just remember to keep an eye on the dealer’s upcard and remember your basic blackjack strategy!
Blackjack Common Queries
What are the basic blackjack card values?
Most cards score the same as their face value, except for an ace, which can be high and low (1 and 11), and picture cards, which score 10.
How do aces work in blackjack?
They automatically score 1 or 11, depending on which one provides the highest score/best hand.
How do you calculate the value of a hand in blackjack?
Add the values and compare them to the dealer’s upcard to determine your next move.
Why are face cards important in blackjack?
They are important because they score ten and can give you a blackjack when combined with an ace or a high score of 20 when you have 2 of them.
What is a “soft hand” in blackjack?
A “soft” hand contains an ace, valued at 1 or 11. It will count for the latter when it makes a high hand and switch to the former when an 11 would bust the hand.
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