Can You Change the Value of an Ace in Blackjack?

An Ace in blackjack is worth either 1 or 11. You can change the value of an Ace to fit your hand, and the dealer will usually help you with this. If you have a hand with an Ace that is worth 11 and you need to change it to a 1, then you say “I’d like a soft 17 please” and the dealer will count the Ace as a 1. If you have a hand with an Ace that is worth 1 and you want to change it to an 11, then you say “I’d like a hard 17 please” and the dealer will count the Ace as an 11.

PRO TIP:In Blackjack, an Ace can be counted as either 1 or 11 depending on what is more beneficial to your hand. If you start with an Ace in your hand, decide which value would be best for you before making any other moves.

There are some circumstances where changing the value of an Ace can be beneficial. For example, if you have a hand with an Ace that is worth 11 and you are up against a dealer’s 6, then changing the Ace to a 1 would give you a better chance of winning.