What Are the Card Values in Blackjack?

The Ace is worth 1 or 11, whichever is better for the player. The 2 through 9 cards are worth their face value.

The 10, Jack, Queen, and King are all worth 10.

In blackjack, the player tries to beat the dealer’s hand by having a higher total than the dealer without going over 21. The player gets two cards dealt face up, while the dealer gets two cards but only one is face up.

After looking at their cards, the player can choose to “hit” and get more cards, “stand” and keep their current total, “double down” and double their bet in exchange for one more card, or “split” their hand into two hands if they have a pair of the same card. If the player goes over 21, they “bust” and lose their bet.

The Ace is usually worth 11 points in blackjack, but it can be worth 1 point if doing so would not put the player over 21 points. The 2 through 9 cards are each worth their face value.

The 10, Jack, Queen and King (also known as a “10-value card”) are each worth 10 points.

If the player has a total of 21 points with their first two cards (known as a “natural blackjack”), they automatically win unless the dealer also has a natural blackjack. If both the player and dealer have a natural blackjack, it is a tie (known as a “push”).

After the player decides whether to hit or stand, it is then the dealer’s turn to play. The dealer must follow certain rules when playing their hand. They must hit if their total is 16 or less, and they must stand if their total is 17 or more.

They will also usually offer insurance to players if they think the player may have a natural blackjack with their first two cards. Insurance costs half of the original bet and pays 2-1 if the dealer does indeed have a natural blackjack.

If neither the player nor dealer has a natural blackjack after both have played their hands, then whoever has the higher total wins. If both totals are equal (a tie), it is a push and nobody wins or loses money on that hand.