What Is an Ace Worth in Blackjack?

In blackjack, an ace is worth either 11 points or 1 point, depending on its usage in the player’s hand. If the player has an ace in their hand that is worth 11 points, it is called a “soft” hand because the ace can be counted as either 1 or 11.

If the player has an ace in their hand that is only worth 1 point, it is called a “hard” hand because the ace can only be counted as 1.

Aces are normally worth 11 points in blackjack. However, if counting the ace as 11 would put the player over 21 (known as “busting”), the ace can instead be counted as 1 to avoid busting.

For example, if a player has an Ace and a 6 in their hand, they would normally count the Ace as 11 and have a total of 17. However, if they counted the Ace as 11 and busted, they would instead count it as 1 and have a total of 16.

Aces are therefore considered to be both high and low in blackjack – they can be used to make strong hands (such as “soft” 18-21) or weak hands (such as 12-16). Players should always check their options with an Ace in their hand to see if counting it as 1 or 11 would be more advantageous.

Generally speaking, an Ace is most advantageous when used to make a soft hand – i.e. when there is another card that can be used to make up for the fact that counting the Ace as 11 would put the player over 21.

For example, if a player has an Ace and a 3 in their hand, they could count the Ace as 11 and have a total of 14, or they could count it as 1 and have a total of 4. In this case, counting the Ace as 11 would be more advantageous because it would leave the player with a better chance of hitting 21 or getting close to 21 without busting.