How much is a king worth in blackjack?

All picture cards have a value of 10 in blackjack. Aces are one or 11, while the remaining cards, two through 10, all carry their own face value.

Although blackjack math is never hard, it's easier for beginners to play knowing that a king, queen, or jack all represent 10. Novices can quickly work out their hand's total value without thinking twice and slowing down the game.

But the big difference the picture card value rule makes is how you approach blackjack strategy when you play online at TwinSpires Casino.

Basic strategy using the king value in blackjack

The fact that all 10s, jacks, queens, and kings are valued 10 means that there are 16 cards in every deck of 52 with that value. With so many value 10s out there, you can always assume that the next turn of a card is most likely to be 10.

Recognizing what card is most likely to come next is the biggest single factor in building a winning blackjack strategy (or bringing the casino house edge down to the bare minimum). You should always build in two 'what ifs' into every decision you make:

1. What if my next card is a 10 – will I make a good score or bust over 21?
2. What if the dealer's down card is a 10 – what will his total be then?

Armed with your reasonable assessment of the second question – what you guess the dealer's total to be – you can make a better decision about whether you should even take another card of your own.

For example, if the dealer's upcard is an 8, 9, or 10 (including kings, queens, and jacks), you should assume his down card is a 10 and that his total is, therefore, 18, 19, or 20. In this situation, you should be a little bolder in taking another card to try and get your own total closer to 21 to have a reasonable chance of winning the hand.

On the flip side, if the dealer's upcard is weak, like a 4, 5, or 6, his downcard is likely valued 10, giving a weak total of 14, 15, or 16. That's bad for the dealer because he must draw another card – again, most likely to be a 10, which would make him bust.

If the dealer shows a weak upcard, you do not need to take a risk by taking another card – even if you only have a 12. Why risk busting when there is a reasonable chance the dealer will go on to bust himself?

Further, if your total is 11 or fewer, and you can take another card without fear of busting, consider doubling down instead, so that you get more money on the table, again in the expectation that the dealer will go on to bust.

Simple yet effective strategy

With kings and other picture cards all valued 10, it allows you to play to this very basic blackjack strategy. Once you become accustomed to it and see that it helps your results, you can tweak the system. You can be more specific about which totals you can stand, hit or double down. You might also use a further defined strategy for splitting pairs (although never split two 10s – you almost certainly have the winning hand already, so why risk it?).

Look around online, and you can download free blackjack hand charts that tell you an optimum play for every likely combination of your starting hand and the dealer's upcard. You don't need to try and learn this – simply print it out and use it for reference, whether you're playing online or at a real casino.

Try blackjack online for yourself

Now that you understand how much kings are worth in blackjack, why not give the game a go for yourself? Sign up for TwinSpires Casino and make sure you make the most of the generous promos available. Good luck at the tables.