Anyone who follows official blackjack rules is familiar with the value of a king and other face cards. With that in mind, how much is a king worth in blackjack apart from its value?
We answer that question by going through the various aspects of blackjack.
How Much is A King Worth In Blackjack?
Every king in blackjack is worth ten points according to blackjack rules. Kings are four of the 16 cards in a deck with a value of 10, including queens and jacks.
In a blackjack game, the goal is to have a hand value that is better than the dealers. Anyone going over that value loses the game. The highest blackjack score both of you can reach is 21.
Kings are valuable when it comes to forming a natural blackjack hand. This hand consists of a ten and ace card to form a value of 21. Players who form this hand automatically win the game (unless the dealer also has a natural blackjack) and receive a 3:2 payout.
When it comes to winning a game, this is when the value of a blackjack king plummets since these cards form hard hands. A hard hand in blackjack consists of a ten and a non-ace card. While these hands can get you close to 21, you risk going bust or over 21 if you hit.
Value Of A King In Blackjack Card Counting
Card counting in blackjack is a skill employed by players to get an accurate prediction of the cards left within a dealer’s shoe. This method is possible by assigning a value to each card drawn from the deck. As cards are drawn in each game, counters keep a running count based on what has been played. Players adjust the bets for succeeding games to anticipate specific cards when the running count reaches a high positive or negative score.
Kings have value in various blackjack card counting methods. In the classic Hi-Lo method, kings are worth -1. This value is the same with other face cards and aces. Low cards of 2 to 6 have a value of +1, while the rest are worth 0 since this method does not consider , , and .
A high positive running count requires you to increase your bet according to the Hi-Lo method since this indicates more tens and aces in the shoe. When the running count is negative such as -7, it means the dealer drew numerous kings and other ten cards while the shoe is full of low cards. During this period, you want to make the minimum bet amount and allow the dealer to draw more cards.
Note that the Hi-Low is just one of many card-counting methods with different ways to value the king card. Assigning value to each card and keeping a running account can improve your edge over the house regardless of your method. Card counters tend to decrease the house edge to 0.5% only.
Determining Blackjack Odds with A King
Players and dealers who drew a king and or higher must consider the blackjack odds of going bust. Because of the rules, there are 16 ten cards in a deck. Even if you have a 12, your odds of drawing a ten and going bust with a 22 is 31%.
The worst scenario you can encounter is a king and six cards to form a hard 16, which is one of the most misplayed hands in the game. You have a blackjack odds of 62% to go bust and are likely to get beaten by the dealer. Given the incredible risks of losing with a hard 14, 15, and 16, the best option, according to blackjack strategy guides, is to surrender where you concede and take back half your stake.
King’s base value is the same as other face and tens cards. Their value determines which blackjack basic strategy to use. Beyond the essential blackjack hand value, kings can have their worth when counting cards.
This article was published on November 29, 2022, and last updated on November 22, 2022.
