Blackjack's Two-Sided Ace

One of the things that makes casino games online, and especially card games, so much fun is the sheer stability of it. The hands of poker are clearly distinct from one another, the values of the cards are clear and consistent. There are no dice - the element of chance is all carried through the dealer and the cards he or she provides.

There is enormous stability in card games in all areas - except one. The ace in a game of blackjack changes depending on the hand. It can even change mid-game to grow or shrink in value.

Despite the common midsection, the player does not choose the value of an ace, whether it is to hold a value of 1 or a value of 11. A rule dictates the value of the card. It states that the value shall be whatever creates the highest total close to 21 without going bust.

That means that an ace could start out with a value of 11, but if a card is drawn that pushes the value of the hand over 21 (bust), the ace should shrink to a value of 1 to keep the hand alive. It is less likely to start a game as a 1 and then grow to 11, but it can happen.  

  

The Card with a Dual Nature

  

The dynamic nature of the ace is a major part of what makes blackjack so much fun. In fact, poker could use a card that changes from the highest to the lowest card in the deck depending on what's happening in the game. It would also be like adding a partial joker to the game, one that could not take on any value, but either of the two extremes.

The card itself has a dual nature that is part of the brilliance of those who created and perfected blackjack. Is it the humble low card, one that takes a back seat even to the lowly 2 card, the lowest card in poker, or is it the highest card of all, sitting above the king in its own grand majesty? With the ace, we learn that those two things are actually one and the same.

The values taken all together are a circle that meets at both ends with ace. It is both the top of the deck and the bottom of the deck in an ever continuing loop. It bookends the deck, and essentially keeps all the other cards in line. Only the ace can be here and there. All of the other cards have their own distinct identity and value.

  

Ace is for Strategy

  

The ace, of course, is the most useful card to have in your hand. All it takes is a 10 card, which accounts for no less than sixteen cards in the deck - to go with an ace, and it's a 21. And if the second card is not a 10, there is still another chance with another card. The 11 can simply shrink to a one and add another point to the value you already have, making the hand stronger.

It shows something about the game of blackjack. It is good to have consistency and firmness in the rules of the game, but it's also enjoyable to have a little bit of flexibility. Both elements make the game what it is - one of the all time most popular games in the casino online.

That's the card's dual nature, and it's the game's dual aspect as well. The two go hand in hand, just as the ace goes with the top and bottom of the deck.