Blackjack Hands: Values, Types and Rankings

Blackjack hands determine whether you win or lose a round of the popular online casino card game. Any blackjack player should understand blackjack hand rankings before they start a round of the game.

At Buzz Bingo, we know that studying a new casino game can feel daunting – particularly when there are so many possible outcomes to consider! To make things easier for new players or veterans brushing up on rules, we have created this single-solution blackjack hand guide.

Everything you need to know about blackjack hands is available right here, including card values, specific hand rankings, differences between hard and soft hands, as well as information on how pairs work. You’ll even discover the best and most difficult starting hands.

So, are you ready to find out how to play blackjack hands effectively? Let’s get started with Buzz Bingo.

Blackjack Hand Rankings and Card Values

In blackjack, each card carries a specific value. These card values are added together to create a hand. 

Crucially, any combination of cards may be used to create a hand. This stands in direct contrast to poker, which uses a fixed hierarchy of defined hand combinations.

Take a quick look at blackjack hand values below.

• Ace: Valued as either 1 or 11.
• Number cards: Valued according to their associated number.
• Picture cards: Valued at 10.

As long as your hand does not exceed a value of 21 (known as a ‘blackjack’), you may create blackjack hands using aces, number cards, and picture cards. However, a ‘natural blackjack’ refers to when 21 is reached with just an ace and a 10-value card.

We’ve also created a guide to help you understand probability in blackjack (the chance of a particular outcome, such as a winning hand) as well as house edge (the casino’s mathematical advantage over the player over many hands).

Types of Blackjack Hands

Blackjack hands are divided into three main categories: hard hands, soft hands, and pairs. Each variant offers a different route to a possible return, and you can find details across every option right here.

Hard Hands

According to blackjack hand rules, hard hands are defined as any hand without an Ace, or where the Ace must be valued at 1. The fixed nature of this hand type removes flexibility, as referenced by the “hard” moniker.

For example:

• Hard Hand with Ace: Ace + 6 + 9 = Hard 16
• Hard Hand without Ace: Queen + 6 = Hard 16 

In the first example, valuing the Ace as 1 ensures that the hand does not bust by exceeding 21. If the Ace were to be valued as 11, the hand total would increase to 27, creating a bust.

The second example does not contain an Ace. As such, the value is “hard” and cannot be changed.

Soft Hands

Soft hands are flexible hands, where the Ace may count as either 1 or 11. This versatility makes soft hands more popular in blackjack, as players benefit from greater freedom over their hand values.

Here’s an example of a soft hand in action:

• Soft Hand with Ace as 11: Ace + 6 = Soft 17

Counting the Ace as 11 allows you to hold a high-value hand from the outset. And if you take another card (hit) and receive a 10, you can avoid exceeding 21 by counting the Ace as a 1 instead.

Pairs

Pairs refer to hands containing cards of the exact same value, which may be split into two separate hands. As a result, players holding a pair are permitted to play using two hands simultaneously.

For instance, a hand with two eights (8 + 8) can be divided to form two new hands. Once split, the dealer will give you one additional card per new hand. Both hands are treated independently when it comes to betting.

This concept generally applies to all hands carrying two of the same card value. Remember to explore game-specific rules before playing to ensure splitting is available for all cards, including picture cards.

What Are the Best Blackjack Hands?

Although blackjack does not follow a defined list of poker-style hand rankings, some hands are stronger than others. Strong hands typically offer good value from the beginning, can give more fluid options, or are modifiable in some way.

Natural Blackjack

A natural blackjack is the best hand in blackjack, and occurs when you hold an Ace and either a 10, Jack, Queen, or King at the start of a game, creating a total hand value of 21. 

This is an unbeatable hand in most blackjack games. The only exemption is if the dealer also lands a blackjack with their first two cards. In that instance, you’ll receive your stake  back.

20 Hand Total

The next best blackjack hand is a 20-hand total, which enters the fray when you hold a pair of 10-value cards. Any two-card combination of 10, Jack, Queen, or King creates this particular hand.

11 Starting Total

Landing a hand total of 11 at the start of a game ensures that any card received next will not result in a bust. 

One example is if you were to hold a five and a six, totalling 11. Should you hit and receive a 10, you'll land a blackjack. If you’re dealt an Ace, you can reduce its score to 1 and still increase the overall hand value.

Pair of Aces

Holding a pair of Aces means that you can split your hand and create two high-value hands. Splitting here represents a solid basic blackjack strategy, as the value of the Ace remains fluid after being divided.

Blackjack Hands FAQs

How Do Blackjack Hands Work?

In blackjack, your cards are known as your hand. Hands that get as close to or hit 21 without exceeding that limit, and beat the dealer’s total, will win.

What are Blackjack Winning Hands?

Any blackjack hand that beats the dealer’s hand value and does not exceed 21 is a winning hand. Any combination of cards may be used to win a blackjack hand.

What Is the Best Hand in Blackjack?

The best hand in blackjack is called a natural blackjack. This happens when you hold any picture card plus an Ace, creating an immediate total of 21.

What are the Most Important Blackjack Hand Rules?

It is important to become familiar with blackjack rules on how hard and soft hands work, splitting availability, and possible push bets before playing your first blackjack hand.