In most other card games, including poker, Aces are considered the best cards to get. In Blackjack, however, Aces can be very tricky to handle. Depending on the combination of cards you are holding, an Ace or two can either be very good or very bad. Let’s take a look at several possible conditions and how you should handle Aces in such conditions.

Anything totaling more than 18 is a definite stand, even when you have an Ace as part of the combination. Some players consider soft 18 as not good enough, especially when the dealer’s open card is either 9, 10, any of the face cards, or an Ace. The decision is entirely up to you, since both hit and stand have their own consequences.

A soft 17 or lower, on the other hand, is a definite hit. You can choose to double down if the dealer’s open card is anything from 3 to 6, especially when you have soft 13, 14, 15 or 16. Again, there are risks involved, but your odds are pretty high and you will most likely beat the dealer.

Keep in mind that there are always two sides of a decision, and with Aces the decision can be even trickier. Of course, you should always split pocket pair of Aces and then double down on each if the table rule allows it. Use the tips presented in this article and you will be more profitable playing Blackjack. Don’t forget to check back for more articles on Blackjack.