Is a king a good card in blackjack?
Just like other card games out there, blackjack is played with decks that are made up of 52 cards. The number of decks may vary, but each deck will still contain the same number of cards. It’s the value of these cards that make a hand either good or bad and that’s why players need to explore what a card is really worth. In this article we take a look at the king in blackjack.
When looking at what a card is worth, this goes beyond simply considering its value. As you’re probably already aware a king is treated like other picture cards when playing blackjack, and that means that it’s worth 10. Does knowing the value of a king let you really understand its usefulness when you find one in your hand? We’d suggest not.
So, just how good a card is a king when it comes to playing blackjack? Is having the value of 10 in your hand likely to give you an edge or does it go against you? Just how do you determine a card’s worth rather than just its value? These are all of the things that we’re set to explore right now.
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So, how much is a king worth in blackjack?
We’ve already explored the basic answer to this. According to the usual blackjack rules, a king in the game is worth 10. In total, there are 16 cards in the deck that are worth this amount. These are:
- 4 x kings
- 4 x queens
- 4 x jacks
- 4 x 10s
While there are those who will tell you that blackjack is all about having a hand that’s worth 21, the truth is that the real aim of this casino game is to beat the dealer. This means that you want to be holding a hand that’s worth more than the dealers. The 21 comes in as this is the maximum value that anyone can hold. If any players, or the dealer, exceed 21 then they’re bust and out of the game. If you reach 21, then you’re in a strong position.
When it comes to forming a natural blackjack, it’s clear that a king is a valuable card. A natural blackjack is when a player holds any card that is worth 10 along with an ace, which can be used as an 11. If a player has a natural blackjack then they win and, at the best casinos, they get a payout of 3:2 (although it’s getting more common for this to be 6:5). The only exception here is if the dealer also has a natural blackjack
Beyond a natural blackjack, the worth of a king becomes a little debatable. That’s because it forms a hard hand, meaning that there is a ten but no ace. In this scenario, a player may look to hit. With a king being so high in value, there is a real risk that the player will go bust.
How about kings when card counting?
Card counting is a blackjack skill that’s well worth learning. In fact, it’s a skill that’s used by some of the very best blackjack players in the world. It works by allowing players to reasonably accurately predict the cards that are still to be dealt. Players keep a running count of the cards that are left and they adjust their betting accordingly.
There are various methods that are used for card counting and this means that kings are assigned various values. If you look at the classic Hi-Lo method, as an example, here a king is worth -1. This value is also assigned to the other face cards as well as the aces. Cards that have a value of between 2 and 6 are given a value of +1. The remaining cards, 7,8 and 9, are worth 0.
If there is a high positive running count during a game, then players will increase their bets. This is because the count suggests that there are more 10s and aces left to be dealt. Conversely, if the running count is negative, this is a time when bets are reduced. It means that the majority of high-value cards have already been dealt and there are mainly low-value ones left in the shoe.
As we’ve hinted at, this Hi-Lo approach to card counting is one of several. What a king is worth in the game will depend upon the methods being used. Regardless, when you realize the impact that card counting has on the house edge, you’d be crazy not to take steps to master this skill.
Blackjack odds with a king
The automatic thought is that a king must be a good card to be dealt in blackjack. As a high-value card, less experienced players assume that it’s all positive. However, this simply isn’t true. Let’s say that you start a game and you’re dealt a 2 and a king, meaning you have 12. The odds here are suddenly high when it comes to the chances of going bust. That’s because there are 16 cards worth 10 in a deck. When you’re sat there holding 12, the odds of drawing another 10 and going bust are a whopping 31%. Suddenly, you wish that you hadn’t been dealt a king in the first place.
Let’s take it a step further. Let’s imagine that you’re dealt a king and a 6. This gives you 16 and this is one of the most misplayed hands in the game. The chances of going bust in this scenario jump to a ludicrous 62%. We’ve written a whole article on how to play 16, but your best option is usually to surrender. In this instance, you at least get half of your stake back.
Final thoughts
Yes, on a simple level, a king has a value of 10. However, knowing this on its own isn’t enough to tell you if the card is a good one. To understand this fully, you need to put it into context and look at how the game is playing out. A king can be a blessing but it can also be a curse.
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