Is there a worse feeling than when a blackjack dealer turns over an ace as their upcard?
That sinking feeling has a sound mathematical basis: indeed, when the dealer shows an ace, he or she has a mere 11.5% chance of busting, and an overwhelming 88.5% chance of a final hand of 17 or better. It doesn’t exactly inspire player confidence!
Fortunately, savvy players know that playing excellent blackjack isn’t about winning every hand. It’s about playing as well as possible, to minimize the house edge and give ourselves the best possible chances for success.
This is the essence of proper blackjack strategy.
As such, when the dealer holds an ace as their upcard, the advantage player should know ahead of time exactly what to do.
Making the best of this bad situation is part of what separates serious players from amateurs. As in life, we can’t change the cards we are dealt. We can, however, play them as well as possible.