Pair · Dealer shows 10
Pair of aces vs a dealer 10
Basic strategySplit. Always split aces.
Why
Two aces together are a soft 12, a weak hand. Split, each ace is the best starting card in the game: any 10-value card makes 21.
Most casinos give you only one card on each split ace, and 21 on a split ace pays even money rather than 3 to 2. Even so, splitting aces against a 10 wins money on average, while hitting the soft 12 loses.
By the numbers
Average result per $100 initial bet, after the dealer checks for blackjack. A negative number is an average loss; the best play is the one that loses least or wins most.
| Play | Dealer hits soft 17 | Dealer stands on soft 17 |
|---|---|---|
| Hit | −$7.00 | −$7.00 |
| Stand | −$54.04 | −$54.04 |
| Double (2× bet) | −$51.40 | −$51.40 |
| Split (2 hands) | +$17.97Best | +$17.97Best |
| Surrender (if offered) | −$50.00 | −$50.00 |
Without surrender, split beats hit by $24.97 per $100 bet under either soft-17 rule.
Infinite-deck model, which tracks a 6–8 deck shoe closely. Double after split allowed, no resplits. How we calculate.
How the table rules change it
| Table rules (4–8 decks, double after split unless noted) | Play |
|---|---|
| Dealer hits soft 17, no surrender Most Florida and Las Vegas tables | Split |
| Dealer hits soft 17, surrender allowed Some higher-limit tables | Split |
| Dealer stands on soft 17, no surrender Felt says “stands on all 17s” | Split |
| Dealer stands on soft 17, surrender allowed Best common shoe game | Split |
The answer is the same under every common rule set.
Common mistake
Hitting the pair because the dealer shows a 10. Split aces are profitable against every upcard.
Going further
Many casinos don't let you resplit aces or hit split aces. That costs you a little, but splitting is still the play.
Drill it
This hand first, then the spots people mix it up with. The switches match your table’s rules and carry over to the full trainer.
Questions
Why don't I get blackjack if I split aces and draw a 10?
Casino rules count it as 21, not blackjack. It pays 1 to 1.
Split aces against an ace?
Yes. Always split aces.