Split every pair of aces, against any dealer upcard, in any standard blackjack game.
Ace-ace is a mediocre hand alone (a hard 2 or a soft 12), but two hands starting with an ace apiece sit close to 21. Most games deal one card per ace and don't allow resplitting.
Why Splitting Aces Is So Strong
Ace-ace is one of the weakest two-card totals you can hold as a single hand. Play it as a hard 2, and you're rebuilding from nothing; play it as a soft 12, and it's still awkward to act on.
Splitting turns that one mediocre hand into two hands that each start on 11, the strongest total to build from in blackjack.
You draw one card to each ace and, more often than not, land on a solid final total instead of a shaky in-between one. That's why blackjack basic strategy treats splitting aces as mandatory, not optional, in the same way it treats splitting 8s.
The One-Card Rule
After you split a pair of aces, the dealer gives one card to each ace and moves on. You can't hit again, and in most games you can't resplit either, even if a third ace turns up.
This differs from splitting 10s, where some games allow a resplit because there's no one-card restriction to begin with. The other detail worth knowing: if a ten-value card lands on a split ace, that 21 isn't a natural blackjack.
It's a regular 21, and it pays even money (1:1) instead of the usual 3:2. The dealer still plays their hand out as normal, so a dealer blackjack against your split-ace 21 is a push, not a loss.
Rule Variations To Check
Some tables mark Resplit Aces (RSA) on the felt, meaning a third ace can be split again for a third hand from one deal. Fewer tables allow Draw to Split Aces (DSA), where the one-card restriction disappears, and each ace hand is played out normally.
Both variants shift the numbers in your favour, so they're worth seeking out if you have a choice of tables. The play itself never changes: aces get split regardless of the dealer's upcard. That's different from softer calls like playing a pair of 9s, where the right move depends on what the dealer shows.
Splitting Aces in Blackjack – FAQ
Should you ever not split aces?
No. Splitting aces is correct against every dealer upcard, in every standard game, with none of the exceptions basic strategy makes for other pairs.
Does 21 after splitting aces pay 3:2?
No. A ten-value card on a split ace makes a regular 21, not a natural blackjack, so it pays even money (1:1) rather than the 3:2 a two-card blackjack pays.
Next pair of aces you're dealt, you'll know what to do. Play blackjack at 888casino.
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