11 against an Ace in Blackjack
Written March 14, 2008 by Jack Jones
What to do with an 11 against an ace? Do you double down or just hit? This is a question that even most pros disagree upon, but our recommendation is to play the hand differently depending on the number of decks in play. If you are in a multi-deck game then you should just hit the 11, but if you are in a single deck game then you would double down. The reason is that you are more likely to get a decent card on a single deck game than one using multiple decks.
Let’s take a look at the number. Let’s say you have a two-card 11, an eight and a three. In a single deck game, without considering depletion, there are 50 remaining cards, and 16 of them, or 32 percent, are 10-value cards that will give you a 21 on your double down. With an 8-deck game, there are 414 remaining cards, and 128 of them, or 30.9 percent, are the favorable 10-cards.
