If you’re just getting into card games, you might have come across the term face cards. These are the cards in a deck that show people — the king, queen, and jack in each suit. They often stand out from the rest, not just because of their design, but because they can play an important part in how many games work.
Whether you’re exploring card games for the first time or simply want to understand the basics a bit better, knowing what face cards are — and how they’re used — might make the experience feel a little more familiar.
What Is a Face Card?
A face card is a type of playing card that displays a figure or portrait — traditionally the jack, queen, or king. These cards are called face cards because they each show a face on them.
Face cards belong to suits, which are the categories that divide a deck: hearts, diamonds, clubs, and spades- each suit contains one of each face card.
The function of face cards depends on the specific game being played. In some games, they have a set numerical value; in others, they are used to create certain combinations. Their importance can vary, so they don’t always carry more weight than numbered cards — it all depends on the rules of the game.
How Many Face Cards Are In a Deck of Cards?
In a standard 52-card deck, there are twelve face cards altogether.
Face cards are often easy to spot due to their detailed illustrations. While their appearance may seem decorative, they also serve specific roles in many card games. These roles can potentially influence the pace of play or the outcomes of certain moves, depending on the game being played.
How Many Face Cards Does Each Suit Have?
Each of the four suits in a typical deck contains three face cards: one jack, one queen, and one king, meaning there are twelve face cards in total across one deck.
This structure gives each suit an equal number of face cards, which helps maintain balance in games where suit or card rank plays a role. Understanding this structure can be useful when learning about how different card games are set up and played.
Is The Ace a Face Card?
Although the ace is sometimes considered to be a valuable card in various games, it is not technically a face card. Face cards are defined by their depiction of people, and the ace does not include any illustration of a person.
The ace has its own role and can be quite versatile. For example, in blackjack, the ace can be worth either 1 or 11 points, depending on the player’s hand. In poker, the ace can be the highest or lowest card in a straight, depending on how the hand is structured.
So while the ace plays a significant part in many games, it stands apart from face cards in both design and function.
What Are Face Cards Worth In Blackjack?
In the game of blackjack, face cards — the jack, queen, and king — each count as 10 points. They share this value with the number 10 card, which can make them valuable when trying to reach a strong hand total close to 21.
Understanding the value of face cards is helpful when learning the basic rules of blackjack. It can guide players when deciding whether to request another card (called a hit) or to stay with their current hand (stand).
That said, blackjack is primarily a game of chance. While strategy may influence decisions, the outcome of each hand cannot be predicted or controlled.
Should You Split Face Cards In Blackjack?
If you’re dealt two face cards in blackjack — such as a pair of queens or jacks — your hand totals 20 points. This is generally seen as a strong starting hand, and some players prefer to keep the pair together due to its high value.
Splitting face cards means separating the pair into two individual hands, each starting with a card worth 10 points. This gives the opportunity to play two hands instead of one, but this can be seen as a somewhat dangerous move, as each new hand might not end up being as strong as the original.
The decision to split depends on various factors, including the specific rules of the game and the dealer’s visible card. As rules can differ between casinos and platforms, it’s important to read the game terms before making any decisions.
