Ace (card) facts for kids
An ace is a special card, die, or domino that usually stands for the number one. It's a key part of many games!
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What Does 'Ace' Mean?
The word "ace" comes from an old French word meaning "a single unit." Long ago, it referred to the side of a die (a single dice) that had only one dot. Since this was the lowest possible roll, it was often seen as bad luck.
Over time, the meaning of "ace" changed a lot, especially because of playing cards. Now, an ace is often the most powerful or highest card in many games, so it has come to mean something excellent or very good. For example, if someone is an "ace pilot," it means they are very skilled!
Aces in Card Games
In many popular card games, the ace is one of the most important cards. It can often be the highest-ranking card, even higher than a king!
- Poker: In games like poker, an ace can be used as either the highest card (above a king) or the lowest card (below a two) to form different combinations of cards. This makes it very flexible and powerful.
- Blackjack: In blackjack, an ace can be counted as either 1 point or 11 points. This flexibility is super important for players trying to get close to 21 without going over.
- Other Games: In games like Hearts or Spades, the ace is usually the highest card of its suit, meaning it can win most tricks.
Aces in Dice and Dominoes
While aces are most famous in card games, they also appear in other games:
- Dice: On a standard six-sided die, the side with just one dot is called the "ace." As mentioned, this was historically the lowest roll.
- Dominoes: In a set of dominoes, the tiles with only one dot on one or both ends are also called aces. For example, a "double-ace" domino has one dot on both ends.
Images for kids
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Four aces from a standard 52-card deck
See also
In Spanish: As (naipe) para niños
