10 is stronger than the ace when dealer doesn't have blackjack?

Did some research on how strong 10s and aces up are for the dealer(H17 game) and found out a few things, the break rate is lower with an ace, but not by much(23% vs 20%). assuming that the dealer doesn't have blackjack, he can't have a 10 in the hole with an ace up but he could have a 20 with a 10 up. Also the return on 20 is lowest against 10. Also, against an ace and 10, players hit till pat (3 card 16 is an exception) or bust. So is a 10 stronger than an ace?

IIRC

Ace is stronger before checking for Blackjack.
After checking for Blackjack and not having it, Ten is stronger than Ace.

Thanks for confirmation. So now I need to learn not to buy other people's 19 in my casino (NHC BJ)

Quote: RS

IIRC

Ace is stronger before checking for Blackjack.
After checking for Blackjack and not having it, Ten is stronger than Ace.

Show Spoiler

Not sure why some letters are capitalized there when they shouldn't be. :(

That's absolutely correct, you do recall correctly, and I will illustrate the reason why for the OP, Dajakesta:

For the purposes of the example, let's take a look at the potential for some made hands after checking for the Blackjack. We're going to assume six decks:

Ignoring the player's cards, there is one card out of the 312 and it is either an Ace or a Ten value. That will leave 311 cards.

As you have already mentioned, the dealer's bust rate is not substantially lower when the dealer is showing an Ace and doesn't have it, so here is where the ten value really comes in: Strong made hands.

If the dealer checks for BJ and doesn't have it with an Ace up, that precludes the dealer from having a ten-value card which, absent the Ace, is 96/311 of the remaining cards. Because the dealer does not have the Natural, the dealer must have a non-natural, so here are the dealer's possible made hands:

A + 9 = 20 (24/311) = 7.717%

A + 8 = 19 (24/311) = 7.717%

A + 7 = 18 (24/311) = 7.717%

Now, the dealer having a ten and not having an Ace precludes an Ace, but it does not preclude a ten, which is still a very strong twenty:

10 + 10 = 20 (95/311) = 30.55%

10 + 9 = 19 (24/311) = 7.717%

10 + 8 = 18 (24/311) = 7.717%

Given the much greater probability (after checking and not having the Natural) of having a pat total of twenty, the dealer starting with ten has the superior hand than the dealer starting with an Ace. That is despite the lower bust rate of the Ace.

Quote: dajakesta

Thanks for confirmation. So now I need to learn not to buy other people's 19 in my casino (NHC BJ)

You should always buy 19s from other players, if you can, against any dealer card. 19 is favored against 10s and aces in typical blackjack games. It's wildly favored against post-peek aces.

I learned my hand buying strategy here: https://wizardofodds.com/games/blackjack/appendix/1/ .

I play with at a casino with incredibly superstitious and stupid players and I am often able to buy 19s against 10s and Aces. I also able to occasionally sell 17s against dealer 4, 5, and 7. This is an underutilized strategy IMO. If you can get a table-mate going its fairly valuable, especially when you can get that 19 vs. dealer ace.