Right so this is one of them things that sounds too simple to talk about, but I’ve seen plenty players get it wrong after three hands and a bit of pressure
blackjack card values are not hard. 2 to 10 count as printed. Jack queen king are 10. Ace is 1 or 11 depending what helps the hand. That’s the whole base of it.
Where folk get muddled is the ace. Say ye’ve got A-6. That’s soft 17, because the ace can still move. Draw a 9 and now it’s 16. Not bust. The ace drops from 11 to 1. New players know this in theory then freeze when it happens fast at the table.
A small blackjack values chart helps for the first few sessions, but after that ye should know the blackjack card points without looking. The harder part is reading the hand type. Soft 18 is not the same as hard 18. A-7 gives ye flexibility. 10-8 does not.
And don’t only count your cards. Dealer upcard matters. 16 against 6 and 16 against 10 are both ugly, but not the same ugly. Same blackjack card worth, different decision.
Learn this before side bets, systems, or counting. No point talking advanced play if ye’re still arguing with an ace.