BlackJack(Python): Adding the "HIT" card value - append

Question

I'm writing a code for blackjack in python. So far I've gotten as far as dealing the two initial cards for the player. If it is a natural win, the program identifies it and prints "BlackJack!". If it there is a possibility for a hit then it prompts the user "Hit or Stand? H\S. I am having trouble figuring out how to add the value of that "hit" card to the value of the first two cards.
Here's my code:
import random
def create_hand(hand):
for i in range(2):
pip = random.choice(PIPS)
suit = random.choice(SUITS)
card = (pip,suit)
player_hand.append(card)
def print_hand(hand):
for pip, suit in hand:
print(pip + suit,end=" ")
print()
def sum_hand(hand):
total = 0
for pip,suit in player_hand:
if pip == "J" or pip == "Q" or pip == "K":
total += 10
elif pip == "A" and total < 10:
total += 11
elif pip == "A" and total == 10:
total +=11
elif pip == "A" and total > 10:
total += 1
else:
total += int(pip)
if total == 21:
print("BlackJack!")
return total
def hit_card():
pip = random.choice(PIPS)
suit = random.choice(SUITS)
card = (pip, suit)
return card
def hit(player_hand):
total = sum_hand(player_hand)
choice = input("Hit or Stand? h/s: ")
while choice.lower() == "h":
if total != 21:
player_hand.append(hit_card())
print_hand(player_hand)
CLUB = "\u2663"
HEART = "\u2665"
DIAMOND = "\u2666"
SPADE = "\u2660"
PIPS = ("A","2","3","4","5","6","7","8","9","10","J","Q","K")
SUITS = (CLUB, SPADE, DIAMOND, HEART)
player_hand = []
total = sum_hand(player_hand)
create_hand(player_hand)
print_hand(player_hand)
hit(player_hand)

Answer 1

Strings are for humans: computers use numbers, so my first advice is to represent cards with numbers instead of strings. Will make code simpler and faster.
But, given your existing strings, and your "hand" being a list of cards, hitting is just appending another card. You then just need a better sum_hand() function to total the hand, however many cards are in it. Something like this:
def sum_hand(hand):
total = 0
acefound = False
for card in hand:
pip = card[0]
if ("A" == pip):
total += 1
acefound = True
elif (pip in [ "J", "Q", "K", "10" ]):
total += 10
else:
total += int(pip)
if (acefound and total < 12):
return True, total + 10
return False, total
It's important to get not only a numeric total, but the soft/hard as well, because that can deterimine future actions. So you use this function like:
soft, total = sum_hand(theHand)
And go from there.