Glossary of Blackjack Terms

Basic 21 Blackjack Definitions

Blackjack, like all human endeavors of any note, has its own vocabulary. Becoming familiar with the meanings of various blackjack terms is one of the first steps in becoming a winning blackjack player. We offer this glossary of blackjack terms to our readers in hopes of furthering their education on the subject. We only offer basic blackjack definitions for now, but our plan is to expand this section with longer articles for each blackjack term listed.

Glossary of Blackjack Terms

Blackjack Terms and Blackjack Definitions

A
The ace.
AC
Atlantic City.
Ace
The lowest and highest ranked card in the blackjack. The card has an A on it where the number would normally be, and it only has one spade, club, heart, or diamond. It counts as either one or eleven in a blackjack hand.
Action
Money wagered in a gambling game. Also, the act of wagering in a gambling game.
Advantage
The percentage of each bet that either the casino or the player can expect to win over a tremendous number of bets.
Anchorman
The player to the dealers far right and has the ability to play last.
Automatic shuffler
A machine that shuffles the cards for a blackjack dealer. The most well-known automatic shuffling machines are produced by the Shufflemaster corporation.
Back count
Counting cards when not actually playing at the table. (A "back" counter is usually standing behind the players at the table.)
Balanced count
A card counting system where the count for an entire deck equals 0. For example, a count that adds +1 for fives and -1 for aces would be a balanced count, because there are as many +1's and -1's.
Bankroll
Money set aside for gambling.
Basic strategy
The mathematically correct way to play blackjack if you're not counting cards.
Basic strategy chart
Also called a basic strategy card, this is a graphic which demonstrates the basic strategy for every possible hand in blackjack. The dealer's upcard is on one side of the chart, and the player's total is on the other side of the chart.
Bet
The money gambled on a single occurrence of a gambling game. Also used as a verb--to risk money on the outcome of something.
Bet sizing
Deciding how much to bet on a particular hand of blackjack.
Big player
On a card counting team, the big player is the person who comes in and places large wagers when the count is advantageous to the players.
Blackjack
An automatic winner that contains a card with a value of 10 and an ace. This is the best hand that you can get. Also, the name of the game of 21 as played in a casino.
Bust
A hand that is higher than 21. If you bust you cannot win the hand.
Buy-in
The amount of chips you have to purchase in order to play at a table with specific betting limits. Usually you're required to buy in for between five and ten bets. The higher the betting limits, the lower the required buy-in. For example, at a dollar blackjack table, you might be required to buy-in for $10. But at a hundred dollar blackjack table, you might only be required to buy-in for $500.
Cage
The area in the casino where the cashier operates. You trade money for chips or chips for money at cage.
Camouflage
The set of behaviors and clothing a card counter uses to pretend that he's NOT a card counter.
Card counter
A player who counts cards to increase his chance of success.
Cashier
The person who works in the cage exchanging money for chips and vice versa.
Casino
An establishment that offers gambling games.
Casino host
The casino employee who offers incentives to gamblers. Players who wager lots of money are incentivized by complimentary rooms, food, drink, and event tickets.
Cheating
Breaking the rules of a gambling game. If you do something to alter the randomness of the results of a game, that's cheating. Counting cards is NOT cheating.
Chips
Round clay markers that represent how much money is being wagered at any given time in a casino table game.
Cold deck
A deck that is rich in low cards and is therefore unfavorable to the player.
Color up
To exchange lower denomination chips for higher denomination chips.
Comp
Short for complimentary. See casino host.
Count
To count cards in blackjack. Also, the total running count when counting cards.
Cover
See camouflage.
D
Abbreviation used on basic strategy charts for doubling down.
Deal
To distribute the cards to the players.
Dealer
The person who is in charge of the game. This is also the person who you are playing against.
Deck
The cards that are used during a hand of blackjack. There are 52 cards used in a game of blackjack.
Deuce
A card with the ranking of 2.
Double after split
A rule that allows a blackjack player to double down after splitting. This rule favors the player, not the casino.
Double down
Doubling a bet with only one more card being dealt.
Draw
To take another card. Same as hit.
Drop box
The box on the dealer's side of the blackjack table where she deposits the players' cash when they buy chips.
Edge
The same thing as advantage.
EV
Expected value.
Expected value
The amount a player can expect to win or lose on a given bet. Expected value is calculated by multiplying the advantage by the size of the bet. For example, if you're making a $100 bet, and your advantage is -1%, your expected value is -$1.
Exposed card
A card that is accidentally shown to the players when it shouldn't be. A dealer error.
Face card
Cards without a numerical ranking. The jack, queen, and the king are all face cards, and they're worth 10 points each in a blackjack game.
First base
At a blackjack table, the player position who receives the first cards in a game of blackjack. When standing behind the players, this is the person on the far right of the table.
Five card charlie
A blackjack hand that has five cards and totals less than 21. In some casinos, a five card charlie warrants a bonus payout.
Flat bet
Betting the same amount with each hand.
H
The abbreviation for "to hit" on a basic strategy chart.
Hand
The cards you're given to play make up your hand.
Hard hand
A hand where you only have a single total. Any hand without an ace is a hard hand, and any hand with an ace that can't be counted as 11 is also a hard hand.
Head to head game
Playing against the dealer without any other players at the table.
Hi-Lo
One of the most popular and easiest card counting systems.
High roller
Someone who bets a lot of money consistently. Also known as a whale.
Hit
Asking the dealer for another card.
Hole card
The card that the dealer is holding that the players cannot see.
Hot deck
The opposite of a cold deck. A hot deck is favorable to the players because it still contains lots of high cards.
Insurance
A side bet offered by casinos when a dealer has a ten showing. The player can wager half of his original bet that the dealer has an ace in the hole.
Limits
The minimum and maximum amounts that players can bet on a single hand. Different tables have different limits.
Long run
Several thousand hours of play. Mathematical expectation determines long run results. Deviation determines short term results.
Loss limit
In bankroll management gambling systems, a loss limit is the percentage of your bankroll that determines when you stop playing.
Low card
The opposite of a high card. The 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 are considered low cards.
Martingale
A progressive betting system where the player doubles his bet after each loss until he wins again. The Martingale doesn't work in the long run, because of betting limits and finite bankrolls.
Money management
Betting techniques that depend on what percentage of your bankroll are won or lost in a single session. For example, you might have a win goal of 10% in a session and a loss limit of 50%. These are usually arbitrary limits.
Multiple deck blackjack
The opposite of single deck blackjack. Blackjack that's dealt out of more than one deck of cards.
Natural
Another word for blackjack. (The hand, not the game.) Two cards that total 21, an ace and a ten or face card.
Negative count
When the running count is below 0. The opposite of a positive count.
Neutral cards
The 7, 8, and 9. In counting, these cards are usually considered to have no effect on your advantage in either direction.
P
In a blackjack basic strategy chart, this means to split.
Pack
A deck of cards.
Pat hand
A hand totaling between 17 and 21. The dealer always stands on a pat hand, and a player usually stands on a pat hand. (The exception being a soft 17.)
Peek
To look at your hole card or cards.
Penetration
The percentage of the shoe that's been dealt out.
Player
Someone who's playing blackjack at a blackjack table. Most tables accommodate 6 or 7 players.
Player advantage
The percentage advantage the player has over a casino in a given situation. The player advantage is almost always negative unless he's counting cards.
Plus count
Also known as a Positive count, a plus count is when the running count is positive rather than negative. The opposite of a negative count.
Pontoon
A rarely-played British version of blackjack.
Probability
The chances of an event happening compared to the chances of an event not happening. Probabilities can be expressed in multiple ways.
Progressive betting
A betting strategy that involves increasing the size of your bets depending on whether you've won or los previous bets.
Progressive blackjack
A version of blackjack with a progressive jackpot that increases over time. Progressive blackjack is more commonly found online than in traditional casinos.
Push
A tie between a player and the dealer.
Rank
The numeric designation of a card. As opposed to a card's suit.
Rating
Casinos rates players based on their average bet and their average number of bets per hour to calculate what kinds of comps to award them.
Re-split
A rules option that allows players to split their new hand after splitting. Some casinos disallow re-splitting of pairs, while others disallow re-splitting of pairs of aces.
RFB
Room, food, and beverage. The three most common types of casino comps.
Risk of ruin
The likelihood of losing an entire bankroll.
Running count
The cumulative total of a blackjack deck during a card counting session. Can be negative, positive, or 0.
S
In a blackjack basic strategy chart, this means stand.
Session
A specific time period spent playing a gambling game. Many bankroll management systems involved ending a session when you've reached a give win goal or loss limit.
Shoe
The container that holds the cards that the dealer is dealing.
Shuffle
Mixing the cards before being dealt. This term is used in many other card games.
Side bet
A separate bet that can be placed during a blackjack game. Insurance is the most common side bet available, but progressive blackjack is also an example of a game with a side bet.
Single deck
The opposite of a multiple deck game. A single deck blackjack is a game dealt from one 52 card deck.
Soft hands
A hand with an ace where the aces counts as an 11. The opposite of a hard hand.
Splitting
When dealt a pair, the player has an option of placing a 2nd bet and being dealt two new hands. The 2 cards from the original hand make the first card of the two split hands.
Standard deviation
In the short term, any set of results can happen. These results are the standard deviation, especially when they don't mimic the probabilities. The short run is where you see standard deviation.
Stiff card
A card between two and six.
Stiff hand
A hand between 12 and 16. Also known as a hand that will bust with a card carrying a value of 10.
Suit
The clubs, diamonds, hearts, and spaces. Standard decks of cards consist of four suits and thirteen ranks.
Surrender
The option to get out of a hand and only lose half of your original bet. This option is not available in all blackjack games.
Table limits
The minimum and maximum bets allowed at a blackjack table.
Team play
A card counting strategy where multiple players share information and bankrolls.
Third base
The last player to receive cards at a blackjack table. The person at the other end of the table from the first base player.
Toke
It's customary to tip the blackjack dealer. The tip is called a toke.
Tournament
A type of blackjack where the players compete against other players as well as the dealer.
True count
The running count is converted into a true count by taking into consideration how many decks are being used and what the penetration of the shoe is.
Unbalanced count
A count where the total values of all the cards does not equal 0. The opposite of a balanced count. Unbalanced counts are used to eliminate the need to convert a running count to a true count.
Vig
The casino's commission on a game. Oklahoma blackjack casinos take an ante on each hand. That's the vig, aka, vigorish.
Wager
The same thing as bet.
Whale
The same thing as a high roller.
Win
To beat the dealer.

The terms in this blackjack dictionary are not the only blackjack terms that you need to learn, but they are the ones that you will use and hear on a regular basis. It's important to know the lingo of the game if you are serious about becoming a successful player.

Our blackjack dictionary will continue to expand over time.

Other Blackjack Dictionaries and Glossaries Online

Also, even though it's not a dictionary or glossary, I want to include a mention of Rave Gambling. It's a wicked good directory of gambling sites, so check it out.

Need a break from blackjack? You should play poker at CarbonPoker.ag for a while to clear your head.

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