Blackjack glossary: A complete reference of Blackjack terminology, from basic terms every beginner should know to advanced vocabulary used by competitive players.

Blackjack Terms A–Z

A

Ace — The most valuable card. Worth 1 or 11, whichever benefits the hand more.

Action — The total amount of money wagered.

B

Bankroll — The total money a player has set aside for blackjack play.

Basic Strategy — The mathematically optimal play for every hand against every dealer up-card. Reduces the house edge to approximately 0.5%.

Blackjack — (1) The name of the game. (2) A natural 21 — an Ace plus a 10-value card dealt as the first two cards. Typically pays 3:2.

Burn Card — The card discarded from the top of the deck after shuffling and before dealing begins.

Bust — Going over 21. A player who busts loses immediately; a dealer who busts loses to all remaining players.

Bust Card — The card that causes a hand to exceed 21.

C

Card Counting — A strategy of tracking the ratio of high to low cards remaining in the deck to identify when the player has an advantage.

Color Up — Exchanging small-denomination chips for larger ones.

Cut Card — A colored plastic card used to cut the deck after shuffling and to indicate when the deck should be reshuffled.

D

Dealer — The house representative who deals cards and plays against all players.

Deck Penetration — The percentage of the deck dealt before reshuffling. Higher penetration benefits card counters.

Double Down — Doubling your bet and receiving exactly one more card.

Draw — Same as hit — taking another card.

E

Even Money — When a player with a natural blackjack accepts a 1:1 payout instead of risking a push against a dealer’s potential blackjack. Mathematically equivalent to taking insurance.

F

Face Card — Jack, Queen, or King. All worth 10.

First Base — The seat to the dealer’s immediate left; the first player to act.

Flat Bet — Betting the same amount on every hand.

H

Hard Hand — A hand with no Ace, or where the Ace must count as 1 to avoid busting. Example: 10 + 7 = hard 17.

Hit — Request another card from the dealer.

Hole Card — The dealer’s face-down card.

House Edge — The casino’s mathematical advantage, expressed as a percentage. In blackjack with basic strategy, roughly 0.5%.

I

Insurance — A side bet offered when the dealer shows an Ace. Pays 2:1 if the dealer has blackjack. Generally a bad bet.

N

Natural — A two-card 21 (Ace + 10-value card). Same as blackjack.

P

Paint — Slang for any face card (Jack, Queen, King).

Pat Hand — A hand totaling 17-21 that you stand on.

Penetration — See Deck Penetration.

Pit Boss — A casino supervisor overseeing several blackjack tables.

Push — A tie between the player and dealer. The bet is returned.

S

Shoe — A device that holds multiple decks of cards for dealing.

Soft Hand — A hand containing an Ace counted as 11. Example: Ace + 6 = soft 17.

Split — Dividing a pair (two cards of equal value) into two separate hands.

Stand — Keep your current hand and end your turn.

Stiff Hand — A hand totaling 12-16 that risks busting if hit.

Surrender — Giving up half your bet and folding your hand.

T

Third Base — The seat to the dealer’s immediate right; the last player to act before the dealer.

Tip (Toke) — A gratuity for the dealer.

True Count — In card counting, the running count divided by the number of remaining decks.

U

Upcard — The dealer’s face-up card, visible to all players.

W

Wash — Spreading cards face down on the table and mixing them before stacking and shuffling.

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