Blackjack Glossary
- Ace -
- Ace is the only card that can have two values, either 1 or 11. Blackjack denotes an Ace along with a 10, Jack, Queen or King.
- Action –
- Bet or wager during a session.
- Anchor -
- The seat to the dealer's right, and the last player to be dealt.
- Banker -
- The dealer serves as the banker - the person who takes the bets, collects the money and pays the winner.
- Bankroll -
- The total amount of money the player plans to risk during a session
- Basic Strategy -
- A playing blackjack strategy that minimizes the house edge and represents the best plays based on the player's first two cards and the dealer's face-up card.
- Betting Circle -
- The area on the Blackjack table in front of each player where the player places his bet
- Blackjack -
- Two cards, initially dealt, before any draws, totaling 21: an Ace and a 10, Jack, Queen or King.
- Break/Bust-
- A hand exceeding a total point value of 21
- Burn Cards -
- One or more cards that the dealer discards from play immediately after shuffling and cutting the deck.
- Draw -
- Adding a card to the dealer or player's current hand.
- Double Down -
- Doubling down involves doubling a bet after the initial two cards are dealt. The player turns over both initial cards, places an additional bet equal to the original wager, and gets exactly one additional card.
- Double for Less -
- Same as double down, except that the player can place an additional bet for less than the original wager.
- Early Surrender -
- Rule allowing the player to lose half the bet when a dealer shows an Ace or 10 before checking to determine if he has a natural 21.
- Even Money -
- Anytime a player receives 1:1; wins nothing and loses nothing. There are two instances where this may happen:
- Face Cards -
- Jacks, Queens and Kings, each with a point value of 10.
- Face Down Game -
- The first or both initial cards are dealt face down, so that only the player knows the value of the face down cards.
- Face Up Game -
- Both initial player cards are dealt face up.
- First Base -
- The position to the dealer's immediate left and the first player to receive a card.
- Flat Bet -
- When a player wagers the same amount of money on each hand
- Hard Hand -
- A hand without an Ace, or a hand with an Ace where the Ace is valued at 1 point.
- Head's Up/Hands-on -
- Playing Blackjack head-to-head with the dealer. A game with no other players at the table.
- Hit -
- To add an additional card to the hand after the initial deal.
- Hole Cards -
- Face down cards, the value of these cards is known only to the person holding the cards.
- House Percentage –
- The casino’s edge over the player.
- Late Surrender -
- The player gives up the hand and only loses half the bet.
- Natural -
- A hand that equals 21 immediately after the deal specifically an Ace and a card with a value of 10.
- Pair -
- Two initially dealt cards of identical numerical value.
- Pat Hand -
- A hand with a point value between 17 and 21.
- Pair Split -
- When a player is dealt cards of equal value, he can split the cards into two hands and place an additional wager equal to the original wager on the second hand.
- Peek -
- If the dealer's up-card is an Ace, he can peek at the hole card to determine if the hand is a Blackjack.
- Point Count -
- The total value of the hand and the end of the hand.
- Push/Draw/Tie/Stand-off -
- Tie hand where the dealer's hand and the player's hand have the same value and the wager is returned to the player.
- Settlement -
- At the end of the hand, when bets are resolved and either the dealer or the player takes the chips.
- Soft Hand -
- A hand with an Ace where the Ace can be counted as 11 without exceeding a total point value of 21.
- Stand -
- Refuse an additional card.
- Surrender -
- The option of giving up your hand, losing only half your bet.
- Ten-Value Card -
- Any card with a value of 10: 10, Jack, Queen or King.
- Third Base -
- The seat to the dealer's right and the last seat to be dealt.
- Up-card -
- A face-up card.
