If you desire to play Blackjack, it is very important that you become familiar with many of terms that will be used to either during play. If you are not, you will likely become frustrated and confused. This can lead to placing wagers that you never intended, potentially losing money and generally a pretty crummy experience. Below, is a short Blackjack glossary. It includes commonly used terms that you should commit to memory.
While you may not want to print out this glossary and take it to the casino with you, it would make for a good cheat sheet if you are either considering playing online or are already a regular Blackjack player that needs to sharpen up your vocabulary. I would like to note that this is not an exhaustive list. There are many more Blackjack terms. You will find that you will be able to learn many of these on a need-to-know basis. As terms come up that you are not familiar with, simply look them up.
Bankroll: Your bankroll is the amount of money that you have to place bets.
Burn card: This is a deck’s top card after it has been shuffled and cut. This card is not utilized but is put on the bottom of the deck.
Bust: This occurs when a person goes over 21. When it does, that player loses.
Card counting: This is a strategy that requires a person to track the ratio of low to high cards that have already been played. An individual will make a larger bet when the cards in the deck are most favorable to him or her. They will lower their wager when the odds are lower. There are a number of different card counting strategies and systems. Some work better then others.
Double deck: Two decks are shuffled together and used rather then one.
Double down: A player will double their first bet and draw another card. This is generally only an option after the dealer deals the first two cards. This is allowable after the split is some casinos or when the numbers on the first two cards are either a 10 or 11, in others.
Draw: This term can also be mean hit. This is when a person requests another card in an effort to get closer to 21.
Even money: A wager that has a pay-out equal to the amount wagered.
Heads up: This game pits the player against the dealer and not the other participants.
Hit: To ask for another card
Hole card: This is the dealer’s card which is faced down.
House edge: This is the casino’s advantage over the player on a specific bet.
Insurance: If the dealer’s up card is an Ace or 10, they can call for insurance. When players place an insurance bet, they are better that the dealer is holding a blackjack.
Late surrender: An optional rule that lets players forfeit half their bet once seeing the dealer’s up card, if the dealer doesn’t have a blackjack.
Natural: Another name for a blackjack – when an Ace and a ten value card are dealt as the first two cards, totaling 21.
Push: This occurs when the sum of a player and dealer’s hand is identical.
Soft hand: A hand containing an Ace which is counted as a 11.
Stand: The player’s option not to draw any more cards or to be ‘hit’.
Tie: When both the dealer and the player have the same total, and the player keeps the value of the bet.
Up card: The first card of the dealer which is played face up.
