Glossary of Blackjack Terms
Action: The total amount of money wagered during a Blackjack session. If you
play 60 hands in an hour with an average bet of $10, you would have $600 in
action.
Anchor: 1) Synonymous with third base. The position to the dealer’s far right.
The anchor is the last player to play prior to the dealer. Third base is the most
desirable seat because you are last to play so you have plenty of time to look over
the cards just dealt and make your playing decisions. 2) It keeps the boat from
drifting.
Barr, Barring: To be barred is to be refused permission to play. Often, a person
caught counting cards or suspected of doing so will be barred from play.
Basic Strategy: The mathematically correct way to play a Blackjack hand.
(Billions of hands were played to create the basic strategy charts. The earliest
ones were created to play single deck Blackjack, but as casinos have changed to
multiple decks, the charts have been recalculated to be optimum for multiple
decks.)
Bet: The amount of money or chips played on a hand. Also known as a Wager.
Betting Spot: The circle on the Blackjack table in front of the player where the
bet is placed.
Black: $100 chips.
Blackjack: If the first two cards dealt to a player are an Ace and Ten-value card,
he has a blackjack. Blackjack pays 3:2 meaning every unit is paid off with one and
a half units. A blackjack cannot be beaten, but may be tied or pushed if the dealer
has blackjack also.
Break: Also known as bust. The player breaks when the hand total exceeds 21.
This is an automatic loss. Should the dealer bust, all players who have not
previously busted or settled will automatically win.
Burn/Burn Card: To burn a card is to take the top card after shuffling and place
it in the discard pile.
Bust: See Break. Also see Pamela, Dolly…
Cage: This is where the cashier is located for making financial transactions such
as cashing out.
Card Counting: A method of keeping track of cards to possibly get an advantage
over the casino. Usually high cards are assigned a negative one and low cards
are assigned a plus one, or some variation of this. The goal is to increase the bet
when ten cards are in excess in the remaining cards to be dealt. Conversely,
when tens are in less than their normal concentration the bet is reduced, usually
to the table minimum.
Card Observation: A technique of scanning the table looking for clues to the
value of the dealer hole card and possible upcoming cards.
Cashier: Located in the cage, the cashier can assist you with financial
transactions. Just don’t ask for a loan.
Cashing out: To convert your chips to cash at the cage.
Chips: Colored coins of different denominations used to place bets at the table.
Red chips are $5; green chips are $25; black chips are $100. The casino logo is
usually printed on them. Goes well with dip.
Choppy: 1) Play when there are alternating wins and losses. Some betting
systems can counter a choppy table. 2) The water when I go fishing.
Color Up: To exchange lower denomination chips for a higher denomination
“color”, such as red for green or green for black. This keeps from depleting the
dealer’s tray.
Comp: Short for complimentary. This can be in the form of a free meal, show
tickets, or more, depending on the action you are giving the casino.
Continuous-shuffling machine: A type of shuffling machine that holds four
decks of cards and acts as both a shuffling machine and shoe. After cards are
played, they are placed into the back of the C. S. M. and are immediately shuffled
in with the remaining cards.
Counter: One who counts cards.
Countermeasures: Techniques used by the casino to foil the counters. The
countermeasures may include use of multiple decks, rule changes, shuffling up,
poor penetration and continuous-shuffling machines. They might also beat the
heck out of you.
Cut: To divide the deck(s) using a plastic card (the cut card) into two parts. The
dealer then reverses their position, top portion to the bottom. This assures the
players of a fair shuffle.
Dealer: 1) The dealer deals the cards, conducts play, makes payoffs, and collects
the lost wagers. 2) A supplier of illegal pharmaceuticals.
Dealing Box: Also known as a shoe, the dealing box holds the cards in multiple
deck games prior to dealing. The shoe allows one card to be dealt at a time.
Deck: A set of 52 playing cards that may be used for Blackjack, poker and other
games. Multiple decks are used routinely to play Blackjack, each with 52 cards.
Six decks contain 312 cards.
Double Down: To double down, or just double, a player places a second bet on
his/her hand and receives only one more card. The bet may be made for less than
the original bet. This move is very advantageous to the player, allowing a larger
bet to be placed during a favorable situation.
Draw: To request another card from the dealer. Also known as hit.
Even Money: To ask for even money is to request payoff equal to the wager
when the player has blackjack and the dealer has an Ace up. It is the equivalent
of taking insurance.
Eye in the Sky: The sky is the ceiling above the gaming tables. Both mirrors and
cameras overlook the play, looking for cheaters, counters, and cheating dealers.
Everyone is suspect. Disputes may be settled using the video recording.
Face Card: Cards that have a “face” on them: King, Queen and Jack. Also
known as paint.
First Base/First Baseman: First base is the position to the dealer’s far left.
This person is first to be dealt cards and also first to act on his/her cards.
Flat Bet: A flat bet is the same bet every hand. The flat bettor will usually lose in
the long run due to the house advantage.
Floorman: Middle Management in the pit. The floorman supervises several
tables, ranking in the middle between dealers and the pit boss.
Front Money: Money, or credit, required by the casino to qualify a player for a
free trip. Included might be food, transportation, and lodging.
Green: 1) A $25 chip. 2) Also a very small patch of grass that my golf balls avoid.
Hand: Refers to either the original two cards a player receives, or the final total
of your cards.
Hard Hand/Hard Total: A hand that has a firm value. This could be a hand of any
value which doesn’t contain an Ace, or, where the Ace(s) count as one.
Head Up/Head On/ Head to Head: Playing against the dealer alone, one on
one, mano y mano.
High Roller: A big bettor. Not synonymous with a good player.
Hit: To receive a card from the dealer. The term “hit me” is the request for
another card, not to be slapped around.
Hole Card: The dealer’s down card. It remains unseen until the dealer finishes
with the player’s hands and the dealer plays his/her hand.
House: Another term for the casino.
House Advantage: The long-term casino advantage on any game.
House Rules: The rules of play established by the casino. Examples of rules that
may vary from house to house are whether the dealer stands on all 17s, hits soft
17, availability of surrender, double down on any two cards, 10 and 11 only, and
so forth.
Insurance: A side bet on whether the dealer has a blackjack when showing an
Ace. The player bets one half his/her wager on whether the dealer has blackjack.
If the dealer has one, the player is paid twice the insurance bet. If the dealer
doesn’t have blackjack, the bet is lost. Then play resumes. Generally, insurance is
a bad bet, favoring the casino.
Junket: 1) A short gambling trip, often with a group.
2) What I should do with my pickup.
Marker: A draw against a credit line established with the casino.
Martingale: Also known as doubling up, the martingale system is a negative
progression betting system. The player doubles the wager after every loss until a
win occurs. Long losing streaks and table limits make this an unusable system.
Money Management: A collective term for how one bets, limits losses, holds on
to winnings, and bankrolls gambling sessions. Also it includes techniques on how
you manage to get money from your wife to go to the casino.
Multiple Deck: A term for Blackjack played with more than one deck of cards.
This could be 2, 4, 6, or 8 decks. Better than not playing with a full deck
.
Natural: See Blackjack.
Nickels: A term for five-dollar chips.
Northern Nevada/Northern Nevada Rules: The area of Reno/Tahoe and
other towns in northern Nevada. This area is known for restrictive rules on
doubling down and great skiing.
Odds: The probability of something occurring. Odds of winning a hand, receiving
a certain card, or getting a blackjack are examples.
Paint: 1) Another term for face cards. 2) Needed on my pickup.
Pat Hand: A hand totaling 17-21. To stand pat is to stand on a pat hand.
Penetration: The depth into the deck(s) to which the dealer deals. Usually
penetration is expressed in percent, such as 75% penetration.
Pit: A circular arrangement of gaming tables, where players are outside the circle
and only casino personnel may enter the inside.
Pit Boss: The casino manager responsible for the pit. He/she supervises
floormen and dealers.
Pitch Game: Games played with 1 or 2 decks where the dealer deals or pitches
the cards to the players. The cards are dealt face down and the player can hold
the cards. In contrast, shoe games are dealt face up and the player may not
touch the cards.
Press Bet: To increase ones bet after winning. This would be considered a
positive progression system of betting.
Progression: A technique of increasing ones bets after winning or losing.
Positive progressions increase the bet while winning. Negative progressions
increase the bet after losses.
Push: A tie. No money changes hands. See also shove.
Quarters: A term for $25 chips.
Reds: 1) A term for $5 chips or nickels. 2) A team from Cincinnati.
Re-shuffle Card: Card used to indicate a point in the deck(s) at which to shuffle
the cards again. Usually the cut card is placed in the deck as the re-shuffle card.
The position represents how far the deck(s) will be penetrated. Also called a
shuffle marker.
Round: A complete hand for the players and the dealer, from the first card dealt
to the last.
Sequence: A betting sequence is a set way of varying ones bets. The
2-1-2 system has an exact sequence of bets to follow.
Series: 1) A series is a group of the same outcomes. A series of losses is a
group of losses in a row. A group of wins in a row is a winning series. 2) What
the Yankees usually win. 3) What the Red Sox finally won again.
Session: A period of play at the tables is a session. A session may be short or
long, and there may be several sessions per casino visit. A session is usually
followed by a rest break.
Session Bankroll: The amount of money you take to the tables for a session. A
recommended session bankroll is 40 times your minimum bet, or 40 units if your
unit is also your minimum bet.
Shoe: A box or container that holds the cards for play with four or more decks.
Shuffle/Shuffling Up: To mix the cards well prior to play. Types of shuffling are
riffling, stripping, boxing and washing.
Shuffling Machine: A device which holds a number of decks of cards, usually six,
and shuffles the decks while a second set of decks are being played with.
Silver: $1 chips used at lower minimum tables and for tips.
Single Deck Game: The original Blackjack game played with one standard deck
of 52 cards.
Soft Hand/Soft Total: A hand containing an Ace counted as an 11.
Split/Splitting Pairs: When dealt a pair of cards of equal value the player may
divide the two and, after placing another wager, play them as two hands.
Generally Aces receive only one card after splitting, while others may be hit as
many times as necessary.
Stand: To stand firm; to decide not to take additional cards.
Stiff Card: A dealer up card between 2 and 6.
Stiff Hand: A player hand with a value between 12 and 16.
Surrender: 1) To choose not to play a hand, and receive one half of the wager
back. There are two types of surrender, early and late. The most common is late
surrender, which happens after the dealer checks his/her hole card for blackjack.
2) What America will never do.
Ten/Ten Card: Any card that has a value of ten: the 10s, Kings, Queens and
Jacks. The number that comes after nine.
Ten Poor: 1) A situation when an excess of ten cards have been played in
proportion to the non-tens. 2) Me and nine of my buddies.
Ten Rich: 1) A situation when an excess of non-ten cards have been played in
proportion to the tens. 2) Bill Gates and nine of his buddies.
Ten Tracking: Watching the number of ten cards that have been played to assist
in playing or betting decisions. This can be done in a number of ways such as
counting cards, card observation, or estimation.
Third Base/Baseman: The position to the dealers far right. This player is the
last to act before the dealer acts on his/her hand.
Tip/Toke: A token of your appreciation given to, or bet for, the dealer. Dealers
make most of their living from tips so if one is extra nice, please tip. If they are
rude, forget it.
Tray: The container in front of the dealer where the house’s chips are stored.
Unit: The lowest bet you will make. A unit can be any multiple of a standard
casino chip. For example, a $5 unit would be one red, while a $10 unit would be
two reds. Two Reds would equal one Cardinal.
Up Card: The dealer’s exposed card.
Vig/Vigorish: A term for the house percentage in a casino game.
Wager: See Bet.
Whale: An extremely high roller. This is the player who gets all the comps and
perks the casino has to offer.
