Blackjack looks simple—get closer to 21 than the dealer without going over—but once you sit down at a table, you’ll hear a flurry of terms that sound like code words. To keep you from feeling lost, here’s a complete A-to-Z glossary of blackjack terms, from the basics to the insider lingo used by pros.
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A · B · C · D · E · F · G · H · I · J · K · L · M · N · O · P · Q · R · S · T · U · V · W · X · Y · ZA
Ace: A card with a value of either 1 or 11, whichever is more favorable to the hand.
Ace-Five Count: A simplified counting system where aces and fives are assigned a positive value and other cards are neutral.
Ace-Poor/Ace-Rich: A state of the deck in card counting. An ace-poor deck has had an unusually high number of aces dealt, making the remaining deck less favorable for the player. An ace-rich deck has more aces remaining than statistically expected, which is a favorable condition for the player.
Action – The total amount of money in play during a hand or session.
Advantage Player (AP) – A player using legal strategies (like card counting or shuffle tracking) to tilt the odds.
Anchor Player – Another name for Third Base, the last seat to act before the dealer.
B
Back Counting: A card-counting technique where a player stands behind a table and keeps a count of the cards without playing. They only join the table when the count becomes favorable.
Balanced Count: A card counting system where the total value of the deck is zero when all cards have been dealt.
Bankroll – The total amount of money you’ve set aside to play.
Barber Pole – A stack of chips in different colors mixed together, usually frowned on because it slows down the game.
Barney Chip: A slang term for a chip with a value of $500.
Barring a Player: When a casino forbids a player from gambling, usually due to card counting or other advantage-play techniques.
Basic Strategy: The mathematically optimal way to play every possible hand in blackjack, based on the dealer’s upcard.
Blackjack – A two-card 21 (Ace + a 10-value card). Automatically beats all other hands except another blackjack.
Bust – Going over 21, which means an automatic loss.
Bust Card – The specific card that pushes a hand over 21.
Burn Card – The first card discarded after a shuffle, before the deal starts.
C
Card Counting – Tracking high and low cards to estimate your odds. Not illegal, but casinos really don’t love it.
Charlie Rule – A rare variation where drawing a set number of cards without busting (like 7 cards) wins automatically.
Chip Down / Chip Up – Decreasing or increasing your bet size.
Composition-Dependent Strategy – Advanced play where your decision depends on the exact makeup of your hand, not just the total.
Cut Card – The plastic card used by players to cut the deck after shuffling.
D
Dealer – The casino employee who deals the cards and plays against the table.
Deck Penetration: The percentage of cards that are dealt from the shoe before the cards are shuffled again.
Double Down – Doubling your bet after your first two cards, but receiving only one additional card.
Double Exposure Blackjack: A variant of blackjack where both of the dealer’s cards are dealt face up.
Down Card: The dealer’s hole card, which is dealt face down.
Drawing: Taking an additional card.
E
Early Surrender – Giving up half your bet before the dealer checks for blackjack. Rare but valuable.
Even Money – A guaranteed 1:1 payout if you have blackjack and the dealer shows an Ace.
F
Face Card – Jacks, Queens, and Kings. Each counts as 10.
First Base – The seat immediately to the dealer’s left, and the first to act.
Five-Card Charlie: A special rule where a player automatically wins if they are able to draw five cards without busting.
Flat Betting: A strategy where the player bets the same amount on every hand.
G
Grind – Playing small, cautious bets over a long period of time.
H
Hand – The cards dealt to a player or dealer.
Hard Hand – A hand without a flexible Ace, e.g., 10 + 8 = hard 18.
Hit – Asking for another card.
Hole Card – The dealer’s facedown card.
House Edge – The built-in statistical advantage the casino holds, usually around 0.5% with perfect play.
H
Insurance – A side bet that the dealer has blackjack, available when their upcard is an Ace. Pays 2:1 if correct.
J
Juice – Slang for the house advantage or commission in casino games. In blackjack, it’s another way of referring to the casino’s edge.
K
Kelly Criterion – A betting system used by professional players to size bets optimally when they believe they have an edge.
L
Late Surrender – Giving up half your bet after the dealer checks for blackjack.
Live Blackjack – A streamed version of blackjack with a live dealer, common in online play.
M
Marker – A casino-issued line of credit.
Monkey: A term for any card with a value of 10.
Muck: The pile of discarded cards.
Multi-Deck – A blackjack game played with multiple decks, usually 6 or 8, which makes card counting tougher.
N
Natural – Another term for a blackjack.
O
Overlay – A rare situation in promotions or tournaments where the prize pool is larger than the total entry or buy-in, effectively giving players added value.
P
Paint – Slang for face cards (Jacks, Queens, Kings).
Pair Splitting – Splitting two identical starting cards into separate hands with an additional bet.
Pat Hand – A strong hand that doesn’t need improving (hard 17 or higher).
Preferential Shuffle – A tactic where the dealer shuffles early if counters might have the edge.
Push – A tie between player and dealer.
Q
Quarter – A chip worth 25 units, often $25 in live play.
R
Resplit – Splitting again if you draw another matching card.
Running Count – In card counting, the ongoing total of high and low cards tracked.
S
Shoe – A device that holds multiple decks for dealing.
Soft Hand – A hand with an Ace counted as 11 (e.g., Ace + 6 = soft 17).
Snapper – Slang for a natural blackjack.
Spotter – In card counting teams, the person who scouts tables and signals to a big bettor when the count is good.
Stand – Declining more cards and locking in your total.
Standoff: Another term for a push or tie.
Stiff Hand – A risky hand (12–16) that’s likely to bust with another hit.
Surrender – Giving up your hand and forfeiting half your bet.
Sweat the Money – A phrase describing a nervous or watchful pit boss monitoring large bets.
T
Ten-Rich / Ten-Poor Shoe – A way of describing how many 10-value cards are left in the deck.
Third Base – The last seat to act before the dealer, often blamed for table outcomes (fairly or not).
Toke: A casino slang term for a tip given to the dealer.
True Count – In card counting, the running count adjusted for the number of decks still in play.
U
Upcard – The dealer’s face-up card.
V
Variance – The natural swings of wins and losses in the short run.
W
Whale – A player who bets enormous sums of money.
Wonging – A card-counting technique where players only join when the count is favorable, named after Stanford Wong.
X
X-Card – Slang used in some blackjack circles for any 10-value card (10, Jack, Queen, King).
Y
Yield – A term used by advantage players to describe the expected return of a play or betting strategy.
Z
Zero Deck Penetration – Slang for when a dealer reshuffles extremely early, leaving no chance for counters to gain an edge.
Final Thoughts
Now you’ve got the full alphabet of blackjack terminology — from Ace to Zero Deck Penetration. Whether you’re learning the basics or brushing up on obscure lingo like Kelly Criterion and Wonging, this glossary gives you the language of the game. The next time you sit at a table, you’ll not only know when to hit or stand, you’ll know exactly what everyone’s talking about.
