Blackjack Glossary
21 – a card game also known as blackjack. Pits player vs dealer with closest to 21 the winner.
Blackjack – a a card game also known as 21 (twenty one). Pits player vs dealer with closest to 21 the winner.
Bust – if the player or dealers exceeds 21 for their hand value, then they have “busted”. Often players will “bust”.
Cut – When shuffling the cards, the deck of cards can be divided by a “cut”. Usually players are allowed to “cut” the cards (or deck of cards).
Discard Tray – the dealer will collect cards after a game has finished and will place them in a “discard tray”. This is not to confuse those cards that have been used with live cards.
Double Down – an option available to the player after the initial cards have been dealt. A dealer may ask “Would you like to double down?” in which a player can reply, “Yes, I would like to double down”.
Draw – could have two meanings. The most common meaning is to add a card to the existing hand. Players may draw a card to add to their hand. Draw could also mean that the value of the dealer and players’ hand are equal.
Early Surrender – An option to a player to forfeit the backjack game early after the first two cards have been dealt. This option is chosen if the player believes the dealer has blackjack and would like to halve (or reduce) his loses.
Hard Hand – a hand that excludes and ace. That is, a hand that can only be summed to one value unlike a hand with an ace which can either be 11 or 1.
Hit – an option that a player has in asking for an additional card. That is, to request from the dealer a card.
Hole Card – when the dealer is dealt his initial two cards, one is face down. The face down card is the hold card.
Insurance – if the player believes the dealer will land on 21, he can place a side wager called “Insurance”. If the dealer achieves 21, the player will win on the side bet “Insurance”, but lose on his normal hand.
Late Surrender – similar to an early surrender, however can occur after the dealers cards have been revealed and are not black jack.
Natural – after the two initial cards are dealt, and the hand is 21, is referred to as a “Natural”.
Push – the dealer and player have the same value of cards on hand. Neither wins or loses.
Side bet – an option that a non-active player has to wager with an active participating player. The Non-active player must ride with the fortunes of the active player.
Shoe – the box to the side of the dealer that holds all the shuffled cards before they are dealt.
Soft Hand – a hand with an ace that can be either 11 or 1.
Split – an option to a player to “split” two identical cards that has been dealt to create two hands.
Stand – an option by the player to communicate to the dealer that no more additional cards are needed.
Stiff Hand – a hand that can bust on a draw of one card.
Surrender – a player can surrender in order to lose only half the amount wagered.
Upcard – the other card of the hole card. The card that is face up, on the dealers initial two cards.