KEY TAKEAWAYS
Blackjack is played with a small set of words, but players, dealers and table signs use them quickly. This glossary defines 24 blackjack terms, from the hands and totals that decide a round to the dealer’s rules, the decisions players can make, and the shoe, shuffle and payout language found on the table layout. Each entry gives a plain definition, an example of the word in use, and a note where rules vary by casino or table. The terms are grouped into four themes so related words appear together, and a quick-reference table near the end summarizes every entry in a line. Rules and payouts differ between venues, so the posted table rules are the final word at any given game. Definitions here describe the language of the game and do not recommend how to play.
Cards and Hand Totals
Blackjack hands are described by their totals and by whether an ace is involved. These six terms name the main kinds of hand and outcome.
Blackjack
Definition: A two-card hand made of an ace and a ten-value card, dealt as a player’s first two cards.
Example: “She turned over an ace and a king, so she had blackjack.”
Also called a natural. A 21 made with three or more cards is not a blackjack, and in most casinos an ace and a ten-value card made after a split is counted as 21 rather than blackjack.
Hard hand
Definition: A hand with no ace, or one in which every ace must count as 1 to avoid going over 21.
Example: “He held a ten and a six, a hard 16.”
A hard hand can bust with the next card, unlike many soft hands.
Soft hand
Definition: A hand containing an ace that is counted as 11 without taking the total over 21.
Example: “An ace and a six make a soft 17.”
The same hand becomes hard when the ace has to count as 1, for example after drawing a ten.
Bust
Definition: To go over a total of 21, which loses the hand immediately.
Example: “He had a ten, a six and an eight for 24, so he busted.”
A player who busts loses even if the dealer later busts too.
Ten-value card
Definition: Any ten, jack, queen or king, each of which counts as 10 in blackjack.
Example: “The dealer had a queen showing, a ten-value card.”
Sometimes called a ten or a picture card in casual speech. Aces count as 1 or 11.
Push
Definition: A tie between the player’s hand and the dealer’s hand, in which the bet is returned.
Example: “Both had 19, so the hand was a push and the $15 bet came back.”
Neither side wins money on a push. The word is also used for tied bets in sports betting.
The Dealer’s Side
The dealer plays by fixed rules, and a few cards and rules on that side of the table affect how a round unfolds.
Upcard
Definition: The dealer’s card that is dealt face up and visible to the players.
Example: “With a six as the dealer upcard, the table waited for the first player to act.”
Players see the upcard before they decide whether to hit, stand, double down or split.
Hole card
Definition: The dealer’s card that is dealt face down.
Example: “The dealer slid a corner of the hole card up to check for blackjack.”
Some variants, often called no-hole-card games, deal the dealer’s second card only after the players have acted.
Dealer peek
Definition: The dealer’s check of the hole card for blackjack when the upcard is an ace or a ten-value card, done before players make further decisions.
Example: “The dealer showed an ace and peeked, then announced no blackjack.”
Procedures vary. In many U.S. games the dealer peeks, while games without a hole card do not.
Soft 17
Definition: A dealer hand of 17 that includes an ace counted as 11, such as an ace and a six.
Example: “The table rule says the dealer stands on soft 17.”
Rules differ: S17 means the dealer stands, and H17 means the dealer hits. The posted table rules say which applies.
Player Decisions
After the cards are dealt, the player chooses what to do with each hand. These terms name the decisions and the rules around them.
Hit
Definition: To ask the dealer for another card.
Example: “She had 12 and asked for a hit.”
A player may usually keep hitting until the total reaches 21 or goes over.
Stand
Definition: To take no more cards and keep the current total.
Example: “He had 18 and decided to stand.”
Standing ends the player’s turn on that hand.
Double down
Definition: To double the original bet after seeing the first two cards, in exchange for receiving exactly one more card.
Example: “He doubled down on 11 with a $25 bet and added another $25.”
Which totals may be doubled varies by casino and by table rules.
Split
Definition: To separate a starting pair into two hands, each with its own bet equal to the original.
Example: “With two eights, she split and placed a second bet.”
Rules for which pairs can be split and how many times vary by venue.
Double after split
Definition: A rule that lets a player double down on a hand created by splitting a pair.
Example: “This table allows double after split, so he doubled on one of his new hands.”
Often shortened to DAS. It is a rule that varies by table.
Surrender
Definition: To give up a hand and lose half the bet instead of playing it out.
Example: “Facing a dealer ten with a hard 16, she surrendered and lost half her $20 bet.”
Not every casino offers surrender. Late surrender, offered after the dealer checks for blackjack, is the common form where it exists.
Insurance
Definition: A side bet offered when the dealer shows an ace, usually up to half the original bet, that pays 2 to 1 if the dealer has blackjack.
Example: “With a $20 bet, he took insurance for $10 when the dealer showed an ace.”
Insurance is settled separately from the main hand and is not part of the original bet.
Even money
Definition: An offer made to a player with blackjack when the dealer shows an ace, paying 1 to 1 on the bet right away instead of waiting.
Example: “She had blackjack, the dealer showed an ace, and she took even money on her $10 bet.”
It has the same result as insuring the whole blackjack: a $10 bet nets $10 either way.
Shoes, Shuffles and Payouts
The equipment and payout terms below affect how many cards are in play and how much a winning hand is worth.
Shoe
Definition: A box that holds several decks of cards shuffled together, from which the dealer draws each card.
Example: “The dealer slid the cards into the shoe and the game began.”
Games dealt by hand from one or two decks do not use a shoe.
Burn card
Definition: A card taken from the top of the deck and set aside unused, usually after a shuffle.
Example: “The dealer burned the top card before the first hand.”
Burn procedures vary by casino and game.
Cut card
Definition: A plastic card placed in the deck or shoe to mark where the next shuffle will happen.
Example: “The cut card came out, so the dealer finished the round and reshuffled.”
The position of the cut card decides how many cards are dealt before the shuffle.
3 to 2
Definition: The standard payout for a blackjack, in which a $10 bet wins $15.
Example: “The felt says blackjack pays 3 to 2.”
At a 3 to 2 table the house edge is typically around 0.5% with basic strategy, depending on the rules. Some tables pay less.
6 to 5
Definition: A lower payout for a blackjack offered at some tables, in which a $10 bet wins $12 instead of $15.
Example: “The sign said blackjack pays 6 to 5, so a $10 bet won $12.”
Paying 6 to 5 instead of 3 to 2 raises the house edge, so the posted payout is worth checking before sitting down.
Side bet
Definition: An optional extra wager placed alongside the main blackjack bet, paid by its own separate rules.
Example: “She added a $1 side bet next to her $10 main bet.”
Side bets differ widely from table to table, so each one comes with its own posted payouts.
Quick-Reference Table
| Term | Short definition |
|---|---|
| Blackjack | Ace plus ten-value card |
| Hard hand | Hand with no flexible ace |
| Soft hand | Hand with an ace counted as 11 |
| Bust | Total over 21 |
| Ten-value card | Ten, jack, queen or king |
| Push | Tie; bet returned |
| Upcard | Dealer’s face-up card |
| Hole card | Dealer’s face-down card |
| Dealer peek | Check for dealer blackjack |
| Soft 17 | Dealer’s 17 with an ace as 11 |
| Hit | Take another card |
| Stand | Keep the current total |
| Double down | Double the bet, take one card |
| Split | Divide a pair into two hands |
| Double after split | Doubling allowed on split hands |
| Surrender | Forfeit half the bet |
| Insurance | Side bet against dealer blackjack |
| Even money | Immediate 1 to 1 on a blackjack |
| Shoe | Box holding several decks |
| Burn card | Card set aside unused |
| Cut card | Marker for the next shuffle |
| 3 to 2 | Standard blackjack payout |
| 6 to 5 | Reduced blackjack payout |
| Side bet | Optional extra wager |
Related Glossaries
Blackjack shares part of its vocabulary with other forms of gambling. Words such as push and house edge are defined in general terms in the gambling money terms glossary, and the language of betting rounds in card rooms is covered in the poker betting terms glossary. Where a word has a narrower meaning at a blackjack table, the entry above says so.
