Common Blackjack Terms

• Anchor: the last seat taken to the right of the dealer.
• Banker: the person who books actions at the table.
• Bankroll: the money you are ready to gamble.
• Basic Strategy: plays used to maximize players advantage.
• Blackjack: on an initial two-card hand, total of 21.
• Burn Cards: after a cur or a shuffle, take away cards from the top of the deck and put them in the discard tray.
• Break: when the hand exceeds 21.
• Bust: the same as Break.
• Card Counting: one of the most used blackjack strategies which consists on memorizing the cards played so as to calculate the probability advantage on the cards remaining.
• Card Sharp: a cards pro.
• Cut Card: a faceless card used to cut the cards after being shuffled.
• Discard Tray: the place where discarded or played cards are placed. It is located on the right of the dealer.
• Draw: add a new card to a hand or call a card. Also known as hit.
• Double Down: after the initial two-card deal, double your initial bet. You can only hit one card.
• Even Money: when you are dealt a natural blackjack and the dealer has an Ace, cashing in your bet at a 1:1 payout.
• Face Cards: Kings, Queen and Jacks.
• Face Down Game: a player's first card is placed faced up and the second one face down.
• Face Up Game: first and second card are placed face up.
• First Base: first seat taken to the dealer's left.
• Heads Up: a play with the dealer head to head without other players.
• Heads On: the same as Heads Up.
• Hole Card: the facedown card the dealer gets.
• Natural: a two-card hand of 21 points.
• Push: when the player and the dealer have the same hand total. Also known as Tie or Stand-off.
• Standing Hand: a hand with hard-totals to 17 or more.
• Stiff Hand: a hand unlikely to win.
• Tie: See Push.
• Upcard: the first card dealt of the dealer. Players can see it before they play.