All Blackjack Terms You Need to Know When Playing the Game

Blackjack is one of the gambling games where many slangs and jargons are used at the tables, especially experienced players often use them. While it is not necessary to know all the terms in Blackjack, it is certainly helpful to understand basic phrases and their meanings. Since sometimes, you'll want to know what's going on in the game, and it can also help you become a more knowledgeable player, which would also be very helpful if you were playing in a game with other seasoned players. 

If you want to have an indepth look at blackjack, read the basic blackjack guide.

Below we have listed a list of common blackjack-related phrases and terms that you may hear at least once in casinos.

Ace Rich - Describes a shoe with many aces because not many cards are dealt with.

Action - Used exclusively for large bets made by a player, someone can call it an "action" if the player places a vast amount just before the dealer starts to deal the hand.

Advantage Player - In blackjack, players use a card counting method to increase their odds and gain an advantage over the dealer throughout the game.

Anchorman - When sitting at the blackjack table, the last player moves in front of the dealer called Anchorman.

Back Betting - When another player is at the table or the observer bets on your hand, they are betting again. They are playing cards with you, but you are the one who makes all the decisions.

Back Counting - The process by which a second player counts cards by leaving them behind the table while playing and keeping track of the count, which is then forwarded to the player on the table.

Blackjack - When a player is dealt 10, J, Q, or K cards with an Ace, this is called a blackjack and pays 3/2 for most games. So if you bet $100 and hit blackjack, you win $150 on your bet.

Burn Card - A card is removed from the shoe just before the show starts to ensure that the dealer does not turn over the player what the first card was dealt in that round.

Bust - When a player takes another card and goes over 21, this is called a break or destroy. Meanwhile, players will lose the bet and have to wait until the next round.

Card Counting - A method for keeping track of the cards that have been dealt with. Players use this information to determine a favorable situation for a player to increase their stake.

Cold Deck - Used when a specific deck or shoe is full of a losing player.

Color Up - When the player exchanges chips with a smaller value for chips with an enormous deal.

Comps - The gift that the casino gives players for free to increase loyalty.

Cut Card - A plastic card used by a player to cut the cards in blackjack.

Degen - Slang term for "degenerate" refers to a player who loves the action and is often a gambling addiction.

Discard - Describes the cards that have been dealt and discarded until the next shuffle.

Double - Also known as "double down,” refers to a player placing their first stake as an additional bet, for which they receive only one more card for their hand.

Edge - Also known as the house edge, the edge is the statistical advantage in which the casino or players are better at winning a given game.

Even Money - A player asks that when they receive blackjack, and the dealer has a hand, the even-money is a 1:1 payout on the blackjack and is taken to avoid being pushed if the dealer has a black card.

Face Cards - Cards in blackjack have a value of 10, including 10, J, Q, and K.

First base - The first position on the table where a gambler is the first to receive their card.

Flat Betting - A process of wagering the same amount per hand and remaining unchanged. This may be enforced by casinos against players suspected of using the card counting feature while playing.

Heads Up - Refers to a blackjack game where a single player is fighting a dealer.

Hi-Lo Count - The popular card counting system uses various subtract, neutral, and positive values ​​to keep track of the cards that have been divided to calculate the optimal betting strategy.

High Roller - Also known as the whale, is a player who bets huge stakes, over $ 10,000 on a single hand, and typically has a casino credit line of over $ 1 million just for gambling.

Hit - An action by a player, hit or hitting, means the player wants to add another card to the hand.

Hole Card - Dealer's second card face down and not revealed during trading.

House Edge - Percentage advantage the casino has over a player in a given game on the floor.

Insurance - A bet is offered to a player when the dealer's card is an ace, and the player can insure the blackjack up to 1/2 of the original bet amount. The insurance pays 2:1.

Jargon - Slang language commonly used by blackjack players when discussing cards on the table.

Late Surrender - This is an option in some form of blackjack, such as Spanish 21, whereby a player is allowed to surrender and receive half of their original bet back even after hitting.

Monkey - A card improves or wins your hand. You can hear players say "monkey" when they double or receive an ace on the first card. They are calling the winning card.

Opening Hand - First hand dealt from a new shoe that had just been shuffled.

Paint - Refers to a card with a value of 10, so in blackjack 10, Jack, Queen, or King - sometimes players will scream "paint it" if the first card dealt is an ace because They are hoping for blackjack.

Previous Post - A popular fraud method. The player increases the initial stake when they have played the hand if the hand is in their favor, and they can win.

Push - When your hand total is equal to the dealer amount you push, it means you have tied with the dealer.

Rat Holing - A method of hiding chips after you have won hidden to prevent the casino from tracking the amount you are winning, usually a tactic used by people using unethical practices in the game.

Resplitting - The process of your split after the initial break.

Stand - A player action in a blackjack game where you tell the dealer that you don't want any more cards.

Stop Loss Limit - The limit is set by the player who will stop the player after a loss.

Surrender - An option in some blackjack games to give up your hand and get half your bet back.

Toke - The casino term for the tip of the blackjack dealer.

Up Card - The first card dealt with the dealer is called the upcard because it is visible to all players.

Vig - A term used by gamblers who are lending money to refer to the interest rate or the rate of points offered.

Zen Count - This is another card counting system that can reduce the advantage of the blackjack house edge.