This blackjack glossary explains the words on the table, in the rules and on a strategy chart. Find a term below, read a practical example, then follow the linked guide when you need more detail.
Start with the essentials: hit, stand, push, double down, split and soft total.
Blackjack terms A–Z
Search a word or definition in the finder below. Clear the search box to show every term again. You can also jump to numbers and A–D, E–L or M–Z. New to the game? Start with how to play blackjack.
Payout numbers and terms A to D
| Term | Meaning and example |
|---|---|
| 3:2 payout | A winning natural blackjack pays three units of profit for every two units wagered. A $10 bet wins $15 profit and returns $25 including the stake. |
| 6:5 payout | A winning natural blackjack pays six units of profit for every five wagered. A $10 bet wins $12 profit and returns $22 including the stake: $3 less than a 3:2 blackjack. |
| Action | The amount of money a player bets over a session, or the play itself. A table with lots of action is busy. |
| Anchor | The player in the last seat on the dealer’s right, also called third base. This player acts last before the dealer. |
| Bankroll | The money a player sets aside for blackjack. See blackjack bankroll management. |
| Basic strategy | The mathematically preferred decision for your hand against the dealer’s upcard, under a specified set of rules. It can include hitting, standing, doubling, splitting or surrendering. See our blackjack strategy guide. |
| Bet spread | The range between your smallest and largest bets. Betting from $10 to $50 is a 1-to-5 spread. |
| Blackjack (natural) | An ace plus a ten-value card in your original two-card hand. It beats an ordinary 21, but normally pushes against another natural. A 3:2 table pays $15 profit on a winning $10 blackjack. A 21 after splitting is normally not a natural. |
| Burn card | A card removed from play during dealing procedures, often after a shuffle. Whether it is shown depends on the game’s procedures. |
| Bust (break) | A hand that goes over 21. It loses automatically. |
| Camouflage | Behaviour or betting patterns intended to hide advantage play from the casino. |
| Card counting | Tracking dealt cards to estimate the composition of the remaining deck or shoe. It is different from memorising a basic-strategy chart. |
| Cut card | A plastic card placed in the deck or shoe to mark where the dealer will stop dealing and shuffle. |
| Dealer peek | When the dealer checks the hole card for blackjack after dealing, if the up card is an ace or ten. |
| Double after split (DAS) | A rule allowing you to double a hand created by splitting, subject to the table’s restrictions. “No DAS” means this option is not allowed. |
| Double down | Increase your wager, usually by matching it, and receive exactly one additional card. Standard games normally restrict doubling to the first two cards; some tables also restrict eligible totals. |
| Draw | Another word for hit, meaning to take a card. |
Terms E to L
| Term | Meaning and example |
|---|---|
| Early surrender | Surrender allowed before dealer blackjack is ruled out. This is different from late surrender; do not assume a table offering surrender offers both. |
| Even money | An offer to settle your natural blackjack for a 1:1 win when the dealer shows an ace. At a 3:2 table, this is equivalent to taking insurance on that blackjack; it is not an extra bonus. |
| Face card | A jack, queen or king. Each is worth 10. |
| First base | The seat on the dealer’s left, which is the first to act. |
| Five-card Charlie | A special rule awarding an automatic win for a qualifying five-card hand that has not busted. It is not a standard blackjack rule; check any exclusions or dealer-blackjack priority. |
| Flat betting | Betting the same amount on every hand. |
| Hard total | A hand with no ace counted as 11. Example: 10 + 7 is hard 17; A + 6 + 10 is also hard 17 because the ace counts as 1. |
| Heads-up | Playing alone against the dealer. |
| Hit | To take an extra card. |
| Hole card | The dealer’s face-down card. |
| House edge | The casino’s theoretical advantage under specified rules and strategy, commonly expressed as expected loss as a percentage of the original wager. It is a long-run average, not a forecast for your session. See blackjack odds. |
| Insurance | A separate bet, usually up to half your main wager, that pays 2:1 if the dealer has blackjack after showing an ace. It does not insure your hand against every possible loss. |
| Late surrender | Giving up half your original bet after dealer blackjack has been ruled out. It normally applies to the first two cards when offered. Compare surrender rules. |
Terms M to Z
| Term | Meaning and example |
|---|---|
| Pair | Two cards of the same rank. Splitting depends on the table rules; some games also allow any two ten-value cards to be split. |
| Pat hand | A made hand, commonly a hard total of 17 or more. The expression is not a strategy instruction to stand on every soft total of 17 or higher. |
| Penetration | How much of a deck or shoe is dealt before reshuffling. Dealing about four of six decks is roughly two-thirds penetration. |
| Perfect Pairs | A side bet based on your first two cards forming a pair. Its own paytable distinguishes pair types; the side bet is separate from the outcome of your main blackjack hand. |
| Push | A tie that returns the wager with no profit or loss. In standard blackjack, your 19 against dealer 19 pushes. A natural blackjack and an ordinary 21 are not equivalent hands. Also called a stand-off. |
| Resplit aces (RSA) | Permission to split again when a split ace receives another ace. It does not automatically mean you may hit split aces or double after splitting. |
| S17 and H17 | Dealer soft-17 rules: S17 means stand; H17 means hit. Both rules require the dealer to stand on hard 17. S17 is better for the player when the other rules are unchanged. |
| Shoe | The box that holds several decks and dispenses cards. |
| Shuffle | Mixing the cards before a new round or shoe. |
| Side bet | An optional wager with its own winning conditions and paytable, separate from the main hand. Insurance and Perfect Pairs are examples; their results need not match the main hand’s result. |
| Soft 17 | A total of 17 with an ace counted as 11, such as A + 6 or A + 2 + 4. H17/S17 specifies the dealer’s action, not the player’s decision. |
| Soft total | A hand containing an ace counted as 11. One additional card cannot bust it because that ace can become 1. A + 6 is soft 17; adding a 9 makes hard 16. |
| Split | Turn an eligible pair into two hands by adding a second wager. Limits on resplitting, split aces and doubling after splitting vary. See splitting rules. |
| Spooking | Slang for observing a dealer’s hidden card and signalling that information to another player. |
| Stand | To take no more cards and end your turn. |
| Steaming | Playing emotionally and betting recklessly after losses. |
| Stiff hand | A hard total of 12 to 16, which can bust on one hit. |
| Surrender | End an eligible hand and forfeit half the original wager. A surrendered $10 bet loses $5 and returns $5. Availability and timing depend on the table rules. |
| Table limits | The minimum and maximum bets allowed at a table. |
| Ten-value card | A 10, jack, queen or king. All count as 10. Only the jack, queen and king are face cards. |
| Unit | Your standard bet size, used when budgeting. |
| Up card | The dealer’s face-up card. |
Hard, soft and stiff hands: worked examples
The important question is how the ace is counted. “Soft” is not a description of how strong a hand is, and H17/S17 does not tell the player what to do.
| Cards | Name | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Ace + 6 | Soft 17 | The ace counts as 11. A single hit cannot bust this hand. |
| Ace + 6 + 9 | Hard 16; a stiff hand | The ace now counts as 1. Another hit could bust. |
| 10 + 7 | Hard 17; commonly a pat hand | There is no ace to change value. |
| Ace + King as the original two cards | Natural blackjack | This is different from reaching 21 with three or more cards. |
Reading blackjack payouts and rule abbreviations
Payouts describe profit, not the total returned. At 3:2, a winning $10 natural earns $15 and returns $25 including the original stake. At 6:5 it earns $12 and returns $22. A push returns only the original $10.
For a rules line such as “6 decks · H17 · DAS · no RSA”, read it as: six decks are used; the dealer hits soft 17; doubling after splitting is allowed; resplitting aces is not allowed. You still need to check blackjack payout, surrender and restrictions on split aces.
A strategy chart must match the table rules. Our strategy guide explains the next step, while the free practice table lets you get comfortable with basic controls without wagering money.
Frequently asked questions
What does hit mean in blackjack?
Take another card. You may be able to hit again if the hand is not complete and the rules allow it; doubling and split-ace rules can restrict further cards.
What is a push in blackjack?
A tie that returns your wager without a profit. For example, 19 against dealer 19 is a push in standard blackjack. A natural blackjack beats an ordinary 21 rather than pushing with it.
What is the difference between a hard and soft hand?
A soft hand has an ace counted as 11. A hard hand does not. Ace + 6 is soft 17; Ace + 6 + 9 is hard 16, because the ace must count as 1.
What does it mean to double down?
Increase your wager, usually by matching it, and receive exactly one more card. Your turn then ends. Standard blackjack normally offers this on the first two cards, with further restrictions at some tables.
What do H17, S17, DAS and RSA mean?
H17 means the dealer hits soft 17; S17 means the dealer stands on it. DAS means doubling after a split is allowed. RSA means resplitting aces is allowed. These abbreviations describe different rules, not a single package.
Is a ten a face card?
No. Face cards are jacks, queens and kings. A ten is a ten-value card, as are all three face cards. Any of these combined with an ace can make a natural blackjack in the original two-card hand.
What is the house edge?
The casino’s expected advantage under specified rules and strategy, measured over many wagers. It does not tell you how much you will win or lose in one session, and its value changes with the rules and decisions.
Rules reference
For fuller explanations, see the Wizard of Odds blackjack rules and rule-specific strategy calculator. The glossary describes standard usage; a particular variant may define special wins or restrictions differently.
No strategy guarantees a win. Only gamble where permitted and after meeting the minimum legal age in your location. Set a limit and do not chase losses.