Terminology
As a new player at internet casinos, you’re bound to hear blackjack players using a variety of blackjack terms and slang, that’s why we’ve compiled a list of terms commonly used by seasoned internet blackjack players.
Anchorman: The player in the last seat of the table, on the dealer's far right, who is last to act.
Banishing a Player: Internet casinos that won’t prohibit a player from wagering at blackjack.
Blackjack: An automatic winning hand that contains both an Ace and a 10 value card.
Bust: To have a hand that totals more than 21 points, an automatic loser.
Card Counter: A skilled player that has the ability to keep track of the cards as they are dealt.
Card Counting: The act of keeping track of the value of the cards dealt at a table.
Dealer: The casino employee facing the players, who deals the cards at the table.
Deck: A standard deck of 52 cards used in blackjack.
Double Down: The option for a player to double his bet with only one card to come.
Draw a Card: Drawing an extra card, on top of the original hand.
Early Surrender: Player's option to surrender half his bet while the dealer checks for blackjack.
Favourable Deck: The cards left in the deck are in the player's favour.
First Baseman: The player in the first seat of the table, on the dealer's far left who is first to act.
Flat Bet: To bet the same amount each hand, without variation.
Floorman: The casino supervisor who oversees the dealers.
Hand: The original cards dealt to each player.
Hard Total: Any hand where there is no ace, or the ace counts as one.
Head-to-Head: Playing the dealer one-on-one with no other players at the table.
High Roller: A player who bets large amounts of money.
Hit: Drawing an extra card, on top of the original hand.
Hole Card: The dealer's unseen card.
House: Another term for the casino.
Insurance: Optional bet that can be made when the dealer is showing an ace.
Marker: An IOU, signed by a player who has casino credit.
Mucker: A cheater who adds favourable cards to a multiple deck game.
Multiple-Deck: A game consisting of more than one deck of cards in a shoe.
Natural: Slang for a blackjack.
Nickels: Slang for $5 casino chips.
Paint: Any Jack, Queen, or King (all painted pictures).
Pat Hand: An original holding of hard 17 or higher.
Penetration: Number of cards the dealer deals out before shuffling.
Pit Boss: Casino supervisor who is in charge of the entire blackjack pit.
Push: A tie between the dealer and the player, no one wins or loses.
Quarters: Slang for $25 chips.
Round: Complete series of play in which everyone has acted on their hands.
Shoe: Box containing decks of cards, made to deal one at a time.
Shuffle: Mixing up the cards before dealing them.
Single-Deck: A game of blackjack in which only one deck of cards is used.
Snapper: Slang for a blackjack.
Soft Total: Any hand containing an ace which has a value of 11.
Splitting Pairs: The option of splitting identically ranked cards to play as separate hands.
Stand, Stand Pat: The player's decision to not take any more cards.
Stiff Card: A card ranked from 2 to 6, which may force the dealer to hit.
Stiff Hand: Any hand totalling 12-16, which will bust on a 10-value card hit.
Surrender: Option of a player to forfeit half his bet after the dealer checks for blackjack.
Ten-Poor Deck: A deck in which more 10-value cards have been dealt.
Ten-Rich Deck: A deck in which less 10-value cards has been dealt.
Ten-Value Card: Any card worth 10 points, a 10, Jack, Queen, or King.
Third Baseman: The player in the last seat of the table, on the dealer's far right, who is last to act.
Tip or Token: A gratuity given to a dealer by a player.
Twenty-One: Another name for the game of blackjack.
Unfavourable Deck: A deck with remaining cards favouring the casino, not the player.
Unit: A standard bet size.
Upcard: The dealer's exposed card, seen by all players.