Blackjack Terms

Double Down: The terminology used to describe your ability to double your bet after asking for only one more hit.

Hit: Asking the dealer for another card your hand.

Push: When your hand and the dealer's hand have the same value.

Splitting Pairs: If the first two cards you are dealt have the same value, then you are given the option of splitting them into two separate hands and placing a bet of equal value on each of these hands.

Stand: This is a term for when you decide not to hit again.

Surrender: This terminology relates to when you decide to forfeit your hand after only receiving two cards and also forfeiting half of your original bet.

Burn Card: After every shuffle, the top card is removed from the desk and discarded.

Card Counting: A strategy of keeping track of the played cards in order to strengthen your odds of winning.

Hole Card: This term usually refers to the dealer's card that remains face down until the end of the round. It can, however, also refer to any card that remains face down during play.

Shoe: A device used by the dealer to hold multiple decks of cards, making it easier to draw cards from the deck.

Hard Hand: A term used in Blackjack that refers to a hand whose ace is valued as one and not an eleven.

Soft Hand: A term used in Blackjack to refer to hands whose aces are valued as elevens and not ones.

Pair: When your first two cards have the same value.

Up Card: The card held by the dealer, which is shown face up to you, the player, throughout the game.