Blackjack Terminology - casinocaptain.com

Best Blackjack Sites
blackjack history
how to play blackjack
blackjack terminology
blackjack variations

Blackjack
Terminology

Blackjack: An Ace coupled with either a ten or face card, giving ye 21 points (the best hand) and a special payout of (typically) 3:2. Should the dealer also have a blackjack, the game is a tie (push).

Bust, Busting: Going over 21. Busting is an automatic losing hand fer the player. If the dealer busts and ye have 21 or less, ye win.

Bust hand: A hand in which the draw of one card can cause ye to bust. If ye have a hard 12 to 16 or the dealers hand shows a 2,3,4,5 or 6, these are considered "bust hands." Also referred to as a "stiff" hand.

Bust card: Receiving a card that makes ye "bust".

Double down: Doubling yer bet. Once ye receive yer first two cards, ye many times have the option of doubling down. When ye double down, ye only receive one more card. This move is very acceptable and lessens the house advantage when used properly as per our strategy cards.

Even money: This term is used when ye have a blackjack dealt to ye and the dealer is showing an Ace. If at this point ye opt to take insurance then ye are opting to get paid "even money." This simply means that ye will be paid 1:1 on yer bet and not 3:2 as would normally be the case. The advantage is that if the dealer also has blackjack ye still win. If ye do not take insurance in this instance and the dealer has blackjack then ye will only tie and not be paid any winnings.

Hard hand: This is a hand with no Aces being used as 11 points.

Hit: Taking another card to add to yer total.

Hole card: A card dealt face-down. The dealer's face down card fer example.

House: The dealer or casino.

House advantage: The natural rules of the game dictate that the "house" will have a slight mathematical advantage over ye. Ye can minimize the house advantage if ye play "perfect strategy" as shown via our strategy cards.

Insurance: Whenever the dealer is showing an Ace, insurance is offered. If ye purchase insurance, ye are placing an extra bet of up to half of yer original bet to insure yerself against the chance that the dealer has blackjack. If the dealer does have blackjack, then ye are paid twice the amount of the insurance bet. While ye gain the 2 to 1 insurance bet, ye lose yer original bet, making this a push overall. The player is at a huge disadvantage when doing this. In short, taking insurance is a sucker bet!

Perfect strategy: This involves using the Captain's strategy cards and always making the play that gives ye the highest chance of winning the hand.

Push: A tie. Neither ye nor the dealer wins. Yer bet is returned.

Soft hand: A hand containing an Ace that can be counted as 11 or as 1. No one card can cause ye to bust. Fer example, an Ace and a 6 can be considered a "hard 7" or a "soft 17."

Splitting: If yer first two cards are the same (a pair), then ye have the option of splitting them to form two hands. The wager on yer new hand is equal to the first. Ye are then provided an additional card fer each hand and ye now play them separately against the dealer.

Stay/Stand: Yer decision to stop adding cards to yer hand.

Strategy card: This is a chart that shows ye which strategy to take on every hand depending on what ye have and what the dealer has. This is based on mathematical odds and always gives the players the best chance to win.

Surrender: Forfeiting half of yer bet. (See Blackjack Surrender above, under "Variations.")

Play some blackjack on Blackjack Ballroom today!