Blackjack terminology
... as well as blackjacks rules and strategies
To enjoy the popular card game classic to the fullest, you should initially be familiar with two things: the most important terms and the rules. Because the rules can only be explained with the help of the respective terminology, we have combined the two in this blog post. The following blackjack glossary is organised according to topics and also serves as game instructions. With the help of our terminology of Blackjack, you will become a blackjack pro in no time!
By the way, to make sure that your game experience is a success, we present the most common game strategies near the end of the article.
Blackjack and its variants
As explained in the blog post The History of Blackjack, there are different names for blackjack as we know it today. To understand how the game works, we should take a look at where the individual names come from and what they mean.
The origins of blackjack
While the origins of blackjack can be traced back to the French Vingt-et-un, the name blackjack comes from the USA. Especially the casino metropolis Las Vegas had a defining influence here. Because when the game arrived in American casinos, it was not very well known, and so the idea was to make it more attractive. A special payout was intended to be the solution: if a player had an ace of spades or an ace of clubs with the first two cards (both “black”) and a jack of spades or a jack of clubs (“jack”), the casinos in Las Vegas promised a significantly higher payout – that’s how the name blackjack was coined.
21 or Vingt-et-un
That’s what the French precursor of blackjack from the 18th century is referred to. The reason for this is the object of the game: to win, you have to get closer to the 21 with your cards than the dealer. If you exceed this value, the game is automatically lost; if the dealer gets closer than you, the game is also lost.
17+4 or Pontoon
This is also a common alternative term for the name of the game. Because 17 and four add up to 21, this term also points to the object of the game.
Live dealer blackjack
For a long time, there were only two formats to play blackjack: either in land-based casinos or in online casinos. The latter now enables another variant: Live dealer blackjack. As its name implies, you play on your smartphone or tablet live against a dealer.
Blackjack cards
Blackjack is commonly played with six packs of French playing cards at 52 cards each, which makes 312 cards in total. Each card has its own value.
Number cards
Each card that shows a number also has the corresponding value. For example, a 2 is worth two points, and a 10 is worth ten points.
Picture cards
All three picture cards – the jack, queen and king – are worth ten points each.
Ace
The ace has a special significance in blackjack, because it can have two values: either one or eleven points. The value is always decided to the player’s advantage.
Triple Seven
If a player has 21 points consisting of three 7s (Triple Seven), he/she wins immediately at a ratio of 3:2 regardless of the croupier’s card. The game is finished for the respective box following the payout. This rule is uncommon outside of Austria. However, it has become common practise in Germany and Switzerland that the guest receives a bonus in some form.
Blackjack
Blackjack is not just the name of the game, but also the best possible card combination. It consists of just two cards that add up to 21, which could be an ace and a king, a queen, a jack or a 10. A blackjack automatically wins the round.
Game actions
What shouldn’t be missing from our terminology of blackjack, of course, are the individual game actions. Each of them can be an advantage or a disadvantage at a specific moment in the game. For that reason, you should be aware of them before starting a game and consider carefully which ones you want to use. Because blackjack originates in the USA, the game actions have English names also called blackjack slang.
Hit
The order “Hit” is one of the two basic actions in blackjack. With this, you request another card from the dealer in the hope to get as close as possible to the 21.
Stand
“Stand” means the exact opposite – you refuse another card and you are dealt no more cards. The reason for this is usually an already high card value and the accompanying risk of exceeding 21.
Split
If the first two cards have the same value (e.g. two 5s or jack and king), you can split your hand. You continue to play with a “split hand” with two separate stakes.
Double down
Once you have received your first two cards, you can double your stake. The value of the two cards is irrelevant (double down on any two). If you double down, you will receive one more card.
Surrender
If a casino offers “Surrender”, you can give up after having received the first two cards. In so doing, you lose half of your initial stake.
Bust (going bust)
In many casinos you can bet on the dealer going bust in the ensuing round before the cards are dealt. Should the dealer receive 22 or more points and therefore go bust, this side bet is paid out at a ratio of 5:2; otherwise, the stake on this bet is retracted.
Deal now
This button is only available in online live casino blackjack and only at certain tables. Your stake has to be equal to or higher than the minimum stake. This round is opened immediately before the end of the betting period as soon as all players have clicked the button “Deal now”.
Strategies
Our terminology of blackjack would not be complete if it didn’t also include different strategies that are intended to lead to success. None of them guarantees a win but merely the best chances to win.
Basic strategy
The basic strategy is a type of mathematical chart that lists the best game decision for each possible hand. If you follow the basic strategy, you minimise the house edge.
Insurance
The insurance is a side bet in blackjack that can be taken if the dealer’s first card is an ace. It works as an insurance against a possible blackjack of the dealer. Should the dealer have a blackjack, you win the side bet which is paid out at a ratio of 2:1. Should the dealer not have a blackjack, you lose the side bet and the stake on the insurance is lost.
Bet behind
With this option you can bet on the hand of another player. Even though the “Bet behind” function is available in many land-based casinos, it is particularly the live casino games that offer this option.
Perfect pairs
Perfect Pairs is a side bet on the first two cards of a player being a pair, whereby three different types of pairs are paid out at different ratios:
Mixed pair = same number/same value of picture card, different suit (black and red)
Coloured pair = same number/same value of picture card, same suit (clubs/spades, hearts/diamonds)
Perfect pair = identical cards (same number/same value of picture card, same suit)
21+3 Side Bet
The 21+3 Blackjack Side Bet means that you bet on the first two cards of your hand and the dealer’s open card forming one of the following three-card poker hands:
Flush = three cards of the same suit
Straight = three cards of consecutive values
Three of a Kind = three cards of the same value or the same picture card
Straight Flush = three cards of consecutive values that are all of the same suit
Suited Three of a Kind = three cards of the same value/the same picture card and the same suit
Blackjack terminology in land-based casinos
Some additional rules apply, especially for playing blackjack in land-based casinos. Associated with this are terms that are only used in his context. Below we explain the most important ones.
Hand movements/gestures
If you want to be seen as a professional rather than an amateur in blackjack, you should be proficient in the different hand movements that are common practice in this game. They all signal the subsequent intended action to the dealer and ensure faster game process.
Tapping: If you would like to take another card (“Hit”), you gently tap the table in front of you with your finger. Some players will make a “come here” movement with their hand, but the casino staff prefers the unambiguous tapping.
Wave Hand off: If you move your flat hand over the cards a few centimetres above the table, you let the dealer know that you don’t want to take another card (“Stand”) because you are happy with the cards you already have.
Split Finger: If you would like to signal to the dealer that you want to split your hand (“Split”), you spread two fingers in a clear V shape. This V shape is very important, because it signals to the dealer that you want to split and not double down.
Card counting
Card Counting is a blackjack strategy with which you can determine whether the player or the dealer has an advantage in the next round. Card counters are advantage players who try to overcome the casino house edge by keeping a running count of high and low valued cards dealt. They generally bet more when they have an advantage and less when the dealer has an advantage. They also change playing decisions based on the composition of the deck.
Thanks to our terminology of blackjack, you have now got to know individual terms as well as the rules of the most frequently played card game in the world. With that said, you can use the Blackjack glossary also as a guide.
You want to find out even more about blackjack? Then read our next blog post now: The History of Blackjack.
