Ace-rich shoe
A remaining deck composition with a higher-than-normal proportion of Aces.
Guru
Blackjack Dictionary
Quick-reference glossary of common blackjack terms. Use the search bar to find terminology fast.
A
Anchor player
The player seated at third base who acts last before the dealer.
B
Back-counting / Wonging
Watching tables and entering only in favorable counts.
Bankroll
Total money set aside for play.
Basic Strategy
Math-based chart for best action by hand vs dealer upcard.
Bet spread
How much an advantage player varies bet size as count changes.
Blackjack / Natural
An Ace plus any 10-value card on the first two cards (usually pays 3:2).
Burn card
A card discarded before play starts to reduce predictability.
Bust
A hand total over 21, which loses immediately.
C
Camouflage
Play adjustments used to appear less like a counter.
Card counting
Tracking low and high cards to estimate player edge.
Color up
Exchanging lower-denomination chips for higher ones.
Composition-dependent strategy
A strategy that depends on exact card makeup, not just total.
Continuous shuffler (CSM)
Machine that reshuffles cards continuously, reducing count usefulness.
Cut card
Card used to mark where the shoe ends and reshuffle starts.
D
DAS
Double after split is allowed.
Dealer upcard
Dealer's visible face-up card used for decisions.
Deck estimation
Estimating decks remaining to convert running count to true count.
Deviation
Intentional play change from basic strategy based on count.
Discard tray
Holder for used cards during shoe games.
Double / Double Down
Double your bet, draw exactly one card, then stand.
Double exposure
Variant where both dealer cards are shown, with rule tradeoffs.
E
Early surrender
Surrender allowed before dealer checks for blackjack.
Edge sorting
Controversial technique exploiting card-back imperfections to identify values.
EV (Expected Value)
Average long-run value of a decision.
Even Money
Taking a guaranteed 1:1 payout on your blackjack when dealer shows Ace.
F
Flat betting
Betting the same amount every hand.
H
H17
Dealer hits soft 17.
Hand-held game
Single- or double-deck game where cards are dealt by hand.
Hard Hand
A hand where Ace counts as 1, or no Ace is present.
Heat
Casino attention due to suspicious or advantage-looking play.
Hi-Lo
Popular counting system with values +1, 0, and -1 for ranks.
Hit
Take one additional card.
Hole card
Dealer's face-down card.
House edge
Casino's long-term mathematical advantage.
I
Illustrious 18
Common set of high-value count-based strategy deviations.
Implied odds
Practical value of an action considering likely future betting opportunities.
Index number
True count threshold where a deviation becomes correct.
Insurance
A side bet offered when dealer shows Ace, betting dealer has blackjack.
K
Kelly criterion
Bet-sizing method based on edge and variance to maximize growth.
L
Late surrender
Surrender allowed only after dealer checks for blackjack.
N
Negative count
Count indicating card composition generally favors the house.
No DAS
Double after split is not allowed.
P
Penetration
How deep into the shoe cards are dealt before shuffle.
Perfect pair
A side bet that pays when first two player cards are a pair, often suited tiers.
Ploppy
Slang for a casual player who ignores sound strategy.
Push
A tie between player and dealer; your bet is returned.
R
RTP
Return to player; 100% minus house edge.
Running count
Raw count total before adjusting for decks remaining.
S
S17
Dealer stands on soft 17.
Shoe
The stack of multiple decks used for dealing.
Shuffle tracking
Advanced method estimating where favorable slug zones move after shuffle.
Side count
Tracking a specific rank separately from the main count system.
Soft Hand
A hand with an Ace counted as 11 (for example A,7 is soft 18).
Split
Turn a pair into two separate hands by placing a second equal bet.
Spread ramp
Preplanned bet progression by true count level.
Stand / Stick
Take no more cards and keep your current total.
Stiff hand
A weak total, usually 12 through 16.
Surrender
Option to fold early and lose half your bet.
T
Table max
Maximum allowed bet at the table.
Table min
Minimum allowed bet at the table.
Third base
Last seat to act before the dealer plays.
True count
Running count divided by estimated decks remaining.
Two-card 21
Another way to describe a natural blackjack.
U
Unit
Standard betting amount used for tracking wins and losses.
Upcard
Dealer's face-up card.
V
Variance
How swingy short-term results are around the long-run average.
W
Wong out
Leaving or sitting out when the count turns unfavorable.