Blackjack Terms

• Blackjack means any combination of your first two cards that total 21
• To ask the dealer to Hit on a hand, is to ask for another card.
• When the player tells the dealer they want to Stand , they are telling him that they don't want any more cards.
• If the player has been dealt a pair, they are able to Split the pair, and play 2 separate hands at the same time. (Some house rules will not allow you to split Aces, or Aces more than once).
• Hard hand is when the ace can only be counted as 1.
• When a player Doubles Down , they are doubling their bet and asking the dealer for ONLY one more card. Regardless of what the card is, the player must stand after doubling down.
• The player is given the choice of asking for Insurance , if the dealer has been dealt an "A" face up. By asking for Insurance, the player is making a side-bet that the down-card could be a 10 point card, giving the dealer 21. It has been stated many times, that Insurance is a "sucker bet" and to NEVER make this bet.
• Surrender is the only play at the blackjack table that requires a "verbal" response. If the player is dealt a hand that looks particularly dismal, they can surrender half the bet and end their play. This is also referred to as a "sucker bet", and some casinos don't even recognize it. (There are a few instances that a very skilled card counter can use this bet to their advantage) .
• A push or tie occurs when the total of your cards are the same as the dealers without going over 21. You do lose and you can change your bet on the next hand.
• Soft hand is when the ace can be counted as 1 or 11