Natural Blackjack – If the player’s opening two cards total is 21 points, then it is a natural blackjack. For example, if the opening two cards are an Ace and any Ten value card. Natural Blackjack is also known as Natural 21.

Box holders - the players of the blackjack game

Burn – the top card of the shoe, usually it is discarded before the deal

Bust – a hand with more than 21 points


Card Counting – card counting is the technique used to estimate the value of the remaining cards in the deck.

Chip – A casino term for tokens used as an alternative to cash.

Doubling Down – doubling the bet amount against the dealer.

Face Cards - The King, Queen or Jack of each suite.

Hard Hand - a hand which does not have an Ace being counted for 11 points.

Hit – accept another card or to take another card from the deck

Hold – deciding on not to take another card from the deck. Also known as ‘Stand’.


Hole Card – one of the dealer’s two opening cards which is kept hidden from the player until the end of the round.

Insurance – the side bet offered to the box holder up to half the original bet, if the dealer’s face up card is an Ace.

Natural 21 - Same as Natural Blackjack.

Pat hand – a hard hand of 17 points or more.

Pat up cards - 7, 8, 9, 10, J, Q, K, A

Push – points of both the dealer and the player are same (tie)

Shoe – This is a technique followed by dealers to discourage card counting. For this, four or more decks of cards are shuffled together and used as one.

Soft Hand – a hand with an Ace card being valued for eleven points.

Split – making two separate hands with the initial two cards of same value

Stand –deciding on not to take another card from the deck. Also known as ‘Hold’.

Stiff Up Cards - 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Surrender – the player gives up the first two cards in his hand and loses half of the initial bet.

Up Card - The dealer’s card which is faced up.