Basic Strategy: To play in order to minimize the dealer's advantage, without card counting, dealer tells or shuffle tracking.

Blackjack: To get an Ace and a card that is worth 10, as the first two cards dealt. The cards worth 10 includes: 10s, Jacks, Queens and Kings.

Burn Card(s): Cards that are set aside without being dealt to the players. After the cards are shuffled and cut by one of the players, one or more cards are "burned" before any cards are dealt to the players at the Blackjack table.

Bust: When a player or the dealer gets a hand that exceed 21.

Card Counting: Is a means of tracking the relationship between the high-value cards (which are good for the player) and the low-value cards (which are good for the dealer). Card counting allows the player to know when there are more high cards than low left in the deck or decks, and then the player raises his/her bet accordingly, (since he/she now have a slight advantage over the house). As long as a card counter is only using his brains to decide how to play, card counting is not illegal. However, casinos do have the right to kick off a card counter from its tables, since they have the right to refuse service to anybody (The Supreme Court prohibits discrimination only against persons who are members of "suspect classifications" based on for instance creed, race, sex, or physical disability - Card counters are not part of these suspect classifications).

Cut Card: A plastic card that is used to cut the cards after they have been shuffled by the dealer. One of the players cuts the cards.

Double Down: After the initial deal, a player is allowed to double the amount of his original bet. However, the player must now take ONE and only ONE additional card. If the player wins, he gets paid 2-to-1, but if he loses he loses both his initial and additional bets.

Double for Less: When doubling is allowed, the player does not have to double his bet, but may increase it by the amount up to, but not more than, his/her original bet. In other words, "double for less" is to double down with less than two times the original bet.

Doubling after Splitting: In some casinos, a player is allowed to double down on one or more split hands.

Early Surrender: When a player surrenders before the dealer has shown his/her cards. If a player surrender, he gets half of his bet back. This is not allowed in all casinos.

First Base: The first player at a table to act on his/her hand is said to be sitting at "first base".

Five-card Charlie: In some casinos, if a player gets a hand that consists of five cards without getting bust, the player will get paid 2-to-1 on the bet. A Five-Card Charlie win is never awarded if the dealer gets a Blackjack. Also, the rule does not apply after a player has chosen to split his hand.

Flat Bet: To bet the same amount on each consecutive hand.

Hard Hand: Any hand that is not a soft hand. See Soft Hand.

Heads up: When a player plays at a table that has no other players.

Hit: To draw an additional card to the player's or the dealer's hand.

Hole Card: The dealer's card, which is placed face down.

Insurance: When the dealer has an Ace, the players can buy something that is called insurance. By doing that, they are betting on the fact that the dealer has a Blackjack. If the dealer has a Blackjack, the player is paid 2-to1 on the insurance bet (a bet that can only be up to 50% of the player's initial bet). The player has now salvaged some, or all, of his lost bet.

Late Surrender: Once the dealer has shown that he/she does not have a Blackjack, some casinos allow the player to surrender. If a player surrender, he gets half of his bet back. Some hands, such as 16 versus the dealer's 10, are so bad that surrender often is less costly than playing the hand. This is not allowed in all casinos. Also called just "Surrender".

Natural: A hand of 21 on the first two cards, in other words: A Blackjack!

Over/under bet: A bet that the first two player's cards are going to total "over 13" or "under 13". This is a very rare bet.

Preferential Shuffling: When the dealer shuffles when the deck is favorable to the player, while he/she avoids shuffling the deck when it is unfavorable to the players.

Push: When the dealer's and a player's hands are tied. The player can now keep his original bet. He/she neither wins nor loses.

Shoe: The box for holding the undealt cards. Used in games with multiple decks.

Soft Hand: A hand that includes an ace that can be counted as 11, without going bust. Remember that it is always possible to draw one card to a soft hand without busting.

Splitting: When the player gets a pair as his opening cards, he can split them into two different hands. The player must now place another bet behind his second hand. The bet must be the same amount as the initial bet on the first initial hand. The hands are now played independently. Hands that are the result of a split can not become a Blackjack, even though an Ace and a card with the value of ten make up the hand. It just counts like 21 but not in the Blackjack sense. Pairs that are worth splitting are the ones that have the value of ten, that is: a pair of 10s, a pair of Jacks, a pair of Queens and a pair of Kings. Some casinos allow a split hand to get split further, if for instance the second hand becomes a pair.

Spread: To place more than one bet before the cards are dealt.

Stand: To not or stop drawing cards.

Stiff Hand: A hand that has a very small chance of winning no matter how the hand is played. Usually a hand of 12, 13, 14, 15 or 16.

Surrender: Once the dealer has shown that he/she does not have a Blackjack, some casinos allow the player to surrender. If a player surrender, he gets half of his bet back. Some hands, such as 16 versus the dealer's 10, are so bad that surrender often is less costly than playing the hand. This is not allowed in all casinos. Also called just "Late Surrender".

Third Base: The last player at the table to act on his/her hand is said to be sitting at "third base". Note that this is not necessarily the third player at the table.

Twenty-one (21): Another word for the game Blackjack. Some players use the word "21", but casinos call the game by its real name - Blackjack.

Up-card: The dealer's first card, which is dealt face up. To decide when to hit or when to stand, as well as other options of the game, the player has to keep the dealer's up-card in mind.