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Blackjack
Game Guide

There is no doubt that this casino game should be categorized as one of several strategy games available to enthusiastic blackjack players online and off. Therefore, let's begin with the basics and strategy of the game.You can defeat blackjack house odds at casinos by counting cards but it becomes tricky when playing at online casinos.

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Blackjack Games Glossary
Strategy

On most table layouts, blackjack players will notice these two statements: Blackjack Pays 3 to 2 and Insurance Pays 2 to 1.

In addition, all blackjack layouts will have one of the two following statements: Dealer Must Draw to 16 and Stand on All 17s OR Dealer Must Hit Soft 17 The first statement, Dealer Must Draw to 16 and Stand on All 17s' is known as a Player Advantage.

The second statement, Dealer Must Hit Soft 17 is a Player Disadvantage. The best tables for blackjack players also use a single deck, have no restrictions on doubling down, allow resplitting, and have a surrender option available. All these conditions mentioned above are to the blackjack players' advantage for these strategy games.

Below are 2 Blackjack Strategies: EZ Strategy by Henry Tamburin and Lucky 13 Strategy by Frank Scoblete. Both are recommended and can be printed for online games or land-based.

2 Blackjack Game Strategies

EZ Strategy
by Henry Tamburin

  • Player Hand against Dealer Upcard (D)
  • 12 to 16: (D) stand on 2 to 6, hit on 7 to ace
  • 17 to 21: (D) stand
  • 10 or 11: (D) double down on 2 to 9
  • Soft 13 to 17: (D) hit except double down on 5, 6
  • Soft 18 to 21: (D) stand except double down on soft 18 and 5, 6
  • 2,2; 3,3; 6,6; 7,7; 9,9: (D) split on 2 to 7; stand on 9,9 against 7
  • 5,5; 10,10: never split 8,8; ace, ace: always split

Lucky 13 Strategy
by Frank Scoblete

  • Never take insurance.
  • Always split aces.
  • Always split eights.
  • Always stand when you have 17 or more.
  • Always hit your 12 through 16 when the dealer has an upcard of 7 or more.
  • Always hit your 12 against a dealer upcard of 2 or 3.
  • Always stand on your 12 against a dealer's 4 through 6.
  • Always stand on your 13 through 16 against a dealer upcard of 2 through 6.
  • Always hit hand totals of 11 or less, no matter how many cards compose them, against all dealer upcards.
  • Always double on two-card totals of 11 when dealer has upcard of 10 or lower.
  • Always double on two-card totals of 10 when dealer has upcard of 9 or lower.
  • Always stand on your hands of A7, A8, A9 against all dealer upcards.
  • Always hit on your hands of A2, A3, A4, A5, A6 against all dealer upcards.

Blackjack Tips
Errors & Corrections

Blackjack Errors has kept most players from enjoying the low edges against them or gaining the edge against the house.

These errors that occur during the decisions for hitting, standing, doubling down, and splitting pairs can be corrected and rewarded with smaller house advantages for both multiple-deck games and single-deck games, thereby trimmed to as little as 0.14 percent. Over time, how much a player wins or loses comes down to the player.

Below find a list of 6 of the most common blackjack errors, the correct action and the reason to make the smart choice resulting in increased profits.These corrections are based on computer play of every player hand versus every dealer upcard. In other words, pay attention to the math!

Blackjack Errors
6 Most Common Mistakes

  1. Player Hand: 12

    • Dealer Upcard: 2 or 3
    • Correct Decision: Hit
    • If you have a hand of 12, about two-thirds of the cards that can come out are not going to bust you.

  2. Player Hand: 16

    • Dealer Upcard: 10
    • Correct Decision: Hit
    • The 16 is a losing hand no matter what you do but on two cards, you will lose slightly less if you hit than if you stand.

  3. Player Hand: A7

    • Dealer Upcard: 4-5-6
    • Correct Decision: Double
    • A hand of 18 is a losing hand in the long run. With the dealer in a weak position, you want to get more money on the table and take advantage of it.

  4. Player Hand: A7

    • Dealer Upcard: 10 or Ace
    • Correct Decision: Hit
    • Another loser 18, however since you cannot bust, you have a shot of improving your hand.

  5. Player Hand: 5:5

    • Dealer Upcard: 2-9
    • Correct Decision: Double
    • It's a given that you never split fives with a 10 in your hand. Go for the double because you have a very good chance of winning twice your bet.

  6. Player Hand: 20 or 21

    • Dealer Upcard: Ace
    • Correct Decision: No Insurance
    • Don't give the casino an advantage when you opt for insurance. When you have 2 ten-valued cards, the dealer is less likely to have blackjack. The house edge on insurance is at least 5%, so back away from this bet.

Make those smart choices and Play On!

Blackjack Glossary

Blackjack Game Terms, Lingo & Jargon A

21 wins
whoever comes closest to a total of 21 without going over wins. An ace is counted as a 1 or an 11. Face cards all count as 10. All other cards count as viewed.
Action
blackjack or 21 is a game where the player's goal is to get closer than the dealer to 21 without going over. Blackjack pays 3 to 2 or $3 for every $2 bet.
Ace
is counted as 1 or 11 in blackjack.
Advantage
blackjack provides the strategic player an advantage, however less than strategic play can increase the casino advantage to as high as 5%.
Anchor
blackjack lingo for player to the right of the dealer receiving the last card. Also third base. A 'hot' spot to survey the action before your play.

Blackjack Game Terms, Lingo & Jargon B

Back Counter
a card counter lurking in the background checking out the deck and/or shoe for opportunities then biding his/her time to play when the count is positive.
Bank
player's bankroll or a team of players' bankroll.
Barber Pole
blackjack jargon for stack of chips consisting of a variety of colors.
Bet Sizing
strategy based on betting according to the advantage for a specific hand.
Bet spread
referring to a player's minimum and maximum bet.
Betting Handle
term for total money bet during a session of play.
Betting Limits
casino rules of minimum and maximum amounts allowed for one bet.
Betting True Count
based on value of cards by considering number of aces.
Break
to bust or go over, the final count is over 21. If the dealer busts, you can say, "It's the player's lucky break."
Breaking Hand
card count of 12, 13, 14, 15, or 16 that will bust or go over 21 with one card. Also stiff hand.
Burn
dealer removes a small number (1-3) cards after the shuffle to be placed in the discard pile. Cards are also burned with the arrival of a new dealer.
Burn Cards
The number of cards, the casino discards at the beginning of a new shuffle.
Bust/Busted
total count is over 21. This is a losing hand even if the dealer also busts. All players whose count is less than 21 win if the dealer busts.
Buy-in
exchange money for chips.

Blackjack Game Terms, Lingo & Jargon C

Camouflage
blackjack jargon for methods used by skilled players to conceal their true gambling actions. Examples are disguises and performing like average gamblers. Camouflage is used by card counters extensively when playing blackjack.
Card Counting
strategy to allocate values to cards. Cards 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6=plus 1 and10, J, Q, K and Aces=minus 1 and 7, 8 and 9 are neutral at 0.As these cards are tracked during a session, a determination is made whether the remaining cards favor the player or dealer.
Card Sharp
expert card player.
Circle
area on the table layout where the player places a bet. Also betting circle or square.
Clump
sequence of cards that favors either the house or player.
Cold
blackjack game terms lingo referring to situation where winning cards have disappeared.
Color
standard chip colors are $1=white. $5=red. $25=green. $100=black. $500=purple.
Color up
exchange smaller denominations to larger denominations resulting in a smaller stack of chips.
Count Down the Deck
memorizing cards already played to determine the remainder.
Cover the bet
casino takes a bet to play. Also known as book the action.
CSM
term for continuous shuffling machine. A machine that shuffles cards back into the deck(s) continuously rather than manually shuffling after deck(s) is finished. Disadvantage to card counters.
Cut
after shuffling, the deck is separated into two parts by a player at the table and then passed back to the dealer.
Cut Card
plastic colored card passed to the player to cut the deck. The dealer then places the cut card near the end of the shoe to indicate the last hand to be dealt.

Blackjack Game Terms, Lingo & Jargon D

DAS
short form for double after splits.
DD
short form for double deck game or double down.
Deadwood
blackjack jargon for cards from previous play.
Deal
cards given to players during the game.
Dealer
casino employee who deals and manages the game of blackjack.
Decisions
the game of blackjack consists of the following player decisions, hitting, doubling down, standing, splitting, insurance and/or surrendering.
Deck
consists of 52 playing cards. When blackjack is played with more than one deck, the cards are called a pack.
Deuces
blackjack game terms for the number 2 cards.
Discards
cards played since the last shuffle and placed in a discard tray.
DOA
short form lingo for double only any two cards, allows for doubling on any two cards.
DAS
short form for double after split, allows for doubling down after splitting a pair.
Double Deck
utilizing two decks in blackjack. Casinos may also use 4, 6 or 8 decks.
Double down/Doubling down
doubling the bet before being dealt one additional card. Blackjack rules for doubling down are that the player receives only one card after a DD decision. Player may bet up to his/her original bet, but not more and places this second bet behind the original bet. Some casinos allow DD only with a count of 10 or 11.
Draw
to receive additional card(s) to the 2 cards dealt originally. Also known as hit, draw card or hit card.
Drop
total monies bet in a casino or total value of money and/or markers cashed in by players.

Blackjack Game Terms, Lingo & Jargon E

Early Surrender
player loses 50% of bet if he/she decides to surrender after being dealt the first two cards.
Even Money
refers to taking insurance on a blackjack hand when dealer shows an ace.Player is paid even money on his/her blackjack whether dealer has hit blackjack or not.

Blackjack Game Terms, Lingo & Jargon F

Face Card
term for jacks, queens, and kings that have a value of 10 each in blackjack.
Face Down
blackjack game where first card is dealt up and second card is face down.
Face Up
blackjack game where both cards are dealt face up.
First Base
blackjack lingo for player to the left of the dealer and the first person to receive cards. Also first baseman.
Five-card Charlie
blackjack jargon for 5-card blackjack that totals 21 or less. Rare but very sweet hand.
Flat Bettor
player who wagers the same amount consistently.
Front Loading
a peek at the dealer's hole card that may determine strategy for the next hand.

Blackjack Strategy Games Terms H

Hand
a round of play. Also cards held by the player and/or dealer.
Hard Hand
those hands that do not contain an ace or a hand where the ace is valued at 1 are hard hands as there is only one value. What you see on your two cards is your total count, example=9 + 8 = 17. Opposite of soft hands.
Hard Total
blackjack lingo for count of those hands that do not contain an ace or a hand where the ace is valued at only 1.
Heads Up
blackjack jargon for player against the dealer with no other participants.
Hit
dealt additional card(s) to the 2 cards dealt originally. Also known as draw, draw card or hit card. The decision to hit is indicated by a sweeping motion on the felt by the player or tapping the felt in a face up game.
Hole Card
dealer's card dealt face down.
House Advantage/ House Edge
refers to the casino % advantage vs. the player.

Blackjack Strategy Games Terms I - L

Insurance
when dealer's up card is an ace, there will be a call for insurance. If you make an insurance bet that the dealer has blackjack, this wager is placed on the insurance line displayed on the felt. If the dealer has blackjack, you win the insurance bet; however, your original bet is lost. If there is no blackjack, you lose the insurance bet. The insurance bet is not recommended.
Late Surrender
player loses 50% of bet if he/she decides to surrender after seeing the dealer's up card.

Blackjack Strategy Games Terms M - N

Multiple Decks
more than one deck is in play here. 4 or more decks played in a game. They are always dealt face up.
Natural
also known as a blackjack, a natural occurs when the first two cards dealt are an ace and a card with a value of 10 for 21. Pays 3 to 2.
Nickel
blackjack lingo for $5 chip.
No Hole Card
blackjack version where the dealer does not receive a second card until all the players have completed their hands.

Blackjack Strategy Games Terms P

Paint
blackjack lingo for face cards—Jack, Queen and King.
Pair
two cards of the same value, example=pair of tens.
Pat Hand
blackjack hand that has a value of hard 17 or better and does not require a hit.
Penetration
cards played into the shoe before shuffling occurs. This is a factor to consider for card counters.
Perfect Pairs
blackjack jargon for side bet that pays for mixed pair, colored pair, and perfect pair after the initial deal.
Pip
card spots indicating the value of the card.
Pitch Game
term for tossing or pitching cards to players by the dealer. This occurs with single or double deck games dealt face down.
Play All
blackjack players who stay to play during the ups and downs of the game. Also refers to multiple deck games.
Playing Conditions
casino options offered to players. The many options including double down rules, early/late surrender and splitting can vary widely between land-based casino and online games worldwide.
Plug
blackjack strategy games term for shuffling of multi-deck games. Occurs with the insertion of a cut card marking the place that all decks will be re-shuffled. The group of cards behind the cut card are not used to play, but rather placed in the discard tray along with other discards when the cut-card is reached. This group of unplayed cards are named a plug or otherwise plugging the deck.
Point Count
blackjack jargon for the net value of the card count after a hand is completed.
Preferential Shuffling
term for player advantage when remaining cards are shuffled.
Press
increase betting, usually by at least 50% after a winning hand.
Progression Betting
blackjack strategy for betting based on previous hand(s). Positive progression is raising or pressing the bet after a win while negative progression is raising the bet after a loss.
Push or Tie
occurs when both dealer and player have the same count neither of which is 21. The player's bet is returned. No money is exchanged because you neither win nor lose.

Blackjack Strategy Games Terms R

Rainbow Bet
wagering with several colors/denomination of playing chips.
Red Chip
blackjack lingo for $5 chip.
Resplit
splitting pairs yet again. A dream hand if Aces show up.
RSA
short form for resplit aces with no limit. Some casinos have rules for RSA.
Round
occurs when all players have completed their blackjack hands.
Running Count
total points from card-counting method beginning with first hand dealt after new shuffle and updated after each hand.

Blackjack Strategy Games Terms S

S17
short form for dealer stands on all 17's.
Shoe
design of holder, either wood or heavy plastic, of up to 8 decks in play.
Shuffle
blending the cards before dealing to players.
Side Bet
additional bet along with the primary bet.
Single or Double Decks
Only one or two decks played in a game. The first two cards are dealt face down.
Soft Hand
a hand that includes an ace in the first two cards dealt. It has two values, depending on whether you use the ace as a 1 or an 11. Therefore, a 5 and an ace could be 6 or 16. A 10 will turn a soft hand into a hard hand.
Soft Double
doubling down when one card is an ace.
Spanish 21
blackjack version where the 4-ten cards are removed.
Split/Splitting Pairs
splitting a matched pair to play separately. The extra bet is placed on one of the split cards. If a third like card is dealt=JJJ, then that too can be split based on casino rules.
Splitting Aces
when you split aces, you receive only 1 additional card for each hand. However, based on casino rules you may split a third ace if dealt.
Spooking
blackjack strategy games term for passing info to a playing partner after eyeing the dealer's hole card. An illegal form of cheating.
Stand and Stay
player decision not to draw additional cards/hits.
Standoff, Tie or Push
occurs when both dealer and player have the same count neither of which is 21. The player's bet is returned.
Steam
term for a player who increases his/her bets to recoup losses.
Stiff/Stiff Hand
card count of 12, 13, 14, 15, or 16 that will bust or go over 21 with one card. A 15 or 16 are considered the two worst hands you can get, unless the 16 is two 8s, then you can split them. Also breaking hand.
Streak
string of wins or losses.
Surrender
choose surrender after receiving first two cards and you lose only 50% of the bet.

Blackjack Strategy Games Terms T - Z

Team Play
several players who utilize one bankroll and are skillful blackjack players.
Tells
blackjack lingo for signals in the form of gestures or attitude expressed by the dealer that may provide useful strategies as to the value of their hole card.
Third Base/Third Baseman
blackjack jargon for player to the right of the dealer receiving the last card. Also, see anchor.
Toke
tip to the dealer. Are you a 'George or Tom?'
Twenty-One or 21
term for the game of blackjack.
Up Card
dealt face up, this is the dealer's first card.

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