A

Ace – A card worth either 1 or 11.
Action – The total amount wagered during a session.
Advantage Play – Skilled techniques used to gain an edge, such as card counting.

B

Bankroll – The money set aside for playing blackjack.
Basic Strategy – The mathematically correct way to play every hand.
Blackjack – A hand totalling 21 with the first two cards (Ace + 10-value card).
Bust – When a hand exceeds 21 and automatically loses.

C

Card Counting – Tracking card ratios to estimate advantage.
Chip – Casino token used to place bets.
Cut Card – The card placed in the shoe to indicate when to reshuffle.

D

Dealer – The casino employee who manages the table and draws cards.
Double Down – Doubling your bet and receiving exactly one more card.

E

Even Money – A payout of 1:1, often offered when the player has a blackjack and the dealer shows an Ace.

F

Face Cards – Kings, Queens, and Jacks — each worth 10.
Flat Betting – Betting the same amount every hand.

H

Hard Hand – A hand without a flexible Ace (Ace counts as 1).
Hit – Requesting another card.
House Edge – The casino’s mathematical advantage.

I

Insurance – A side bet that the dealer has blackjack (generally a poor-value bet).

P

Pit Boss – Floor supervisor monitoring the tables.
Push – A tie between the player and dealer; the bet is returned.

S

Shoe – Device holding multiple decks of cards.
Soft Hand – A hand containing an Ace counted as 11.
Split – Turning a pair into two separate hands.
Stand – Keeping your cards and ending your turn.
Surrender – Giving up your hand and losing only half your bet.

T

True Count – A card counting measure adjusted for decks remaining.

U

Up-Card – The dealer’s face-up card visible to all players.

V

Variance – The natural swings (wins/losses) that occur in blackjack due to probability.
Void Hand – A hand cancelled due to an error in dealing or procedure.

W

Wager – The amount placed as a bet on a hand.
Working Hand – A hand still in play (not bust or stood).

Y

Yield – The expected long-term return (%) from playing using correct strategy. (Less common, but used in advantage play discussions.)

Z

Zero Deck Penetration – When the dealer reshuffles before any meaningful number of cards are dealt, making card counting ineffective. (Advanced term.)