A-J Bonus
A popular variant rule where a bonus payout for the ace and jack of spades is offered
Ace Adjustment
Changing the size of one's bet based on how many aces are left in the deck
Ace Five Count
A simple card counting strategy that only counts aces and fives
Ace Side Count
A count of how many aces have been played. This count is a "side count" because it's kept separately from the main count
Ace Neutral Count
Any card counting system that doesn't track aces. i.e. Aces count as 0 or null in the count
Ace Poor
A situation where the deck has fewer aces left in it than is statistically likely. A deck that's poor in aces
Ace Rich
A situation where the deck has more aces left in it than is statistically likely. A deck that's rich in aces
Action
The amount of money that's been bet. Can refer to an aggregate of the total amounts of bets made over a certain period of time, or it can refer to the amount in play on a particular wager.
Advantage
The statistically theoretical edge one side has over the other, usually expressed as a percentage of the wager. Usually the casino has the advantage, but card counting can give the player the advantage
Advantage Player
A gambler who uses strategy to gain a mathematical advantage over the casino
Back Counting
Counting cards from behind the table as a spectator. Counting cards in blackjack when you're not playing in the game
Balanced Count
A card counting system that has an equal number of cards valued at + and -. The sum of a count of all cards in a deck in a balanced count is always 0
Bankroll
The amount of funds available for wagering. Sometimes refers to the total amount of money available to gamble with, but can also refer to the amount available in a given playing session
Bar
To ban a player from playing at a casino. This term is almost always used to refer to blackjack card counters
Basic Strategy
The optimum playing strategy for blackjack when not counting
Bet Spread
The amount of the maximum and minimum bets a player is making during a blackjack playing session. A 1-5 bet spread means that the player is betting a minimum of 1 unit per hand and a maximum of 5 units per hand
Betting Efficiency
How well a card counting system can take advantage of the theoretical advantage offered by that system
Big Player
A member of a card counting team who makes a big bet when the count is favorable
Black Chip
A casino chip worth $100
Blackjack
Refers to the game of 21, but also refers to a natural total of 21 on the first two cards. A blackjack always consists of an ace and a face card or a ten. Blackjack usually pays better than even odds. The most common payoff on a blackjack is 3 to 2, but some single deck blackjack games have a 6 to 5 payout. And sometimes you'll get lucky and find a casino offering 2 to 1 payouts on blackjacks. A blackjack is also called a "natural"
Burn Card
The first card of a new deck after the shuffle and cut. The card is discarded and placed on the bottom of the deck
Bust
To get a total greater than 21. Automatically a loss
Cage
Where the casino cashier is located
Camouflage
Any strategy meant to cover up card counting
Card Counting
A strategy for getting the edge at blackjack by tracking the ratio of high cards to low cards that have already been played. A card counter raises his bet when the deck offers favorable odds to the player, and lowers his bet when the deck offers less-than-favorable odds to the player. There are multiple card counting systems with varying degrees of efficiency
Cold Deck
Refers to a deck with a bad ratio of cards for the player
Color Up
To exchange lower denomination chips for higher denomination chips
Comp
Free food, room, beverage, and travel offered by casinos to encourage big players to gamble more
Cut Card
A plastic card used to cut the deck after shuffling. The dealer reshuffles the deck after reaching the cut card when dealing hands
Dealing Seconds
A dealer cheating method. The dealer deals the 2nd card from the top if the top card would help the player
Deck Penetration
The percentage of cards played out of a deck or a shoe before reshuffling
Discards
The cards that have already been played and thrown away
Double Deck
Blackjack played out of two decks which are shuffled together. (As opposed to single deck, four deck, six deck, eight deck, etc.)
Double Down
To double the initial bet and take one and exactly one more card. Usually doubling down is only allowed after the first two cards are dealt
Double Exposure
A blackjack variant where both of the dealer's cards are played face up. Usually players lose all pushes and blackjack pays even money in this variant
Downtown Vegas
The older area of Vegas. The casinos in Downtown Vegas generally offer better rules for the player, and the phrase is used to refer to blackjack games with those beneficial rules
Draw
Same as to hit. Taking additional cards in an attempt to get closer to a total of 21
Drop
The total wagered in a casino
Early Surrender
Giving up on the first two cards before the dealer checks his hole card for an ace. The player only loses 50% of his wager in this situation
Edge
Expresses the percentage advantage the player or casino has in a given situation
Even Money
A bet that pays off at the same amount it would lose. e.g., betting $5 to potentially win $5 is an even money bet
Expectation
Usually expressed as a percentage, refers to the amount a player can expect to win or lose, statistically
Eye in the Sky
The video camera above the casino floor which is used to watch the dealers and players to catch cheating
Face Cards
The jack, queen, and king. They're each worth 10 points
False Shuffle
A dealer cheating method which doesn't really randomize the deck of cards
First Base
The position of the player at the blackjack table who gets his cards first. If you're standing behind the table, the player at the far right is in first base
Flat Betting
To bet the same amount on every hand
Fluctuation
The deviations from expectation in a player's bankroll
Griffin Book
A book of suspected card counters and casino cheaters provided to casinos by Griffin Investigations
Griffin Investigations
A private investigator corporation which specializes in casino cheating and card counters
Hard Hand
Any hand without an ace. Also any hand with an ace where the ace must be counted as a 1 to avoid busting
Hard Total
The total of a hard hand
Heads Up
Playing alone against a dealer
Heat
Pressure and intimidation used by a casino to discourage card counters
Hi-Lo Count
A card counting system. 2 through 6 counts +1 and faces and aces count as -1
Hi-Opt I
A card counting system promoted in The World's Greatest Blackjack Book. 3-6 count as +1, and tens (including faces) count as -1
High Roller
Also known as a "whale". Someone who bets a lot of money
Hit
To take another card
Hole Card
The dealer's face down card
Hot Deck
A deck where the player has an edge or favorable situation
House Edge
The percentage advantage the casino has over the player on a particular bet
Index Number
The total count that warrants a deviation from basic strategy
Insurance
A side bet that the dealer has a blackjack. The maximum insurance bet is half of your original wager. Insurance is almost always a negative expectation bet
Junket
A casino subsidized travel package for a group of gamblers
Kelly Betting
Betting a percentage of your bankroll equal to your percentage advantage. This is the optimal bet size
Knock Out Count
An unbalanced card counting system promoted by Olaf Vancura and Ken Fuchs. 2-7 count as +1 and aces and tens count as -1. The count does not start at 0 but starts at a number determined by the number of decks in play. Also known as the "KO count"
Las Vegas Strip Rules
The rules most commonly used on the Las Vegas strip, as opposed to Downtown Las Vegas. These rules are generally less favorable to the player and use more decks
Late Surrender
An optional rule where the player can surrender after seeing the dealer's hole card
Level
The number of values used in a card counting system. A level one counting system only uses +1 and -1, but a level two system would use +1, +2, -1 and -2, and so on. The higher the level, the harder the system is to use in practice
Mechanic
Someone who uses sleight-of-hand in order to cheat at cards
Money Management
A system a player uses to decide how to handle his bankroll. Kelly betting is one money management system that works. Stop loss limits is a money management system that doesn't work
Money Plays
A casino rule which allows players to wager actual cash instead of chips
Multiple Deck
Using more than one deck in a game of Blackjack
Natural
A blackjack
Paint
A face card (Jacks, Queens, and Kings)
Past Post
A method of cheating where a player posts additional money to his wager after seeing the results of the hand
Pat Hand
A total of 17 or more
Pit
The area in the casino which is surrounded by the table games
Pit Boss
A casino employee in the pit who oversees the table games and the dealers
Playing Conditions
The rules variations in effect at a casino. Playing conditions include whether or not a player can double down after a split, how many decks are in use, etc
Plus/Minus
Another name for the Hi Lo counting system
Point Count
The total value of the count, positive or negative, at any given time
Push
Refers to the player and the dealer having the same total. Usually the player's bet is returned when there is a push
Rat Holing
Putting chips in your pocket or purse so the casino doesn't see how much you're winning
Rated
Describes a player who's a professional. Card counters prefer NOT to be rated. Can also refer to a rating given by casino hosts based on the amount lost, in which case the rating determines what comps are awarded to the player
Red Chip
$5 chip
Resplit
Splitting a second pair after receiving another pair after the initial deal
Rider Bet
A bet made by another player on someone's hand. This bet is placed behind the original bet
Risk of Ruin
The mathematical chance of losing one's entire bankroll
Running Count
Same as the point count
Shoe Game
A blackjack game dealt from a shoe. Multiple deck games are almost always shoe games, while single deck games are often dealt by hand
Shuffle Master
A company which manufactures automatic shuffling machines which constantly shuffle the blackjack decks. Shuffle Master machines generally prevent card counting, since the deck is shuffled after every hand
Shuffle Tracking
An advantage play technique in blackjack where a player keeps track of where the high cards are in the deck, then cuts into the deck so that the concentration of high cards is played by the dealer
Side Count
An additional count of a particular set of cards, kept in addition to the point count. Aces are often tracked in a side count
Soft Hand
A hand in which an ace can be counted as an 11 or as a 1 without the hand being considered a bust
Soft Double
To double down on a soft hand
Stand
To decline additional cards and keep your existing total
Standard Deviation
The amount of deviation from the statistical expectation
Stiff Hand
Hard hands that total between 12 and 16
Stop Loss Limit
An amount of money that a gambler is willing to lose in a situation. Once the stop loss limit is reached, the gambler stops playing that session
Surrender
Deciding not to play the hand you've been dealt. You get to keep half your bet if you surrender. Not all casinos offer surrender as an option
Team Play
Advantage play or card counting when executed by multiple people who often share a single bankroll
Third Base
The person who receives cards last in a blackjack game
True Count
The running count divided by the number of decks in the shoe
Up Card
The dealer's card that is played face up. This is the first card the dealer plays to himself
Unit
An amount of a bet
Unbalanced Count
A card counting system where the number of positive cards and negative cards is not equal
Variance
The amount of deviation from the expectation you can expect
Vig
The house edge on a bet
Wonging
To back count and only bet when you have the edge. Named for Stanford Wong
Win Rate
How much a player wins per hour
Zen Count
A card counting system made popular by Arnold Snyder