Blackjack is one of the most popular casino games and has withstood the test of time, believed to date back to the 18th century. Much of the reason for the game’s popularity and longevity is its exciting, suspenseful nature and simple game format, making it easy to understand and quick to pick up if you’re a beginner. Casino games have come a long way over the last decade and now you can sign up to a casino gaming site and play online Blackjack wherever you choose, from a range of different devices.
Though Blackjack is simple to get the hang of, there are plenty of game-specific terms that can be of help to know before you start playing. To help you to understand Blackjack terminology, we’ve put together a handy A-Z guide, which will provide you with all the relevant lingo that you’ll need to know, to sound like a pro player.
- Anchor-man
This term only applies when playing a physical game of Blackjack at a land-based casino because it refers to the person who sits to the right of the dealer. This position means that they will be the last player to be dealt their cards before the dealer’s hand. Additionally, they are the last person to make a move before the dealer acts.
- Blackjack hand
A Blackjack is a hand that consists of two cards, an Ace and either a Jack, Queen, King or 10 that have a value of 10. This is a winning hand as it cannot be beaten by another card combination.
- Bust
The aim of the game of Blackjack is to not hold a hand that exceeds a total of 21, or for the dealer to go bust before you. If your (or the dealer’s) hand equates to a value higher than 21, this is known as going bust and should this occur, is a losing hand. As the player, you will have to wait until the next round before you can place another bet.
- Chip down
This is when you decrease the size of your bet when you receive a new hand.
- Chip up
Chipping up on the other hand is when you increase the size of your bet when you are dealt a new hand.
- Double down
This is the process of placing an additional bet on your hand that equates to the value of your initial stake. Once this has been done, you can draw one extra card, adding it to your hand. It is most common and most effective to double down when you believe that you hold a winning hand as should you win this round, the size of your pay-out will be based upon the doubled-wager. But be warned, though this move can increase your rewards, it also increases the risk involved, as you can lose twice your stake, should you lose this round.
- Soft hand
If you have a soft hand, it contains an Ace. In Blackjack, an Ace represents a value of either one or 11, and therefore your hand’s value can vary if you hold this card.
- Hard hand
This is a hand that does not hold an Ace and therefore means that the total of the two cards that you have been dealt will have one total value.
We’re very proud to bring you this feature in association with Paddy Power. For more features, please pay a visit to our lifestyle page.
