Basic Blackjack Terms

Blackjack, like any other game, has its own terminology. If you’ve ever watched a Blackjack game, you’ve probably been confused by the jargon that players and dealers use to describe what’s going on in the game. When taken out of context, terms like “Anchorman,” “paint” and “snapper” may throw you for a loop. To play Blackjack successfully, study basic Blackjack terms to gain a better understanding of the game.

Here are basic Blackjack terms that are sometimes used to describe the people involved in the game:
Dealer: The casino employee who distributes the cards during the game.
Pit Boss: This is the guy who’s in charge of all of the Blackjack games in the casino.
Mucker: Someone who attempts to cheat by adding cards to the decks.
First Baseman: The player sitting to the dealer’s left who acts first in each round.
Anchorman/Third Baseman: The player in the last seat at the table.
High Roller: A player who places large bets.

These are basic Blackjack terms for a hand totaling 21: snapper, natural Blackjack, or Blackjack. A hand that exceeds 21 in value is a bust.

These basic Blackjack terms describe different cards:

Paint: Face cards: Jack, Queen, King.
Stiff Card: A card with a value of 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6.
Up Card: The dealer’s one exposed card.
Hole Card: The dealer’s one hidden card.