Casino Glossary

• Splitting Aces

  Blackjack

  When a player receives two aces as their first two cards, they can split them to form two separate hands by doubling their bet. Always advised for non-card counters.

• Breaking Hand

  Blackjack

  A blackjack hand that can bust if another card is taken, i.e. totaling 12 or higher.

• Spanish 21

  Blackjack

  A blackjack version in which the four 10s are removed from each deck used. To compensate for this house edge, there are additional rules favoring the player.

• Twenty-One or 21

  Blackjack

  Other names for blackjack.

• Stiff (A Stiff Hand)

  Blackjack

  A hand totaling 12 to 16. The worst player hand, as this cannot beat any dealer hand that doesn't bust, and can bust if another card is taken.

• Card Counting

  Blackjack

  Tracking the composition of the remaining cards in the deck (usually high vs low cards) in order to adjust one's playing strategy. A competent card counter has a long-term advantage over the house.

• Up Card (Upcard)

  Blackjack

  The dealer's first face-up (exposed) card. In Basic Strategy, this determines how a player should act on their own hand.

• Natural

  BlackjackCraps

  1) In blackjack, a hand totaling 21 using the first two cards dealt;

  2) In bacarrat, a total of 9 (natural 9) or 8 (natural 8) with two cards;

  3) In craps, a roll of 7 or 11 on the come-out roll.

• Resplit

  Blackjack

  Splitting aces after having already split aces before. This rule is favorable to the player, and thus not offered by most casinos.

• Spread (Blackjack)

  Blackjack

  The practice of a card counter changing the size of their bet based on the player's advantage.