Cards 2-10 are worth the value of the number on the face of the card. Numbered cards are worth the corresponding number indicated on the card. Face cards (those with pictures on them) are worth 10, except for the Ace, which is worth 1 or 11. A picture combined with an Ace is Blackjack (a value of 21).
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Blackjack Terms, Jargon, and Slang
- The part of the card that matters when playing Blackjack is its number value. For the actual numbered cards, you can gather that their card value is equal to the actual number they represent. Cards 2 through 10, no matter the suit, represent that number. Face cards, whether it’s a King, Queen, or a Jack, have a card value of 10.
- Blackjack ace value's change throughout the game. At first glance they can be confusing, but they don't have to be. We explain how the value of an ace changes to benefit you and how you can use.
As a new player, you will often hear blackjack players using lots of blackjack terms and slang, so we've created this list of terms to be used as a blackjack glossary or blackjack dictionary. You can simply use this as a reference when you hear a term you are unfamiliar with or just read through the list and familiarize yourself with the blackjack terms.
Anchorman - the player in the last seat of the table, on the dealer's far right, who is last to act.
Barring a Player - a casino refusing to allow a player to play in a blackjack game.
Blackjack - an automatic winning hand containing both an Ace and a 10 value card.
Bust Cover betting lines. - having a hand totalling more than 21 points, an automatic loser.
Card Counter - a skilled player who keeps track of the cards as they are dealt.
Card Counting - the act of keeping track of the value of the cards dealt at a table.
Dealer - the casino employee, facing the players, who deals the cards at the table.
Deck - a standard deck of 52 cards used in blackjack.
Double Down - the option for a player to double his bet with only one card to come.
Draw a Card - drawing an extra card, on top of the original hand.
Early Surrender - player's option to surrender half his bet while the dealer checks for blackjack.
Favorable Deck - the cards left in the deck are in the player's favor.
First Baseman - the player in the first seat of the table, on the dealer's far left, who is first to act.
Flat Bet - to bet the same amount each hand, without variation.
Floorman - the casino supervisor who oversees the dealers.
Hand - the original cards dealt to each player.
Hard Total - any hand where there is no ace, or the ace counts as one.
Head-to-Head - playing the dealer one-on-one with no other players at the table.
Blackjack Ace Rules
High Roller - a player who bets large amounts of money.
Hit - drawing an extra card, on top of the original hand.
Hole Card - the dealer's unseen card.
House - another term for the casino.
Insurance - optional bet that can be made when the dealer is showing an ace.
Marker - an IOU, signed by a player who has casino credit.
Mucker - a cheater who adds favorable cards to a multiple deck game.
Multiple-Deck - a game consisting of more than one deck of cards in a shoe.
Natural - slang for a blackjack.
Nickels - slang for $5 casino chips.
Paint - any Jack, Queen, or King (all painted pictures).
Pat Hand - an original holding of hard 17 or higher.
Penetration - number of cards the dealer deals out before shuffling.
Pit Boss - casino supervisor who is in charge of the entire blackjack pit.
Push - a tie between the dealer and the player, no one wins or loses.
Quarters - slang for $25 chips.
Round - complete series of play in which everyone has acted on their hands.
Shoe - box containing decks of cards, made to deal one at a time.
Shuffle - mixing up the cards before dealing them.
Single-Deck - a game of blackjack in which only one deck of cards is used.
Snapper - slang for a blackjack.
Soft Total - any hand containing an ace which has a value of 11.
Splitting Pairs - option to split identically ranked cards to play as seperate hands.
Stand, Stand Pat - the player's decision to not take any more cards.
Stiff Card - a card ranked from 2 to 6, which may force the dealer to hit.
Stiff Hand - any hand totalling 12-16, which will bust on a 10-value card hit.
Surrender - option of a player to forfeit half his bet after the dealer checks for blackjack.
Ten-Poor Deck - a deck in which more 10-value cards have been dealt.
Ten-Rich Deck - a deck in which less 10-value cards have been dealt.
Ten-Value Card - any card worth 10 points, a 10, Jack, Queen, or King.
Third Baseman - the player in the last seat of the table, on the dealer's far right, who is last to act.
Tip or Toke - a gratuity given to a dealer by a player.
Twenty-One - another name for the game of blackjack.
Unfavorable Deck - a deck with remaining cards favoring the casino, not the player.
Unit - a standard bet size.
Upcard - the dealer's exposed card, seen by all players.
Java Blackjack Ace Value
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Point Values in Blackjack
Card and Hand Values in Blackjack
One of the first things a card player needs to understand about blackjack is that suit doesn't matter. The only thing that matters at the blackjack table is the point value of each card and of each hand. The goal of the game is to get a point total that is higher than the dealer's without going bust, or getting a hand value of over 21.
The ace is worth 1 point or 11 points, whichever is most advantageous to the player. A hand with an ace in it is called a 'soft hand' because if the player takes a hit, he will almost never go bust because the ace will be counted as 1 instead of 11.
All face cards, the jack, queen, and king, are worth 10 points each.
All other cards in the deck are worth whatever the numeric value of each card is.
Why the Ten's Are the Most Important Cards
There are a number of reasons that the 10's are more important than any other cards. The first is that there are more 10's in the deck than any other card value. (There are 16 cards worth 10 points in a 52 card deck. All other cards only have 4 cards worth their value.)
10's are a critical ingredient in being dealt a blackjack too, since a 10 and an ace give a total of 21. Getting a blackjack (a natural total of 21) results in a 3 to 2 payout, which makes a big difference in the player edge.
Why Five's Are Almost as Important
The five is the least advantageous card in the deck for the player because a five makes it really easy for a player to get a 'stiff hand', or a hand that it's really easy to go bust with. If you took all four of the 5's out of the deck, you'd turn then advantage over from the house to the player instantly with only that one change.
If it weren't for cards like five's and ten's, there would be no such thing as card counting.
The how to play blackjack guide consists of the following pages:
True Value
Blackjack Card Values
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