ACTION - Refers to the total amount of money bet in a specific period of time. Five bets of five dollars each is $25 of action.

BASIC STRATEGY - Any playing strategy that minimizes the house edge as much as possible without card counting, shuffle tracking, or dealer tells. Basic strategy offers a foundation for card counting, but many non-counters use it as well.

BURN CARD(S) - One or more cards from a full deck that are discarded after the deck has been shuffled by the dealer and cut by one of the players. Burn cards are never revealed to the players.

BUST - A player "busts" after "hitting" if the new card causes the player's total to exceed 21.

CARD COUNTING - A system used to improve the player's edge. The player assigns "weights" to each card face, and then sums the card weights as each new card is turned face up. The "count" indicates when the game is favorable for the player. The player acts on the count by placing larger bets and/or make changes in playing strategy. Although card counting is legal, in Nevada, casinos can run players of the game if caught.

CUT CARD - A typically colored plastic card used to cut the cards after the dealer has shuffled.

DOUBLE DOWN - Doubling the initial bet and receiving exactly one more card. The double-option is often restricted to the player's first two cards. However, some casinos allow players to double after splitting a pair. Many Northern Nevada casinos require a two-card total of 10 or 11 in order to double. It is the rare game that allows doubling of hands that have more than two cards.

DOUBLE FOR LESS - Doubling down with less than two times the original bet. Typically, when doubling is permitted, the player is not required to literally double his bet, but may raise it by any amount up to (but not more than) the original bet.

EARLY SURRENDER - A surrender technique allowed regardless of whether the dealer has a natural. Early surrender is extremely valuable to the player, however, it is rarely offered by casinos.

EVEN MONEY - Simultaneously holding blackjack and taking insurance results in a net gain of one bet. Some casinos do not require the player to actually place the insurance bet in order to get paid. This is referred to as "taking even money". (See "insurance")

FIRST BASE - At a table, it is the first player to act on his/her hand.

FLAT BET - The same value bet on each subsequent hand.

HARD HAND - A hand in which the Ace must be counted as a one, not an eleven.

HEADS UP - Refers to playing at a table that has no other players.

HIT - The command used to draw/request a new card that will be added to the player's or the dealer's hand.

HOLE CARD - The dealer's card that is placed face down.

INSURANCE - When the dealer's upcard is an ace, the player has an option to make a side bet of up to 1/2 the original bet. Insurance pays 2:1 if the dealer has a natural 21. (See "even money")

LATE SURRENDER - This form of surrender is allowed only when the dealer does not have a natural. If the dealer has a natural 21 (blackjack), the player's bet still loses in its entirety. If the dealer does not have a blackjack, the player loses half the bet and does not play the rest of the hand.

NATURAL/BLACKJACK - When the first two cards dealt to a player total 21.

OVER/UNDER - A rare bet made when the player's first two cards total over 13, or under 13 - when aces are counted as one.

PREFERENTIAL SHUFFLING - Shuffling when the deck is favorable to the players; not shuffling when the deck is unfavorable to the players.

PAT HAND - A hand with a total from 17 to 21.

PUSH - Another word for "tie"; the original bet is returned to the player.

SHOE - A device that holds up to eight decks and allows the dealer to slide out one card at a time; typical for multi-deck games.

SOFT HAND - Any hand in which the ace can be counted as 11.

SPLIT HAND - A hand that starts with two cards of the same rank and can be split to form two independent hands. Players add a new bet to the second hand; both hands are played independently.

SPREAD - Placing more than one bet before the cards are dealt.

STAND - The decision not to hit/draw more cards.

STIFF (HAND) - A hand that holds a small chance of winning regardless of how the hand is played (typically 12 - 16).

SURRENDER - The player's rare option to exchange the first two cards for a refund of 1/2 the original bet. Player's 16 vs. dealer's 10 is an example of hand bad enough to warrant a surrender. In this unfortunate case, surrendering would prove less costly than playing the hand.

THIRD BASE - At a table, the last player to act on his/her hand.

UPCARD - The dealer's first card; dealt face up. Players typically figure the dealer's upcard into choosing the correct playing decision.