Monkey in Baccarat: What the Word Means (and Why Blackjack Players Say It Too)

What does "monkey" mean in baccarat?

"Monkey" is player slang for a ten-value card: a 10, jack, queen or king. In baccarat these cards count as zero, so a player calling "monkey!" is asking for a card that leaves a hand total unchanged. In blackjack the same word is shouted by players who want a ten, either to bust a dealer who is stuck on a stiff hand or to make 20 or 21 on a double down. Strictly, some players use it only for picture cards, but most include the 10.

It is table talk, not an official term, and saying it changes nothing in the rules.

Why a ten matters in baccarat

Baccarat hands are scored by the last digit of the total. Aces count one, twos through nines count face value, and tens, jacks, queens and kings count zero. A hand of 7 and 8 is 15, which scores 5. Total 9 is the best hand, 8 is next, and 8 or 9 on the first two cards is a "natural" that ends the round.

Since four ranks out of thirteen are worth zero, just under 31% of a full deck is "monkeys". That makes them the most common single value.

Here is when a bettor might shout it:

• Their side is already ahead and the other hand is drawing. A zero adds nothing, so the drawing hand stays where it was. If you are betting on a 6 or 7 against a drawing hand on 4, a ten leaves your side in front.
• The Banker's draw decision is in play. Banker's third-card rule depends on the Player's third card. If the Player's third card is a ten, it counts as zero, so Banker draws on 0 to 3 and stands on 4 to 7.

The reverse also holds. A bettor whose side is behind on a low total usually does not want a ten, because it fixes the total where it is.

At many tables, cards are "squeezed", slowly bent or peeled back from the edge to reveal the pips. Players often call "monkey" while squeezing, hoping to see a face card before it is turned. It is superstition, not a way of influencing the outcome.

Why do they say "monkey" in blackjack?

In blackjack a ten is the card that does the most work, so the word gets used there too. Two situations stand out.

Hoping the dealer busts. The dealer must hit hard totals of 12 through 16 and must draw until reaching 17 or more. Any ten-value card busts a hard 12 to 16, so a player who has stood on a made hand will often call for a monkey as the dealer reaches for the next card.

Doubling down. A hard 10 or 11 is a classic double. A ten on a 10 makes 20, and a ten on an 11 makes 21, so doubling players say it as the card comes out. (See our basic strategy decision chart for when doubling is correct.)

Calling "monkey" has no effect on the next card. For another ten-value decision, see splitting tens in blackjack.

Where does the term come from?

No reliable answer has been documented. Treat everything below as theory.

• Baccarat crowd slang. The phrase is most often linked to baccarat tables, and some players say it spread outward from Asian-clientele rooms such as those in Macau and Las Vegas. This is repeated by players, but we have not seen it documented.
• A corruption of "monarchy". Our own glossary has long described "monkey" as probably a corruption of "monarchy", a nod to the kings, queens and jacks. It is the most widely repeated explanation, but nobody has documented it.
• A jump to blackjack. Another theory is that players moved between baccarat and blackjack tables and carried the word with them, which would explain why it is now used for tens in both games.

If you know a documented origin, the Green Chip members' thread linked below is where members have discussed it.

Related table slang

• Paint. Jacks, queens and kings, because of the painted faces. "Paint" generally means the three face cards, so a ten itself is excluded.
• Squeeze. The baccarat custom of slowly revealing a card by bending or peeling its edges.
• Natural. A two-card 8 or 9 in baccarat, or an ace plus ten-value card in blackjack.
• Stiff. A hard blackjack hand of 12 to 16 that can bust with a ten.

We keep a longer list in the BJ21 glossary, which also covers "monkey".

FAQ

What does monkey mean in baccarat?

It means a ten-value card: a 10, jack, queen or king. All of them count as zero in baccarat, so "monkey" is a call for a card that adds nothing to the hand.

Why do people say monkey in baccarat?

Players call it to hope for a zero on a particular draw, usually when their side is ahead or a third card would hurt them. The word has no effect on the cards. It is habit and superstition at the table.

What is a baccarat monkey worth?

Zero. Only the last digit of a hand total counts, so adding a monkey does not change it.

Why do they say monkey in blackjack?

Because a ten-value card is the one players most often want: it busts a dealer stiff on 12 to 16 and turns a double on 10 or 11 into 20 or 21.

Where does the term come from?

No one has shown for certain. See the theories above, which are unverified.

Want to see how our members discuss it? Read the Green Chip members' discussion of the term: Where did the term "monkey!" come from when looking for dealer to bust?