|
A
|
|
|
Aces Full
|
A full house with
three aces and any pair.
|
|
Ace-High
|
A five card hand that
contains one Ace, with no straight
or flush or a hand with no pair in
it.
|
|
Aces Up
|
A hand that contains two pairs,
one of which is Aces.
|
|
Act
|
An intentional tell intended to give false
information about a hand.
|
|
Action
|
Checking/Betting/Raising. A game in which
players are playing a lot of pots is considered an
"action" game.
|
|
Active Player
|
Any player who is still in the hand.
|
|
Aggressive
|
Adjective to describe a player who raises and
re-raises and rarely calls.
|
|
Ajax
|
The name of an Ace and Jack in the pocket,
suited or otherwise.
|
|
All-In
|
When a player bets all his/her
chips.
|
|
American Airlines
|
Two Aces.
|
|
Angle
|
An action that isn't against the rules, but
still incorporates unfair tactics.
|
|
Angle-Shooting
|
Using unfair tactics.
|
|
Ante
|
Money placed in the pot
before the hand is begun.
|
| |
|
|
Back to top
|
|
| |
|
|
B
|
|
|
Bad Beat
|
When a hand is beaten by
a lucky draw.
|
|
Backdoor
|
Making a hand other than the one intended.
Example: Having J/10 of Clubs with a flop of A of Clubs, 5
of Clubs. 6 of Spades. The turn and river are K & Q of
Hearts. You made a straight instead of the intended (and
more likely) flush.
|
|
Backraise
|
A re-raise from a player who originally
called.
|
|
Bankroll
|
The amount of money you have.
|
|
Bet
|
To place chips into the pot.
|
|
Belly Buster
|
A draw and/or catch to an Inside Straight.
|
|
Bet Odds
|
The odds you get as a result of evaluating
the number of callers to a raise.
|
|
Belly Buster
|
A draw and/or catch to an Inside
Straight.
|
|
Bet the Pot
|
When a player bets the amount of the pot.
|
|
Bicycle or Bike
|
A straight that is
A-2-3-4-5.
|
|
Big Blind
|
A designated amount that is placed by the
player sitting in the second position, clockwise from the
dealer, before any cards are dealt. (Players joining a
game in progress must post a Big Blind, but may do so from
any position.)
|
|
Big Slick
|
A hand that contains an A-K.
|
|
Blank
|
A useless card.
|
|
Blind
|
The bet(s) that must be made by the two
players sitting directly to the dealer's left which will
start the action on the first round
of betting. The blinds are posted before any cards are
dealt. (A "Blind" bet is one that is made in the
dark without looking at your cards.)
|
|
Blind Raise
|
When a player raises
without looking at his hand.
|
|
Bluff
|
To make other players believe that one has a
better hand than he/she might
otherwise have by betting or raisingwhen
they do not have the best hand.
|
|
Boardcards
|
The cards that are dealt face-up in a poker
game for all players to see. In flop
games, five cards are dealt face-up in the center of
the table. In Seven Card Stud,
four cards are dealt face-up in front of each player.
|
|
Boat
|
A full house.
|
|
Bottom Pair
|
When a player uses the lowest card on the flop
to make a pair with one of his own
cards.
|
|
Broadway
|
An Ace high straight
(A-K-Q-J-10).
|
|
Bring-In
|
The forced bet made on the first round of
betting by the player who is dealt the lowest card showing
in Seven Card Stud and Stud 8
or Better. In Razz (Lowball) it is the
highest card showing
|
|
Bring It In
|
To start the betting on the first round.
|
|
Broomcorn's Uncle
|
A player who antes himself broke.
|
|
Bullets
|
A pair of Aces.
|
|
Bump
|
To raise.
|
|
Button
|
Also known as the dealer button, it is a
small round disk that is moved from player to player in a
clockwise direction following each hand, to theoretically
indicate the dealer of each hand.
|
|
Buy-In
|
The minimum amount of money required by a
player to sit down in a particular poker game.
|
|
Back to top
|
|
|
C
|
|
|
Call
|
Matching a bet amount.
|
|
Call Cold
|
To call both a bet and
raise(s).
|
|
Calling Station
|
A passive and loose player who does not raise
much, but calls more than he or she should.
|
|
Cap
|
To take the last of the maximum amount of raises
allowed per round of betting.
|
|
Cardroom
|
The room or space in a casino where poker is
played.
|
|
Cards Speak
|
Your hand is the most favorable possible
combination of cards, no matter how you call it.
|
|
Case Chips
|
A player's last chips.
|
|
Cash Out
|
To leave a game and convert your chips to
cash.
|
|
Check
|
When it's a player's turn to act and there
has been no action in front of them and he opts not to bet,
he "checks."
|
|
Check-Raise
|
When a player first checks and then raises in
a betting round.
|
|
Chop
|
To return the blinds to the players who
posted them and move on to the next hand if no other
players call. It also means to "split the pot".
|
|
|
|
|
D
|
|
|
Dead Man's Hand
|
Two pair - Aces and Eights (The hand Wild
Bill Hickock was holding when Jack McCall shot him in the
back).
|
|
Dealer
|
The man or woman who handles the cards, gives
out the pots, and monitors the game.
|
|
Dealer's Position
|
Being the last to act in a betting round. On
the button.
|
|
Diamonds
|
One of the four playing card suits. Formerly
representing merchants.
|
|
Disconnect Protection
|
A tool to protect players in the event that
their internet connection is lost while involved in a pot.
|
|
Dominated Hands
|
Hands those are okay to play, but tend to
lose against similar non-straight/flush hands. Example: A2
is dominated because against other hands with an Ace, it
loses or draws without improvement.
|
|
Dominating Hands
|
Primo hands that are not only good, solid
hands but have lots of room for improvement.
|
|
Door Card
|
This is the first exposed card, or
"up" card, in a player's hand in Stud games.
|
|
Down Card
|
Hole cards. Cards that
are dealt face down.
|
|
Doyle Brunson
|
It's a Holdem hand consisting of a 10-2 (Brunson
won the world championship two years in a row on the final
hand with these cards).
|
|
Draw Lowball
|
Form of poker where each player is dealt five
cards with the option of discarding one or more and
replacing them with new ones and the low hand wins.
|
|
Draw Poker
|
Form of poker where each player is dealt five
cards down with the option of discarding one or more and
replacing them with new ones to attempt to make a better
hand.
|
|
Drawing
|
Playing a hand to improve.
|
|
Drawing Dead
|
A drawing hand that will lose even if it
improves.
|
|
Drawing Hand
|
A hand that needs improvement to win. Usually
to a straight or flush.
|
|
Drop
|
Fold.
|
|
Ducks
|
A pair of Twos.
|
|
Deuces
|
A pair of Twos.
|
|
Back to top
|
|
|
E
|
|
|
Early Position
|
Position on a round of betting where the
player must act before most of the other players at the
table. (It's considered the two positions located to the
left of the Blinds. )
|
| |
|
|
F
|
|
|
Fifth Street
|
Also known as the "river"
card. In flop games, this
represents the fifth community
card on the table and the final round of betting. In Stud
games, this is the fifth card dealt to each player and
represents the third round of betting.
|
|
Five-card Draw
|
A poker game in which the player is dealt
five cards down. They have one draw to replace them and
the best high hand wins the pot.
|
|
Five-card Stud
|
A poker game in which each player is dealt
five cards, one down and four up, with betting after 2, 3,
4, & 5 cards.
|
|
Flat Call
|
Calling a bet without raising.
|
|
Flop
|
In Hold'em and Omaha,
the first three community cards
that are dealt face-up in the center of the table all at
one time. The "flop" also indicates the second
round of betting.
|
|
Flop Games
|
Poker games (Hold 'em
and Omaha) that are played using community
cards that are dealt face up in the center of the table.
|
|
Floorman
|
An employee of the cardroom who makes rulings
and decisions.
|
|
Flush
|
Any five cards of the same suit.
|
|
Flush Draw
|
When a player has four cards in his hand of
the same suit and is hoping to draw a fifth to make a
flush.
|
|
Fold
|
To throw your hand away when it's your turn
to act.
|
|
Forced Bet
|
A required bet that starts the action on the
first round of a poker hand.
|
|
Four of a Kind
|
Four cards of the same number or face value
("quads").
|
|
Fourth Street
|
In flop games, it is
the fourth community card dealt (also
known as "the turn") and
represents the third round of betting. In Stud
games, it is the fourth card dealt to each player and
represents the second round of betting.
|
|
Free Card
|
The card you get as result of semi-bluffing
from late or last position so that all the players check
to you.
|
|
Full House
|
Any three cards of the same number or face
value, plus any other two cards of the same number or face
value.
|
|
|
|
Back
to top |
|
|
|
|
|
G
|
|
|
Grinding
|
Playing in a style with minimal risk and
modest gains over a long period of time.
|
|
Gut Shot
|
To draw to and/or hit an inside straight.
|
|
H
|
|
|
Hand
|
A player's best five cards.
|
|
Heads-Up
|
When only two players are involved with a
hand.
|
|
Hearts
|
One of the four playing card suits.
|
|
High-Card
|
To decide the first dealer in the flop
tournaments each user is dealt a single card and the
player with the highest card (based on the card and the
suit order - of spades, hearts, diamonds & clubs)
becomes the theoretical dealer.
|
|
High Limit
|
A game where the amounts wagered are high.
|
|
High-Low
|
Split pot games.
|
|
Hold 'em
|
Also known as Texas Hold 'em, where the
players get two down cards and
five community cards. See our
complete Hold
'em rules in our Game
Rules section.
|
|
Hole Cards
|
These are the Down Cards
in front of the players.
|
|
House
|
The casino or cardroom that is hosting the
poker game.
|
| |
|
|
I
|
|
|
Image
|
What kind of player others currently perceive
you as.
|
|
Implied Odds
|
The odds you are getting after the assumed
result of betting for the remainder of the hand.
|
|
Inside Straight
|
Four cards which require another between the
top and the bottom card to complete a straight.\
Players who catch this card make an Inside Straight.
|
|
Back to top
|
|
|
|
|
J
|
|
|
Jackpot
|
A prize fund awarded to a player who meets a
set of predetermined requirements. For example, some
casinos will give a jackpot to someone who gets
four-of-a-kind or higher and loses.
|
|
Jackpot Poker
|
A form of poker in which the cardroom or
casino offers a jackpot to a player who has lost with a
really big hand (usually Aces full or better).
|
|
Jacks-or- Better
|
A form of poker in which a player needs to
have at least a pair of jacks to open the betting.
|
|
K
|
|
|
Kansas City Lowball
|
Form of lowball poker
in which the worst poker hand (2, 3, 4, 5, 7 of different
suits) is the best hand. It's also known as Deuce to Seven.
|
|
Keep Them Honest
|
To call at the end of a hand to prevent
someone from bluffing.
|
|
Key Card
|
A card that gives you a big draw or makes
your hand.
|
|
Key Hand
|
In a session or tournament, the one hand that
ends up being a turning point for the player, either for
better or worse.
|
|
Kicker
|
The highest unpaired side card in a players'
hand.
|
|
Kick It
|
Raise.
|
|
Kill Pot
|
A method to stimulate action. It is a forced
bet by someone who has just won a pot(s).
|
|
Knock
|
Check.
|
|
Kojak
|
A hand that contains a K-J.
|
| |
|
|
L
|
|
|
Ladies
|
Two Queens.
|
|
Late Position
|
Position on a round of betting where the
player must act after most of the other players have acted
(usually considered to be the two positions next to the button).
|
|
Lay Down Your Hand
|
When a player folds.
|
|
Lead
|
The first player to bet into a pot.
|
|
Limit Poker
|
A game that has fixed minimum and maximum
betting intervals along with a prescribed number of raises.
|
|
Limper
|
The first player who calls a bet.
|
|
Limp In
|
To enter the pot by
calling rather than raising. (The
usual concept of "Limp In" is when the first
person to speak just calls the Big Blind.)
|
|
Live Blind
|
An instance where the player puts in a dark
bet and is allowed to raise, even if
no other player raises. It's also known as an "option".
|
|
Live Card(s)
|
In Stud Games, cards
that have not yet been seen and are presumed to still be
in play.
|
|
Live Hand
|
A hand that could still
win the pot.
|
|
Live One
|
A not so knowledgeable player who plays a lot
of hands.
|
|
Long Shot
|
Making a hand despite having few outs and/or
poor odds.
|
|
Look
|
When a player calls the final bet before the showdown.
|
|
Loose
|
Is a player who plays a lot hands.
|
|
Lowball
|
Is a form of draw poker in which the lowest
hand wins the pot.
|
|
Low Limit
|
A game where the amounts wagered are
small.
|
|
|
|
Back
to top |
|
|
|
|
|
M
|
|
|
Main Pot
|
The center pot. Any other bets are placed in
a side pot(s) and are contested
among the remaining players. This occurs when a player(s)
goes all-in.
|
|
Make
|
To make the deck is to shuffle the deck.
|
|
Maniac
|
A very aggressive player who plays a lot of
hands.
|
|
Maverick
|
The name of a Queen and Jack in the pocket.
Suited or otherwise.
|
|
Meet
|
To meet is to call.
|
|
Middle Pair
|
In flop games, when
a player makes a pair with one of his/her down
cards and the middle card on the flop.
|
|
Middle Position
|
Somewhere between the early and late
positions on a round of betting (the fifth, sixth and
seventh seats to the left of the button).
|
|
Mneumonics
|
Mental devices used to remember things. In
Hold 'Em, often players have names for what pocket cards
they have, like Big Slick or Maverick.
|
|
Muck
|
To discard or throw away your hand.
It's also a pile of cards that are no longer in play.
|
|
Minimum Buy-In
|
The least amount you can start a game with.
|
|
Monster
|
A very big hand. In a
tournament, a player who begins to accumulate chips after
having a small stack is considered to be a monster.
|
| |
|
|
N
|
|
|
No Limit
|
A game where players can bet as much as they
like (as long as they have it in front of them) on any
round of betting.
|
|
Nuts
|
The best possible hand at
any point of the game. A hand that cannot be beat.
|
|
Back to top
|
|
|
|
|
O
|
|
|
Odds
|
The probability of making a hand
vs. the probability of not making a hand.
|
|
Offsuit
|
Cards of a different suit.
|
|
Omaha
|
A game in which each player is dealt four down
cards with five community cards. To make your hand,
you must play two cards from your hand and three from the
board.
|
|
On the Button
|
Being the last player to act in a betting
round. Dealer's Position.
|
|
Open
|
To make the first bet.
|
|
Open-ended Straight
|
Four consecutive cards whereby one additional
(consecutive) card is needed at either end to make a straight.
|
|
Open Card
|
A card that is dealt face-up.
|
|
Open Pair
|
A pair that has been
dealt face-up.
|
|
Option
|
An option is a Live
Blind made in the dark before the cards are dealt. If
no one raises, the "option" player may raise the
pot.
|
|
Out Button
|
A disc placed in front of a player who wishes
to sit out a hand(s) but remain in the game.
|
|
Outs
|
The number of cards left in the deck that
will improve your hand.
|
|
Overpair
|
A pocket pair higher than any of the cards on
the board.
|
|
|
|
|
Back
to top |
|
|
|
|
P
|
|
|
Paints
|
Face or picture cards (Jack, Queen and King).
|
|
Pair
|
Two cards of the same face or number value.
|
|
Pass
|
To fold.
|
|
Pay Off
|
To call on the final
round of betting when you may or may not think you have
the best hand.
|
|
Picture Cards
|
Face cards (Jack, Queen and King).
|
|
Play Back
|
To raise or re-raise
another player's bet.
|
|
Playing the Board
|
In flop games when
your best five card hand is all five of the community
cards.
|
|
Pocket
|
The down cards or hole
cards.
|
|
PocketCards
|
The two cards dealt to you at the beginning
of a Hold 'Em hand that no one else is entitled to see.
|
|
Pocket Rockets
|
A pair of Aces in the pocket
or hole.
|
|
Position
|
Where a player is seated in relation to the
dealer, therefore establishing that player's place in the
betting order.
|
|
Post
|
When you post a bet, you place your chips in
the pot. (You must post the Blinds.)
|
|
Pot
|
The money or chips in the center of a table
that players try to win.
|
|
Pot Limit
|
This is a game where the maximum bet can
equal the pot.
|
|
Prop
|
A person hired by the cardroom to work as a shill.
|
|
Push
|
When the dealer pushes the chips to the
winning player at the end of a hand. It's also when
dealers rotate to other tables.
|
|
Put Down
|
To fold a
hand.
|
|
|
|
Back
to top |
|
|
|
|
|
Q
|
|
|
Quads
|
Four of a kind.
|
|
Qualifier
|
In High-Low games, it is
a requirement the Low hand must meet to win the pot.
|
| |
|
|
R
|
|
|
Rack
|
A tray that holds 100 poker chips in five
stacks of twenty chips each.
|
|
Rail
|
The rim of a poker table or a barrier outside
a poker area.
|
|
Railbird
|
Someone who hangs around a poker room who
watches the games and/or is looking to get into action.
|
|
Raise
|
To increase the previous bet.
|
|
Rake
|
Chips taken from the pot
by the cardroom for compensation for hosting the game.
|
|
Rank
|
The value of each card and hand.
|
|
Rap
|
When a player knocks on the table indicating
that he/she has checked.
|
|
Ratholing
|
The illegal action of taking money off the
table and putting it somewhere else.
|
|
Razz
|
Seven Card Stud where the lowest five cards
win the pot.
|
|
Reading
|
Analysis of a player based on how they play,
mannerisms, and tells.
|
|
Re-buy
|
The amount of money a player pays to add a
fixed number of chips to his/her stack in a tournament.
|
|
Re-raise
|
To raise a raise.
|
|
Ring Game
|
A "live" game that is not a
tournament.
|
|
River
|
This is the last card given in all games. In Hold'em
and Omaha, it is also known as 5th
street. In Stud games, it is also
known as 7th street.
|
|
Rock
|
A passive, tight player.
|
|
Round of Betting
|
This is when players have the opportunity to bet,
check or raise.
Each round of betting ends when the last bet or raise has
been called.
|
|
Rounders
|
Guys who hustle for a living. This is also
the name of a popular poker movie starring Matt Damon and
Ed Norton.
|
|
Royal Flush
|
This is an Ace high straight (A-K-Q-J-10) of
the same suit. It is the best possible hand in poker.
|
|
Run
|
The act of playing with more money than is
typical or reasonable for you to play.
|
|
Rush
|
A winning streak.
|
|
|
|
Back
to top |
|
|
|
|
|
S
|
|
|
Sandbagging
|
Holding back and calling despite the fact
that you have a very good hand, usually to disguise
strength, provoke bluffs, and to check-raise.
|
|
Satellite
|
It is a mini-tournament to gain an entry into
a larger tournament.
|
|
Scoop
|
To win the entire pot.
|
|
Seating List
|
A waiting list. A player would put his or her
name on this list if there were no seats at the table at
which they wish to play.
|
|
Second Pair
|
In flop games, when
you pair the second highest card on the board.
|
|
See
|
To call.
|
|
Semi-Bluff
|
Betting with a mediocre or drawing hand.
|
|
Set
|
Having a pocket pair that matches one of the
cards on the board.
|
|
Seven-card Stud
|
A well-known poker game in which players get
three down cards and four up cards. You play the best five
of those seven cards. Click here for information on Seven-card
Stud.
|
|
Seventh Street
|
This is the final round of betting in Seven
Card Stud and Stud 8 or Better.
|
|
Shills
|
Shills are paid props who
help start and maintain poker games.
|
|
Short Buying
|
Purchasing chips after your initial purchase.
Usually the minimum for a short buy-in is less than the
initial buy-in.
|
|
Short-Handed
|
An adjective used to describe a game with few
players.
|
|
Showdown
|
At the end of the final betting round, it's
when all active players turn their cards face-up to see
who has won the pot.
|
|
Side Pot
|
A separate pot(s) which is contested by
remaining active players when one or more players are
all-in.
|
|
Sixth Street
|
In Seven-card Stud,
this is the fourth "up" card dealt to the player
(their 6th card). It is also the 4th round of betting.
|
|
Soft Seat
|
A seat or game, which is favorable because of
the lack of skill at the table.
|
|
Solid
|
A fairly tight player (and reasonably good).
|
|
Small Blind
|
The amount put in the pot by the person
immediately to the left of the dealer "button"
prior to the cards being dealt.
|
|
Speed Limit
|
A pair of fives.
|
|
Split
|
Tie.
|
|
Stack
|
A pile of chips.
|
|
Stay
|
When a player remains in the game by calling
rather than raising.
|
|
Steal Raise
|
