A Glossary of Poker Terms
(A)
Ace High
A five-card hand that has no hand combinations (flush, straight, pair etc), but contains one Ace
Action
(1) Opportunity to act. If a player appears not to realize it's his turn, the dealer will say "Your action, sir."
(2) Bets and raises. "If a third heart hits the board and there's a lot of action, you have to assume that somebody has made the flush."
(2) Bets and raises. "If a third heart hits the board and there's a lot of action, you have to assume that somebody has made the flush."
Ante
A small portion of a bet contributed by each player, in order to build the pot at the beginning of a hand. Most Hold'em games do not have an ante; they use "blinds" to get initial money into the pot.
Alligator blood
A good player who keeps his cool when short-stacked.
All-In
(1) To run out of chips while betting or calling. In table stakes games, a player may not go into his pocket for more money during a hand. If he runs out, a side pot is created, which he cannot win. However, he can still win the pot for which he had the chips (the main pot). Example: "Poor Bob. He made quads against the big full house, but he was all-in on the second bet."
(2) An action in a no-limit or pot-limit game where a player uses the remainder of his chips as a bet.
(2) An action in a no-limit or pot-limit game where a player uses the remainder of his chips as a bet.
(B)
Backdoor
To catch both the turn and river card to complete a drawing hand. For instance, suppose you have As-7s. The flop comes Ad-6c-4s. You bet and are called. The turn is the Ts, which everybody checks, and then the river is the Js. You've made a "backdoor" nut flush. See also "runner."
Bad Beat
When a hand that is a large underdog beats a heavily favored hand. It is generally used to imply that the winner of the pot had no business being in the pot at all, and it was the wildest of luck that he managed to catch the few cards in the deck that would win the pot. We won't give any examples; you will hear plenty of them during your poker career.
Big Blind
The larger of the two blinds typically used in a Hold'em game. The big blind is a full first round bet. See also "blind" and "small blind."
Big Pair
A Pair with a value of 10s or greater.
Big Lick
A nickname for 69.
Big Slick
A nickname for AK (suited or not).
Blank
A board card that doesn't seem to affect the standings in the hand. If the flop is As-Jd-Ts, then a turn card of 2h would be considered a blank. On the other hand, the 2s would not be.
Blind
A forced bet (or partial bet put in by one or more players before any cards are dealt. Typically, players immediately to the left of the button put in the blinds. See also "live blind."
Bluff
A bet or raise designed to win the pot by making all the players fold. Usually, a bluff cannot win in a showdown.
Board
All the community cards in a Hold'em game -- the flop, turn, and river cards together. Example: "There wasn't a single heart on the board."
Bot
Short for "robot." In a poker context, a program that plays poker online with no (or minimal) human intervention.
Bottom Pair
A pair with the lowest card on the flop. If you have As-6s, and the flop comes Kd-Th-6c, you have flopped bottom pair.
Brick & Mortar
A "real" casino or cardroom with a building, tables, dealers, etc. This is in contrast to an online poker site. Sometimes shortened to "B&M."
Bubble
(1) The point at which only one player must bust out before all others win some money.
(2) The person who was unfortunate enough to finish in that position.
(2) The person who was unfortunate enough to finish in that position.
Burn
To discard the top card from the deck, face down. This is done between each betting round before putting out the next community card(s) in Hold'em. It is added security against any player recognizing or glimpsing the next card to be used on the board.
Button
(1) A white acrylic disk that indicates the (nominal) dealer.
(2) Also used to refer to the player on the button. Example: "Oh, the button raised."
(2) Also used to refer to the player on the button. Example: "Oh, the button raised."
Buy
(1) As in "buy the pot." To bluff, hoping to "buy" the pot without being called.
(2) As in "buy the button." To bet or raise, hoping to make players between you and the button fold, thus allowing you to act last on subsequent betting rounds.
(2) As in "buy the button." To bet or raise, hoping to make players between you and the button fold, thus allowing you to act last on subsequent betting rounds.
Buy-In
(1) An amount of money you pay to enter a tournament. Often expressed as two numbers, such as $100+9, meaning that it costs $109 to enter the tournament; $100 goes into the prize fund and $9 goes to the house.
(2) Used in ring games, often as a verb, for the amount of money a player brings to the table. As in: "What did Tom buy in for?" Also, most ring games have a minimum buy-in, and some have a fixed buy-in.
(2) Used in ring games, often as a verb, for the amount of money a player brings to the table. As in: "What did Tom buy in for?" Also, most ring games have a minimum buy-in, and some have a fixed buy-in.
(C)
Call
To put into the pot an amount of money equal to the most recent bet or raise. The term "see" (as in "I'll see that bet") is considered colloquial.
Calling Station
A weak-passive player who calls a lot, but doesn't raise or fold much.
Calamity Jane
Nickname for the queen of spades
Cap
To put in the last raise permitted on a betting round. This is typically the third or fourth raise. Dealers in California are fond of saying "Capitola" or "Cappuccino."
Case
The last card of a certain rank in the deck. Example: "The flop came J-8-3; I've got pocket Jacks, he's got pocket Eights, and then the case Eight falls on the river, and he beats my full house."
Center Pot
The first pot created during a poker hand, as opposed to one or more "side" pots created if one or more players goes all-in. Also "main pot."
Chat
Typed conversation that you can have with other players at an online poker site (or any online gathering, for that matter).
Check
(1) To not bet, with the option to call or raise later in the betting round. Equivalent to betting zero dollars.
(2) Another word for a poker chip.
(2) Another word for a poker chip.
Check it down
An arrangement between players to check, rather than bet, for the duration of the hand. Occasionally disallowed.
Check-Raise
To check and then raise when a player behind you bets. Almost all casinos permit check-raising, and it is an important poker tactic.
Chop
An agreement between the two players with blinds to simply take their blinds back rather than playing out the hand if nobody calls or raises in front of them. It is considered bad etiquette to chop sometimes and not others; if you chop with a player, you should chop every other time it is possible while at that table and with those players despite the strength of your hands.
Clean Out
A card that would almost certainly make your hand best. If you are drawing at a straight, but there is a flush draw possible, then the cards that make your straight but also the flush are not clean outs.
Coffeehousing
This is when players chat about a hand they are involved in, with the intent of misleading or manipulating other players.
Coin Flip
When two people are involved in a hand, and the possible win percentage of the two hands is close enough to 50-50 that the results may as well be determined by a coin flip. "Coin flips" can also occur on the flop and turn when a weaker hand catches up in strength. For example, KJs and 22 are close enough in strength that when the hands butt heads pre-flop, it is considered a "coin flip."
Cold Call
To call more than one bet in a single action. For instance, suppose the first player to act after the big blind raises. Now any player acting after that must call two bets "cold." This is different from calling a single bet and then calling a subsequent raise.
Collusion
When two or more players work together in order to win a hand or succession of hands
Come Hand
A drawing hand (from the craps term).
Community Cards
These are cards that are dealt to the table. All players can use these cards to complete a five-card hand.
Complete Hand
A hand that is defined by all five cards -- a straight, flush, full house, four of a kind, or straight flush.
Connector
A Hold'Em starting hand in which the two cards are one apart in rank. Examples: KQ, 76.
Counterfeit
To make your hand less valuable because of board cards that duplicate it. Example: you have 87 and the flop comes 9-T-J, so you have a straight. Now an 8 comes on the turn. This has counterfeited your hand and made it almost worthless.
Crack
To beat a hand -- typically a big hand. You hear this most often applied to pocket aces: "Third time tonight I've had pocket aces cracked."
Cripple
As in "to cripple the deck." Meaning that you have most or all of the cards that somebody would want to have with the current board. If you have pocket kings, and the other two kings flop, you have crippled the deck.
Crying Call
A call that you make expecting to lose, but feel that you must make anyway because of the pot odds.
Cut Card
A plastic card used to divide the deck after shuffling. This card is also used so that the bottom card will not be exposed during the hand.
Cutthroat
A high-stakes poker game where players are out to win, not to have fun. Also blood poker.
Cut-Off
The position (or player) who acts one before the button.
(D)
Dead Man's Hand
Two pair hand consisting of Aces and Eights. Reputed to be the hand that Wild Bill Hickock was holding when he was shot dead.
Dead Money
(1) Money contributed to a pot by a player no longer in the pot.
(2) A player in a tournament who has no realistic chance of winning.
(3) A very bad player who seems to almost give his chips away.
(2) A player in a tournament who has no realistic chance of winning.
(3) A very bad player who seems to almost give his chips away.
Dealer Button
This is a flat disk that is used to signify the Dealer's position on the table. The disk is marked with a D. See also "button".
Dog
Shortened form of "underdog." A hand that is weaker in strength than the competing hand.
Dominated Hand
A hand that will almost always lose to a better hand that people usually play. For instance, K3 is "dominated" by KQ. When a K is on the board, K3 will most often lose to KQ.
Down to the felt
(1) Completely out of money.
(2) A description of a player who is all-in.
(2) A description of a player who is all-in.
Draw
To play a hand that is not yet good, but could become so if the right cards come. Example: "I'm not there yet -- I'm drawing." Also used as a noun. Example: "I have to call because I have a good draw."
Draw Dead
Trying to make a hand that, even if made, will not win the pot. If you're drawing to make a flush, and your opponent already has a full house, you are "drawing dead." Of course, this is a bad condition to be in.
Deuces
A pair of Twos.
Duffer
An unskilled player.
(E)
Edge
A competitive advantage over another player, whether it be based on statistics or psychology
Edge odds
A measure of a player's advantage or disadvantage relative to the performance of the best players in a game. See ideal edge odds.
Equalized
This is when all players have contributed the same amount of credits to the pot.
Equity
Your "rightful" share of a pot. If the pot contains $80, and you have a 50% chance of winning it, you have $40 equity in the pot. This term is somewhat fanciful since you will either win $80 or $0, but it gives you an idea of how much you can "expect" to win.
Expectation/Expected Value (EV)
(1) The amount you expect to gain on average if you make a certain play. For instance, suppose you put $10 into a $50 pot to draw at a hand that you will make 25% of the time, and it will win every time you make it. Three out of four times, you do not make your draw, and lose $10 each time for a total of $30. The fourth time, you will make your draw, winning $50. Your total gain over those four average hands is $50-$30 = $20, an average of $5 per hand. Thus calling the $10 has a positive expectation of $5.
(2) The amount you expect to make at the poker table in a specific time period. Suppose in 100 hours of play, you win $527. Then your expectation is $5.27/hr. Of course, you won't make that exact amount each hour (and some hours you will lose), but it's one measure of your anticipated earnings.
(2) The amount you expect to make at the poker table in a specific time period. Suppose in 100 hours of play, you win $527. Then your expectation is $5.27/hr. Of course, you won't make that exact amount each hour (and some hours you will lose), but it's one measure of your anticipated earnings.
Extra Blind
A blind put in by a player just entering the game, returning to the game, or otherwise changing his position at the table. See also "blind" and "post."
(F)
Family Pot
A pot in which all (or almost all) of the players call before the flop.
Fast Play
To play a hand aggressively, betting and raising as much as possible. Example: "When you flop a set but there's a flush draw possible, you have to play it fast."
Fish
A poor player -- one who gives his money away.
Flop
The first three community cards, put out face up, all together.
Fifth Street
In Stud, this is the third round of betting. The player with the highest ranking hand begins the next round of betting.
Fold Equity
The extra value you get from a hand when you force an opponent to fold. That is, if you don't have to see a showdown, your hand has more value than if you do.
Fourth Street
(1) In Stud, this is the second round of betting because the players have four cards each. The following applies to the Fourth Street: The player with the highest ranking hand begins the next round of betting.
(2) In Hold'em, the turn card is also called "Fourth Street" because it is the fourth community card.
(2) In Hold'em, the turn card is also called "Fourth Street" because it is the fourth community card.
Foul
A hand that cannot be played for one reason or another. A player with a foul hand may not make any claim on any portion of the pot. Example: "He ended up with three cards after the flop, so the dealer declared his hand foul."
Free Card
A turn or river card on which you don't have to call a bet because of play earlier in the hand (or because of your reputation with your opponents). For instance, if you are on the button and raise when you flop a flush draw, your opponents may check to you on the turn. If you make your flush on the turn, you can bet. If you don't get it on the turn, you can check as well, seeing the river card for "free."
Free Roll
One player has a shot at winning an entire pot when he is currently tied with another player. For instance, suppose you have Ac-Qc and your opponent has Ad-Qh. The flop is Qs-5c-Tc. You are tied with your opponent right now, but are free rolling, because you can win the whole pot and your opponent can't. If no club comes, you split the pot with him; if it does come, you win the whole thing.
Freeze out
A poker tournament or format with no rebuys. Once a player is out of money, he is out of the game.
Fuzz the deck
To mix the cards (usually a new deck) by pulling out the top and bottom card several times.
(G)
Gaff
(1) Any cheating device.
(2) To use a cheating device
(2) To use a cheating device
Gap Hand
A starting hand with cards more than one rank apart. For instance, T9 is a one-gap hand. 86 is a two-gap hand.
Gravy
(1) Profit: "I bought in for $100 and the rest is gravy"
(2) An especially easy game, or the potential profit in the game. "That game is gravy."
(2) An especially easy game, or the potential profit in the game. "That game is gravy."
Grifter
A cheater, often one who travels from place to place scamming people.
Gutshot Straight
A straight filled "inside." If you have 9s-8s, the flop comes 7c-5h-2d, and the turn is the 6c, you've made your gutshot straight.
(H)
Heads-Up
A pot that is being contested by only two players. Example: "It was heads-up by the turn."
Heinz (or Heinz 57)
(1) Texas hold 'em starting hand of 5-7
(2) A seven-card stud game where 5s and 7s are wild.
(2) A seven-card stud game where 5s and 7s are wild.
Hit
As in "the flop hit me," meaning the flop contains cards that help your hand. If you have AK, and the flop comes K-7-2, it hit you.
House
(1) The establishment running the game. Example: "The $2 you put on the button goes to the house."
(2) The shortened term for a full house.
(2) The shortened term for a full house.
Humps
Cards that have been shaved, tapered or trimmed on the sides (longer edge) to make the end of the card narrower than the middle so that a cheater can recognize them by feel. See end strippers, low belly strippers, side strippers, high belly strippers.
Hurricane
(1) Any two card poker game
(2) Two-Card
(2) Two-Card
Image
The perception of a player by the other players at the table: "Even if you are playing only good cards, if no one has seen you show down cards in a while, your image might be that you are a bluffer."
Implied Odds
Pot odds that do not exist at the moment, but may be included in your calculations because of bets you expect to win if you hit your hand.
Improve
To draw a card or cards that make a hand better or go from behind to win.
In The Air
A traditional term that a tournament director will use as part of a phrase to start a tournament, "Let's get the cards in the air," which means, "Deal the cards."
(I)
ITM
Abbreviation for "In the money" used in online poker chat areas.
(J)
Jackpot
A special bonus paid to the loser of a hand if he gets a very good hand beaten. In hold'em, the "loser" must typically get aces full or better beaten. In some of the large card clubs, jackpots have become over $50,000. Of course, the jackpot is funded with money removed from the game as part of the rake.
Jam
To move all-in in a no-limit (or pot-limit) game.
Jump the fence
Call a bet and one or more raises without yet having any money in the pot. Also cold-call.
(K)
Katy
Texas Hold'em starting hand of KT.
Kicker
An unpaired card used to determine the better of two near-equivalent hands. For instance, suppose you have AK and your opponent has AQ. If the flop has an ace in it, you both have a pair of aces, but you have a king kicker. Kickers can be vitally important in Hold 'Em.
Kick It
(1) A phrase that means, "I raise."
(2) To raise.
(2) To raise.
Kill Button
A button in some games, called kill games, that goes to a player who has won two hands in a row (both hands must go beyond pre-flop). The player must post a live blind on the button regardless of position, and the table limit is doubled. Example: Tom is in middle position in a $4/8 kill game. He has won two hands in a row. For the third hand, the game is now $8/16 and Tom must post a live blind of $8. If Tom loses this hand or there is no flop, the game goes back to $4/8. If he wins the hand, the game is $8/16 again. The pot in such games is a "kill pot."
Kojack
Nickname for KJ.
(L)
Leak
A weakness in your game that causes you to win less money than you would otherwise. Example: "She takes her pocket pairs too far; it's a leak in her game."
Lowest Card
This is the card that has the lowest value. Aces are high. If two players have the same lowest card, the value is determined by suit. Suits are arranged in alphabetical order from lowest to highest value - Clubs, Diamonds, Hearts and Spades.
Lid
Top card of the deck.
Limp
To call. Generally the term refers to pre-flop action. For instance: "He limped in early position with 77."
Live Blind
A forced bet put in by one or more players before any cards are dealt. The "live" means those players still have the option of raising when the action gets back around to them.
Live
Cards that are not duplicated in an opponent's stronger hand. For example, if you have A9 and your opponent has AJ, then your ace is not "live" because making a pair of aces won't do you any good. The nine, however, is live; making a pair of nines gives you the better hand.
(M)
Maniac
A player who does a lot of hyper-aggressive raising, betting, and bluffing. A true maniac is not a good player, but is simply doing a lot of gambling. However, a player who occasionally acts like a maniac and confuses his opponents is quite dangerous.
Made Hand
A hand to which you're drawing, or one good enough that it doesn't need to improve.
Meet
To call a full bet.
Micro-Limit
Games so small that they couldn't be profitably dealt in a real cardroom. They exist only at online poker sites. You might arbitrarily call games $.25-.50 and smaller "micro-limit."
Monster
A very strong hand.
Move In
To bet all of one's chips
Muck
(1) The pile of folded cards in front of the dealer. Example: "His hand hit the muck so the dealer ruled it folded even though the guy wanted to get his cards back."
(2) Also used as a verb. Example: "He didn't have any outs so he mucked his hand."
(2) Also used as a verb. Example: "He didn't have any outs so he mucked his hand."
(N)
Nhwps
Abbreviation for "Nice hand, well played, sir" used in online poker chat areas.
No-Limit
A version of poker in which a player may bet any amount of chips (up to the number in front of him) whenever it is his turn to act. It is a very different game from limit poker.
Nuts
The best possible hand given the board. If the board is Ks-Jd-Ts-4s-2h, then As-Xs is the nuts. You will occasionally hear the term applied to the best possible hand of a certain category, even though it isn't the overall nuts. For the above example, somebody with Ah-Qc might say they had the "nut straight."
(O)
Off-Suit
A Hold'em starting hand with two cards of different suits.
One-Gap
A Hold'em starting hand with two cards two apart in rank. Examples: J9s, 64.
Out
A card that will make your hand win. Normally heard in the plural. Example: "Any spade will make my flush, so I have nine outs."
Outrun
To beat. Example: "Susie outran my set when her flush card hit on the river."
Overcall
To call a bet after one or more others players have already called.
Overcard
A card higher than any card on the board. For instance, if you have AQ and the flop comes J-7-3, you don't have a pair, but you have two overcards.
Overpair
A pocket pair higher than any card on the flop. If you have QQ and the flop comes J-8-3, you have an overpair.
(P)
Pat
A hand that you make on the flop. For instance, if you have two spades in your hand and the flop has three spades, then you've flopped a pat spade flush.
Pay Off
To call a bet when the bettor is representing a hand that you can't beat, but the pot is sufficiently large to justify a call anyway. Example: "He played it exactly like he made the flush, but I had top set so I paid him off."
Play the Board
To show down a hand in Hold'em when your cards don't make a hand any better than is shown on the board. For instance, if you have 22, and the board is 4-4-9-9-A (no flush possible), then you must "play the board": the best possible hand you can make doesn't use any of your cards. Note that if you play the board, the best you can do is split the pot with all remaining players.
Poker Face
A face that shows no emotion or tells that would give away a player's holding.
Poker Gods
Supposed entities who control the fate of the hands that poker players play.
Pocket
Your unique cards that only you can see. For instance, "He had pocket sixes" (a pair of sixes), or "I had ace-king in the pocket."
Pocket Pair
A Hold'em starting hand with two cards of the same rank, making a pair. Example: "I had big pocket pairs seven times in the first hour. What else can you ask for?"
Position
The order in which you have to act. You are in early position if acting first and late position if acting last.
Post
To put in a blind bet, generally required when you first sit down in a cardroom game. You may also be required to post a blind if you change seats at the table in a way that moves you away from the blinds. Example: a player leaves one seat at a table and takes another in such a way that he moves farther from the blinds. He is required to post an extra blind to receive a hand. See also "extra blind."
Pot
The pot is the pile of chips that accumulate as each player antes, bets, calls, and raises. All winnings are paid from the pot. The value of the pot varies. It is dependant on the stakes involved and the amount the players bet. The pot goes to the winner of the hands in each round. Note: The House takes a small percentage of the pot. If two or more players have the same winning hand, they split the pot equally. If there is an undividable amount left after the split, the extra chip goes to the winner closest to the dealer's left.
Post Now
This is a choice given to new players joining a game. They can either post now or wait for the big blind bet. If they decide to post now, they bet the equivalent of a big blind bet and receive cards immediately.
Pot-Committed
A state where you are essentially forced to call the rest of your stack because of the size of the pot and your remaining chips.
Pot-Limit
A version of poker in which a player may bet up to the amount of money in the pot whenever it is his turn to act. Like no-limit, this is a very different game from limit poker.
Pot Odds
The amount of money in the pot compared to the amount you must put in the pot to continue playing. For example, suppose there is $60 in the pot. Somebody bets $6, so the pot now contains $66. It costs you $6 to call, so your pot odds are 11:1. If your chance of having the best hand is at least 1 out of 12, you should call. Pot odds also apply to draws. For instance, suppose you have a draw to the nut flush with one card left to come. In this case, you are about a 4:1 underdog to make your flush. If it costs you $8 to call the bet, then there must be about $32 in the pot (including the most recent bet) to make your call correct.
Price
The pot odds you are getting for a draw or call. Example: "The pot was laying me a high enough price, so I stayed in with my gutshot straight draw."
Protect
(1) To keep your hand or a chip on your cards. This prevents them from being fouled by a discarded hand, or accidentally mucked by the dealer.
(2) To invest more money in a pot so blind money that you've already put in isn't "wasted." Example: "He'll always protect his blinds, no matter how bad his cards are."
(2) To invest more money in a pot so blind money that you've already put in isn't "wasted." Example: "He'll always protect his blinds, no matter how bad his cards are."
Put On
To mentally assign a hand to a player for the purposes of playing out your hand. Example: "He raised on the flop, but I put him on a draw, so I re-raised and then bet the turn."
(Q)
Quads
Four of a kind.
Quartered
This is when Players tie with either a high or a low hand and earn a quarter of the pot. Note: This is applicable to Omaha Hi-Lo Poker and very occasionally to Stud Hi-Lo.
(R)
Raise
This is when you match your previous bet and then increase your bet. This increases the stakes for remaining Players.
Ragged
A flop (or board) that doesn't appear to help anybody very much. A flop that came down Jd-6h-2c would look ragged.
Rainbow
A flop that contains three different suits, thus no flush can be made on the turn. Can also mean a complete five card board that has no more than two of any suit, thus no flush is possible.
Rake
An amount of money taken out of every pot by the dealer. This is the cardroom's income.
Rank
The numerical value of a card (as opposed to its suit). Example: "jack," "seven."
Rebuy
An option to buy back into a tournament after you've lost all your chips. Tournaments may offer one or more rebuys or (often) none at all.
Represent
To play as if you hold a certain hand. For instance, if you raised before the flop, and then raised again when the flop came ace high, you would be representing at least an ace with a good kicker.
Ring Game
A cash game as opposed to a tournament. Also referred to as a "live" game since actual money is in play instead of tournament chips.
River
The fifth and final community card, put out face up, by itself. Also known as "fifth street." Metaphors involving the river are some of poker's most treasured cliches, e.g., "He drowned in the river."
Rock
A player who plays very tight and not very creatively. He raises only with the best hands. A real rock is fairly predictable: if he raises you on the river, you can throw away just about anything but the nuts.
Runner
Typically said "runner-runner" to describe a hand that was made only by catching the correct cards on both the turn and the river. Example: "He made a runner-runner flush to beat my trips." See also "backdoor."
Runs
These are betting cycles around the table. A cycle from the first player to the last.
(S)
Satellite
A tournament that does not award cash to its winners, but a seat (or seats) in a subsequent "target" tournament.
Scare Card
A card that may well turn the best hand into trash. If you have Tc-8c and the flop comes Qd-Jd-9s, you almost assuredly have the best hand. However, a turn card of Td would be very scary because it would almost guarantee that you are now beaten.
See
To see someone is to call their bet.
Second Pair
A pair with the second highest card on the flop. If you have As-Ts, and the flop comes Kd-Th-6c, you have flopped second pair. See "top pair."
Sell
As in "sell a hand." In a spread-limit game, this means betting less than the maximum when you have a very strong hand, hoping players will call whereas they would not have called a maximum bet.
Semi-Bluff
A powerful concept first discussed by David Sklansky. It is a bet or raise that you hope will not be called, but you have some outs if it is. A semi-bluff may be correct when betting for value is not correct, a pure bluff is not correct, but the combination of the two may be a positive expectation play. Example: you have Ks-Qs, and the flop is Th-5s-Jc. If you bet now, it's a semi-bluff. You probably don't have the best hand, and you'd like to see your opponents fold immediately. Nevertheless, if you do get callers, you could still improve to the best hand.
Set
Three of a kind when you have two of the rank in your hand, and there is one on the board.
Seven deuce
The acknowledged weakest starting card combination in Texas Hold-em (7-2)
Short Stack
A number of chips that is not very many compared to the other players at the table. If you have $10 in front of you, and everybody else at the table has over $100, you are playing on a short stack.
Showdown
The point at which all players remaining in the hand turn their cards over and determine who has the best hand -- i.e., after the fourth round of betting is completed. Of course, if a final bet or raise is not called, there is no showdown.
Side Pot
A pot created in which a player has no interest because he has run out of chips. Example: Al bets $6, Beth calls the $6, and Carl calls, but he has only $2 left. An $8 side pot is created that either Al or Beth can win, but not Carl. Carl, however, can still win all the money in the original or "center" pot.
Sitting Out
This is when you choose to leave a table for a few hands. Note: If a player sits out for more than fifteen minutes, or has missed two rounds of blinds, they are removed from the table
Sixth Street
In 7 Card Stud, this is the fourth round of betting and is called Sixth Street because the players have six cards each. The following applies to the Sixth Street: Bet amounts are at the high limit. The player with the highest ranking hand begins the next round of betting. Betting limits are set by the card room.
Slow Play
To play a strong hand weakly so more players will stay in the pot.
Small Blind
The smaller of two blind bets typically used in a hold'em game. Normally, the small blind is one-third to two-thirds of a first round bet. See also "big blind" and "blind."
Smooth Call
To call. Smooth call often implies slow playing a strong hand. Example: "I flopped the nut flush but just smooth called when the guy in front of me bet -- I didn't want to scare anybody out."
Soft-Play
To go easy on another player at the table (e.g., not betting or raising against him). Suppose you and your brother are the last two people left in a hand. On the river, you have the nuts, but he bets. If you don't raise, you are "soft-playing" him. Please note that soft-playing is prohibited in tournaments and can result in penalties, up to and including forfeiture of winnings.
Splash the Pot
To toss chips directly into the pot rather than put them in a stack in front of you.
Split Pot
A pot that is shared by two or more players because they have equivalent hands.
Split Two Pair
A two pair hand in which one of each of your cards' ranks appears on the board as well. Example: you have T9, the flop is T-9-5, you have a split two pair. This is in comparison to two pair where there is a pair on the board. Example: you have T9, the flop is 9-5-5.
Spread-Limit
A betting structure in which a player may bet any amount in a range on every betting round. A typical spread-limit structure is $2-$6, where a player may bet as little as $2 or as much as $6 on every betting round.
Stop-and-Go
A play where you call (rather than re-raising) a raise, but then come out betting on the next card. Also called an SNG.
Straddle
An optional extra blind bet, typically made by the player one to the left of the big blind, equal to twice the big blind. This is effectively a raise, and forces any player who wants to play to pay two bets. Furthermore, in a cash game the straddler acts last before the flop, and may "re-raise," making the straddle live. A dead straddle is a straddle found in a no-limit and pot-limit game, and it is more like a blind raise than a third blind.
Stack
A player's chips.
String Bet
A bet (more typically a raise) in which a player doesn't get all the chips required for the raise into the pot in one motion. Unless he verbally declared the raise, he can be forced to withdraw it and just call. This prevents the unethical play of putting out enough chips to call, seeing what effect that had, and then possibly raising.
Structured
Used to apply to a certain betting structure in poker games. The typical definition of a structured Hold'em game is a fixed amount for bets and raises before the flop and on the flop, and then twice that amount on the turn and river. Example: a $2-$4 structured Hold'em game: bets and raises of $2 before the flop and on the flop; $4 bets and raises on the turn and river.
Suited
A Hold'em starting hand in which the two cards are the same suit. Example: "I had to play J-3 -- it was suited."
(T)
Table Stakes
A rule in a poker game meaning that a player may not go into his pocket for money during a hand. He may only invest the amount of money in front of him into the current pot. If he runs out of chips during the hand, a side pot is created in which he has no interest. All casino poker is played table stakes. The definition sometimes also includes the rule that a player may not remove chips from the table during a game. While this rule might not be referred to as "table stakes," it is enforced almost universally in public poker games.
Tell
A clue or hint that a player unknowingly gives about the strength of his hand, his next action, etc. May originally be from "telegraph" or the obvious use that he "tells" you what he's going to do before he does it.
Thin
As in "drawing thin." To be drawing to a very few outs, perhaps only one or two.
Third Street
This is the first round of betting and is called Third Street because the players have three cards each. The player with the lowest card displayed brings-in the betting in this round. Note: This is applicable to 7-Card Stud Poker.
Tilt
To play wildly or recklessly. A player is said to be "on tilt" if he is not playing his best, playing too many hands, trying wild bluffs, raising with bad hands, etc. It is often the result of being at the losing end of a bad beat or having a run of bad cards.
Time
(1) A request by a player to suspend play while he decides what he's going to do. Simply, "Time, please!" If a player doesn't request time and there is a substantial amount of action behind him, the dealer may rule that the player has folded.
(2) An amount of money collected either on the button or every half hour by the cardroom. This is another way for the house to make its money (see "rake").
(2) An amount of money collected either on the button or every half hour by the cardroom. This is another way for the house to make its money (see "rake").
To Go
The amount a player must call if he wishes to continue playing. Example: "The big blind was $20. Sarah raised $40 more, making it $60 to go."
Toke
A small amount of money given to the dealer by the winner of a pot as a tip. Quite often, tokes represent the great majority of a dealer's income.
Top Pair
A pair with the highest card on the flop. If you have As-Qs, and the flop comes Qd-Th-6c, you have flopped top pair.
Top Set
The highest possible trips. Example: you have Tc-Ts, and the flop comes Td-8c-9h. You have flopped top set.
Top Two
Two pair, with your two hole cards pairing the two highest cards on the board.
Top and Bottom
Two pair, with your two hole cards pairing the highest and lowest cards on the board.
Trips
Three of a kind.
Turn
The fourth community card. Put out face up, by itself. Also known as "fourth street."
(U)
Under the Gun
The position of the player who acts first on a betting round. For instance, if you are one to the left of the big blind, you are under the gun before the flop.
Underdog
A person or hand not mathematically favored to win a pot. For instance, if you flop four cards to your flush, you are not quite a 2:1 underdog to make your flush by the river (that is, you will make your flush about one in three times). See also "dog."
Underpair
A pocket pair underneath the lowest card on the board. E.g. You have 66 and the flop is Ac-9h-Th. You have an underpair to the board.
(V)
Value
As in "bet for value." This means that you would actually like your opponents to call your bet (as opposed to a bluff). Generally it's because you have the best hand. However, it can also be a draw that, given enough callers, has a positive expectation.
Variance
A measure of the up and down swings your bankroll goes through. Variance is not necessarily a measure of how well you play. However, the higher your variance, the wider swings you'll see in your bankroll.
Visible Cards
These are cards dealt face up to each player. Players use these cards to complete a five-card combination.
(W)
Wad
Slang for bankroll.
Wager
(1) To bet or raise.
(2) A bet or raise.
(2) A bet or raise.
Walk
(1) A pot won by the big blind after everyone else folds.
(2) A break from the poker table that causes a player to miss hands.
(2) A break from the poker table that causes a player to miss hands.
Wash
(1) Mixing the cards while they are face down.
(2) To mix the cards in preparation for a deal. Also called a scramble shuffle.
(2) To mix the cards in preparation for a deal. Also called a scramble shuffle.
Wheel
A straight from Ace through Five.
Whipsaw
To raise a raiser when there is a caller in between. See middle man, in the middle, sandwich, Crossfire, Crooked-Honest System.
Wild
(1) A description of a card that is wild. See wild card.
(2) A description of a player or game that is fast and loose.
(2) A description of a player or game that is fast and loose.
Winning Streak
A run of good luck or winning cards. Also hot streak, rush.
WSOP
World Series of Poker.
Yeast
A raise. "Let's give this pot a little yeast."
(X)
(Y)
Yw
Abbreviation for "You're welcome"
(Z)
Zeke
The imaginary hand or player that a player must beat in guts games.
Z-game
The game that is played for the lowest stakes at a given establishment.