Texas Hold'em/Poker Glossary
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Aces Up
Two pair, a pair of Aces and any other pair.
Action
1. The opportunity to act such as a fold,
check, call, bet, or raise. For certain situations, doing something
formally connected with the game that conveys information about your
hand may also be considered as having taken action. Examples would be
showing your cards at the end of the hand, or indicating the number of
cards you are taking at draw. 2. Action also refers to how tight
or loose a game is and player's willingness to put their money into
play.
Active Player
A player still involved in a hand.
Aggressive Action
A wager that could enable a player to win a pot
without a showdown; a bet or raise.
All Blue
A flush containing either clubs or spades.
All Pink
A flush containing either diamonds or hearts.
All-In
When you have put all of your playable money and
chips into the pot during the course of a hand, you are said to be
all-in. Because poker is a table stakes game you are never expected to
nor are you allowed to bring any additional money into your stack during
the course of a hand.
Ante
A small portion of a bet contributed by each
player to seed the pot at the beginning of a poker hand. Most Hold'em
ring games do not have an ante; they use "blinds" to get initial money
into the pot. However antes are often used in Hold'em tournaments to
encourage action.
Back Door
Catching the turn and river cards to make a hand
often making a hand that the player wasn't drawing at.
Back Raise
To reraise another players raise.
Bad Beat
To have a hand that is way behind and has little
chance of winning and "catch" an unlikely card or cards to beat the much
stronger hand. It is generally used to imply that the winner of the pot
had no business being in the pot at all. You will hear plenty of
examples plenty of them during your poker career.
Bankroll
The money a player has to play with is their
bankroll.
Bet
The act of placing a wager in turn into the pot on
any betting round, or the chips put into the pot.
Bet the Pot
To make a bet equal to the pot size.
Big Blind
The larger of the two blinds typically used in a
Hold'em game.
Big Slick
Nickname for the hand of ace-king. One of the best
starting hands in Texas Hold'em.
Blank
A card in the community cards that little affect
or value to the players hands.
Blind
A forced bet (or partial bet) put in by one or
more players before any cards are dealt. The small blind is put in by
the first position and the big blind is put in by the second position.
The only time this changes is when there are 2 players left, at this
point the dealer (or button) is the small blind. In Texas Hold'em the
blinds are usually equal to half of what the limits are for the game.
For instance, if it's a $3/ $6 game, then the blinds would be $1.50 and
$3.00. See also "live blind."
Blind Game
A game which utilizes a blind such as Texas
Hold'em.
Bluff
To act like a hand is better than it really is. A
bet or raise with a hand that is unlikely to beat the other players with
the hope that your opponents will fold.
Board
1. The board on which a waiting list is
kept for players wanting seats in specific games. 2. Cards face
up on the table common to all of the active players. All the community
cards in a Hold'em game -- the flop, turn, and river cards together. IE:
"There wasn't a single spade on the board."
Board Card
A community card in the center of the table, as
in Hold'em or Omaha.
Boat
A nickname for a full house, a set and a pair.
Bot
Short for "robot". In a poker context, a program
that plays poker online with no (or minimal) human intervention. I don't
recommend or use bots as they are generally considered to be cheating
and in my a opinion lazy and cowardly.
Bottom Pair
Pairing the lowest card on the board. A pair with
the lowest card on the flop. If you have 7s-6s, and the flop comes
Kd-Th-6h, you have flopped bottom pair.
Brick & Mortar
A "real" casino or card room with a building,
tables, dealers, etc. This is in contrast to an online poker site.
Broadway
Ace high straight.
Broken Game
A game no longer in action.
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.
Bullets
Two aces.
Burn or Burn Card
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). It is security against any player recognizing or
glimpsing the next card to be used on the board.
Button
A player who is in the designated dealer position.
See dealer button.
Button Game
Games in which utilize a dealer button.
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.
Buy The Pot
Make a bet that causes the other players to fold
without having to show your cards. Also see Bluff.
Buy-In
The minimum amount of money required to enter any
game. 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.
California Lowball
Ace-to-five lowball with a joker.
Call
To put in the amount of money equal to the bets
before you. Once everyone at the table has called or all the money is in
the pot, play continues to the next round.
Calling Station
A weak-passive player who calls a lot, but doesn't
raise or fold much. This is the kind of player you like to have in your
game.
Cap or Capped
Describes the situation in limit poker in which
the maximum number of raises on the betting round have been reached.
Cards Speak
The face value of a hand in a showdown is the true
value of the hand, regardless of a verbal announcement.
Cash Game
Game using either currency, or poker chips
exchanged for currency. You can leave the game at any time with your
money as opposed to a tournament where you play until you win or are
knocked out.
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."
Chase
1. To play a hand that is most likely worse
than at least one other player. 2. Playing a long shot hopping to
catch a good hand.
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 pass without betting, 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.
Check Raise
To check and then raise when a player behind you
bets. This can be a sign of a very strong hand and that a player was
slow playing. Occasionally you will hear people say this is not
fair or ethical poker. I disagree as almost all casinos permit
check-raising. It is an important but often overuse 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.
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.
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.
Collection
The fee charged in a game (taken either out of the pot or from each
player).
Collection Drop
A fee charged for each hand dealt.
Color Change
A request to change the chips from one denomination to another.
Color Up
Exchanging smaller chips for higher valued chips, this can happen when
there are a lot of chips and blinds have grown to where smaller chips
slow a game down because of all the counting.
Come Hand
A drawing hand (from the craps term).
Common Card
A card dealt face up to be used by all players at the showdown in the
games of stud poker whenever there are insufficient cards left in the
deck to deal each player a card individually.
Community Cards
The cards dealt face up in the center of the table that can be used by
all players to form their best hand in the games of Hold'em and Omaha.
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, JT, 76.
Counterfeit
To make your hand less valuable because of board cards that duplicate
it. Example: you have 89 and the flop comes T-J-Q, so you have a
straight. Now an 9 comes on the turn. This has counterfeited your hand
making it almost worthless.
Crack
To beat a hand hand. You hear this most often applied
to pocket aces: "Second 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
To divide the deck into two sections in such a manner as to change the
order of the cards.
Cut-Card
A thin card shaped piece of plastic used to indicate where the cards
will be cut, it will remain at the bottom of the deck preventing anyone
from seeing the bottom card. Another term for the bottom card.
Cut-Off
The position (or player) who acts one before the button.
Dead Card
A card that is not legally playable.
Dead Hand
A hand that is not legally playable.
Dead Man's Hand
Aces and Eights. Hand said to be Wild Bill Hickok's last hand.
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.
Deal
To give each player cards, or put cards on the board. As used in these
rules, each deal refers to the entire process from the shuffling and
dealing of cards until the pot is awarded to the winner.
Deal Off
To participate in all the blinds and the button
positions before changing seats or leaving the table.
Dealer Button
A marker usually a flat disk that indicates the player who would be in the dealing
position for that hand (if there were not a house dealer). Normally just
called “the button.” This determines where the game begins. The two players to the left of
the dealer button post the blinds. After each hand, the button rotates
clockwise
Deck
A set of playing-cards. In these games, the deck
consists of either 52 cards in seven-card stud, Hold'em, and Omaha.
Or 53 cards
(including the joker), often used in ace-to-five lowball and draw high.
Discard(s)
In a draw game, to throw cards out of your hand to make room for
replacements, or the card(s) thrown away; the muck.
Dog
Short for "underdog."
Dominated
A hand that has very few outs which makes improving
it unlikely.
Dominated Hand
A hand that will almost always lose to a better hand that people usually
play. For instance, A3 is "dominated" by AQ. With the exception of
strange flops (e.g., 3-3-X, K-3-X), it will always lose to AQ.
Down Cards
Cards that are dealt facedown in a stud game.
DRAW
1. A form of poker where players are given the opportunity to replace
cards in the hand. 2. The
act of replacing cards in the hand. 3. The point in the deal where
replacing is done is called “the draw.” 4. 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."
Drawing 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 not to
mention expensive condition to be
in.
Draw to a Hand
Starting with cards that are 1 or 2 cards away from a hand and with the
cards coming up making that hand.
Early Position
A position in which you must act before most of the players during a
round.
Equity
Your "rightful" share of a pot. If the pot contains $100, and you have a
50% chance of winning it, you have $50 equity in the pot. This term is
somewhat misleading since you will either win $100 or $0, but it gives you
an idea of how much you can "expect" to win.
Expectation
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 $827.
Then your expectation is $8.27/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."
Face Card
A king, queen, or jack.
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."
Fifth Street
Also known as the River, the fifth community card.
Fish
A poor player who gives his money away. It's a well-known (though
not well-followed) rule among good players to not upset the bad players,
because they'll stop having fun and leave. Thus the phrase,
"Don't tap on the aquarium."
Fixed Limit
In limit poker, any betting structure in which the amount of the bet on
each particular round is pre-set.
Flashed Card
A card that is partially exposed. Never a
good idea to flash your cards on accident and it usually frowned upon to
flash them on purpose.
Floor Person
A casino employee who seats players and makes decisions.
Flop
In Hold'em or Omaha, the three community cards that are turned
simultaneously after the first round of betting is complete.
Flush
Poker hand where all five of the cards are the same suit.
Flush Draw
Poker hand where 4 cards are of the same suit and one more of that suit
is needed to obtain a Flush.
Fold
When you lay down your cards and withdraw from the hand To throw a
hand away and relinquish all interest in a pot.
Fold Equity
The extra value you get from a hand when you force an opponent to fold.
This because your hand has more value
if you don't have to showdown than if you do.
Forced Bet
A required wager to start the action on the first betting round (the
normal way action begins in a stud game). Antes and blinds are
forced bets.
Foul
A hand that may not 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."
Fouled Hand
A dead hand.
Four Of a Kind
Four of the same ranked cards, for example 4 Jacks.
Forth Street
The second upward in seven-card stud or the first board card after the
flop in Hold'em (also called the turn card).
Free Card
The turn or river card in 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 Tournament
Tournament with free entry for prizes.
Free Roll
A chance to win something at no risk or cost.
Full Boat
Another name for Full House, a set and a pair.
AAAKK is a full boat.
Full Buy
A buy-in of at least the minimum requirement of chips needed for a
particular game.
Full House
A hand consisting of three of a kind and a pair
also known as a full boat.
Gap Hand
A starting hand with cards more than one rank apart. For instance, T is
a one-gap hand. 86 is a two-gap hand.
Gut shot Straight
A straight filled "inside." If you have 9h-8s, the flop comes 7c-5h-2d,
and the turn is the 6d, you've made your gut shot straight.
Hand
1. All of a player’s personal cards.
2. The five cards determining the poker ranking. 3. A
single poker deal.
Heads Up
When only 2 players are left in the game or A pot
that is being contested by only two players. Example: "It was heads-up
by the turn."
High Card
The highest card in the hand.
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.
Hole Cards
The two cards that each player is dealt that are
not shown to the rest of the players
House
The establishment running the game. Example: "The
$2 you put on the button goes to the house."
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. For
instance, you might call with a flush draw on the turn even though the
pot isn't offering you quite 4:1 odds (your chance of making the flush)
because you're sure you can win a bet from your opponent on the river if
you make your flush.
In Position
Playing after another person.
Insurance
A side agreement when someone is all-in for a player in a pot to put up
money that guarantees a payoff of a set amount in case the opponent wins
the pot.
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. 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.
Joker
The joker is a “partially wild card” in high draw poker and ace-to-five
lowball. In high, it is used for aces, straights, and flushes. In
lowball, the joker is the lowest unmatched rank in a hand.
Kansas City Lowball
A form of draw poker low also known as deuce-to-seven, in which the best
hand is 7-5-4-3-2 and straights and flushes count against you.
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.
Kill (or Kill Blind)
An oversize blind, usually twice the size of the big blind and doubling
the limit. Sometimes a “half-kill” increasing the blind and limits by
fifty percent is used. A kill can be either voluntary or mandatory. The
most common requirements of a mandatory kill are for winning two pots in
a row at lowball and other games, or for scooping a pot in high-low
split.
Kill Button
A button used in a lowball game to indicate a player who has won two
pots in a row and is required to kill the pot.
Kill Pot
A pot with a forced kill by the winner of the two previous pots, or the
winner of an entire pot of sufficient size in a high-low split game.
(Some pots can be voluntarily killed.)
Late Position
A position in which you act after most of the other players during a
round.
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."
Limit Game
A version of Texas Hold'em in which a player must bet/raise by the
current blind amount.
Limp In
To call rather than raise pre-flop.
List
The ordered roster of players waiting for a game.
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.
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
Cards that are not matched up with an opponent, so matching either card
improves your hand.
Lock Up
A chip marker that holds a seat for a player.
Loose
Playing more hands than normal.
Loose Game
A game with a lot of players in most hands.
Low Limit Game
A small stakes game.
Lowball
A draw game where the lowest hand wins.
Low Card
The lowest upward card in seven-card stud and is required to bet.
Made Hand
A hand to which you're drawing or one good enough that it doesn't need
to improve.
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.
Micro-Limit
Games so small that they couldn't be profitably dealt in a real card
room. They exist only at online poker sites. Games
games $.25-.50 and smaller are "micro-limit."
Middle Pair
Pairing the second highest card on the board.
Middle Position
A position in which you act somewhere between most of the other players
during a round.
Miscall
An incorrect verbal declaration of the ranking of a hand.
Misdeal
A mistake on the dealing of a hand which causes the cards to be
reshuffled and a new hand to be dealt.
Missed Blind
A required bet that is not posted when it is your turn to do so.
Muck
1. The pile of discards gathered facedown in the center of the table
by the dealer. 2. To discard a hand.
Must-Move
In order to protect the main game, a situation where the players of a
second game must move into the first game as openings occur.
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. When a player has the nuts, no one can beat
their hand.
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.
Open Ended Straight Draw
Hand with 4 cards in a row and a possible card on either side of the
straight.
Opener
The player who made the first voluntary bet.
Option
The choice to raise a bet given to a player with a blind.
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: "Sam outran my straight when
his flush card hit on the
river."
Over Card
A card that is higher than any card on the board.
Over Pair
A pair that is higher than any community card rank.
Over the Top
To bet over another bet, also known as a reraise.
Overcall
To call a bet after one or more others players have already called.
Over card
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 over
cards.
Over pair
Two hole cards paired and higher than any card on the board.
Pair
Two cards of the same rank, for example two Jacks.
Pass
Decline to call a wager, at
which point you must discard your hand and have no further interest in
the pot.
Passive
Checking and calling hands rather betting and raising hands.
Pat
Not drawing any cards in a draw game or 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. I suggest going all in or making a very
large bet because a less astute player may fold letting you split the
pot between fewer players.
Pocket
Your unique cards that only you can see. For instance, "He had pocket
sevens" (a pair of sevens), or "I had ace-king in the pocket."
Pocket Cards
The card in the players hand.
Pocket Pair
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?"
Postion
1. The relation of a player’s seat to the blinds or the button.
2.
The order of acting on a betting round or deal.
Post
When a player puts in money for the forced blind. The small blind is put
in by the first position and the big blind is put in by the second
position. The only time this changes is when there are 2 players left,
at this point the dealer is the small blind. To put in a blind bet,
generally required when you first sit down in a card room 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
Money that is in the current hand that the players are playing for.
Pot Committed
A point when the player has so much money into the pot, they will
continue to stay in no matter what.
Pot Limit
Texas Hold'em where a player may bet up to the amount of money in the pot.
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.
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.
PPT
Professional Poker Tour
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 gut shot straight
draw."
Proposition Bets
Side bets between players that are not related to the outcome of the
hand.
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."
Protect Your Money
To bet so that weaker hands fold, this will keep the number of players
against you down and stop weaker hands from getting lucky.
Push
A tie in the game.
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."
Quads
Four of a kind.
Queens Over Nines
This indicates a full house. In this case, it
would be three queens, and two nines.
Rack
1. A container in which chips are stored
while being transported. 2.
A tray in front of the dealer, used to hold chips and cards.
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.
Rags
Cards generally not worth playing. IE 2,7 in Texas Hold'em.
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.
Raise
To increase the amount of a previous wager. This increase must meet
certain specifications, depending on the game, to reopen the betting and
count toward a limit on the number of raises allowed.
Rake
An amount of money taken out of every pot by the dealer.
If the rake was 5% and the pot was $100, then the casino would take $5
from the pot. This folks is how card rooms make their money.
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 your money.
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.
Reraise
To raise someone else's raise.
Ring Game
A regular poker 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, 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.
Rounder
A skilled poker player.
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."
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 Th-8s
and the flop comes Qd-Jd-9s, you have a nice straight and probably the
best hand. However, a turn card of Td would be a scare card because it
is very likely that someone has just made a flush.
Scoop
To win both the high and the low portions of a pot in a split-pot game.
Scramble
A facedown mixing of the cards.
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 when they would not have called a maximum bet.
Semi-bluff
Like a bluff 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.
Setup
Two suited decks, each with different colored backs, to replace the
current decks in a game.
Short Stacked
When a player has very little money compared to other players.
Showdown
The final act of determining the winner of the pot after all betting
has been completed. 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.
Shuffle
The act of mixing the cards before a hand.
Side Pot
A pot created in which a player has no interest because he has run out
of chips. Example: Tom bets $6, Heather calls the $6, and Kory calls, but he
has only $2 left. An $8 side pot is created that either Tom or Heather can
win, but not Carl. Kory, however, can still win all the money in the
original or "center" pot.
Slow Play
To play a strong hand weakly so more players will stay in the pot. This
falls into the useful but often overused category of online poker
strategey.
Small Blind
The smaller of two blinds, which is put in by the player left of the
dealer.
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 most tournaments and can result in penalties, up to and
including forfeiture of winnings.
Splash the Pot
To toss chips into the pot instead of keeping the chips in front of you.
Don't do it this makes it hard to keep track of bets.
Split Pot
A pot that is shared by two or more players because they have equivalent
hands.
Splitting Blinds
When no one else has entered the pot, an agreement between the big
blind and small blind to each take back their blind bets instead of
playing the deal (chopping).
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.
Stack
The amount of chips a player has in front of him/her.
Steal
To bet or raise causing an opponent to fold when you may not hold the
best hand.
Stop-and-Go
A play where you call (rather than re-raising) a raise, but then come
out betting on the next card.
Straddle
An optional extra blind bet which is made by the player one to the left of the big blind which is twice the big blind. It is basically like having 3 blinds.
Straight
A hand with 5 cards in sequence.
Straight Draw
A hand with 4 cards in sequence, with at least 1 card left to be
flipped.
Straight Flush
A hand with 5 cards in sequence all of the same suit.
Street
Cards dealt on a particular round in stud games. For instance, the
fourth card in a player’s hand is often known as fourth street, the
sixth card as sixth street, and so on.
String Bet /raise
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.
Stub
The portion of the deck which has not been dealt.
Suited
Cards are of the same suit.
Suited Connector
Cards that are the same suit and are off by one in rank.
Supervisor
A card room employee qualified to make rulings, such as a floor person,
shift supervisor, or the card room manager.
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 and online 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.
Thin
As in "drawing thin." To be drawing to a very few outs, perhaps only one
or two.
Three of a Kind
Three cards of the same rank. The same as
trips or a set.
Tight
Playing fewer hands than normal. Tight game - A game with less players
than normal in fewer hands.
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.
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 card room. This is
another way for the house to make its money (see "rake").
Time Collection
A fee for a seat rental, paid in advance.
To Go
The amount a player must call if he wishes to continue playing. Example:
"The big blind was $20. Lindsey raised $40 more, making it $60 to go."
Toke
A small amount of money (typically $.50 or $1.00) given to the dealer by
the winner of a pot. Quite often, tokes represent the great majority of
a dealer's income.
Top and Bottom
Two pair, with your two hole cards pairing the highest and lowest cards
on the board.
Top Kicker
After matched hands, the top high card. For example if both players have
a set of Jacks, the player with the next highest card has the top
kicker.
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. See "second 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.
Tournament
A poker competition, normally with an entry fee and prizes.
Trips
Three of a kind, also known as a set.
Turn
The fourth card dealt on the board during community card games. Also
known as "fourth street."
Turn card
The fourth street card in Hold'em or Omaha.
Two Pair
A hand that contains 2 pairs.
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."
Up Cards
Cards that are dealt face up for opponents to see in stud games.
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.
Wager
1. To bet or raise. 2. The chips used for betting or raising.
Weak
One who folds too many hands.
Wheel
A straight from ace through five.
WPT
World Poker Tour
WSOP
World Series of Poker