Glossary
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A
Aces FullA full house with three aces and any pair. Ace-High A five card hand that contains one Ace, with no straight or flush. Aces Up A hand that contains two pairs, one of which is Aces. 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 pot. All-In When a player bets all his/her chips.: In online poker, you may be deemed all-in when you are disconnected (even if you have chips remaining). American Airlines Two Aces. Ante Money placed in the pot before the hand is begun. B
Backdoor Catching both the turn and river card to make a drawing hand. Bad Beat When a hand is beaten by a lucky draw. Belly Buster A draw and/or catch to an Inside Straight. Bet To place chips into the pot. Bicycle 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. Big Slick A hand that contains an A-K. Blank A board card that doesn't seem to affect the standings in the hand. 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. 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 raising when 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 centre of the table. In Seven Card Stud, four cards are dealt face-up in front of each player. Bot Short for "robot". In a poker context, a program that plays poker online with no (or minimal) human intervention. 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. 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 A pair of Aces. Bump To raise. Burn In physical poker rooms, the top card of the deck is discarded prior to each round of dealing. The intent is to minimize the risk of cheating by knowing the next card. 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. C
CallWhen a player chooses to match the previous bet. Call Cold To call both a bet and raise. Calling Station A weak-passive player who calls a lot, but doesn't raise or fold much. Cap To take the last of the maximum amount of raises allowed per round of betting. Case Card The last card of a certain rank in the deck. 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 they opt not to bet, they "check". 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". Collusion When two or more players conspire to cheat in a poker game. Come Hand A drawing hand (from the craps term). Connector A hold'em starting hand in which the two cards are one apart in rank. Community Cards that are face-up and used by all players. Counterfeit To make your hand less valuable because of board cards that duplicate it. Cowboys Two Kings. Crack To beat a hand, typically a big hand. D
Dead BlindIn a situation where you have missed your blinds and wish to re-enter the game before your turn to post the big blind. You must post both blinds and the small blind is termed a dead blind, meaning it does not count towards calling a bet. Dead Man's Hand Two pair - Aces and Eights 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. Deuces A pair of Twos. 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. Drop Fold. Ducks A pair of Twos. Draw To play a hand that is not yet good, but could become so if the right cards come. Draw Dead Trying to make a hand that, even if made, will not win the pot. E
Early PositionPosition on a round of betting where the player must act before most of the other players at the table. 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. 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. 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. Fish A poor player, one who gives his money away. 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 centre 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 centre 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 Roll One player has a shot at winning an entire pot when he is currently tied with another player. Full House Any three cards of the same number or face value, plus any other two cards of the same number or face value. G
Gap Hand A starting hand with cards more than one rank apart. Gut Shot To draw to and/or hit an inside straight. H
HandA player's best five cards. Heads-Up A pot that is being contested by only two players. High-Low Split pot games. Hit As in "the flop hit me," meaning the flop contains cards that help your hand. Hold 'em Also known as Texas Hold 'em, where the players get two down cards and five community cards. Hole Cards These are the Down Cards in front of the players. House The casino or cardroom that is hosting the poker game. I
Inside StraightFour cards which require another between the top and the bottom card to complete a straight. 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. J
Jackpot PokerA 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). Jam To move all-in in a no-limit (or pot-limit) game. K
Keep Them HonestTo 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. Knock Check. L
LadiesTwo 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. Leak A weakness in your game that causes you to win less money than you would otherwise. 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 Blind. 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. Loose When a player calls the final bet before the showdown. Lowball A player who plays a lot of hands. M
Made Hand A hand that doesn't need to improve. 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 player who does a lot of hyper-aggressive raising, betting, and bluffing. Meet To meet is to call. Muck To discard or throw away your hand. 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 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. Nuts The best possible hand at any point of the game. A hand that cannot be beat. O
OddsThe 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. 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 but remain in the game. Overcard A card higher than any card on the board. Overpair A pocket pair higher than any card on the flop. P
Pat A hand that you make on the flop. 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. The down cards or hole cards. 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. Pot The money or chips in the centre of a table that players try to win. 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 This is a game where the maximum bet can equal the pot. Pot Odds The amount of money in the pot compared to the amount you must put in the pot to continue playing. Price The pot odds you are getting for a draw or call. 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. Put On To mentally assign a hand to a player for the purposes of playing out your hand. Q
QuadsFour of a kind. Qualifier In High-Low games, it is a requirement the Low hand must meet to win the pot. R
RackA tray that holds 100 poker chips in five stacks of twenty chips each. Rainbow A flop that contains three different suits, thus no flush can be made on the turn. 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. 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 regular poker game as opposed to 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 player who plays very tight, not very creatively. 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 Poker plays who hustle for a living. 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. S
SatelliteIt is a mini-tournament to gain an entry into a larger tournament. Scare Card A card that may well turn the best hand into trash. 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. 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 Stack A number of chips that is not very many compared to the other players at the table. 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-Play To go easy on another player at the table (e.g., not betting or raising against him). 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. Splash the Pot To toss chips directly into the pot rather than put them in a stack in front of you. Split Tie. Stack A pile of chips. Stay When a player remains in the game by calling rather than raising. Straddle A straddle is a Blind bet which is usually double the size of the Big Blind (and that player may raise when the action gets to him). Straight Five consecutive cards of any suit. Straight Flush Five consecutive cards of the same suit. Stop-and-Go A play where you call (rather than re-raising) a raise, but then come out betting on the next card. 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. Structure The limits put on the blinds/ante, bets, and raises in any particular game. Stud Games Games in which players get down cards and up cards. Stuck A player who is losing in a game. Suited A hold'em starting hand in which the two cards are the same suit. T
Table Stakes A rule in a poker game meaning that a player may not go into his pocket for money during a hand. Tell A clue or hint that a player unknowingly gives about the strength of his hand, his next action, etc. Texas Hold'em This is also the name for Hold'em, the most popular form of poker. Third Street In Seven Card Stud and Seven Card Stud 8 or Better, this is the first betting round on the first three cards. Thirty Miles Three tens. Three of a Kind Three cards of the same number or face value. Also known as "Trips" Tight A player who doesn't play many pots. A tight game is one that doesn't have much action. Tilt To play wildly or recklessly. To Go The amount a player must call if he wishes to continue playing. Top Pair In flop games, when the player pairs one of his down cards with the highest card on board. Treys A pair of threes. Trips Three of a kind. Turn In flop games, this is the fourth card dealt. It is the third round of betting. Two Pair A hand consisting of two different pairs. U
Under the Gun The position of the player who acts first on a betting round. Up Card A card that is dealt face-up. Underdog A person or hand not mathematically favoured to win a pot. 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). Variance A measure of the up and down swings your bankroll goes through. W
Walking SticksA pair of sevens. Wheel A straight from ace through five. Wild Card A card that can be played as any value. Worst Hand A losing hand. |
