| A |
|
| Aces Full |
A Full House with three aces and any pair . |
| Ace High |
A five card hand in which the A is the highest card without a straight, flush or pair. |
| Aces Up |
A hand that contains 2 pairs of which one is A's |
| Action |
Checking/Betting/Raising. |
| Action Game |
A game in which there are a lot of players betting. |
| Active Player |
Any player who is still in the hand. |
| Add-on |
An optional purchase of more chips at the end of the re-buy period in a tournament. |
| Advertise |
To bluff with the intention of being caught by other players in
order to get them to call a future bet that's not a bluff |
| Aggressive |
A play style or player who bets/raises often. |
| Ahead |
A player is said to be "ahead" when their hand is winning before showdown. |
| All-In |
When a player bets all their chips. |
| American Airlines |
Two Aces. |
| Ante |
Money placed in the pot before the hand is begun. |
| B |
|
| Back Door Draw |
Needing both the Turn and River cards to make a hand |
| Bad Beat |
When a hand is beaten by a lucky draw. The beaten hand is usually a high ranking one. |
| Bad Beat Jackpot |
The bonus amount the cardroom offers to the players involved when a "bad beat" occurs. |
| Bankroll |
The entire amount a player has. |
| Belly Buster |
A draw for an inside straight. |
| Behind |
A player is said to be behind when their hand is not the highest before showdown. |
| Bet |
To place chips into the pot. |
| Bet the Pot |
When a player bets the amount of the pot. |
| Bicycle |
A straight that is Ace to 5 (A, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5) |
| Big Blind |
A designated amount that is placed by the player sitting in the second position clockwise from the button. |
| Big Full |
The highest possible full house |
| Big Slick |
Pocket Ace and King. |
| Blank |
A card that is not of any value to a player's hand |
| Blind |
The bet(s) that must be made by the 2 players sitting directly to the dealers left (clockwise), posted before any cards are dealt |
| Blind Raise |
When a player raises without looking at his/her hand. |
| Blind Stealing |
To raise from the button or one off the button with
any 2 cards in hopes to win the blinds uncontested. |
| Blocking Bet |
A bet on the river card to induce a call instead of checking and getting raised. |
| Bluff |
To make others believe that one has a better hand than they actually do. Usually by betting or raising. |
| Bullying |
When a large chip stack bets big to intimidate a smaller chip stack. |
| Bust |
To lose all your chips/money. |
| Board Cards |
The cards that are dealt face up. |
| Bonus Whoring |
To take advantage of sites with relatively easy deposit bonus fullfilment to build up a bankroll, then withdrawing the initial deposit amount and depositing into another site. |
| Bottom Pair |
When a player uses the lowes card on the flop to make a pair with one of their own cards. |
| Broadway |
A straigt that is 10 to Ace (T, J, Q, K, A). |
| Bring it in |
To start the betting on the first round |
| Bullets |
Pair of aces |
| Bullying |
Using a large chip stack to make a smaller chip stack fold. |
| Bump |
To raise |
| Button |
A disk that is moved clockwise from player to player to indicate the dealer of each hand. |
| Buy-in |
The minimum amount of money required for a player to join in on a particular poker game. |
| C |
|
| Call |
When a player chooses to match the previous bet. |
| Call Cold |
To call both a bet and raise(s). |
| Calling Station |
A player who's next to impossible to bluff and who'll call almost
any bet made |
| Cap |
To make the last of the maximum amount of raises allowed per round of betting. |
| Cardroom |
The room where poker is played |
| Case Chips |
A player's last chips. |
| Cash Out |
To leave a game and convert your chips to cash. |
| Catch |
When a player who is "behind" gets a card that makes the winning hand at showdown. |
| Catch up |
To improve a hand so that it will be approximately equal to an
opponent's |
| Change Gears |
To adjust your play from loose to tight or vice versa |
| Chase |
Trying to beat a hand that is superior in value |
| Check |
When a player chooses not to bet when it's his turn and there have not been any previous betting. |
| Check Blind |
To check a hnad without looking at it |
| Check it Down |
When 2 or more players decide independently to check all the way to showdown in order to have a greater chance to bust out an all in player |
| Check-Raise |
When a player first checks then raises in a round of betting. |
| Chop |
To return the blinds to the players' who paid them and move on to the next hand if no other players call. Also means to split the pot. |
| Cold Call |
When a player with no money invested in a pot besides the ante,
calls a raise and a re-raise |
| Collusion |
When two or more people conspire to cheat in a game. |
| Community Cards |
Cards that are face up and used by all players. |
| Courtesy Bet |
A bet, usually a bluff, made when it is fairly certain that an
opponent will call or raise |
| Cowboys |
Pair kings |
| D |
|
| Dead Hand |
A misdealt hand that is not valid |
| Dead in the Pot |
When there is no way for you to win, you're said to be dead in the
pot. |
| Dead Man's Hand |
Two Pair - Aces and 8's. Wild Bill Hickock was shot in the back while playing this hand. |
| Dog |
Short for underdog. The opposite of favorite |
| Donkey |
A bad Player - see "fish". Also
called 'Donk'. |
| Double Belly Buster |
A two way inside straight |
| Down Cards |
The 2 cards that are dealt to you face down. Also called Hole Cards or Pockets. |
| Doyle Brunson Hand |
Hole cards are Ten and 2. Doyle Brunson won the world championship
twice with this final hand. |
| Drawing Dead |
Catching an out will not win you the pot. For example, chasing a straight draw when there is a flush draw on the board. |
| Draw Out |
To improve and beat an opponent who had a better hand prior to the
draw out. Also called suck out. |
| Drop |
Fold or Muck. |
| Double Up |
To double your chip stack in one hand. |
| Ducks |
A pair of 2's. Also called Deuces. |
| E |
|
| Early Position |
A position where the player must act before most of the other players. Usually referring to the two positions left of the blinds. |
| Extra Bet |
In limit hold'em, the art of extracting more money from an
opponent by check-raising him |
| F |
|
| Face Cards |
The cards with a "face" J's, Q's and K's. Also called "Paints" or "Picture" cards. |
| Favorite |
The player with the highest probability of winning the hand |
| Fifth Street |
The fifth community card that is dealt (face up). Usually called the "river" card. |
| Fill |
To draw a card that completes or improves a hand |
| Fish |
A player who is not so knowledgeable and loose. |
| Fishing Bet |
A bet made to determine an opponents hand strength, and to draw more money into the pot |
| Fixed Limit |
Games with this designation have pre-determined
betting limits on any betting round when it's their turn to act. |
| Flat Call |
Calling a bet without raising. |
| Flop |
The first three community cards that are dealt (face up). |
| 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 of the same suit and is hoping to get the fifth to make a flush. |
| Fold |
To throw away your hand when it's your turn to act. Also called "drop" or "muck" |
| Forced Bet |
A required bet that starts the action. |
| Fourth Street |
The fourth community card dealt (face up). Usually called the "Turn" card. |
| Free Card |
A card that's received without any money having been put into the
pot because all players checked |
| Free Roll |
An entrance fee free tournament in which prize money is awarded. |
| Freeze-out |
A game that's played down to one winner and no player can add more
money to the original buy in |
| Full House |
Any three cards of the same number, plus a pair of any kind |
| G |
|
| Gap Concept |
Needing a better starting hand to call a raise/reraise than to make a raise. |
| Grinder |
A semi-professional player who makes a living playing poker |
| Gut Shot |
To draw to and/or hit an inside straight where the missing card is one in between the first and fifth card of the straight. |
| H |
|
| Hand |
A player's best five cards. |
| Hand Cracked |
When a big hand is beaten by an opponent who started with an
inferior hand |
| High Card |
Each player is dealt 1 card at the start of a tournament or session to see who becomes the first dealer. Card rank is based on the face value and suit (Spades, Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs). |
| Heads Up |
To play against only one other player. |
| Hole Cards |
The two cards that are dealt to a player face down. Also called "Down" cards or "Pocket" cards. |
| House |
The casino or cardroom that is hosting the poker game. |
| I |
|
| Ignorant End (straight) |
The lowest possible straight |
| Implied Pot Odds |
Taking into account the pot odds of how much more
money that may be in the pot on later streets. |
| Inside Straight |
Four cards which require another card between the top and the bottom card to complete a straight. |
| Isolation Raise |
A raise that forces out the rest of the table in hopes
to end up in a heads up situation. |
| J |
|
| Jackpot Poker |
A form of poker in which the card room offers a jackpot to the player who has lost with a really big hand. Usually Aces full house or better (depends on the card room). |
| Jam |
A pot in which several players are raising and reraising |
| K |
|
| Keep Them Honest |
To call at the end of a hand to prevent someone from bluffing. |
| Key Card |
A card that gives you a big draw or makes your hand. |
| Key Hand |
In a session or tournament, the one hand that ends up being a turning point for the player. |
| Kicker |
The highest unpaired side card in a players' hand. |
| Kick It |
Raise |
| Knock |
Check |
| Kojack |
Name for pocket K-J. |
| L |
|
| Ladies |
Two Q's |
| Late position |
The positions on a round of betting where the players are last to act. Usually refers to the two positions just before the button. |
| Lay Down |
To fold your hand. |
| Lead |
The first player to bet into a pot. |
| Leak |
When something is wrong with someone's playing technique or
strategy |
| Limit Poker |
A game that has a fixed minimum and maximum betting amounts and with a set number of raises. |
| Limper |
The first player who calls a bet. |
| Limp In |
To enter the pot by calling rather than raising |
| Live Hand |
A hand that could still win the pot. |
| Live One |
A not so knowledgeable player who plays a lot of hands. Also called "Fish".
Or a rich sucker. |
| Look |
When a player calls the final bet before showdown. |
| Loose |
Is a player who plays a lot of hands. |
| Luring |
To play your hand softly in order to get more bets into the pot. Sometimes referred to as "sand bagging". |
| M |
|
| Main Pot |
The center pot. Any other bets are placed in a side pot(s) and are contested among the remaining players. This occurs when a player(s) has gone all in. |
| Make |
To make the deck is to shuffle the deck. |
| Maniac |
A very aggressive player who plays a lot of hands, bets/raises frequently and bluffs often. |
| Maverick |
Pocket Q, J |
| Mechanic |
Nickname for a player who cheats by manipulating the deck of cards to their advantage. |
| Middle Pair |
When a player makes a pair with one of his pocket cards with the middle one on the flop. |
| Middle Position |
The positions between the early and late positions. |
| Muck |
To discard your hand. Also the pile of cards that are no longer in play. |
| Minimum Buy-In |
The least amount you can join the game with. |
| Monster |
A very big hand. In tournaments, a player who accumulates a large stack after having only a small stack is considered to be a monster. |
| Move-in |
To bet all one's chips on a single play in a no limit game |
| N |
|
| No Limit |
A game where players can bet as much as they have in front of them in any betting round when it's their turn to act.
Bets must be at least the pre-determined minimum bet. |
| Nuts |
The best possible hand at any given point in a game. A hand that cannot be beat. |
| O |
|
| Odds |
The probability of making a hand vs. the probability of not making a hand. |
| Offsuit |
Cards of different suits. |
| On the Bubble |
When there is only 10 prize positions in a tournament, the current 11th spot holder is said to be "on the bubble". |
| Open |
To make the first bet. |
| Open-ended Straight |
Four consecutive cards where one 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. |
| Out |
Is a card that can help you make a winning hand. For example, a gut shot straigt draw will have 4 outs total. |
| Out Button |
A disc placed in front of a player who wishes to sit out a hand(s) but remain in the game. |
| Over Bet |
To make a bet that is out of proportion (bigger) than the size of
a pot in a no limit game |
| Over Call |
To call a bet (usually a big one) after another player(s) have
already called |
| Over Card |
A down card in a player's hand that's higher than any other card
showing |
| Over Pair |
A pair in the pocket that's higher than any card showing |
| P |
|
| Paints |
Refers to "Face" cards. |
| Pair |
Two cards of the same face value or number value. |
| Pass |
To fold. |
| Passive |
A play style or player who does not bet or raise often. |
| Pat Hand |
A made hand, one that's complete and does not need to improve |
| Pay Off |
To call on the final round of betting when you may or may not think you have the best hand. |
| Picked off |
To get called when bluffing |
| Pick Up |
To win a relatively small pot without a contest |
| Picture Cards |
Face cards. |
| Play Back |
To raise or re-raise another player's bet. |
| Playing the Board |
When a players' best five cards are all five community cards they are said to be playing the board. |
| Pocket Cards |
The two cards dealt to a player face down. Also called "Down" cards or "Hole" cards. |
| Pocket Rockets |
When the Pocket cards are both Aces. |
| Pot Committed |
When a player has put in too many chips and "forced" to continue (calling a small raise/bet) even when they think they are beaten. |
| Position |
Where a player is seated in relation to the button that establishes their betting order. |
| Post |
When you place your bet into the pot. |
| Post Oak Bluff |
A small bet in a large pot in the hopes that opponents will give
up the pot |
| Pot |
The chips/money in the center of the table that the players are trying to win. |
| Pot Limit |
The game where the maximum bet a player can make can only be as much as the amount in the
pot on any betting round when it's their turn to act but must be
equal or larger than the pre-determined minimum bet. |
| Pot Odds |
The ratio of between a bet and how much is in the pot. |
| Premium Hands |
The top starting hands in a game |
| Prop |
A person hired by the card room to work as a shill |
| Push |
When the dealer pushes the chips to the winning player at the end of a hand. |
| Put a Play On |
To attempt to outmaneuver an opponent by unconventional betting |
| Put Down |
To fold a hand. |
| Q |
|
| Quads |
Four of a kind. |
| Qualifier |
A tournament where the prize is entry to a bigger tournament. Also called a "Satellite". |
| R |
|
| Rack |
A tray that holds 100 chips in five stacks of twenty. |
| Rag |
A low valued card that appears to help no one, also called a blank |
| Rail |
The rim of a poker table or a barrier outside a poker area. |
| Railbird |
Someone who hangs around a poker room who watches the games and/or is looking to get into the action. |
| Raise |
To increase the previous bet. |
| Rake |
Chips taken from the pot by the cardroom for compensation for hosting the game. |
| Rake Back |
A percentage of the rake given back to a player by the cardroom as a bonus. |
| Rank |
The value of each card and hand. |
| Rap |
When a player knocks the table indicating he/she has checked. |
| Rat Hole |
To put chips (money) in your pocket during a game |
| Read |
To make an educated guess on what an opponent holds in his hand |
| Re-buy |
The amount of money a player pays to add a fixed number of chips to their stack in a tournament. |
| Releasing a Hand |
To fold/muck a hand when you think it is beat |
| Represent |
To make it appear that you have a hand that you don't |
| Re-raise |
To raise a raise. |
| Ring Game |
A game which is not a tournament. in which all the seats are full
as opposed to a short handed game |
| River |
The last community card. |
| Rock |
A nickname for a player who mainly only breaks even because they fold a lot of hands and don't bet the good hands aggressively enought to maximize their winnings. Can be bullied out of pots. |
| Round of Betting |
The time when players get to bet. Each round ends when the last bet or raise has been called. |
| Rounders |
A professional poker or semi professional player who makes their living playing poker. |
| Route 66 |
Pocket 6,6 |
| Royal Flush |
An Ace high straight of the same suit. The best possible hand. |
| Runner Runner |
When a player hits both the turn and river card to make the highest hand |
| S |
|
| Sand Bagging |
To play your hand softly in order to get more bets into the pot. Sometimes referred to as "luring". |
| Sandwich |
2 players having another opponent stuck in the middle of their
betting |
| Satellite |
A tournament to gain entry into a larger tournament. Also called "Qualifiers" |
| Scoop |
To win the entire pot. |
| Seating List |
A waiting list for a full table. |
| Second Pair |
When the second highest pair is made with one of the hole cards and one of the community cards. |
| See |
Call. |
| Set |
Three of a kind |
| Semi bluffing |
Bluffing with a a hand that has possibilities of improving |
| Shills |
Paid people who help start and maintain poker games in a card room. |
| Short Call |
To call a bet with an insufficient amount of money when that's all
that's left of that players money |
| Showdown |
Occurs at the end of the final betting round when all active players reveal their cards to see who has won the pot. |
| Short Handed |
A game with less than 6 players |
| Short Stack |
A player who has the least amount of chips at the
table |
| Shut Out |
In no limit, to force an opponent out with a bet bigger than he is
willing to call |
| Side Pot |
A separate pot which is contested by remaining active players when one or more players are all-in. |
| Sit n Go |
A tournament played on a single table with 10 or less
entrants. |
| Slow Play |
To play a strong hand weakly letting opponents take the lead |
| Solid |
A fairly tight and reasonably good player. |
| Small Blind |
The amount put in the pot by the person immediately to the left of the button. |
| Smooth Call |
When a player slow plays a hand or makes a difficult call usually
anticipating a raise by a player behind him |
| SNG |
Abbr. for Sit N' Go style tournament. See 'Sit N'
Go' |
| Speed Limit |
A pair of 5's. |
| Split |
Tie |
| Stack |
A pile of chips. |
| Stay |
When a player remains in the game by calling rather than raising. |
| Steal |
To win a pot on a bluff |
| Steel Wheel |
A 5 high straight of the same suit. |
| Straddle |
A third "forced bet" agreed upon by the
players |
| Stragglers |
Players who limp in from early positions |
| Straight |
Five consecutive cards of any suit. |
| Straight Flush |
Five consecutive cards of the same suit. |
| String Bet |
An illegal bet made when a player pushes an amount to
the pot then reaches for more chips |
| Structure |
The limits put on the blinds, ante, bets and raises for a game. |
| Stuck |
A player who is losing in a game. |
| Suck Out |
Needing the board to make a stronger hand in order for you to win. |
| Suit |
Refers to the orientation of a card's number value. There are four different suits which are Spade, Heart, Diamond and Clubs. |
| Suited |
Cards of the same suit |
| T |
|
| Tells |
An action, usually physically, and unknowingly, that a players exhibits that "gives away" the strength of their hand |
| Thirty Miles |
Three tens. |
| Three of a Kind |
Three cards of the same value. Also called "trips" or a
set.. |
| Tight |
A player who doesn't play many pots. A tight game is one that doesn't have much action. |
| Tilt |
When a player gets worked up and starts to play poorly. They are said to be "on tilt" |
| TOC |
Tournament of Champions. |
| Toke |
A gratuity |
| Trap |
Catching your opponent playing with a mediocre hand when you have a better hand thus getting them to bet into you. |
| Treys |
A pair of 3's. |
| Trips |
Three of a kind. |
| Turn |
This is the fourth card dealt. Starts the third round of betting. |
| Two Pair |
A hand consisting of two different pairs. |
| U |
|
| Up Card |
A card that is dealt face up. |
| Under Full |
A full house less than the highest possible full house |
| Under the Gun |
The first position to bet is said to be "under the gun." |
| V |
|
| W |
|
| Walk |
Letting the blind win unchallenged |
| Walking Sticks |
A pair of sevens. |
| Wheel |
The lowest possible straight. Ace to 5 |
| Whipsaw |
The caller between 2 players who are both raising |
| Wired Pair |
A pair on the first two cards |
| WoolWorth |
Pocket 5, Ten |
| Worst Hand |
A losing hand. |
| WPT |
World Poker Tour |
| WSOP |
World Series of Poker |
| Z |
|
| Z-Game |
The lowest stakes game/table in the house |
| Zombie |
A player with an excellent poker face; expressionless; no no tells. |
