Poker Terms

By Wagercomms

The Terminology and Language of Poker

Whether playing poker in land based card rooms or online, understanding the language and poker terminology is key in making the right decision, and while the list can be made extensive we have listed the most common terms used in poker.

Alpha

Ace high

A no pair hand where highest card is an ace.  Also a term that often refers to a straight or flush topped by an ace.

Aces full

Hand with three aces and a pair of any other value cards.

Aces up

Two pairs, with one pair being aces.

Action

When it's your turn to act, place a bet, take action, the player holding the action, check, bet, call, fold or raise.

Active player

A player who is in the pot.

Aggressive

Players style, reference and character of player is much betting, raising, and re-raising. He or she plays aggressively.

All black

Having a spade or club flush.

All-in

A bet that places all of a player's chips into the pot.

All-in over the top

Raising with all of your chips after an opponent's bet.

Ante

A small bet all players are required to make before a hand is dealt.

Bravo

Back into a hand

To draw cards that make a hand that is different from the hand you were originally trying to make.

Back-door flush

When you have three cards that would support a flush, but you need the turn and river to make a flush.

Back-door straight

When you have three cards that would support a straight, but you need the turn and river to make a straight.

Backraise

A re-raise or a player making a small raise to prevent further or larger raises.

Bad beat

When a a strong hand is beaten by a long-shot or improbable hand.

Bait

Small bet made to encourage a raise, setting a player up in order to build the pot.

Baker

Second position to the left of the dealer, sometimes just referred to as B.

Bank

Cashier, sell and buy chips. 

Bankroll

Playing capital, the players total cash.

Battle of the blinds

When everyone folds to the players who have forced bets.

Beat

Losing the pot, I am beaten, I can't beat this game. Commonly defying the odds, a bad-beat.

Behind

With reference to a position at the table, If the deal is one position to your left, you are behind the deal. If a player is sitting to your left, he acts behind you.

Bet

Wager, the action required of a person whose turn it is to bet.

Bet for value

When you bet in order to increase the pot size, not to make your opponents fold.

Bet into

Make a bet before another player, often one who potentially has a better hand, making a bet towards a particular player or hand.

Bet the pot

To make a bet that is the size of the pot.

Blind

A mandatory bet placed by the two players to the left of the dealer button.

Big blind

An amount of chips that second player to the left of the dealer has to bet, twice the size of a small blind, actual value depending on table limits.

Big 'dog

An underdog. The person who has a very low chance of winning.

Big slick

Poker slang for A, K, i.e. a very strong starting hand.

Blank

A card that is not of value to the players hand.

Black chip

In most card rooms and casinos a $100 chip.

Black chip game

High stakes game using $100 chips.

Bluff

Betting on a weak hand with the aim of driving other players out, making other players think you have a strong hand..

Board

In Hold'em, the community cards, or sometimes just the flop. In seven card stud, the players up cards, as opposed to face down cards or hole cards.

Bring in

The amount required to open a pot. The player who opened the betting.

Burn card

Taking the top card out of play, usually by placing it face down among the discards, in versions of draw poker a card is usually burned before the draw cards are distributed, in stud and hold'em, a card is usually burned before each round of cards is dealt, i.e. the burn card.

Bust

A hand drawn to and missed, any worthless hand. Winning all of someone's chips, one bust another player. I have no more chips, I am bust. 

Button

Whitem round marker that indicates the dealer position in a game, the actual dealer position. Moves clockwise around the table for each hand.

Buy-In

The minimum amount of money required to join a game or tournament, i.e. the actual amount of money used to enter a game.

Charlie

Call

To put in to the pot the minimum amount of money necessary to continue playing.

Calling station

Referred to a weak player who rarely raises, but calls every bet, even with substandard hands.

Cap

The number of raises allowed in a game.

Capped

Describing the situation in which the maximum number of raises in a round of betting have been made

Change gears

To strategically alternate your play between conservative and aggressive.

Check

To pass on betting, not placing a bet, reserving the option to call or raise later in the betting round.

Check Raise

To check initially, then raise a bet made later on in the same betting round.

Cold Call

Calling a bet and raise at the same time instead of calling a bet first, then later 

calling a raise.

Community Cards

Cards that are dealt face up in the centre of the table, available for all players to use in making a hand.

Connectors

Consecutively ranked cards that can help a player make a straight.

Delta

Dealer

A person who shuffles a deck and deals cards to players.

Dead man's hand

A pair of aces and a pair of eights; Wild Bill Hickock was shot holding this hand.

Dead money

Money that was put into the pot by players who have since folded.

Dead hand

Also foul hand, irregular hand.

Defensive bet

Small bet (commonly made in no-limit poker) and placed to protect one's hand, generally to avoid calling a much larger bet, or to limit a potential loss.

Dealer button

The button which indicates the dealer. It is passed clockwise after every hand.

Double up

Betting all your chips and winning, ending up with twice as many chips.

Down cards

The players cards which are dealt face down.

Drawing dead

When you cannot win, no matter what cards come up.

Draw Out

To receive a card that transforms your hand from a losing hand to a winning hand.

Echo

Early position

A position in a round of betting where a player must act before the other players. This is a disadvantaged position.

Edge

The advantage a good player has in a poker game.

Exposed card

Any card(s) dealt face up.

Exposed pair

In stud games, any open or visible pair.

Eyes

In hold'em, a pair of aces, particularly when they constitute a player's down cards.

Foxtrot

Fifth street

The final round of betting and the fifth card on the table, the river.

First base

The first position to the left of the house dealer in a poker game.

Fish

A poor player who is losing all of his or her money, a sucker.

Five of a kind

The best hand in high draw poker played with a 53 deck of cards, four aces plus the joker.

Fixed limit

Poker in where all bets are made in specified increments, that is, the size of each betting increment does not increase on any round of betting.

Flat Call

To call a bet without raising.

Flop

The first three cards that are dealt on the board.

Flush

A poker hand consisting of five cards of the same suit.

Fold

To give up by placing your cards face down on the table, and losing whatever you have bet so far. You only "fold" when you think your hand is too weak to compete against the other players.

Four Flush

Four cards to a flush

Four of a Kind

A hand containing all four cards of the same rank.

Freeze out

A game or a tournament that is played until one player has all the chips.

Full House

A hand consisting of 3-of-a-kind and a (different) pair.

Golf

Get full value

To raise, bet or re-raise with the intention of getting the maximum pot odds if you win the hand.

Gut shot straight draw

Four cards of a straight with a card in the middle missing. If missing card come up, then you have made the gut shot straight draw.

Hotel

Hand

Five cards, which player collects from pocket cards and community cards.

Heads Up

Playing a single opponent, two players only going head to head.

Hold'em

Poker game in which players receive a certain number (2 to 4) of hole cards and 5 community cards. Normally, there are betting rounds after dealing the hole cards, then after dealing 3 up cards (Flop), after dealing a 4th up card (Turn) and finally after dealing a 5th up card (River).

Hole Cards

Face-down cards dealt to each player in stud and Hold'em games.

Juliet

Jammed pot

A pot that has been raised the maximum number of times.

Kilo

Key hand

In a tournament, this is a hand that proves to be a turning point, for better or for worse.

Kicker

The highest card in a players hand that is not being used in some other way, i.e. to create a three of a kind or pair etc.

Lima

Late position

A position in a round of betting where a player can act after most or all of the other players have acted. This is an advantaged position.

Lay down

Folding a strong hand in a critical situation.

Legitimate hand

A strong hand. A hand that is not a bluff.

Limp in

When a player enters the round by only calling, rather than raising, a bet. live 

hand

A hand that is eligible to win the pot.

Long odds

When there is a very low probability that something will happen.

Loose play

Playing many weak hands.

Mike

Main pot

When a player goes all-in, he or she is eligible to win the main pot. Any betting that is done after that is done in a side pot.

Monster

A hand that has a high probability of winning.

Muck

To discard a hand without showing, and also the pile of discarded hands.

November

No Limit Poker

Poker game where there is no maximum bet - players can wager any amount up to the amount of money on the table in front of him.

No limit hold'em table stakes

At any time, any player can bet any or all of his or her chips.

Nut flush

The best flush available within each hand.

Nut flush draw

When one card will give you the best possible flush.

Nuts

A hand that can't be beaten no matter what comes up.

Oscar

Odds

The probability of making versus not making a hand.

Omaha

Variety of Hold'em in which players receive 4 hole cards and must use exactly two of them (together with 3 of 5 board cards) to make a hand.

On a short stack

When a player has very few chips.

On the button

The best table position in hold'em, benefiting from acting last. The player who acts last in a round.

On tilt

Playing recklessly due to frustration.

Open card

A card that is dealt face-up.

Open end straight draw

Four consecutive cards, such as 8, 9, 10, J. In this example, any Queen or 7 would make a straight.

Open Handed

A category of games characterized by a part of each player's hand being exposed.

Open pair

Two cards of the same value that are dealt face-up.

Out

A card that is still in the deck that could improve your hand.

Out of position

Being at the disadvantage of having to act before your opponent.

Outdraw

When one person beats his or her opponent by drawing a better hand.

Outs

The cards that will turn the statistical underdog into a winner.

Over the top

Making a large raise.

Overpair

In Hold'em, a pair in the hole that is larger than any community card on the board.

Papa

Pair

Two cards of the same rank.

Pass

When a player folds his or her hand.

Play fast

To bet aggressively on a hand.

Playing the board

When your best five-card hand is the five cards on the board.

Pocket Cards

First two cards that were dealt by dealer.

Position

Where a player sits in relation to the dealer, which determines his or her betting order. 

Pot

The chips that have been bet.

Pot odds

The amount of money in the pot vs the amount of money it costs to continue playing.

Protect a hand

To bet in order to convince other players to fold, and reduce the risk of having them outdraw you.

Putting on the heat

To pressure the other players by betting aggressively.

Quebec

Quads

Four of a kind.

Romeo

Ragged flop

Flop cards that do not help any players hand.

Rank

The value of the card or hand.

Rainbow

In flop games, a flop in which no two cards are of the same suit. "The flop was A 9 7 rainbow."

Raise

To wager more than the minimum required to call, forcing other players to put in more money as well.

Re-raise

To raise on top of a previous raise within the same hand.

River

The final and fifth community card dealt, all players may use it to form their best hand.

Rock

A tight and conservative player.

Round of betting

The period in which each active player has the opportunity to check, bet or raise.

Rounder

A professional player who frequents high-stakes tournaments.

Royal Flush

Ace-high straight flush, same suit, the best possible hand in regular poker.

Running bad

On a losing streak.

Running good

On a winning streak

Sierra

See

When you "see" another player it means that you match their bet. So whatever the other player bets and you still want to stay in the game, however you have to "see" their bet by placing the same amount into the kitty.

Short odds

When there is a very high probability that something will happen.

Short stack

The player with the fewest chips at the table has the short stack.

Showdown

At the end of the final betting round, all active players turn their cards face up to see who has won the pot.

Side pot

A separate pot contested by other players when one player is all-in.

Slow roll

Stalling before showing a winning hand to frustrate your opponent.

Small blind

An amount of chips that player to the left of the dealer has to bet, half the size of the big blind, actual size and value depending on table limits.

Steaming

Playing recklessly due to frustration.

Straight

A hand consisting of 5 cards in sequence but not in suit.

Straight Flush

A hand consisting of 5 cards in sequence and the same suit.

Structure

The schedule by which the antes and blinds (forced bets) increase.

Suited connectors

Two cards that are consecutive in rank and of the same suit.

Tango

Table Stakes

A standard rule whereby during a hand players can only bet the money they have on the table. If the bet to a player is more than the player's stack, that player may call with all his chips and be eligible to win only that portion of the pot he contributed to equally. A side pot is created, for which only the remaining players may compete.

Tell

An involuntary gesture or expression that indicates the strength of your hand.

Three of a Kind

Three cards all the same rank.

Tight player

A conservative player who only plays strong hands.

Turn card

Fourth card of the board. It is called fourth street or fourth river as well.

Whiskey

Wired pair

When your two hole cards form a pair.