From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For a list of words relating to Poker, see the
in , the free dictionary.
The following is a glossary of poker terms used in the card game of . It supplements the . Besides the terms listed here, there are thousands of common and uncommon poker slang terms. This is not intended to be precise usage details and multiple closely related senses are omitted here in favor of concise treatment of the basics.
Contents :
ace in the hole
One of the hole cards is an ace
ace-to-five, ace-to-six
Methods of evaluating low hands, see
To make a play (bet, call, raise, or fold) at the required time, compare to
acting out of turn
A player in poker that either announces their actions or physically plays before their turn ( checks, folds etc ). Sometimes players act out of turn intentionally to get a read out of other players. When done intentionally, this is often referred to as "angle shooting." see
A player's turn to act
A willingness to gamble
A bet, along with all the calls of that bet
action button
A marker similar to a , on which a player places an extra forced bet. In a
high-low game, the action button is awarded to the winner of a
pot above a certain size, signifying that in the next pot, that player will be required to post an amount representing a completion of the
to a full bet.
action card
In , and other community card poker games, a card appearing on the board that causes significant betting action because it helps two or more players
action only
In many cardrooms, with respect to an all-in bet, only a full (or half) bet can be reraised. Anything less than a full (or half) bet is considered to be action only, that is, other players can call the bet but not raise it. Compare with
active player
A player still involved in the pot. If there are , an
player may be active in some pots, but not in others.
In a live game, to buy more chips before you have busted. In
play, a single rebuy for which all players are eligible regardless of their stack size. This is usually allowed only once, at the end of the rebuy period. The add-on often offers more chips per dollar invested than the buyin and rebuys. Compare with .
advertising
To make an obvious play or expose cards in such a way as to deliberately convey an impression to opponents about the advertising player's style of play.
aggressive, aggression
The tendency for a player to open betting or raise rather than call or check. See main article: . Compare with , , .
aggression factor (AF)
A measure of a player's aggression, either in a particular betting round or over all betting rounds.
In , giving air is when a player lets an opponent who might otherwise fold know that they intend to draw one or more cards, to induce them to call.
A dead hand
When a player bets all of their chips in the current hand. See main article: .
A permitted, but borderline unethical, play.
angle shooting
A player acting out of turn to get a read on their opponents. See
A forced bet required, in some types of poker, of all players before the hand begins. See main article: .
play, to force an absent player to continue paying antes, blinds, bring-ins, and other forced bets so that the contest remains fair to the other players. Also
any two cards
An expression used in
to say that a player's cards do not matter in a decision
A draw requiring two or more rounds to fill
A hand made other than the hand the player intended to make.
To enter a pot by checking and then calling someone else's
on the first betting round. Usually used in games like , meaning to enter without openers.
To win a pot with a hand that would have folded to any bet.
from a player that previously
in the same betting round.
To lose a hand where one hand is considerably ahead of the eventual winning hand. See main article: .
Playing very different hands in the same way, with the aim of making it more difficult for an opponent to gain useful information about the cards a player has.
Also called the house, the person responsible for distributing chips, keeping track of the buy-ins, and paying winners at the end of the game.
The amount of money that a player has to wager for the duration of his or her poker career.
To fund someone's participation in a game. Compare with staking
bankroll management
Choosing the correct stakes and game type to avoid exhausting a bankroll during downswings
Not (currently) having the best hand
Money on the table but not currently in the pot, which can be bet later in the hand
Money in play but not visible as chips in front of a player.
Any money wagered during the play of a hand
bet of a betting round
game, the standard betting amount
betting structure
The complete set of rules regarding forced bets, limits, raise caps, and such for a particular game. See main article:
The larger of two bet amounts in a fixed limit game. See main article:
big bet game
A game played with
betting structure
The larger of two forced bets in certain types of poker. See main article:
big blind special
A hand won by the big blind playing very weak pocket cards because there was no raise pre-flop
The best possible full house in community card games. A stronger hand than the .
A stack of chips that is relatively large for the stakes being played. Also called . Also the biggest stack at the table. Compare with .
A card, frequently a , of no apparent value. Compare with , , bomb.
that outranks a
To consistently lose chips through bad play, possibly resulting from .
A type of forced bet. See main article: .
blind defense
your opponent's raise when in the , rather than folding an otherwise weak hand, in order to exploit overly
blind steal
from a late position with a weak hand when all other players have folded, with the intention of winning the
blind stud
game in which all cards are dealt face down. Was popular in
before legal rulings made traditional stud legal there.
blind off, blinded
When a player's stack is reduced by paying ever increasing blinds in tournaments.
In , holding one of the opponent's , typically when the board threatens a straight or straight draw. A blocker is also having a combination of cards that turn your opponent's outs into your own. Compare with .
blocking bet
An abnormally small bet made by a player out of position intended to block a larger bet by an opponent
A bet made with a hand that is mathematically unlikely to be the best hand, either to make money or to disguise play patterns. See main article: .
bluff catching range
The number of hands that do not have any real value left on the , but might still be good enough to catch the
of an opponent.
bluff induce
To make an
move with a strong hand to give the impression it is a , in order to draw a bluff from an opponent.
The set of
The set of face-up cards of a particular player in a
The set of all face-up cards in a stud game.
Another name for a
Both halves of a , often declared by a player who thinks he or she will win both low and high.
bottom dealing
Trick or cheating deal where a card or cards are dealt from the bottom of the deck rather than the top. See main article: .
bottom end
The lowest of several possible , especially in a . Also .
bottom pair, bottom set
In a , a pair (or set) made by matching the lowest-ranking board card with one (or two) in one's private hand. Compare , .
An aspect of some poker tournaments that reward players for eliminating other players with a cash prize for each player they eliminate, separate from the tournament payout structure. See main article:
The chip tray in front of a house dealer, and by extension, the house dealer's position at the table.
boxed card
A card encountered face-up in the assembled deck during the deal, as opposed to one overturned in the act of dealing. Most house rules treat a boxed card that is, it is placed aside and not used. Different rules cover cards exposed during the deal.
game, to discard cards that make a
in the hope of making a better one. In a jacks-or-better draw game, a player breaking a high pair must keep the discarded card aside, to prove he had openers.
To end a session of play.
During a tournament, an intermission.
A , though more often used in the derogatory sense of a card that is undesirable rather than merely inconsequential,. Also known as a bomb. Compare with .
brick & mortar
A brick & mortar casino is a real
based in a building, as opposed to an . This refers to many real world locations as opposed to their Internet counterparts.
bridge order
Poker is neutral about suits, but in determining the dealer at the start of a game, or in determining the bringin bettor in a stud game, bridge rank rules are used: spades beat hearts beat diamonds beat clubs.
a betting round.
A forced bet in stud games. In the first betting round, the holder of the worst (lowest or highest, depending) upcard must post a bring-in bet. The bring-in bet is typically a quarter to a third of a small bet. The bring-in bettor may look at their cards, and place a full bet if they choose.
A 10 through ace straight. Can also include any group of cards from 10 to ace.
A casino employee whose job it is to greet players entering the poker room, maintain the list of persons waiting to play, announce open seats, and various other duties (including brushing off tables to prepare them for new games, hence the name).
To recruit players into a game
The last finishing position in a
before entering the payout structure.
bubble factor
The factor by which the
in chips differ from the odds in dollars. See also main article: .
Marker to indicate which player is dealer (or last to act). See .
A limited wild card. See main article: . Compare with .
A player who raises frequently to force out more cautious players, especially one with a large stack for the size of the game.
burn card, burn
A card that is removed from the deal to prevent cheating. See main article: .
An uncompleted hand
To lose all of one's chips
Most commonly a marker that indicates the dealer position at the table, but other specialized buttons exist. See main article: . Also buck or hat
The minimum required amount of chips that must be bought to become involved in a game or tournament
To buy into a game for an amount smaller than the normal buy-in
buy the button
A rule originating in northern California casinos in games played with , in which a new player sitting down with the
to their right (who would normally be required to sit out a hand as the button passed, then post to come in) may choose to pay the amount of both blinds for this one hand (the amount of the large blind playing as a , and the amount of the small blind as ), play this hand, and then receive the button on the next hand as if they had been playing all along. See
A tactic most often used by late-position players: a raise to encourage the later and button players to fold, thus giving the raiser last position in subsequent betting rounds.
buy the pot
Making a bet when no one else is betting so as to force the other players to fold, thus winning the pot uncontested. A specialized version of this is buying the blinds by making a large raise in the first round forcing all other players out of the hand.
To match a bet or raise. See main article:
call the clock
A method of discouraging players from taking an excessively long time to act. When someone calls the clock, the player has a set amount of time in which t if they fail to do so, their hand is immediately declared dead. In tournament play, a common rule is that if a player takes too long and no one calls the clock, the dealer or floor personnel will automatically do so.
calling station
A player who frequently calls bets, but rarely raises them. A calling station is usually a loose passive player. See main article:
A limit on the number of
allowed in a betting round. Typically three or four (in addition to the
bet). In most casinos, the cap is removed if there are only two players remaining either at the beginning of the betting round, or at the time that what would have otherwise been the last raise is made.
Also, term for the chip, token, or object placed atop one's cards to show continued involvement with a hand.
Similar to cap above, but refers to a no-limit or pot limit game with a cap on the amount that a player can bet during the course of a hand. Once the cap is reached, all players remaining in the hand are considered all-in.
cards speak
See main article:
The last available card of a certain description
A game where each hand is played for real money as opposed to tournament play. See main article:
cash plays
An announcement, usually by a dealer, that a player who has requested to buy chips and can bet the cash they have on the table in lieu of chips until receiving their chips. In many card rooms, it also refers to the policy that $100 bills may remain on the table and are considered to be in play in cash form, rather than converted to chips.
Winning a share of the prize money in a tournament
cashing out
Exchanging chips for cash when leaving a game. Removing money from an online poker site.
To receive needed cards on a . Often used with an adjective to further specify, catch perfect, catch inside, catch smooth.
To successfully complete a , thus defeating a player who previously had a better hand.
catch perfect
To catch the only two possible cards that will complete a hand and win the pot, often those leading to a straight flush. Usually used in . Compare with .
center pot
The main pot in a
game where one or more players are all in
To call a bet to see the next card when holding a
do not merit it
To continue to play a
hand over multiple betting rounds, especially one unlikely to succeed
To continue playing with a hand that is not likely the best because one has already invested money in the pot. See
To bet nothing. See main article:
A casino chip
To fold, in turn, even though there is no bet facing the player. In some games this is considered a breach of the rules equivalent to folding out of turn.
check-raise
Deceptive play whereby a player initially checks with the intention of raising should another player bet. See main article:
A small disk used in place of money. See
chip declare
A method of declaring intent to play high or low in a split-pot game with declaration. See
chip dumping
A strategy whereby one player deliberately loses chips to another player. Where players have agreed to take such action together, this is a form of collusion.
chip leader
The player currently holding the most chips in a tournament (or occasionally a live no limit game)
An event in tournament poker where chips of a value lower than the minimum required are removed from play. See main article:
To exchange lower-denomination chips for higher-denomination chips. In
play, the term means to remove all the small chips from play by rounding up any odd small chips to the nearest large denomination, rather than using a chip race.
To steadily accumulate chips in
play, typically by winning small pots with minimal risk-taking
To split a pot because of a tie, split-pot game, or player agreement
To play a game for a short time and cash out. Also hit and run
A request made by a player for the dealer to make change
An agreement by all players remaining in a tournament to distribute the remaining money in the prize pool according to an agreed-upon formula instead of playing the tournament to completion. Usually occurs at the final table of a large tournament.
chopping the blinds
Ending a hand when all players have folded to the blinds with the blinds being returned to those who paid them. See main article:
click raise
Making the minimum raise. Refers to online poker where players click the raise button without specifying the amount of raise.
See main article: .
coffee housing
Talking in an attempt to mislead other players about the strength of a hand. This is also called speech play
A situation where two players have invested all their money in the pot and have a roughly even chance of winning. Also race
To call an amount that represents a sum of bets or raises by more than one player. Compare with ,
A deck that has been intentionally rigged such that some players cannot win
A form of cheating involving cooperation among two or more players. See
color change, color up
To exchange small-denomination chips for larger ones
combo, combination game
A casino table at which multiple forms of poker are played in rotation
come bet, on the come
A bet or raise made with a
hand, building the pot in anticipation of filling the draw.
community card
See main article: .
complete hand
completion
To raise a small bet up to the amount of what would be a normal-sized bet. See
connectors
Two or more cards of consecutive or close to consecutive rank
continuation bet
A bet made after the flop by the player who took the lead in betting before the flop ( and ). Compare with
A situation in which a player holds the second best hand, so strong considering the circumstances, that they are apt to lose the maximum with it no matter how they play it.
The act of counting the cards that remain in the stub after all cards have been dealt, done by a dealer to ensure that a complete deck is being used.
counterfeit
See main article: . Also
A player with whom one is sharing a buy-in, with the intent to split the result after play. To go cow is to make such an arrangement.
In some , to cripple the deck means to have a hand that is virtually impossible for anyone else to catch up to.
crying call
Calling when a player thinks they do not have the best hand
See main article:
A distinctive card, usually stiff solid-colored plastic, held against the bottom of the deck during the deal to prevent observation of the bottom card.
The seat immediately to the right of the dealer button. In home games where the player on the button actually shuffles and deals the cards, the player in the cutoff seat
the deck (hence the name).
An action taken before receiving information to which the player would normally be entitled. Compare with blind
dead blind
that is not live, in that the player posting it does not have the option to raise if other players just call. Usually involves a small blind posted by a player entering, or returning to, a game (in a position other than the big blind) that is posted in addition to a live blind equal to the big blind.
dead button
A player's hand that is not entitled to participate in the deal for some reason, such as having been fouled by touching another player's cards, being found to contain the wrong number of cards, being dealt to a player who did not make the appropriate forced bets, etc.
dead man's hand
See main article:
dead money
See main article:
To distribute cards to players in accordance with the rules of the game being played.
A single instance of a game of poker, begun by shuffling the cards and ending with the award of a pot. Also called a hand (though both terms are ambiguous).
An agreement to split
prize money differently from the announced payouts.
deal twice
In a , when two players are involved in a large pot and one is all-in, they might agree to deal the remaining cards twice. If one player wins both times he wins the whole pot, but if both players win one hand they split the pot. Also, play twice
The person dealing the cards.
The person who assumes that role for the purposes of betting order in a game, even though someone else might be physically dealing. Also . Compare with
dealer's choice
A version of poker in which the deal passes each game and each dealer can choose, or invent, a new poker game each hand or orbit. See main article:
To verbally indicate an action or intention. See
deep stack
A stack of chips that is relatively large for the stakes being played. Also called a . Compare with
Making a play that defends the player against a bluff by forcing the suspected bluffer to fold or invest further..
A two-spot card. Also called a duck, quack, or swan
Any of various related uses of the number two, such as a $2 limit game, a $2 chip, etc.
deuce-to-seven
A method of evaluating low hands. See main article:
dirty stack
A stack of chips apparently of a single denomination, but with one or more chips of another. Usually the result of inattention while stacking a pot, but may also be an intentional deception.
To take a previously dealt card out of play. The set of all discards for a deal is called the muck or the deadwood.
dominated hand
A hand that is extremely unlikely to win against another specific hand, even though it may not be a poor hand in its own right. Most commonly used in . See also
A bet made by a , or one that is generally considered weak or to demonstrate inexperience or lack of understanding of strategy.
A bet made in early position by a player who did not take the initiative in the previous betting round. It was named because this move is often considered indicative of a weak player (since it is more often reasonable to expect a continuation bet).
a weak player, also known as
game, a player's first face-up card.
In , the door card is the first visible card of the .
In , the sometimes visible card at the bottom of a player's hand. Players will sometimes deliberately expose this card.
double-ace flush
Under , a flush with one or more
in which they play as aces, even if an ace is already present.
double belly buster straight draw
a combination of hole cards and exposed cards in hold 'em or stud games which does not include four connected cards, but where there are two different ranks of card that complete a straight.
double-board, double-flop
Any of several
variants (usually ) in which two separate boards of community cards are dealt simultaneously, with the pot split between the winning hands using each board.
double-draw
Any of several
games in which the draw phase and subsequent betting round are repeated twice.
double raise
The minimum raise in a
game, raising by just the amount of the current bet.
double suited
starting hand where two pairs of
cards are held.
double up, double through
In a big bet game, to bet all of one's chips on one hand against a single opponent (who has an equal or larger stack) and win, thereby doubling the stack.
A card that is dealt face-down
A period during which a player loses than expected. See also:
drag light
To pull chips away from the pot to indicate that the player does not have enough money to cover a bet. If their hand wins, the amount is ignored. If not, they must cover the amount out of pocket. This is not allowed at any casino.
draw, drawing hand, come hand
See main article:
A drawing hand is when a player has a chance to improve their hand to something considerably stronger through drawing the required cards on the flop, on the turn or on the river.
drawing dead
hand that will lose even if successful
Playing a hand that can never improve beyond the opponent's hand.
drawing live
N that is,
to a hand that will win if successful
drawing thin
Not drawing completely dead, but
a draw in the face of poor odds.
Money charged by the casino for providing its services, often dropped through a slot in the table into a strong box. See
To drop one's cards to the felt to indicate that one is in or out of a game
or , an ace in one's hand without another card of the same suit. Used especially to denote the situation where the
presents a flush possibility, when the player does not in fact have a flush, but holding the ace presents some
opportunity and a
in case the flush
comes on turn. Compare with
The texure of the community cards. A
is considered dry when the cards on the table mean that is unlikely or impossible that any player has made a strong hand like a straight or flush. Compare with
A side pot with no money created when a player goes all in and is called by more than one opponent, but not raised. If subsequent betting occurs, the money will go to the dry pot.
To , especially when the counterfeiting card matches one already present in one's hand.
early position
eight or better
A common qualifier in
games that use ace-5 ranking. Only hands where the highest card is an eight or less can win the low portion of the pot.
One's mathematical
from the current deal, calculated by multiplying the amount of money in the pot by one's probability of winning. If a
is possible, the equity also includes the probability of winning a split times the size of that split.
expectation, expected value, EV
See main article: . Used in poker to mean profitability in the long run.
exposed card
A card whose face has been deliberately or accidentally revealed to players normally not entitled to that information during the play of the game. Various games have different rules about how to handle this irregularity. Compare with
family pot
A deal in which every (or almost every) seated player called the first
play. Compare with speeding
A hand which, when matched against another in a showdown, has an advantage odds-wise over the other. A hand can be called a small or a big favorite depending on how much it is dominating the other. Contrast
where the situations are reversed. Favorites are usually used to compare how two hole cards do against two other hole cards pre-flop.
In a casino setting, a second or third table playing the same game as the main table, and from which players move to the main game as players are eliminated. Also called a must-move table
The cloth covering of a poker table, whatever the actual material. Metaphorically, the table itself:
All players as a collective in a large tournament
fifth street
The last card dealt to the board in community card games. Also see
The fifth card dealt to each player in stud poker
fill, fill up
To successfully draw to a hand that needs one card to complete it, by getting the last card of a , , or .
final table
The last table in a multi-table poker tournament. The final table is set when a sufficient amount of people have been eliminated from the tournament leaving an exact amount of players to occupy one table (typically no more than ten players).
first position
The playing position to the direct left of the blinds in
and , also known as . The player in first position must act first on the first round of betting.
A weak player. See also
To chase draws holding a weak hand. Especially when facing aggressive play by another player.
five of a kind
A hand possible only in games with , or a game with more than one deck, defeating all other hands, comprising five cards of equal rank.
fixed limit, flat limit
See main article:
Any card which becomes briefly exposed by accident to at least one player must be shown to all the players by the dealer during dealing. The card is said to be flashed to all players before being discarded to the muck pile. See also
Unintentionally showing the bottom of the deck if not using a cut-card (an opaque non-play card used to conceal the bottom of the deck) is considered flashing.
To show one or more downcards from one's hand
A , in a situation where one might be expected to . Also smooth call Compare with , . See
Calling a bet with the intention of bluffing on a later betting round.
floorman, floorperson
A casino employee whose duties include adjudicating player disputes, keeping games filled and balanced, and managing dealers and other personnel. Players may shout floor to call for a floorperson to resolve a dispute, to ask for a table or seat change, or to ask for some other casino service.
The dealing of the first three face-up cards to the board, refers also to those three cards themselves. Also see
A hand comprising five cards of the same suit. See
To discard one's hand and forfeit interest in the current pot. See main article:
fold equity
The portion of the pot one expects to win, on average, by a bet that induces your opponents to fold, rather than seeing the showdown. See also
forced bet
See main article:
forced-move
In a casino where more than one table is playing the same game with the same betting structure, one of the tables may be designated the main table, and will be kept full by requiring a player to move from one of the feeder tables to fill any vacancies. Players will generally be informed that their table is a forced-move table to be used in this way before they agree to play there. Also must-move
forward motion
A house rule of some casinos states that if a player in turn picks up chips from his stack and moves their hand toward the pot (forward motion with chips in hand), this constitutes a commitment to bet (or call), and the player may not withdraw their hand to check or fold. Such a player still has the choice of whether to call or raise. Compare with
fouled hand
A hand that is ruled unplayable because of an irregularity, such as being found with too many or too few cards, having been mixed with cards of other players or the muck, having fallen off the table, etc. Compare with
four-flush
Four cards of the same suit. A
in some games, an incomplete
hand in most. See main article:
four of a kind
A hand containing four cards of equal rank. Also quads. See
four-straight
Four ca either an open-ender or one-ender. A
in some games, an incomplete drawing hand in most. Sometimes four to a straight
fourth street
The fourth card dealt to the board in community card games. Also turn
The fourth card dealt to each player in stud
A card dealt to one's hand (or to the board of ) after a betting round in which no player . One is thereby being given a chance to improve one's hand without having to pay anything.
See main article:
The most common form of . There are no , play continues until one player has all the chips.
full house, full boat, full hand, full
A hand with three cards of one rank and two of a second rank. Also boat, tight. See
full bet rule
In some casinos, the rule that a player must wager the full amount required in order for their action to constitute a raise. Compare with . See
A full ring game is a cash game with more than six players involved, typically nine to eleven. This term is normally used in the context of online poker. Compare with
In , a gap hand is a
with at least one rank separating the two cards. Usually referred to in context of one-gap and two-gap hands
To fold a strong hand against a supposedly superior hand. Compare with
going south
To sneak a portion of chips from the table while the game is underway. Normally prohibited in public card rooms. Also ratholing
A player who earns a living by making small profits over a long period of consistent, conservative play. Compare with
guts, guts to open
A game with no opening hand requirement
Any of several poker variants where pots accumulate over several hands until a single player wins. See
gut shot, gutshot
To enter the pot cheaply by just calling the blind rather than raising. Also
half bet rule
In some casinos, the rule that placing chips equal to or greater than half the normal bet amount beyond the amount required to call constitutes a commitment to
the normal amount. Compare with . See
See main article:
hand-for-hand
See main article:
hand history
The textual representation of a hand (or hands) played in an . See
When the bottom card of the deck sticks out beyond the others, an unwanted tell that the dealer is dealing from the bottom of the deck.
Playing against a single opponent
Calling when a player has a relatively weak hand but suspects their opponent may be bluffing
high hand, high
The best hand using traditional
values, as opposed to . Used especially in high-low split games.
hand, ranked according to its highest-ranking cards
To defeat another player by virtue of high-ranking cards, especially
To randomly select a player for some purpose by having each draw one card, the highest of which is selected (for example, to decide who deals first).
high-low, high-low split
See main article:
hijack seat
The seat to the right of the
seat, or second to the right of the . This is generally considered to be the easiest position to steal the blinds from in tournaments, hence the name.
hole cards, hole
Face-down cards. Also pocket cards
A seat, often preceded by a number relative to the button.
A camera that displays a player's face-down cards (hole cards) to television viewers. Also pocket cam or lipstick cam
A game played at a private venue (usually the home of one of the players), as opposed to a casino or public cardroom.
A player financially backed by someone else. Compare with bankroll and staking
H.O.R.S.E.
See main article:
ignorant end, idiot end
In flop games, a player drawing to, or even flopping, a straight with undercards to the flop has the idiot end of it. A player with 8-9 betting on a flop of A-T-J puts himself at great risk, because many of the cards that complete his straight give credible opponents higher ones.
implied pot odds, implied odds
See main article:
To achieve a better hand than one currently holds by adding or exchanging cards as provided in the rules of the game being played.
inside straight
See . Also "belly buster", "gutshot". Compare to
in position (IP)
A player is said to be in position, if the player is last to act on the flop, turn and river betting rounds. Compare with out of position
A deal in which players agree to split or reduce a pot (roughly in proportion to the chances of each of them winning) with more cards to come rather than playing out the hand, or a deal where one player makes a side bet against himself with a third party to hedge against a large loss.
in the middle
In a game with multiple , an incoming player may sometimes be allowed to post the blinds in the middle (that is, out of their normal order) rather than having to wait for them to pass.
in the money, (ITM)
To finish high enough in a
to win prize money.
A player is said to be in turn if that player is expected to act next under the rules.
irregular declaration
An action taken by a player in turn that is not a straightforward declaration of intent, but that is reasonably interpreted as an action by other players, such as pointing a thumb up to signify a raise.
or dealer discretion may determine when such actions are meaningful and binding.
irregularity
Any of a number of abnormal conditions in play, such as unexpectedly exposed cards, that may call for corrective action. See
See main article:
A game of jackpot poker or jackpots, which is a variant of
from each player, no , and an
requirement of a pair of jacks or better.
A large pool of money collected by the house and awarded for some rare occurrence, typically a bad beat.
A 53rd card used mostly in
games. The joker may usually be used as an ace, or a card to complete a straight or flush, in high games, and as the lowest card not already present in a hand at low. See
Money collected by the house. Also , vigorish. See
A hand with little
See main article:
kill button
In a kill game, a button that shows which player has the kill action. See main article:
kill game, kill pot
See main article:
A hand with different betting rules in a kill game. See main article:
A pool of money built by collecting small amounts from certain pots, often used to buy refreshments, cards, and so on. The home-game equivalent of a rake.
A loose aggressive style of play in which a player plays a lot of starting hands and makes many small raises in hopes of out-playing their opponents.
last to act
A player is last to act if all players between the player and the button have folded.
A tough choice to fold a strong hand in anticipation of superior opposition.
The player who makes the last bet or raise in a round of betting is said to have the lead at the start of the next round. Can also be used as a verb meaning to bet out into the pot, to lead into the pot.
Used in tournament play to refer to the size of the blinds that are periodically increased.
leg-up, leg-up button
The button used to signify who has won the previous hand in a kill game.
A hand that is not likely to be best. Usually used as
call light, three-bet light. See
The minimum or maximum amount of a bet
limp, limp in
To enter a pot by simply calling a bet instead of raising.
limp-reraise
from a player that previously
in the same betting round. Also
A bet posted by a player under conditions that give them the option to raise even if no other typically because it was posted as a
live cards
games, cards that will improve a hand that have not been seen among anyone's upcards, and are therefore presumably still available. In games such as , a player's hand is said to contain live cards if matching either of them on the board would give that player the lead over his opponent. Typically refers to a hand that is weak, but not .
A hand still eli one with the correct number of cards that has not been mucked or otherwise invalidated.
A game with a lot of . See also live poker
live poker
A retronym for poker played at a table with cards, as opposed to
To lock up a seat in a
means to place a poker chip, player's card, or other personal effect on the table in front of the seat, to signify that the seat is occupied even though the player may not be present.
To play more hands than the average for the game or for the player normally. See . Compare with , ,
The lowest card by rank
The low half of the pot in a
A measure of the health of a chip stack as a function of the cost to play each round. See main article:
See main article: . Compare with a
A very loose and aggressive player, who bets and raises frequently, and often in situations where it is not good strategy to do so. Opposite of
A person at a poker table that is the focus of attention, often due to their inexperience.
match the pot
To bet an amount equal to all the chips in the pot
micro-limit
Internet poker games with stakes so small that real cardrooms could not profit from them, are said to be at the micro-limit level.
middle pair
In a community card game, making a pair with neither the highest nor lowest card of the community cards. See also second pair
middle position
A deal which is ruined for some reason and must be redealt
missed blind
A required bet that is not posted when it is a player's turn to do so, perhaps occurring when a player absents themself from the table. Various rules require the missed bet to be made up upon the player's return.
In a no-limit game, to move in or to go all in means to bet one's entire stake on the hand in play. See
To discard one's hand without revealing the cards. Often done after winning without a
or at a showdown when a better hand has already been revealed.
The discard pile
multi-way pot
A pot where several players compete for it. Also known as a family pot, although family pot sometimes means a pot where all players participate.
negative freeroll
See main article: .
A player who is unwilling to take risks and plays only premium hands in the top range.
Rules designating that players are allowed to wager any or all of their chips in a single bet. See
When a player only has the possibility of a high card and no other hand that will win.
nut hand (the nuts)
The nut hand is the best possible hand in a given situation. Players sometimes evaluate hands by ranking them as being the second nuts or the pure nuts.
The best possible low hand in
Cards that are not of the same suit
one-chip rule
A call of a previous bet using a chip of a higher denomination than necessary is considered a call unless it is verbally announced as a raise.
one-eyed royals
See main article:
one-ended straight draw
Four out of the five cards needed for a straight that can only be completed with one specific rank of card, in cases where the needed card rank is either higher or lower than the cards already held as
as opposed to an inside straight draw or an open-ended straight draw.
While A-2-3-4 and A-K-Q-J are the only truly one-ended straight draw possibilities, an open-ended straight draw could be considered one-ended if one of the card ranks needed to complete it would also give an opponent a hand of higher rank than a straight.
To bet first. See main article:
open-ended straight draw, open-ended
An . Also two-way straight draw or double-ended straight draw
The cards held by a player in a game of jackpots entitling them to open the pot. Splitting openers refers to holding onto one of the openers after discarding it as proof of having the necessary cards to open.
Being the first person in the pot preflop, but not raising
An optional bet or draw
The right to raise possessed by the
if there have been no raises.
A full rotation of the blinds at a table, equal to the number of people at the table.
See main article:
out of position,
A player is said to be out of position, if they are either first to act, or is not last to act in a betting round.
outside straight draw
See main article: . Also two-way straight draw or double-ended straight draw
To make a bet that is more than the size of the pot in a no limit game
To call a bet after others have called. Compare with , ,
A community card with a higher rank than a player's pocket pair
A higher card
In community card games such as
and , a pocket pair with a higher rank than the highest community card.
An option to increase the stakes in limit games. Players may elect to pl those who choose to play display some sort of token. If, at the beginning of a betting round after the first, only overs players remain in the hand, bets of twice the present limit are allowed. Most often used in home games as a compromise between aggressive and passive play.
Any . Used mostly in
games, where royal cards are rarely helpful.
Two cards of the same rank. See main article:
A style of play characterized by checking and calling. Compare with , ,
Already complete. A hand is a pat hand when, for example, a
comes on the first five cards dealt in . Also see
To call a bet when the player is most likely
because the
justify the call.
penny ante
Frivolous, low stakes, a game where no significant stake is likely to change hands.
The best possible cards, in a lowball hand, after those already named.
When the house picks up cash from the dealer after a player buys chips
play the board
In games such as , where five community cards are dealt, if the player's best hand is on the
and the player goes to the
they are said to play the board.
pocket cards
pocket pair
or , when two of a player's private cards make a pair. Also wired pair
poker face
that does not reveal anything about the cards being held.
See main article:
position bet
A bet that is made more due to the strength of the bettor's
than the strength of the bettor's cards.
To make the required small or big
or other games played with blinds rather than antes.
To post a bet amount equal to the small and the big blind combined (the amount of the large blind playing as a live blind, and the amount of the small blind as dead money). In games played with blinds, a player who steps away from the table and misses their turn for the blinds must either post dead or wait for the big blind to re-enter the game. Compare with dead blind
post oak bluff
See main article:
See main article:
pot-committed
More often in th the situation where one can no longer fold because the size of the
is so large compared to the size of one's .
See main article:
See main article:
The time when players already have their pocket cards but no flop has been dealt yet.
A bet after the flop by a player who did not take the lead in betting before the flop (and when the player that did take the lead in betting before the flop declined to act). Compare with continuation bet
prop, proposition player
A player who gets paid an hourly rate to start poker games or to help them stay active. Prop players play with their own money, which distinguishes them from shills, who play with the house's money.
protected pot
A pot that seems impossible to bluff to win because too many players are active in it and the chances of another player either calling to the end or raising beyond measure become an assurance.
protection, protect
See main article:
The total prize pool in a poker tournament
put the clock (on someone)
See main article:
To put someone on a hand is to deduce what hand or range of hands they have based on their actions and knowledge of their gameplay style. See also
qualifier, qualifying low
A qualifying .
games often require a minimum hand value, such as eight-high, in order to award the low half of the . In some home games, there are qualifiers for high hands as well.
To win a quarter of a pot, usually by tying the low or high hand of a
game. Generally, this is an unwanted outcome, as a player is often putting in a third of the pot in the hope of winning a quarter of the pot back.
rabbit hunt
After a hand is complete, to reveal cards that would have been dealt later in the hand had it continued. This is usually prohibited in casinos because it slows the game and may reveal information about concealed hands. Also fox hunt
A poor player. See also
To make calls based on the hopes of hitting runner runner, inside, or backdoor draws
A collection of 100 chips of the same denomination, usually arranged in five stacks in a plastic tray.
A plastic tray used for storing a rack of chips
A low-valued (and presumably worthless) card. Hence ragged - having a low value
The rail is the sideline at a poker table—the (often imaginary) rail separates spectators from the field of play. Watching from the rail means watching a poker game as a spectator. Going to the rail usually means losing all one's money.
A non-participatory spectator of a poker game
Three or four cards of different suits, especially said of a .
Betting a rainbow: to make a bet of one chip of each colour currently in play.
See main article:
See main article: . Also juice, vig,
Rebate or repayment to a player a portion of the
paid by that player, normally from a non-cardroom, third-party source such as an . Rakeback is paid in many ways by online poker rooms, affiliates or brick and mortar rooms. Many use direct money payments for online poker play. Brick and mortar rooms usually use rate cards to track and pay their rakeback. See main article:
Rakeback pro
A rakeback pro is a poker player who may not be a winning player, however, uses rakeback to supplement their losses and turn them into winnings.
range of hands
The list of holdings that a player considers an opponent might have when trying to deduce their holding. See also put on
To remove a portion of one's chips from the table while the game is underway. Normally prohibited in public card rooms. Also going south
An amount of chips purchased after the buy-in. In some tournaments, players are allowed to rebuy chips one or more times for a limited period after the start of the game, providing that their stack is at or under its initial level. Compare with
To deal a hand again, possibly after a misdeal
To make one hand and have a draw for a better hand
Second or later draws in a draw game with multiple draws
To represent a hand is to play as if it were held (whether it is or not).
Raise after one has been raised. Also coming over the top
See main article:
The river or river card is the final card dealt in a poker hand, to be followed by a final round of betting and, if necessary, a . In
and , the river is the fifth and last card to be dealt to the community card board, after the
and . A player losing the pot due only to the river card is said to have been rivered.
player (plays very few hands and only continues with strong hands).
A bundle of chips held together with a rubber band, or other token signifying an obligatory . If the player
has the rock, they must use it to post a live straddle. The winner of the pot collects the rock and is obligated to use it in turn.
rolled-up trips
In , three of a kind dealt in the first three cards
An expert player who travels around to seek out high-stakes games
royal cards
Royal card are also known as face cards or picture cards. These cards consist of the jack, queen, and king of every suit.
royal flush
of the top five cards of any suit. This is generally the highest possible hand.
run it twice, running it twice
A gentleman's agreement (not allowed in some casinos) where the players (usually two or three) agree to draw each remaining card to come in two different occasions instead of just once after all parties have gone all-in (two flops, turns and river for example for a total of 10 community cards in two sets of five). The winner of one run gets half the pot while the winner of the second run gets the other half. Running it twice is done to minimize bad beats and reduce bankroll swings. Running it twice is a form of .
runner-runner
A hand made by hitting two consecutive cards on the
and . Also . Compare with
A prolonged winning streak. A player who has won several big pots recently is said to be on a rush. Also heater
A tournament in which the prize is a free entrance to another (larger) tournament.
scare card
A card dealt face up (either to a player in a game such as stud or to the board in a community card game) that could create a strong hand for someone.
In high-low split games, to win both the high and the low halves of the pot.
second pair
games, a pair of cards of the second-top rank on the . Second pair is a , but not necessarily vice versa. Compare with ,
poker, to sell a hand is to bet less than the maximum with a strong hand, in the hope that more opponents will call the bet.
semi-bluff
When a player bluffs on one round of betting with an inferior or drawing hand that might improve in a later round. See main article:
, especially a situation where two of the cards are concealed in the player's
cards. Compare with
A deck that has been ordered, usually king to ace by suit (spades, hearts, clubs and diamonds). In casinos, it is customary to use a set-up deck when introducing a new deck to the table. The set-up is spread face up for the players to demonstrate that all of the cards are present before the first shuffle. Also called spading the deck
sevens rule
A rule in many A-5
games that requires a player with a seven-low or better after the draw to bet, rather than
or . In some venues, a violator loses any future in others they forfeit their interest entirely.
A professional player. See also
See main article: . Compare with proposition player
A slanted container used to hold the cards yet to be dealt, usually used by casinos and in professional poker tournaments. See main article: .
format where the last remaining player of a table goes on to play the remaining players of other tables. Each table plays indepen that is, there is no balancing as players are eliminated.
poker, to buy into a game for considerably less money than the stated maximum buyin, or less than other players at the table have in play.
short stack
A stack of
that is relatively small for the stakes being played. Compare with ,
shorthanded
A poker game that is played with six players or fewer, as opposed to a full ring game, which is usually nine or ten players. A tournament where all tables are shorthanded at all times is called a short table tournament.
When, if more than one player remains after the last betting round, remaining players expose and compare their hands to determine the winner or winners. See main article:
running concurrently with a
made up of players who have either been eliminated or opted not to play the tournament.
A separate pot created to deal with the situation of one player going "all in". See
sit and go
with no scheduled starting time that starts whenever the necessary players have put up their money. Single-table sit-and-gos, with nine or ten players, are the norm, but multi-table games are common as well. Also called sit 'n gos
See main article:
To delay or avoid showing one's hand at showdown, forcing other players to expose their hands first. When done while holding a good hand likely to be the winner, it is considered poor etiquette.
small blind
See main article:
When someone manages to catch a slightly better hand.
smooth call
To play a worthless hand misleadingly in
in order to .
The worthless hand in question
To intentionally go easy on a player. Soft play is expressly prohibited in most card rooms, and may result in penalties ranging from forced sit-outs to forfeiture of stakes or winnings.
soft break
Exchanging a large bill or chip into both chips and cash, when a player buys in. The cash is returned to the player and thus not in play.
splash the pot
To throw one's chips in the pot in a disorderly fashion. Not typically allowed, because the dealer can not tell how much has been bet.
See main article:
split two pair
hand, with each pair made of one of a player's , and one community card.
The range between a table's minimum and maximum bets
spread-limit
poker where the bets and raises can be between a minimum and maximum value. The
may change between rounds.
squeeze play
A bluff reraise in
with less-than-premium cards, after another player or players have already called the original raise. The goal is to bluff everyone out of the hand and steal the bets.
The total chips and currency that a player has in play at a given moment
A collection of 20
of the same denomination, usually arranged in an orderly column
The amount one buys in for and can bet.
Staking is the act of one person putting up cash for a poker player to play with in hopes that the player wins. Any profits are split on a predetermined percentage between the backer and the player. A backed player is often known as a horse. Compare with bankroll
In , playing the original hand using no draws, either as a bluff or in the belief it is the best hand.
starting hand
See main article:
See main article:
A state of anger, mental confusion, or frustration in which a player adopts a less than optimal strategy, usually resulting in poor play. Compare with
stop and go
When a player bets into another player who has previously raised or otherwise shown .
Another version of the stop and go is in tournament poker when a player raises pre-flop with the intention of going all in after the flop regardless of the cards that fall.
straddle bet
See main article:
Poker hand: see main article:
When used with an amount, indicates that the speaker is referring to the total bet, versus the amount being raised. Also altogether or all day
straight flush
See main article:
strategy card
A wallet sized card that is commonly used to help with poker strategies in online and casino games.
A street is another term for a dealt card or betting round.
string bet
A call with one motion and a later raise with another, or a reach for more chips without stating the intended amount. String bets are prohibited in . Compare with
structured
A structured betting system is one where the
of the bets may change from round to round.
A variant of poker. See main article:
A card dealt face up in stud poker
subscription poker
Subscription poker is a form of online poker wherein users pay a monthly fee to become eligible to play in real-money tournaments.
A situation when a hand heavily favored to win loses to an inferior hand after all the cards are dealt. The winning hand is said to have sucked out. Compare with
Having the same suit. See
suited connectors
See main article:
super satellite
A multi-table
in which the prize is a free entrance to a satellite tournament or a tournament in which all the top finishers gain entrance to a larger tournament.
table stakes
See main article: .
A tight aggressive style of play in which a player plays a small number of strong starting hands, but when in pots plays aggressively.
tainted outs
Cards that improve a hand so that it is better than the other current hands, but simultaneously improve other hands even more. See also
A tell in poker is a detectable change in a player's behavior or demeanor that gives clues to that player's assessment of their hand. See main article:
How well coordinated the community cards are to one another. This is used to estimate relative hand strength. See also
third man walking
A player who gets up from his seat in a , after two other players are already away from the table, is referred to as the third man walking. In a casino with a third man walking rule, this player may be required to return to his seat within 10 minutes, or one rotation of the deal around the table, or else his seat in the game will be forfeited if there is a waiting list for the game.
three bet, three betting
To be the first player to put in a third unit of betting.
three of a kind
See main article: . Also ,
To play fewer hands than average for the game or for the player normally. See . Compare with , ,
Having a tight is slang for a
Emotional upset, mental confusion, or frustration in which a player adopts a less than optimal strategy, usually resulting in poor play. See main article: . Compare with
The amount that a player is required to call in order to stay in the hand.
casino, a toke is a tip given to the dealer by the winner of the pot.
top kicker
games, top kicker is the best possible
to some given hand.
games, top pair is a
comprising a pocket card and the highest-ranking card on the . Compare with ,
A , matching the highest-ranking two flop cards.
A three-spot card.
When one of a player's hole cards in
connect with two cards on the board to make . This differs from a
where a pocket pair connects with one card on the board to make .
A type of tournament where the blind levels increase much faster than in standard play.
The turn, turn card or fourth street is the fourth of five cards dealt to a community card board, constituting one face-up community card that each of the players in the game can use to make up their final hand. See also
under the gun
The playing position to the direct left of the blinds in
or . The player who is under the gun must act first on the first round of betting.
An underdog or dog is a player with a smaller chance to win than another specified player. Frequently used when the exact odds are expressed.
A full house made where the three of a kind has lower-ranking cards than the pair. Compare with
When used with a card rank to describe a poker hand, refers to
with the named card being the higher pair.
A card that is played face up. See main article:
A period during which a player wins more (or loses less) than expected. See also:
up the ante
Increase the stakes
A bet made by a player who wants it to be called (as opposed to a bluff or protection bet). See
The statistical measure of how far actual results differ from expectation. See main article:
vigorish, vig
The . See main article:
Voluntary put money in pot. Represents the percentage of hands with which a player puts money into the pot pre-flop, without counting any blind postings. VPIP is an excellent measure of how tight or loose a player is.
To "wake up with a hand" means to discover a strong starting hand, often when there has already been action in front of the player.
A walk is a situation where all players fold to the big blind.
To mix the deck by spreading the cards face down on the table and mixing them up.
An ace with a low kicker. Also small ace, soft ace, ace-rag
weak player
A player who is easily bullied out of a hand post-flop by any sort of action.
webcam poker
A form of online poker which allows players to watch each other during play via a webcam.
A wet board is when the cards on the table make it possible for players to have hit strong hands. Compare with
A five-high straight (A-2-3-4-5), with the ace playing low. See
In , the nut low hand (2-3-4-5-7)
See main article: . Compare with
window card
An upcard in . The first window card in stud is called the door card. In Texas hold'em and Omaha, the window card is the first card shown when the dealer puts out the three cards for the flop.
In , a wrap is a straight draw with nine or more outs comprising two board cards and three or four cards from a player's hand.
. PokerVIP.
Wellshuffled (2009). .