Poker Glossary of Terms

Action. Action can refer to the amount of bets and raises taking place in a round. For example, an Ace is turned and lots of bets, followed by raises occur, then there is said to be lots of “action” on the turn. If everyone folds, then the host may remark, “Seems to be no action at table”.

Action also refers to your opportunity to act, for example, you aren’t paying close attention to the round, the dealer may say to you, “your action, sir/mam” to let you know that it is your turn.

All-In. When you wish to remain in the game but have run out of chips. In other words, all your chips are in the pot. If you have gone all in and other players have more chips than you, they can continue to bet against each other in a side pot. If you have the best hand, you will only win an amount to which you contributed. In table stakes games of poker, you are not able to buy more chips in the middle of a round. Thus forcing you to go all in. If you lose the hand, you are eliminated from the game.

Ante. A small predetermined bet that every player must throw into the pot at the beginning of each round. This ensures that there is money in the pot to be won which may be an incentive for a player to stay in the round.

Board. In holdem poker, the board refers to all the community cards laid out in a round (aka: the flop, the turn and the river.)

Bad Beat. This a term in poker that is used to describe a scenario where a hand that is seen as the big underdog comes out of nowhere (the player probably should have folded a long time ago) to beat a player whose hand, in terms of probability, is heavily favored to win.

Backdoor. In hold’em poker, the term “backdoor” is used in a scenario where a player makes their 5 card hand on the turn and the river. For example, you are dealt a 9 and 6. You call and the flop shows you a K, 2, and a 7. You still call, the turn is the 10. Now all you need is an 8 on the river to make a straight. You take your chances and call and sure enough the river boasts an 8. In poker they refer to this kind of event as the player making a “backdoor” straight draw.

Blind. In holdem poker, a blind is a forced bet put in by the two players to the immediate left of the dealer (or player holding the button) before any cards have been dealt. Similar to the ante.

Bottom Pair. When the flop hits the board and you have made a pair with the lowest ranking card, you are said to have made “bottom pair”. For example you were dealt an Ace and a 4. The flop is 6, 4, K. You have just flopped bottom pair.

Blank. A card, that when added to the board, is of no help to, or does not affect, your hand.

Button. A small white disk that is put in front of the player who is acting as the ‘supposed’ dealer for that particular round. The button moves around the table after each round. It is also used as a good way to remind the players of the order that they are playing (who starts, etc.) and it also indicates to which players must make the blinds for that round.

Burn. A security tactic used in most Texas holdem games, where the top card of the deck is discarded face down when each series of community cards are dealt to the table. The discarded card is the “burn” card.

Buy. When a player has nothing but continues to raise, to bluff, in hopes that the other players won’t call, the player is said to be trying to “buy” the pot.

Calling Station. A player that you hope to be a part of your game. This submissive player is known to call most of the hands but doesn’t fold or raise very often.

Crack. A slang term used in poker when you end up beating someone else’s big starting hand. A good example is when another player is holding pocket (two) Aces (a huge starting hand in holdem poker) but you end up winning the hand. You have “cracked” the other players pocket aces.

Case. For example, you are dealt two (pocket) 9’s, the flop comes up and is 5, J, 9 then the turn, 5, but on the river the “case” 9 turns up. Case refers to the last card to show up of a particular rank in a deck of cards.

Come Hand. Derived from the Craps expression, the “come hand” is the hand that is currently drawing.

Center Pot. Also known as the “main pot”, this is the original pot created during each hand, different to a “side pot” which would be created if a player has had to go all-in.

Check. To “check” is to not raise the pot. You are pleased with your hand and want to continue in the round, but you don’t want to bet any more money at the moment. You may still have the option to raise or call later on. A “check” is also another name or a poker “chip”.

Check Raise. A tactic used by some players to gain strength in the round. A check raise is when the player checks and then, once the betting comes back to this player, he/she decides to raise (of course only permissible if a player in front of you bets).

Complete Hand. A complete hand is a hand where all five cards play a part in forming the hand you will play with. For example the straight/royal flush, full house, flush, straight or four of a kind.

A hand that is defined by all five cards - a straight, flush, full house, four of a kind, or straight flush.

Cap. The last raise permitted in a round of betting. The betting cap differs game to game but is typically after the third or fourth raise. In other words, after the fourth raise, the betting has been “capped” and players can now only call or fold.

Cripple. You are said to have “crippled” the deck when you are holding the best cards for or the cards that the other players would like with the existing board.

Connector. A term used in Holdem poker when the two cards you are holding in your hand are only one rank apart from each other. For example, a 3, 4 or J, Q are connectors.

Dominated Hand. A hand that most people will play but is in fact dominated by someone else’s hand and will probably lose. For example, you have an A, 10 (a pretty strong starting hand) but your opponent is holding an A, Q. Your hand has been “dominated” by your opponents and probability says that you will most likely loose.

Draw Dead. A bad situation to be in when playing poker. Drawing dead is when you are trying to make a hand but even if made you will still lose to your opponent. For example you are trying for a straight but little do you know your opponent is already holding a flush. So even if you do draw the card that completes your straight, it won’t matter since you are “drawing dead”.

Dog. A slang term for the “Underdog” of the hand/game.

Expectation. The amount of money that you would expect to gain if you act on a certain play. So suppose you must act by either folding your hand or calling a $10 amount which will go into a $50 pot. And say that your chances of making your hand, if you call, on the next draw are about 25%. If you make your hand, you will win. So if you call, then probability says that three out of four times you will not make your hand, costing you a total of $30 (3 x’s your $10 bet). However on the fourth draw you will make your hand and you will win the $50 pot. Therefore after four hands your total gain was $20 ($50 that you won less the $30 you had to spend to make it). Further, this would mean that when split between the four hands it took you to win, you would have gained an average of $5. Therefore if you call the $10 bet in the beginning you would have a $5 positive expectation in this instance.

Equity. Your fair share to the pot. For example, If the total of the pot is $100 and your chances at winning it are 1 in 4 or 25% than your equity in the pot is $25.

Flop. The first of the community cards to be laid face up on the table. The flop is made up of three cards.

Free Roll. Or Free Rolling. A situation in poker when you are currently tied with an opponent however you have a chance to beat him, depending on which community cards come up. For example, you are dealt a 5(hearts) and K(hearts) and your opponent is holding onto a 5(clubs) and K(spades). The flop is laid out and it is a 4(hearts), 7(diamonds) and a Q(hearts). So right now you and your opponent are tied but since you have a chance to win the pot with a flush draw(and the other player doesn’t) you are said to be “free rolling” on him.

Family Pot. When all the players in the game call in the first round of betting (or before the flop) the pot is called a family pot.

Foul. For some basis or another, a “foul” hand is one that can not be played. The player with the foul hand has no claim to the pot.

Fast. A term used when a player is betting and raising very aggressively. The player is said to be “playing fast”.

Free Card. When you don’t raise or have to call a raise by another a player the cards that turned on the flop, turn or river are said to be “free cards”. For example, you place the big blind and all the players who don’t fold simply call to your blind. Now even if you have a lousy hand, since you are the last to make a move you can simply check and not have to throw in any more money in order to see the flop. In this case, the flop are free cards.

Gutshot Straight. An inside straight draw. For example, you are holding a 3 and a 9, the flop comes as 7, 8 and J and on the turn a 10 comes up, you have just made a “Gutshot straight” on the turn.

House. The business/casino that is operating the poker game. The house takes a stake in the game, either a percentage of the pot or they will charge a buy-in fee to the players taking part in the game.

Heads Up. When there are only two players fighting for the pot. Or in a tournament, when there are only two players left in the game, the poker game is now “heads up”.

Hit. When the flop helps your hand it has.

Jackpot. In some poker games, a jackpot or reward is given to a player who had a very good/rare hand but was still beaten by a player with an even better hand. In most cases the player would only win the jackpot if they had at least 4 aces in their hand but was still beaten. Of course this instance is very rare.

Kicker. A very important card, the kicker is the card that can determine, when two players seem to be tied, who wins the pot. For example say you are holding A, Q and your opponent is holding Q, 10. When the community cards are all laid they are Q, 5, 6, Q and K. You both have 3 Queens but you win because your kicker (the Ace) is higher than your opponents.

Live Blind. A blind is when one or more players are obligated to out in an ante, or bet, before any cards have been dealt. A live blind simply means that these players are still able to raise the pot when the action returns to them.

Muck. The cards that have been folded and burned.

Maniac. An expression used to refer to a player who plays poker irrationally. They are known to be very aggressive at raising, betting and bluffing.

No-Limit. No-Limit refers to the betting portion of a game. In No-Limit poker, the players can bet as much as they want (up to the amount of chips they have left) when it is their time to act.

Nuts. Depending what the whole board is showing, the “nuts” is the best possible hand that can be made. For example, the board is showing J(hearts), 3(hearts), Q(spades), 10(hearts) and 4(diamonds). In this case the best 5 card hand that can possibly be made with this combo of cards would be a flush draw including an ace. So if a player was holding the A of hearts and any other heart they would have the “nuts”.

Offsuit. In hold’em poker we say that someone’s starting hand is “offsuit” if the two cards that they were dealt are of different suits.

One-Gap. In hold’em poker if your two starting cards are two apart in rank (i.e. 8,10 or J, K) you are holding a “one-gap”.

Outrun. To beat your opponent. For example, your opponent after the turn, your opponent has a straight and you are holding four clubs, you chose to gamble and try for the flush draw on the river. It pays off and the 10 of clubs is turned over. You have just outrun your opponent.

Overpaid .When you are holding a pair that out ranks any card on the board. For example, you are holding K, K. The flop shows 4, 8, J. Your two Kings are considered to be an “overpair”.

Out. A card, that if drawn, will win you the round. For example, all you need to make a flush is one more spade. There are a total of 13 spades in the deck, you already have four, so you have as many as 9 “outs” in order to win the hand (since there are still as many as 9 spades left in the deck).

Overcard. Any card that a player holds in their hand that ranks higher than any card shown on the board. For example, you are holding a 10 and a K. The flop comes up and is 7, 3, 9. Although you don’t even have a pair, you do have two over cards.

Overcall. Once one or more players have already called, you follow their lead and call as well.

Pocket. In hold’em poker, “pocket” refers to the two cards that are dealt exclusively to each player.

Protect. In terms of blinds, one might call a raise simply because they have already invested an amount of money when they posted their blind. They don’t want to waste the money they already put in so they call to “protect” their blind. Also, when a player covers their cards or chips with their hands they are “protecting” their game. They may do this to be sure that they don’t accidentally foul their hand.

Pay Off. When the pot size is quite large that, even though your opponent will probably beat you, you feel as though it is worth calling anyways.

Play the Board. When no matter what you are holding in your hand, all 5 community cards create the best hand for you. In this instance you all you can do is tie your opponents and split the pot. You have no way of beating them. For example, you are holding 5, 5. But the board is showing 7, 7, J, K, K. Your two fives don’t help you in making a stronger hand.

Price. The amount it will cost you to call.

Pot Limit. Refers to the betting portion of poker. In “Pot Limit” poker you are able to bet as much as you like as long as does not exceed the total amount of money in the current pot.

Pot Odds. A technique of using odds and percentages to determine whether or not you should bet.

Post. The action of putting in a blind bet

Quads. A term in poker for a Four of a Kind.

Rank. The face (numerical) value of the cards in a deck.

Ragged. When the flop does not seem to be of any help to any player.

River. Also known as “ fifth street”, the river is the last of the 5 community cards to join the board.

Rake. The houses profit. In some casinos/card rooms, the dealer will take a “rake” (or portion) of every pot played.

Represent. By your actions, you are “representing” that you are holding a good hand. For example, you raise in the first betting round and then after the flop, you immediately raise again. You are representing to your opponents that you are holding something good.

Ring Game. Also known as a “Live” game, a ring game is a poker game that is not being played as part of a tournament In ring games it is typical to play with real money as opposed to playing with chips.

Rainbow. When the flop comes up with 3 cards of three different suits.

Rock. A player who is typically quite a predictable player as they are known to play very conservative. A “rock” is someone who tends to raise only when they have great hands and very rarely will they try to bluff their opponents.

Runner. A card that was needed to complete a hand and was achieved on the turn or the river.

Short Stack. When you have a proportionately lower amount of chips than everyone else at the table (ie. you have $25 in chips but everyone else has at least $100). In this instance you are said to be “playing on the shortstack”.

Scare Card. A card that comes up on the turn that probably just turned your very good hand into a likely loser. For example, you are holding a 9(hearts) and 7(clubs). The flop turns up as 8(diamonds), 10(diamonds), J (spades). You are now holding a straight, most likely the best hand. But on the turn, a “scare” card turns up. It is the 8(diamonds). Now if your opponent is holding a queen, you lose. If your opponent has two diamonds you are beaten.

Semi-bluff. Raising or betting and hoping that you will not be called (since you are technically bluffing). However if you are called, not all is lost as you do have a couple of outs.

Straddle. An optional extra blind bet, typically made by the player one to the left of the big blind, equal to twice the big blind. This is effectively a raise, and forces any player who wants to play to pay two bets. Furthermore, the straddler acts last before the flop, and may "re-raise."

Second Pair. If you’ve made a pair on the flop but there is still a higher ranked card out there. For example, you have 9, Q. The flop shows J, 9, 4. You have a pair of 9’s but the 9 is the second highest ranked card in the flop. You have flopped “second pair”.

Side Pot. A second pot created in a particular round when one of the players has been forced to go all in but the remaining players still wish to continue raising and betting. The player who has gone all in with their chips has no stake in the side pot and can’t claim any of the money even if they have the best hand.

Set. When you are holding a pair and a third card of the same rank comes up in the flop, you now have three of a kind or a “set”.

Showdown. The moment in the round when the players, who are still in the round, turn over their cards to determine the winner.

Slow Play. When you have a great hand but play it feebly in order to keep more players in the game. Thus possibly winning a larger pot.

Split Pot. When two players have equally the best hand, they will split the money in the pot.

Split Two Pair. When you have two different ranked cards in your pocket and when the flop is shown you make two separate pairs. For example, you are holding a K, 6. The flop comes up and is 6, 9, K. You have made a “Split Two Pair”.

Spread Limit. Refers to the betting portion of poker. In “Spread Limit” poker, the player can bet any amount within a predetermined spread. For example when the spread limit is $5 - $15 and it is your action, you can bet as little as $5 or any amount up to $15.

Suited. When your two hole cards are of the same suit.

Structured

Used to apply to a certain betting structure in "flop" games such as hold'em. The typical definition of a structured game is a fixed amount for bets and raises before the flop and on the flop, and then twice that amount on the turn and river. Example: a $2-$4 structured hold'em game - bets and raises of $2 before the flop and on the flop; $4 bets and raises on the turn and river.

Tell. An expression, action or clue that you may make that another player might pick up on to let him/her get an idea of the strength of your hand, what your next move may be, and so on.

Toke. Another term for tip. Many players, when they win a pot, will “toke” the dealer a small amount (usually one or two dollars).

Table Stakes. A rule that states that a player must only play with the chips in front of him/her. They are not permitted to go into their pocket and buy more chips. If you are out of chips you are out of the game.

Tilt. or “On Tilt”. An expression used to describe a players action if they are playing out of the ordinary, carelessly or irresponsibly.

Trips. Another term for “three of a kind”.

Top Pair. When a player makes a pair on the flop with pair being made up of the highest ranked card on the board. For example, you are holding 7, K. The flop comes up as 8, J, K. Your two Kings are said to be the “top pair”.

Turn. Also called “ fourth street”, the turn is the fourth of the five community cards to join the board.

Time. A term used by a player who would like to pause the hand for bit, so they can decide on their next move. In some instances, if the player fails to call “time” and they take a long to act, the dealer may count the players hand as folded and continue on with game.

Under the gun. A term to describe the person who must act first in a particular betting round. For example, the player to the left of the player who posted the big blind is “under the gun” and must act first in the round before the flop.

Underdog. Also known as dog, this is a term given to the player who is not mathematically preferred to win the hand.