- A
Aces Full: is a full house consisting three aces and any pair.
Ace-High: is a five card hand consisting one Ace, with no straight or flush or a hand with no pair in it.
Aces Up: is a hand with two pairs, one of which is Aces.
Action: is Checking/Betting/Raising. A game in which players are playing many pots is considered an "action" poker game.
Add-on: is buying additional chips (optional) at the end of the re-buy period in a tournament.
All-In: When a player bets his/her entire chips, he/she is called All-In. In online poker, you may be considered "All-in" when you are disconnected (even if you have chips remaining).
American Airlines: Two Aces is called American Airlines.
Ante: is placing the chips in the pot before the hand is begun.
- B
Bad Beat: When a hand is beaten by a lucky draw, it is called a Bad Beat.
Belly Buster: is a draw and/or catch to an Inside Straight.
Bet: Placing chips into the pot is called a Bet.
Bet the Pot: When a player bets the amount of the pot, it is called Bet the Pot .
Bicycle: is a straight that is A-2-3-4-5.
Big Blind: is a second forced bet placed by the player sitting in the second position, left to the dealer, before any cards are dealt.
Big Slick: is a hand with an Ace and King.
Blind: is the forced bet(s) that must be made by the two players sitting clockwise the dealer; which will start the action in the first betting round. The blinds are posted before any cards are dealt.
Blind Raise: When a player raises without looking at his hand, it is called Blind Raise.
Bluff: is making other players believe that one has a better hand than he/she might otherwise have by betting or raising while they don’t hold the best hand.
Boardcards: are community cards in a Hold’em game dealt face-up for all players to see.
In flop games, five cards are dealt face-up in the center of the table. In 7 Card Stud, four cards are dealt face-up in front of all poker players.
Bottom Pair: When a player uses the lowest card on the flop to make a pair with one of his own cards, it is called Bottom Pair.
Broadway: is an Ace high straight (A-K-Q-J-10).
Bring-In: is the forced bet made in the first betting round by the player who is dealt the lowest card showing in 7 Card Stud and Stud 8 or Better. In Razz (Lowball) it is the highest card showing.
Bring It In: is starting the betting on the first round.
Bullets: is a pair of Aces.
Bump: The action of raising is called a Bump.
Button: is also known as the dealer button. It is a small round disk that is moved from player to player in a clockwise direction after each hand, to evidently indicate the dealer of each hand.
Buy-In: is the minimum amount of chips compulsory for a player in order to sit down in a particular poker game.
- C
Call: is when a player chooses to match the last bet.
Call Cold: is calling both a bet and raise(s).
Cap: is to take the last of the maximum amount of raises allowed per round of betting.
Cardroom: is the room or space in a casino where poker is played.
Case Chips: is a player's last chips.
Cash Out: is leaving a game and converting your chips to cash.
Check: When it's a player's turn to act and there has been no action prior to them and he decide not to bet, he ‘checks’.
Check-Raise: When a player first checks and then raises in a betting round.
Chop: is returning the blinds to the players who posted them and moving on to the next hand if no other players call. It also means to "split the pot".
Collusion: When two or more players unite to cheat in a poker game.
Community Cards: are face-up cards and are used by all players.
Cowboys: Two Kings is called Cowboys.
- D
Dead Man's Hand: is two pairs of Aces and Eights
Door Card: is the first exposed card, or "up" card, in a player's hand in stud games.
Down Card: are dealt face down to all players. Also called Hole Cards.
Doyle Brunson: is a Texas Hold’em hand with a 10-2 (Brunson won the World Championship of Poker two years in a row on the final hand with these cards).
Draw: is playing a poker hand that is not yet good, but could become so if the right cards come.
Draw Dead: is an attempt to make a poker hand that, even if made, will not win the pot.
If you're drawing to make a flush, and your opponent already has a full house, you are "drawing dead." Not a good spot to be in.
Draw Poker: is a form of poker where each player is dealt five cards down with the choice of discarding one or more and replacing them with new ones to endeavor to make a better hand.
Drop: is to fold.
Ducks: is a pair of Twos.
Deuces: is a pair of Twos.
- E
Early Position: is a position on a betting round; where the player must act before most of the other players at the table. (For example. two positions located to the left of the blinds)
- F
Fifth Street: is also known as the "river" card. In flop games, this signifies the fifth community card on the table and the final betting round. In stud games, this is the fifth card dealt to each player and represents the third betting round.
Fish: is a weak player -- one who gives his money away. It's a popular (though not well-followed) rule among good players to not upset the bad players, because they'll stop having fun and perhaps leave. So the phrase, "Don't tap on the aquarium."
Five-card Draw: is a poker game in which the player is dealt five cards down. They have one draw to replace them and the best high hand wins the pot.
Five-card Stud: is a poker game in which all players are dealt five cards, one down and four up, with betting after 2, 3, 4, & 5 cards.
Flat Call: is calling a bet without raising.
Fifth Street: is also known as the "river" card. In flop games, this represents the fifth community card on the table and the final betting round. In stud games, this is the fifth card dealt to each player and represents the third round of betting.
Flop: In Texas Hold'em and Omaha, the first three community cards that are dealt face-up in the center of the table, all at one time. The "flop" also indicates the second betting round.
Flop Games: are those poker games (Texas Hold 'em and Omaha) that are played using community cards and are dealt face up in the center of the table.
Flush: Any five cards of the same suit are called a Flush.
Flush Draw: When a player has four cards in his hand of the same suit and is hoping to draw a fifth to make a flush.
Fold: is throwing your poker hand away when it's your turn to act.
Forced Bet: is a compulsory bet that starts the action on the first round of a poker hand.
Four of a Kind: Four cards of the same number or face value are called a Four of a Kind or "quads".
Fourth Street: is the fourth community card dealt (also known as "the turn") in flop games and represents the third betting round. In stud poker games, it is the fourth card dealt to each player and represents the second betting round.
Full House: is any three cards of the same number or face value, plus any other two cards of the same number or face value.
- G
Gut Shot: is drawing to and/or hitting an inside straight.
- H
Hand: A player's best five cards are called a Hand.
High-Card: decides the first dealer in the flop tournaments; in which each user is dealt a single card and the player with the highest card (based on the card and the suit order - of spades, hearts, diamonds & clubs) becomes the decisive dealer.
High-Low: Split pot games are called High-Low.
Hold 'em: is also known as Texas Hold 'em, where the players get two down cards and five community cards.
Hole Cards: are the Down Cards in front of the players.
House: is the establishment casino or cardroom that is hosting the poker game.
I
Inside Straight: Four cards which need another between the top and the bottom card to complete a straight. Players who hold this card make an Inside Straight.
J
Jackpot Poker: is a form of poker in which the cardroom or casino offers a jackpot to a player who has lost with a really big hand (Aces full or better).
Jacks-or- Better: is a form of poker in which a player must have at least a pair of jacks to open the betting.
- K
Key Card: is a card that gives you a big draw or makes your hand.
Key Hand: In a session or tournament, the one hand that ends up being a turning point for the player, either for better or worse.
Kicker: is the highest unpaired side card in a players' hand.
Kick It: is to Raise.
Kill Pot: is a method to stimulate action. It is a forced bet by someone who has just won a pot(s).
Knock: is to Check.
Kojak: is a hand with a King and a Jack.
- L
Ladies: Two Queens are called Ladies.
Late Position: is a position on a betting round where the player must act after most of the other players have acted, (usually considered to be the two positions next to the button).
Lay Down Your Hand: When a player folds, it is called Lay Down Your Hand.
Lead: is the first player to bet into a pot.
Limit Poker: is a game with fixed minimum and maximum betting intervals along with a prescribed number of raises.
Limper: is the first player who calls a bet.
Limp In: is entering the pot by calling rather than raising. The most common understanding of limping in is when the first person to speak only calls the Big Blind.
Live Blind: is an instance where the player puts in a dark bet and is allowed to raise, even if no other player raises. It's also known as an "option".
Live Card(s): In Stud Games, cards that have not yet been seen and are presumed to still be in play are known as Live Cards.
Live Hand: is a hand that could still win the pot.
Live One: is the inexperienced player who plays a lot of hands.
Look: is when a player calls the final bet before the showdown.
Loose: A player who plays a lot hands is called a Loose.
- M
Main Pot: The center pot is called the Main Pot. Any other bets are placed in a side pot(s) and are contested among the remaining players. This occurs when a player(s) goes all-in.
Make: Shuffling the deck is called a Make.
Maniac: is a very aggressive player who plays a lot of hands.
Middle Pair: In flop games, when a player makes a pair with one of his/her down cards and the middle card on the flop.
Middle Position: is somewhere between the early and late positions on a round of betting (the fifth, sixth and seventh seats to the left of the button).
Muck: is discarding or throwing away your hand. It's also a pile of cards that are no longer in play.
Minimum Buy-In: is the least amount you can start a game with.
Monster: is a very big hand. In a tournament, a player who begins to collect chips after having a small stack is considered to be a monster.
- N
No Limit: is a game where players can bet as much as they want (as long as they have it in front of them) on any round of betting.
Nuts: is the best possible hand at any point of the game or a hand that cannot be beat.
- O
Odds: is the probability of making a hand vs. the probability of not making a hand.
Offsuit: Cards of a different suit are known as Offsuit.
Omaha: is a poker game in which each player is dealt four down cards with five community cards. To make your hand, you need to play two cards from your hand and three from the board.
Open: Making the first bet is called to Open.
Open-ended Straight: are four consecutive cards whereby one additional (consecutive) card is needed at either end to make a straight.
Open Card: is a card that is dealt face-up.
Open Pair: is a pair that has been dealt face-up.
Option: is a Live Blind made before the cards are dealt. If no one raises, the ‘option’ player may raise the pot.
Out Button: is a disc placed in front of a player who wishes to sit out a hand(s) but remain in the game.
- P
Paints: Face or picture cards (Jack, Queen and King) are known as Paints.
Pair: Two cards having the same face or number value is called a Pair.
Pass: To fold is called a Pass.
Pay Off: is calling on the final round of betting when you may or may not think you have the best hand.
Picture Cards: are Face cards (Jack, Queen and King).
Play Back: is to raise or re-raise another player's bet.
Playing the Board: In flop games, when your best five card hand is all five of the community cards, then it will called Playing the Board.
Pocket: The down cards or hole cards are known as Pocket.
Pocket Rockets: is a pair of Aces in the pocket or hole.
Position: is where a player is seated in relation to the dealer, hence establishing that player's place in the betting order.
Post: is the action of placing your chips in the pot. Also, if you miss the blind, then you must ‘post’ - add as many chips as were in the blind itself.
Pot: are the chips or chips in the center of a table that players try to win.
Pot Limit: is a game where the maximum bet can equal the pot.
Prop: is person hired by the cardroom to work as a shill.
Push: is when the dealer pushes the chips to the winning player at the end of a hand. It's also when dealers rotate to other tables.
Put Down: Folding a hand is known as Put Down.
- Q
Quads: Four of a kind is called a ‘Quads’.
Qualifier: In Hi/Lo games, it is a requirement the Low hand must meet to win the pot.
- R
Rail: is the rim of a poker table or a barrier outside a poker area.
Railbird: is someone who hangs around a poker room who watches the games and/or is looking to get into action.
Raise: is the action of increaseing the previous bet.
Rake: are the chips taken from the pot by the cardroom for compensation for hosting the game.
Rank: is the value of each card and hand.
Rap: is when a player knocks on the table indicating that he/she has checked.
Razz: is 7 Card Stud where the lowest five cards win the pot.
Re-buy: is the amount of chips a player pays to add a fixed number of chips to his/her stack in a tournament.
Re-raise: is the action of raising a raise.
Ring Game: is a "live" game that is not a tournament.
River: is the last card given in all games. In Hold'em and Omaha, it is also known as 5th street. In stud games, it is also known as 7th street.
Round of Betting: is when players have the chance to bet, check or raise. Each round of betting ends when the last bet or raise has been called.
Royal Flush: is an Ace high straight (A-K-Q-J-10) of the same suit. It is the best possible hand in poker.
- S
Satellite: is a mini-tournament to gain an entry into a larger tournament.
Scoop: When you the entire pot, it is called Scoop.
Second Pair: In flop games, pairing the second highest card on the board is called the Second Pair.
See: is the action of calling.
7 card Stud: A popular online poker game in which players get three down cards and four up cards. You play the best five of those seven cards.
Seventh Street: is the final betting round in 7 Card Stud and Stud 8 or Better.
Shills: are paid props who help start and maintain poker games.
Showdown: At the end of the final round of betting, Showdown occurs when all active players turn their cards face-up to see who has won the pot.
Side Pot: is a separate pot(s) which is contested by remaining active players when one or more players are all-in.
Sixth Street: In 7-Card Stud, Sixth Street is the fourth "up" card dealt to the player (their 6th card). It is also the 4th betting round.
Soft play: refers to players that are not acting as per the cards they have. They are trying to help a friend or other player by not betting or raising when it would be correct to do so. It is considered collusion and can result in the suspension of a player's account.
Solid: is a fairly tight player (and reasonably good).
Small Blind: is the amount put in the pot by the person clockwise the dealer "button" before the cards being dealt.
Speed Limit: is a pair of fives.
Split: is when there is a Tie.
Stack: is a pile of chips.
Stay: is when a player remains in the game by calling rather than raising.
Steel Wheel: is a five high straight (A-2-3-4-5) of the same suit.
Straddle: is a blind bet which is usually double the size of the big blind, (and one that player may raise when the action gets to him).
Straight: Five consecutive cards of any suit make a Straight.
Straight Flush: Five consecutive cards of the same suit make a Straight Flush.
Structure: is the limits put on the blinds/ante, bets, and raises in any particular game.
Stud Games: are those online poker games in which players get down cards and up cards.
Stuck: is a player who is losing in a game.
- T
Texas Hold'em: is also known as Hold'em, the most popular form of poker.
Third Street: In 7 Card Stud and 7 Card Stud 8 or Better, Third Street is the first round of betting on the first three cards.
Thirty Miles: Three tens is called Thirty Miles.
Three of a Kind: are three cards of the same number or face value ("trips").
Tight: is a player who doesn't play many pots. A tight game is one that doesn't have much action.
Top Pair: In flop games, when the player pairs one of his down cards with the highest card on board.
Treys: is a pair of threes.
Trips: is a three of a kind.
Turn: In flop games, Turn is the fourth card dealt. It is the third betting round.
Two Pair: is a hand with two different pairs.
- U
Up Card: is a card that is dealt face-up.
- W
Walking Sticks: is a pair of sevens.
Wild Card: is a card that can be played as any value.
Worst Hand: is a losing hand.
WSOP: stands for World Series of Poker |