A
Aces Full -
A full house with three aces and any pair.
Ace-High -
A five card hand that contains one Ace, with no straight
or flush or a hand with no
pair in it.
Aces Up - A hand that contains
two pairs, one of which is Aces.
Action -
Checking/Betting/Raising. A game in which players are playing
a lot of pots is
considered an "action" game.
Active Player - Any player
who is still in the hand.
Add-on - A purchase of more
chips (optional) at the end of the re-buy period in a tournament.
All-In -
When a player bets all his/her chips.: In online poker, you
may
be deemed "All-in" when you are disconnected (even if you have chips remaining).
American Airlines - Two
Aces.
Ante - Money placed in the pot
before the hand is begun.
B
Bad Beat -
When a hand is beaten by a lucky draw.
Belly Buster - A
draw and/or catch to an Inside Straight.
Bet - To place
chips into the pot.
Bet the Pot -When
a player bets the amount of the pot.
Bicycle -
A straight that is A-2-3-4-5.
Big Blind -
A designated amount that is placed by the player sitting in the
second position,
clockwise from the dealer, before any cards are dealt. (Players joining
a game in
progress must post a Big Blind, but may do so from any position.)
Big Slick - A hand that
contains an A-K.
Blind - The bet(s) that must
be made by the two players sitting directly to the dealer's left
which will start the action on the first round of betting. The blinds are
posted before
any cards are dealt. (A "Blind" bet
is one that is made in the dark without looking at
your cards.)
Blind Raise - When
a player raises without looking at his hand.
Bluff - To make other players
believe that one has a better hand than he/she might otherwise
have by betting or raising when they do not have the best hand.
Boardcards - The cards
that are dealt face-up in a poker game for all players to see. In flop
games,
five cards are dealt face-up in the center of the table. In Seven Card
Stud, four cards
are dealt face-up in front of each player.
Bottom Pair - When
a player uses the lowest card on the flop to make a pair with one of his
own
cards.
Broadway - An Ace high
straight (A-K-Q-J-10).
Bring-In - The forced
bet made on the first round of betting by the player who is dealt the
lowest card showing in Seven Card Stud and Stud 8 or Better. In Razz (Lowball)
it is
the highest card showing
Bring It In - To
start the betting on the first round.
Broomcorn's Uncle -
A player who antes himself broke.
Bubble - The last position
in a tournament to not finish in the money.
Bullets -
A pair of Aces.
Bump - To
raise.
Button -
Also known as the dealer button, it is a small round disk that
is moved
from player to
player in a clockwise direction following each hand, to theoretically
indicate the
dealer of each hand.
Buy-In - The minimum
amount of money required by a player to sit down in a particular
poker game.
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C
Call - When
a player chooses to match the previous bet.
Call Cold - To
call both a bet and raise(s).
Cap -
To take the last of the maximum amount of raises allowed
per round of betting.
Cardroom -
The room or space in a casino where poker is played.
Case Chips -
A player's last chips.
Cash Out -
To leave a game and convert your chips to cash.
Check -
When it's a player's turn to act and there has been no action
in front of them and he
opts not to bet, he "checks."
Check-Raise - When a player
first checks and then raises in a betting round.
Chop -
To return the blinds to the players who posted them and move
on to the next hand if
no other players call. It also means to "split
the pot".
Collusion - When two or more
players conspire to cheat in a poker game.
Community Cards -
Cards that are face-up and used by all players.
Cowboys -
Two Kings.
D
Dead Man's Hand Two
pair - Aces and Eights (Wild Bill Hickock was shot in the back
while playing
this hand).
Door Card This is the first exposed card, or "up" card,
in a player's hand in Stud games.
Down Card Hole cards. Cards that are dealt face down.
Doyle Brunson It's a
Holdem hand consisting of a 10-2 (Brunson won the world championship two
years in a row on the final hand with these cards).
Draw Lowball Form of poker where
each player is dealt five cards with the option of discarding one
or more and replacing them with new ones and the low hand wins.
Draw Poker Form of poker where each player
is dealt five cards down with the option of
discarding one or more and replacing them with new ones to attempt to make
a better
hand.
Drop Fold.
Ducks A pair of Twos.
Deuces A pair of Twos.
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E
Early Position -
Position on a round of betting where the player must act before
most of
the other
players at the table. (It's considered the two positions located to the left
of the Blinds.)
F
Fifth Street -
Also known as the "river" card.
In flop games, this represents the fifth community
card on the table and the final round of betting. In Stud games, this is
the fifth card
dealt to each player and represents the third round of betting.
Five-card Draw - 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 - A poker game in which each player is dealt five cards, one
down and four up, with
betting after 2, 3, 4, & 5
cards.
Flat Call - Calling a bet
without raising.
Flop - In 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 round of
betting.
Flop Games - Poker games
(Hold 'em and Omaha) that are played using community cards that are
dealt face up in the center of the table.
Floorman - An employee of the cardroom who makes rulings and decisions.
Flush - Any five cards of the same suit.
Flush Draw - When a player
has four cards in his hand of the same suit and is hoping to draw a
fifth to make a flush.
Fold - To throw your hand away when it's your turn to act.
Forced Bet - A required 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 ("quads").
Fourth Street - In flop games, it is the fourth community card dealt (also
known as "the
turn") and
represents the third round of betting. In Stud games, it is the fourth card
dealt to each
player and represents the second round of betting.
Full House - Any three cards
of the same number or face value, plus any other two cards of the
same number or face value.
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G
Gut Shot - To
draw to and/or hit an inside straight.
H
Hand - A player's
best five cards.
High-Card -
To decide the first dealer in the flop tournaments 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 theoretical
dealer.
High-Low - Split pot games.
Hold 'em - Also known as Texas
Hold 'em, where the players get two down cards and five
community cards. See our complete Hold 'em rules in our rules section.
Hole Cards - These are
the Down Cards in front of the players.
House - The casino or cardroom that is hosting the poker game.
I
Inside Straight - Four
cards which require another between the top and the bottom card
to complete a
straight.\ Players who catch this card make an Inside Straight.
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J
Jackpot Poker - A
form of poker in which the cardroom or casino offers a jackpot
to a player who has
lost with a really big hand (usually Aces full or better).
Jacks-or- Better -
A form of poker in which a player needs to have at least a pair of jacks
to open the
betting.
K
Kansas City Lowball - Form
of lowball poker in which the worst poker hand (2, 3, 4, 5, 7 of
different suits)
is the best hand. It's also known as Deuce to Seven.
Keep Them Honest -
To call at the end of a hand to prevent someone from bluffing.
Key Card - A
card that gives you a big draw or makes your hand.
Key Hand - In a session
or tournament, the one hand that ends up being a turning point for the
player, either for better or worse.
Kicker - The highest unpaired side card in a players' hand.
Kick It - Raise.
Kill Pot - A method to
stimulate action. It is a forced bet by someone who has just won a
pot(s).
Knock - Check.
Kojak - A hand that contains a K-J.
L
Ladies Two Queens.
Late Position Position on a round of betting 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.
Lead The first player to bet into a pot.
Limit Poker A game that has fixed minimum and maximum betting intervals along
with a
prescribed number of raises.
Limper The first player who calls a bet.
Limp In To enter the pot by calling rather than raising. (The usual concept
of "Limp
In" is
when the first person to speak just calls the Big Blind.)
Live Blind 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.
Live Hand A hand that could still win the pot.
Live One A not so knowledgeable player who plays a lot of hands.
Look When a player calls the final bet before the showdown.
Loose Is a player who plays a lot hands.
Lowball Is a form of draw poker in which the lowest hand wins the pot.
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M
Main Pot The center pot. Any other bets are placed in a side pot(s) and are
contested among
the remaining players. This occurs when a player(s) goes all-in.
Make To make the deck is to shuffle the deck.
Maniac 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 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 To discard or throw away your hand. It's also a pile of cards that are
no longer in
play.
Minimum Buy-In The least amount you can start a game with.
Monster A very big hand. In a tournament, a player who begins to accumulate
chips after
having a small stack is considered to be a monster.
N
No Limit A game where players can bet as much as they like (as long as they
have it in front of
them) on any round of betting.
Nuts The best possible hand at any point of the game. A hand that cannot
be beat.
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O
Odds The probability of making a hand vs. the probability of not making a
hand.
Offsuit Cards of a different suit.
Omaha A game in which each player is dealt four down cards with five community
cards. To
make your hand, you must play two cards from your hand and three from the
board.
Open To make the first bet.
Open-ended Straight Four consecutive cards whereby one additional (consecutive)
card is needed at either
end to make a straight.
Open Card A card that is dealt face-up.
Open Pair A pair that has been dealt face-up.
Option An option is a Live Blind made in the dark before the cards are dealt.
If no one
raises, the "option" player
may raise the pot.
Out Button A disc placed in front of a player who wishes to sit out a hand(s)
but remain in the
game.
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P
Paints Face or picture cards (Jack, Queen and King).
Pair Two cards of the same face or number value.
Pass To fold.
Pay Off To call on the final round of betting when you may or may not think
you have the
best hand.
Picture Cards Face cards (Jack, Queen and King).
Play Back 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.
Pocket The down cards or hole cards.
Pocket Rockets A pair of Aces in the pocket or hole.
Position Where a player is seated in relation to the dealer, therefore establishing
that player's
place in the betting order.
Post When you post a bet, you place your chips in the pot. (You must post
the Blinds.)
Pot The money or chips in the center of a table that players try to win.
Pot Limit This is a game where the maximum bet can equal the pot.
Prop A person hired by the cardroom to work as a shill.
Push 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 To fold a hand.
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Q
Quads Four of a kind.
Qualifier In High-Low games, it is a requirement the Low hand must meet to
win the pot.
R
Rack A tray that holds 100 poker chips in five stacks of twenty chips each.
Rail The rim of a poker table or a barrier outside a poker area.
Railbird Someone who hangs around a poker room who watches the games and/or
is looking
to get into action.
Raise To increase the previous bet.
Rake Chips taken from the pot by the cardroom for compensation for hosting
the game.
Rank The value of each card and hand.
Rap When a player knocks on the table indicating that he/she has checked.
Razz Seven Card Stud where the lowest five cards win the pot.
Re-buy The amount of money a player pays to add a fixed number of chips to
his/her stack in
a tournament.
Re-raise To raise a raise.
Ring Game A "live" game that is
not a tournament.
River This 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 This is when players have the opportunity to bet, check
or raise. Each round of
betting ends when the last bet or raise has been called.
Rounders Guys who hustle for a living. This is also the name of a popular
poker movie starring
Matt Damon and Ed Norton.
Royal Flush This is an Ace high straight (A-K-Q-J-10) of the same suit. It
is the best possible
hand in poker.
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S
Satellite It is a mini-tournament to gain an entry into a larger tournament.
Scoop To win the entire pot.
Seating List A waiting list. A player would put his or her name on this list
if there were no seats at
the table at which they wish to play.
Second Pair In flop games, when you pair the second highest card on the board.
See To call.
Seven-card Stud A well-known poker game in which players get three down cards
and four up cards.
You play the best five of those seven cards. Click here for information on
Seven-card
Stud.
Seventh Street This is the final round of betting in Seven Card Stud and
Stud 8 or Better.
Shills Shills are paid props who help start and maintain poker games.
Showdown At the end of the final betting round, it's when all active players
turn their cards faceup
to see who has won the pot.
Side Pot A separate pot(s) which is contested by remaining active players
when one or more
players are all-in.
Sixth Street In Seven-card Stud, this is the fourth "up" card
dealt to the player (their 6th card). It
is also the 4th round of betting.
Solid A fairly tight player (and reasonably good).
Small Blind The amount put in the pot by the person immediately to the left
of the dealer "button"
prior to the cards being dealt.
Speed Limit A pair of fives.
Split Tie.
Stack A pile of chips.
Stay When a player remains in the game by calling rather than raising.
Steel Wheel A five high straight (A-2-3-4-5) of the same suit.
Straddle A straddle is a Blind bet which is usually double the size of the
Big Blind\ (and that
player may raise when the action gets to him).
Straight Five consecutive cards of any suit.
Straight Flush Five consecutive cards of the same suit.
Structure The limits put on the blinds/ante, bets, and raises in any particular
game.
Stud Games Games in which players get down cards and up cards.
Stuck A player who is losing in a game.
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T
Texas Hold'em This is also the name for Hold'em, the most popular form of
poker.
Third Street In Seven Card Stud and Seven Card Stud 8 or Better, this is
the first betting round on
the first three cards.
Thirty Miles Three tens.
Three of a Kind Three cards of the same number or face value ("trips").
Tight A player who doesn't play many pots. A tight game is one that doesn't
have much
action.
TOC Tournament of Champions.
Top Pair In flop games, when the player pairs one of his down cards with
the highest card on
board.
Treys A pair of threes.
Trips Three of a kind.
Turn In flop games, this is the fourth card dealt. It is the third round
of betting.
Two Pair A hand consisting of two different pairs.
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U
Up Card A card that is dealt face-up.
V-W
Walking Sticks A pair of sevens.
Wild Card A card that can be played as any value.
Worst Hand A losing hand.
WSOP World Series of Poker.
