Poker Terminology
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
A
Aces Full:
A five card Poker Hand that contains a Full House consisting of three Aces and any Pair.
Ace-High:
A five card Poker Hand that contains one Ace, with no Straight or Flush.
Aces Up:
A five card Poker Hand that contains two Pairs, one of which is Aces.
Action:
A term for "Betting." Initiating the Betting may be referred to as “Starting the Action”.
Active Bet:
A Bet (i.e. Blind Bets, Bets, Raises).
Active Player:
Any player still participating in the current Hand.
All-in:
When a player runs out of Chips and/or is disconnected, but continues to remain an Active Player.
American Airlines:
Two Aces.
Ante:
An initial sum of money, placed in the Pot by each player wishing to participate in the Hand. Antes are applicable in games of Stud and Draw Poker, but are not used in games of Hold'em or Omaha Poker.
B
Bad Beat:
When a Hand is beaten by a lucky Draw.
Belly Buster:
A Draw and/or catch to an Inside Straight.
Bet:
Placing an amount of Chips into the Pot.
Bet the Pot:
Betting an amount equal to the Pot.
Betting Round:
The period during a Poker game when players have the opportunity to Fold, Bet, Check or Raise. Each Betting Round ends when the last Bet or Raise has been Called or when all players but one have folded thier hands.
Bicycle:
A Poker Hand consisting of an A-2-3-4-5 Straight.
Big Blind:
An initial mandatory Bet, in games of Hold’em and Omaha Poker, which is Posted by the player two seats to the left of the Dealer, in a clockwise fashion. The Big Blind is equal to that Table’s Lower Betting Limit. For example, at a $10-20 Table, the Big Blind would be $10.
Big Slick:
A Poker Hand that contains an Ace and King.
Blind:
Initial mandatory Bets, placed in the Pot by the first two players to the left of the Dealer, in a clockwise fashion, in games of Hold'em and Omaha Poker. See "Small Blind" and "Big Blind".
Blind Raise:
When a player Raises without looking at his/her Hand.
Bluff:
To continue Betting in a Poker Hand, while holding a weak Hand. The strategy of "Bluffing" is usually employed in the hope that misleading or intimidation the other players in the game will convince them to "Fold", therefore allowing the player Bluffing to win the Pot.
Board:
Refers to the shared cards (see "Community Cards") placed at the center of Hold'em and Omaha Poker Tables. "Looking around the board," means looking at these visible cards. The Boardcards are visible to, and shared by, all players at the Table. In Stud Poker games, each player has his own Board.
Bottom Pair:
When a player uses the lowest card in the Flop to create a Pair with one of his/her own cards.
Broadway:
A Poker Hand consisting of an Ace high Straight (10-J-Q-K-A).
Bring-in:
A mandatory first Bet made in the first Betting Round of a Stud Poker game only. The Bring-in is usually placed by the player showing the lowest valued card; though in some games the player showing the highest valued card is forced to do so. On all additional rounds, the player showing the highest valued Hand on Board has the option to Bet first, or not.
Bring It In:
To initiate the Betting in the Hand’s first Betting Round.
Broomcorn's Uncle:
A player who uses up all his/her Chips through placing Antes.
Bullets:
A Pair of Aces.
Bump:
To Raise.
Button:
A round plastic disc, with a "D" on it, which is used to represent/identify the present Dealer position in the game. After each Hand the Button moves left, in a clockwise fashion, to the next Active Player Sitting-in at the Table.
Buy-In:
The minimum amount of money required by a player to sit down at a particular Poker Table.
C
Call:
To equal or match the last Bet amount that has been made.
Cap:
To make the last and final of a Betting Round's Raises, based on the maximum number of permissible Raises per Betting Round in that Poker game.
Case Chips:
A player's last Chips.
Cash Out:
To leave a game and convert your Chips to cash.
Check:
To decline making a Betting Round's initial Bet and Pass the option to the next Active Player. After a Betting Round’s initial Bet has been placed, players no longer have the option to Check and may only Call, Raise or Fold (see below).
Check-Raise:
When a player first Checks and then Raises in a Betting Round.
Chop:
To return the Blind Bets to the players who Posted them, when no other players elect to Call in a Poker game's first Betting Round. The game then moves on to the next Hand. Also referred to "Splitting the Pot".
Collusion:
When two or more players conspire to cheat in a Poker game.
Community Cards:
The cards, placed face up in the middle of the Table, which are visible to and shared by all players in Hold'em and Omaha Poker games.
Cowboys:
Two Kings.
D
Dead Bet:
A non-Active Bet
or penalty fee, which is placed in the Pot,
but which the other players at the Table are not required to refer
to (i.e. if a player misses both Blind Bets, upon re-Sitting-in
that player must Post a Live Bet equal to the Big Blind,
plus a Dead Bet equal to the Small Blind).
Dead Man's Hand:
Two Pair - Aces and Eights (Wild Bill Hickock was shot in the back while playing this Hand).
Dealer:
The player who either actually, or representatively, distributes the cards to the other players at the Poker Table.
Door Card:
This is the first exposed, face up or up card, in a player's Hand in a game of Stud Poker.
Down Card:
Hole cards- Cards that are dealt face down.
Doyle Brunson:
A Hold’em Poker Hand consisting of a 10-2 (Brunson won the world championship two years in a row on the final Hand with these cards).
Drawing Hand:
A presently relatively worthless Hand, yet with the Potential to become a strong Hand. The most common types of Drawing Hands are four card Straights and four card Flushes.
Drop:
Fold.
Ducks:
A Pair of Twos.
Deuces:
A Pair of Twos.
E
Early Position:
A player’s position in a Betting Round where the player must act before most of the other players at the Table (usually considered the two players seated to the left of the players who placed the Blind Bets.)
F
Fifth Street:
The fifth Community Card, placed face up in the center of the Table, in a game of Hold'em or Omaha Poker. This card is more commonly referred to as "The River." Can also refer to the fifth card received in a game of 7-card Stud Poker.
Flat Call:
Calling a Bet without Raising.
Flop:
The first three Community Cards, placed in unison face up in the center of the Table, in a game of Hold'em or Omaha Poker.
Flop Games:
Poker games (Hold’em and Omaha) played using Community Cards, which are dealt face up in the center of the Table.
Flush:
A Poker Hand consisting of 5 cards all of the same suit, for example, 3-4-8-10-K of Spades.
Flush Draw:
A Hand consisting of four cards of the same suit, for example, 3-4-8-10 of Clubs, being held in the hopes of receiving a fifth card of the same suit (in this example another Club) in order to complete the Flush.
Fold:
To quit a Hand in the middle of the game, thus forfeiting any Chips (if any) placed in the Pot up until that time.
Forced Bet:
A required Bet that starts the Action on the first round of a Poker Hand (see "Blind").
Four of a Kind:
Four cards of the same number or face value ("Quads").
Fourth Street:
The fourth Community Card, placed face up in the center of the Table, in a game of Hold'em or Omaha Poker. This card is more commonly referred to as "The Turn." Can also refer to the fourth card received in a game of 7-card Stud Poker.
Full House:
A Poker Hand consisting of three of one card and two of another, e.g., 7-7-7-5-5.
G
Gut Shot:
To Draw to and/or hit an Inside Straight
H
Hand:
A player's best five cards.
Heads-up Play:
When a Poker Hand has been reduced to only two remaining players.
High Card:
The highest card on the board, which is the lowest winning hand rank.
High-Low Poker:
Any game of Poker in which the Pot is split Between the highest and lowest Hands. It is possible to have a Hand that wins both, for example, A-2-3-4-5 is a Straight, but is also (in most forms of high-low Poker) considered the lowest possible Hand. In some high-low games of Poker the lowest possible Hand is A-2-3-4-6, and in others (although usually this is true only in low-only games), the lowest possible Hand is 2-3-4-5-7 (as this Hand does not contain an Ace).
Hold'em:
The Poker game also known as Texas Hold 'em, in which players receive two face down cards and five face up Community Cards. See a complete game description in Pacific Poker's Game Rules section.
Hole Cards:
Player’s cards which are face down and cannot be seen by the other players.
I
Inside Straight Draw:
A Hand of four cards, which requires one specific additional card, somewhere in the middle, to complete a Straight (i.e. 4-6-7-8, where only a 5 could give the player a Straight). This is as opposed to an "Open-ended Straight Draw", in which cards on either end of the Hand are needed to complete the Straight.
J
Jackpot Poker:
A form of Poker in which the Cardroom or Casino pays a Jackpot to any player who does not win the Pot while holding a very high valued Hand (usually Aces Full or Better).
K
Key Card:
One particular card, which gives the player a big Draw or makes his/her Hand.
Key Hand:
In a session or tournament, the one particular Hand that marks a turning point for the player, either for better or worse.
Kicker:
- In Draw Poker, a single card, held along with a Pair, in an attempt to make two Pairs. For example, keeping 3-3-K and Drawing two additional alternative cards in an attempt get either another 3 (for three of a kind) or another King (for two Pairs, Kings-high).
- In Hold’em Poker, the highest single card held Between two players who each hold equal Pairs. For example:
- The Board Cards are A-10-8-5-2.
- Player #1 holds an A-J as his/her Hand.
- Player #2 holds A-Q as his/her Hand.
Each player holds a Pair of Aces, however Player #2 has a higher valued kicker and wins the Pot.
Kick It:
Raise.
Knock:
Check.
Kojak:
A Hand that contains a King and Jack.
L
Ladies:
Two Queens.
Late Position:
A player’s position in a Betting Round where the player must act after most of the other players at the Table (usually considered to be the two positions to the right of the Dealer).
Lay Down Your Hand:
When a player Folds his/her Hand.
Lead:
The first player to Bet in a Betting Round.
Limit Poker:
A common variety of Poker in which the amount size of the Bets are pre-determined. For example, in a "$10-20" game, Bets and Raises are limited to $10 in the early rounds and $20 in the late rounds.
Limper:
The first player, in the first Betting Round, to Call the Blind Bets.
Limp In:
To place Chips in the Pot through a Call, rather than a Raise. (Normally, a "Limp In" takes place when the first person speaks by Calling the Big Blind.)
Live Bet:
An Active Bet, which all other players at the Table must refer to (i.e. Blind Bets, Bets, Raises).
Live Blind:
When a player places a Blind Bet and is then permitted to Raise, even if no other player Raises. Also referred to as an "Option".
Live Card(s):
Cards that have not yet been seen and are presumed to still be in play, in games of Stud Poker.
Live Hand:
A Hand that still has the Potential to win the Pot.
M
Main Pot:
The center Pot. Any other Bets are placed in a side Pot(s) and are then contested between any remaining players. Side Pots occurs when a player(s) goes All-in.
Make:
Making the deck is referred to as shuffling the deck.
Maniac:
An aggressive player who plays many Hands.
Meet:
Also referred to as Call.
Middle Pair:
In Flop games, when a player creates a Pair using one of his/her down cards and the middle card in the Flop.
Middle Position:
A player’s position in a Betting Round, somewhere between Early and Late Position (usually considered to be the fifth, sixth and seventh seats to the left of the Dealer).
Miss:
Holding a Drawing Hand without receiving the card needed to improve the Hand. For example, holding 4 Spades while seeking a Flush, but receiving a Heart as the final card, would be referred to as "Missing the Draw."
Muck:
To discard or throw away ones Hand. Also refers to a pile of cards that are no longer in play.
Minimum Buy-In:
The minimum amount that join and start a game with.
Monster:
A very high valued or important Hand. In a tournament, a player who accumulates many Chips, after having a small stack, is referred to as a Monster.
Multi-hand:
When a player joins more than one poker table at a time and plays multiple hands simultaneously.
N
Narrowing the Field:
Betting or Raising in order to drive out players whose Hands might have improved if allowed to remain in the game.
No-Limit Poker:
A risky variety of Poker in which any player may Bet as many of his/her Chips at any time.
Nuts, The:
The best possible Hand in the context of a particular Hand and its Potential. For example, in Hold'em Poker, a player holding K-J would hold "The Nuts" if the Flop came out as 9-10-Q. In the context of the player’s Hole Cards, the 9-10-J-Q-K Straight is the best possible Hand.
O
Offsuit:
Cards of a different suit(s).
Omaha Poker:
A Community Card Poker game, with similarities to Texas Hold'em. In Omaha Poker, each player receives four cards of their own (opposed to two in Texas Hold'em), but unlike Hold'em, where players may choose to play either zero, one, or two of the cards in their Hand, in Omaha players must use exactly two of their cards. Omaha Poker is frequently played in a high-low version.
Open:
To begin the Betting in a Betting Round.
Open-ended Straight Draw:
Four consecutive cards, such as 5-6-7-8, which allows for the player to complete a Straight by receiving a card on either end of his/her current Hand (in this case, either a 4 or a 9 is needed to complete the 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 Bet made before the cards are dealt. If no one Raises, the "Option" player may Raise.
Out Button:
A disc placed in front of a player who wishes to Sit Out a Hand(s), but still remain in the game.
P
Paints:
Face or picture cards (Jack, Queen and King).
Pair:
Two cards of the same rank, e.g., two sevens or two Kings.
Pass:
To Check or Pass the option to Bet/Raise to the next player in a Betting Round.
Pat Hand:
An already complete Hand, that would not be broken-up to try to improve its value. Straights, Flushes, Full Houses, Four of a Kind, and Straight Flushes are all referred to as Pat Hands.
Pay Off:
To Call on the final Betting Round 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 player’s cards, which are dealt face down. Also referred to as Hole Cards
Pocket Rockets:
Pocket or Hole Cards consisting of a Pair of Aces.
Position:
Important Poker strategy, which takes into consideration the fact that in most forms of Poker, the Player acting last holds a distinct advantage. Being last to act means the player possesses more information available when deciding whether to Check, Bet, Raise, or Fold.
Post:
Placing Chips in the Pot (i.e. Posting the Blind Bets.)
Pot:
The accumulated amount of Chips in the center of the Table, being contested by the Active Players in the Hand.
Pot-Limit Poker:
A variety of Poker in which players may Bet in an amount up to, but not greater than, the current amount in the Pot.
Pot Odds:
It is often valuable to evaluate the amount in the Pot when deciding whether or not to Call a Bet. In a game with a large amount in the Pot, even a mediocre Hand may be worthwhile Calling if it possesses even a small chance to improve to the best Hand. On the contrary, if the Pot is small, even a fairly good Hand may not be worth a Call, as the amount of risk, relative to the amount one stands to gain, is simply not great enough.
Push:
When, at the end of a Hand, the Dealer Pushes the Chips in the Pot to the winning player. Also, when Dealers rotate to other Tables.
Put Down:
To Fold a Hand.
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
Raise:
To increase the amount of a Bet that has been made earlier by a player.
Rake:
The small amount of money that the house subtracts from a game’s Pot . The Rake is based on the total amount of the game’s Pot after each Betting Round.
Rank:
The value of each card and Hand.
Rap:
When a player taps on the Table, indicating that he/she has Checked.
Razz:
In Seven Card Stud, where the lowest five cards win the Pot.
Re-Raise:
To Raise a previous Raise.
River:
The fifth and final Community Card, placed face up in the center of the Table, in a game of Hold'em or Omaha Poker. Also sometimes referred to as Fifth Street.
Rock:
A player considered to be very conservative, who usually Bets or Raises only when he/she has a very strong Hand.
Rounders:
Refers to "Hustlers". This is also the name of a popular Poker movie starring Matt Damon and Ed Norton.
Royal Flush:
A Poker hand with a Straight Flush consisting of (A-K-Q-J-10). This is the highest valued Hand possible in Poker.
S
Satellite Tournament:
A pre-tournament offered at a vastly reduced (relative to the main tournament), or no, Tournament Buy-in Fee. Winners of Satellite Tournaments are offered free entry to the next level Satellite Tournament or main tournament.
Scoop:
To win the entire Pot.
Seating List:
A Waiting List on which players place their name, in order to play at a Table where there are presently no available seats. The players are notified when a seat has become available at the Table and it is their turn to join the game.
Second Pair:
In Flop games, when a player creates a Pair using the second highest valued Community Card, along with one of his/her Pocket Cards.
See:
To Call a previous Bet.
Seven Card Stud:
A well-known Poker game in which players get three face down cards and four face up cards. You play the best five of those seven cards.
Seventh Street:
This is the final round of Betting in Seven Card Stud and Stud 8 or Better.
Showdown:
The end of the final Betting Round, when all Active Players reveal their cards to determine who has won the Pot . In Online Poker the winner(s) of the Showdown is determined automatically.
Side Pot:
A separate Pot (s,) which is contested by remaining Active Players when one or more player(s) are All-in.
Sit In:
To join a Poker game and become and Active Player.
Sit Out:
To miss a Hand(s) while still sitting at a Poker Table.
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.
Slow-play:
A strategy of playing as if holding a weak Hand, in the hope of luring in other players. While holding a very strong Hand and Betting and Raising aggressively right away, other players might be likely to Fold, leaving only a small Pot. In contrast, by enacting Slow-play, and merely Checking or Calling, other players might be more likely to believe that their Hands have a better chance of winning and stay in the game longer, leaving a larger Pot to be won.
Solid:
A conservative, but good player.
Small Blind:
An initial mandatory Bet, in games of Hold'em and Omaha Poker, which is Posted by the player immediately to the left of the Dealer, in a clockwise fashion. The Small Blind is equal to one half of that Table's Lower Betting Limit. For example, at a $10-20 Table, the Small Blind would be $5.
Speed Limit:
A Pair of fives.
Split:
A 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 Flush (A-2-3-4-5).
Straight:
A Poker Hand consisting of 5 consecutive cards, for example,
9-10-J-Q-K.
Straight Flush
A Poker Hand consisting of 5 consecutive cards that are also of the same suit, for example, 8-9-10-J-Q of Spades.
Structure:
A game's predetermined limits, normally placed on the Blinds/Ante, Bet amounts and number of permissible Raises per Betting Round.
Stud Games:
Games of Poker in which players receive face down cards and face up cards.
Stuck:
A player who is losing in a game.
Suits:
Spades, Hearts, Diamonds and Clubs. In most forms of Poker, suits are of no importance (except for deciding who must begin the Betting). At the end of a Poker Hand, if players hold identical cards, their Hands are considered equal, regardless of suit and they split the Pot.
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 plays few a Pots. A “Tight Game” refers to a game with little Action.
Top Pair:
In Flop games, when the player Pairs one of his face down cards with the highest of the Community Cards, or Boardcards.
Treys:
A Pair of threes.
Trips:
Three of a kind.
Turn:
The fourth Community Card, placed face up in the center of the Table, in a game of Hold'em or Omaha Poker. Also sometimes referred to as Fourth Street.
Two Pair:
A Hand consisting of two different Pairs.
U
Up Card:
A card that is dealt face-up.
W
Waiting List:
A list on which players place their name, in order to play at a Table where there are presently no available seats. The players are notified when a seat has become available at the Table and it is their turn to join the game.
Walking Sticks:
A Pair of sevens.
