Learn the Game

Poker Glossary

A

Action

Opportunity to act or the player's turn, for example: 'the action is on Bob'.

Aggressive

A player that raises and bets often, trying to buy pots and intimidate players.

All-in

When a player bets all of his/her available chips.

Ante

Refers to the money placed into the pot before the hand is started.

Auto Post Blinds

A feature that automatically posts your blinds when it is your turn to do so.

B

Bad Beat

This term is used to describe when a hand is beaten by the outrageous fortune of another player.

Bank Roll

The amount of money you have to play poker with.

Bet

To add chips to the pot or make a raise.

Big Slick

A nickname for the starting hand Ace King.

Big Blind

Refers to a compulsory bet made before a hand is dealt designed to ensure there is a pot to play for. The big blind is placed by the player sitting in 2 seats to the left of the dealer (clockwise) and is generally double the amount of the 'small blind'.

Boat

Full Boat (Full House).

Burn

A casino practice of discarding the top card of a deck before dealing.

Button

Normally a small round disk that indicates the current nominated dealer. The button (also known as 'dealer button') is moved clockwise between the players after each hand.

Blind

Refers to a compulsory bet made before a hand is dealt designed to ensure there is a pot to play for in each hand.

Bluff

When a player makes (or attempts to make) the other players believe he/she has a better hand than they really have.

Bullets

Two Aces in the hole. Also called Pocket Rockets and American Airlines.

C

Call

When a player matches another player's bet or the big blind.

Capped

When the betting has a maximum number of times players can bet. Usually 3 after the initial raise.

Check

When a player chooses to stay in the hand but to not make a bet. This play can only be made if no other player has already raised during that betting round.

Check Raise

This refers to when a player checks then raises during the same betting round.

Community Cards

Cards shared by all players to make their poker hands. Community cards are turned face up in the middle of the table.

Connectors

Used to describe a starting hand where the two cards are one rank apart, for example T-J.

Cowboys

Two Kings as your starting hand.

D

Deal

The act of giving each player cards or putting community cards onto the table.

Dealer

The player that deals and manages the pot. Also refers to the player that is currently nominated as dealer in games where the dealer is not a player, or when the game is played online.

Deck

A set of playing cards - in Texas Hold'em, Seven-Card Stud and Omaha the deck contains 52 cards.

Doyle Brunson

T-2. Doyle won two world championships with this hand.

E

F

Fifth Street

Alternative name for the fifth community card, more commonly known as 'the River'.

Fish

Name given to the weakest player at the table.

Flop

The first three community cards dealt in Hold'em, the flop is followed by a second round of betting.

Flush

A five card hand all of the same suit.

Fourth Street

Alternative name for the turn card (fourth community card on board).

Fold

When a player throws away his cards to take no further part in the hand.

Freeroll

A free to enter tournament.

Freezeout

A tournament where players knock each other out until one person has all the chips.

Free Card

When a player sees the next card without paying a bet to do so.

Full House

A poker hand with any three cards of the same value and any two cards of the same value (I.e. a three of a kind and pair together).

G

Gutshot

A term used for when a player gets an 'inside straight draw'.

H

Hand

The best five cards available to a player. Can also refer to each deal, or round, of poker.

Heads-Up

When a pot or tournament is contested by only two players.

Hold'em

Usually a reference to Texas Hold'em, a variant of poker where each player receives two hole cards and can use up to five community cards to make a hand.

I

Inside Straight

Four cards that will complete a straight with the addition of one other card between the top and bottom cards.

J

Jaybirds

Slang term for two Jacks.

K

Kicker

The highest card available to a player that cannot be paired. A kicker comes into play when matching hands need to be resolved. For example if two players have the same pair their next highest available card, the kicker, will be used to determine the winner.

L

Lay Down

Another term for folding one's cards. Often used to describe a player that folds good cards on the belief that another player is likely to win the hand.

Limits

Often known as 'Levels' this refers to the blinds payable at different tables or at different times during a tournament.

Limit Hold'em

A type of Hold'em poker where betting is limited within minimum and maximum amounts and a set number of betting rounds. With the maximum amount a player can raise limited, the tactical dynamic of the game is changed considerably and instances of players going all-in greatly reduced.

Loose Player

A player that appears to play every or most hands.

M

Maniac

Someone that plays aggressively and in a lot of hands.

Muck

When a player discards or throws away their hand. Also refers to the pile of cards no longer in play.

N

No-Limit Hold'em

A variant of Texas Hold'em with no limits on the amount a player can bet in any hand.

Nuts

The best possible hand given the community cards available.

O

Offsuit

Refers to cards that are of a different suit to each other.

Open-ended Straight

When a player needs a card on either side of his current hand to make a straight. I.e 5-6-7-8.

Outs

Refers to the number of cards left in the deck that could improve your hand.

Overpair

A pair in someone's hand with a higher value than any of the community cards.

P

Pair

A ranking of hands this refers to two cards of the same value.

Pass

Another word used to fold.

Passive

A player who bets and raises infrequently.

Pay off

Calling a bet when you think you are unlikely to have the best hand, but have a chance to catch a bluff.

Position

Refers to the position left from the dealer where the player is seated and consequently the order in which players bet on a hand. To be in 'late position' is good as you will bet later than the other players and so have the benefit of seeing how they play before it's your turn to act.

Pot

The chips from bets that are moved into the centre of the table that the players try to win.

Pot Limit Hold'em

A variant of Texas Hold'em where the maximum bet a player can make is equal to the current size of the pot.

Q

Quads

Another name for four of a kind.

R

Rainbow Flop

A flop with cards all of a different suit.

Raise

To make a bet larger than a previous player's bet.

Rake

Money taken from the pot each hand by the card room or casino as payment for hosting the game. In tournaments a single rake is taken before the tournament starts.

Rank

Refers to the relative strength of a hand according to the ranking of hands.

Re-Buy

During re-buy tournaments players are able to re-enter the game, should they get knocked out early, by 're-buying'. No rake is taken from rebuys.

Represent

To play as if you are holding a certain hand - i.e. if you are bluffing.

Re-Raise

A bet that raises upon a player who has already raised.

Ring Game

A game played for cash that is not a tournament. Ring games normally have fixed blinds and players can join and leave.

River

The fifth and final community card dealt in Texas Hold'em.

Round of Betting

The round of betting refers to when players get to fold, bet, check or raise.

Royal Flush

The best of all hand rankings in poker, although technically a straight flush, this hand is the highest straight you can make: T-J-Q-K-A all of the same suit.

S

Sandbag

To check and then raise a bet from a later position.

Satellite

A tournament where the prize is entry to a larger tournament.

See

Another name for calling.

Set

A three of a kind made when a player has a pocket pairs.

Shark

A good strong player taking a lot of money from poorer players.

Showdown

A showdown occurs if two or more players are still in after the final round of betting.

Shuffle

The process of randomising the cards. The deck should be shuffled in-between every hand.

Side Pot

A side-pot can occur when one or more players has gone all-in and where the other players in the hand wish to continue betting against each other - the side pot is created to be contested only by the other players.

Split Pot

A split pot happens when two or more players have the same winning hand - the pot is split between all the winning players.

Stack

Refers to a player's pile of chips.

Straighth

A poker hand ranking with five cards of consecutive value ( i.e. 3-4-5-6-7) but not all of the same suit.

Straight Flush

A poker hand ranking with five cards of consecutive value ( i.e. 3-4-5-6-7) and all of the same suit.

Suited

To be of the same suit: i.e. 'He had King and Queen suited.'

T

Tell

An unwitting gesture or action that gives away the strength of a player's cards.

Texas Hold'em

The most popular variant of poker, Texas Hold'em is played with two cards dealt to the player (known as hole cards) that are used together with five community cards to make the best poker hand.

Three of a Kind

A hand ranking with three cards all of the same value (i.e. three Kings).

Tight

A player can be said to be playing a 'tight game' when they don't play many hands and only play when they have good cards.

Tilt

Describes a period of bad play, often caused by bad decision making.

Top Pair

When a card in your hand pairs the top card on board.

Trips

Another name for three of a kind.

Turn Card

The fourth community card dealt in Texas Hold'em.

U

Under the Gun

To be in the earliest position and the first to act.

V

W

X

Z