Poker Terminology

ABC Poker

It refers to a simple but effective playing style. Such playing style features no advanced tactics or moves.

Ace High

Ace high refers to a hand made without a pair and has an Ace high card. The Ace guarantees an edge over other high card hands in the game. It also describes other poker highlights where Ace high cards are involved like Ace High flush, Ace High straight, and Ace High flop.

Ace in the hole

Ace in the hole refers to a situation where the face-down cards consist of an Ace. it is an advantage that can be used against other players in the game.

Ace Out

Ace out refers to when an Ace high is used to defeat an opponent.

Ace to five/Ace to six

Ace to five,/ace to six refers to a low hands evaluation strategy used in poker games. It features a playing style where aces rank lowest and hands with no pairs defeat hands with pairs.

Aces Up

Aces up refer to two pairs of which one of the pairs is Aces. it applies to any pair of cards no matter the rank.

Act

To act in poker means to make a move at the proper time. This move can be to fold, raise, call, check or bet.

Acting out of turn

Acting out of turn means when a player declares his actions or plays such action before his turn. It can be an intentional act to assess the opponents’ response which is called angle shooting.

Action

Action in poker can mean a player's chance to act. The dealer says ‘Your action’ to remind players of their turn. It also means the options available to a player. The options include raising, calling, checking, folding, and placing a bet.

Action Button

The action button is a marker where extra bets are placed. It is usually given to the scoop-pot winner of a high-low game of seven cards.

Action Card

An action card is a card that induces betting notable when it appears on the board. It has such an effect on the bet because it favors two or more players.

Action Players

An active player is any player that has continuous involvement in the pot.

Add-on

Add-on refers to a single extra chips purchase during a tournament. This opportunity is usually presented to players after the rebuy period.

Advertising

Advertising in poker means to reveal one’s hand such as to reveal an advantage or playing style. It can also be done by making an obvious and predictable move.

A-Game

It means the act of playing poker with prime focus and mental readiness.

Aggressive

It is a playing style where pots are opened or raised frequently.

Aggression Factor

The aggression factor is the ratio of aggressive actions against passive actions. It means the ratio between raising/betting and calling. The amount of rounds a player has bet on also describes the player’s aggression.

Air

Air in poker means a hand with low value, usually called a weak hand. It is also well related to a bluff.

All-in

It happens when a player that's calling/betting runs out of his chips. When this happens, a side pocket is created for such a player. The side pocket comes with no interests and such players can still win the pots they have chips in. The side pockets help ensure such players can still play the game.

Angle

An allowed play is considered unethical. In full, this is angle shooting. It involves bending the rules to gain an advantage.

Ante

Ante refers to the mandatory amount of chips players put in the pot before card dealing. Unlike posting blinds, all players post antes and it applies to tournaments and cash games.

Ante Off

It mandates an absent pi=oker player to continue paying antes, blinds, and other mandatory bets.

Any Two

Any two is an expression used in Hold’em to show a possible action despite the hole cards. This expression indicates that the hole cards hold no value and can be substituted with ‘any four’ in a game like Omaha where four cards are used.

Baby

It is a prefix used to describe the hand with the lowest rank. It applies on any board.

Backdoor

Backdoor refers to a situation where any two extra cars are needed to make a hand. The two main types of backdoor are Backdoor straight draws and backdoor flush draws.

Back-Into

It refers to when a bet is won with an almost folded hand.

Back In

It is a common term for Jackpot. It happens when a poker player enters a game without using an opening. A Back in can happen through calling or checking pot entry.

Backing

Backing means an investor loaning a poker player money. The player gives the investor his share of the profits as part of the agreement. Such a backer can also coach the player as part of the agreement. The backer is usually more involved than simply his stake in the game.

Back-raise

A back raise is a raise made in the same round a betting call has been made. It is seen as a tricky move because it is out of the original chance to raise.

Bad Beat

A bad beat refers to when a likely favorite to win loses a hand. A scenario in Hold’em is where the most obvious loser in the pot gets a lucky card that wins home the pot.

Bad Beat Jackpot

It is a huge prize given to the player with a really strong hand but loses a hand. It usually comes with a minimum requirement like the losing hand not being less than four of-a-kind fives with both hole cards.

Bank

It refers to the person in charge of tracking the buy-ins, paying the winners, and giving chips.

Bankroll

Bankroll in poker means the amount of money available to a player for poker games. The size of the bankroll determines the player’s aggression. It is smart to separate the bankroll from personal everyday money.

Barrel

Barrel means a bet made after making the last aggressive action move in the previous round.

bb

This lower case acronym in poker means big blinds. It refers to measurements of bet sizes and stack sizes in games.

Behind

Behind means a player not having the best hand.

Belly Buster

Belly buster is another name for an inside straight draw in a game of poker. It refers to when a player with five cards held in numbered order with a mid-gap picks up a lucky card that aligns with the number order. For example, a player with a 4, 5, 7, or 8 who picks up a 6.

Bet

Bet in poker means to wager chips by putting them in the middle of the table. It is widely used to mean the first wager on a betting round.

Betting Structure

The betting structure refers to the rules guiding the poker game.

Big-bet

A big bet is the larger between two fixed bet sizes. It is relevant to fixed-limit games. In Omaha and Hold’em, a big bet is double the big blind size. The small or big bet sizing is used depending on the round. In Hold’em, the big bet size is for river and turn while the small bet size is for the flop.

Big Blind

The big blind is the position on the small blind’s direct left at the poker table. It is responsible for the compulsory preflop big blind payment. This payment precedes and validates the player being dealt any cards.

Blank

Blank in poker refers to a card with no useful connection to the available cards in a player's possession. It is usually a low card not capable of completing any of the available draws. Another word used in place of blank is ‘brick’.

Blaze

A blaze is a hand consisting of five cards and a more potent flush. It is an unofficial hand in poker.

Bleed

It refers to consecutive chip loss resulting from bad play.

Blind

Blind in poker refers to the compulsory payment preflop. The big and small blind players have to invest before they can view their hole cards.

Blind Defense

A blind defense happens when a player calls or raises another’s raise in the big blind. It's a way to gain an edge over aggressive poker players.

Blind Steal

It is a way to win the blind and antes. A player raises with a weak hand in a late position. A blind steal happens when the opponents fold.

Blind Stud

A blind stud is a poker game variant where cards are all drawn facing down.

Blind Off

It refers to when blind payments increase and this reduces a player’s chip stack. It is common in tournament games.

Blocker

Blockers in poker are cards in a hand that makes some hands more unlikely for the opponent. It is expressed as saying a player ‘block’ an opponent's combo.

Blocker Bet

A blocker bet is a small bet crafted to help a cheap route to showdown. It is used with hopes that the villain will call small bets and not big bets.

Blue Chip

Blue chips are poker chips typically worth $10. They have the highest chip value rank in a tri-color poker chipset.

Bluff

Bluff in a poker game means a player acting like they possess a strong hand but they don't. It is a tactic to influence the opponent to fold their best hands.

Bluffcatch

Bluffcatch refers to calling a bet where winning depends on the opponent's bluffing. It is a response to bluffing which puts can put other players on the tail of a bluffing player.

Board

Board in poker means a group of cards that the entire table can see. In Omaha and Hold’em, the board refers to any of the turn, river, or flop cards the whole table can see. It describes any available upcards of each player that the whole table can see.

Boat

A boat is used to refer to a full poker house. It is actually simply called full house but boat is a nickname more widely used. It happens when two cards of one rank and three cards of another rank are held.

Bomb Pot

A bomb pot refers to when players agree to put an extra ante in the pot before the cards are dealt. This act is done at the start of the hand. Action usually leads straight to the flop following the cards being dealt.

Bot

A bot is a programmed poker player. It is a piece of automated software with code that guides it at the poker table. They are common in online poker and players use them to cheat sometimes. It can help learn and understand poker.

Bottom Pair

The bottom pair means a pair made using the least rank cards on the board. It applies to community card games such as Hold’em.

Bounty

A bounty is a prize for eliminating a player either in the knockout or bounty tournament. For knockout tournaments, a small bounty is given for each player eliminated. It is added up to the total payment after the tournament. The difference with bounty tournaments is the reward is larger and only applies to eliminating certain players.

Bring-in

It refers to the first player to make a move in a stud game. The bring-in for a seven-card stud is the player with the least rank upcard. It also refers to the chips required of the player in the position to put in the pot before making a move on the third street. He can raise to the small bet or just pay.

Brick

A brick means a low card that cannot finish any flush or straight draws. It can also be called a blank.

Brick and Mortar

Brick and mortar mean a casino establishment that has a physical structure in the form of a building for its operations.

Broadway

Broadway in poker means the five top-ranking cards of the game. These cards are the Ace, Ten, King, Jack, and Queen. It is called a broadway straight or simply broadway when a player holds all five cards.

BRM

BRM means bankroll management. It means the skill of managing finances well to separate funds for poker games. It involves growing the bankroll while reducing the risk of losses.

Bubble

Bubble refers to when the moment in a tournament just before reaching the prize pool. Players who leave the tournament at this point get nothing. There are smaller bubbles when there's a nig spike in payout but the major bubble is that before the prize pool.

Bum Hunter

A bum hunter is a player that prefers weaker opponents in the game. They like going up against weaker players and can sometimes stalk them.

Burn

Burn refers to the discarding of the card at the top of the deck. This card is not dealt to the table. In Hold’em, the dealer usually does this on every street before dealing. It helps prevent cheating in case a player has seen the card.

Busted

Busted refers to a situation where despite the final card being dealt already, a draw doesn’t hit. In Hold’em, when a flush draw on the turn fails to meet on the river, that is a busted flush draw. It also describes a player that’s eliminated when all his chips are gone. A knocked-out player is a busted player.

Button

Button refers to the poker seat making the most profit. It is located on the cutoff’s left and the small blind’s right.

Buy-in

A buy-in is an amount paid to participate in a game. Tournaments usually have fixed buy-in amounts but cash games attract different buy-in sizes.

Call

A call in poker is a player’s action to match the current bet on the present betting round. In Hold’em, an opponent’s $100 bet will be matched by another $100 bet. A player who uses all his chips to call is guaranteed a showdown.

Calling Station

The calling station refers to a type of player that barely folds in the face of bets and raises.

Call the clock

It refers to the allowed time for decision-making in a poker game.

Calling your Bluff

It refers to a situation where an opponent makes a correct call on a suspected bluffing player.

Cap

Cap games are poker games with a maximum cap number of big blinds usable in one hand. Capped is a different term that refers to a player with a cap limit to his holding.

Card Dead

Card dead means when a player is on a run while others get bad hands and mostly fold.

Card Removal

It describes the consequence of a player’s hand on the possible combinations of the opponent’s hands.

Case

Case means the final card of a particular rank in a deck of cards. For example, where three Aces are in the game, the final Ace is the case Ace when dealt.

Cash Games

Cash games refer to a poker format where chips directly symbolize cash value. Players can join and leave the game at will.

C-game

It refers to players playing with less confidence and skill than they usually do. It relates to the rank of efforts with A-game as the best.

Chance

In poker, chance refers to the odds attached to an outcome. It is usually represented in percentages.

Chase

Chase in poker means to go after a goal. In poker, such a goal can be a draw or to chase losses following a losing streak.

Check

A check in poker means an action moved to the player on the left without wagering. It is possible when no bet has been made on the present street.

Check in the Dark

It means checking on the present round without waiting to see the dealt cards.

Check-raise

A check-raise in poker refers to a player raising following a check on the present round. It is a deceptive move that features the passive action of checking before the aggressive action of raising. It simply means a raise preceded by a check.

Chinese Poker

Chinese poker is a type of poker where chips arent used like Omaha and Hold’em. The game is guided by points and the aim is to make three-row card arrangements where player rows compete.

Chip and a Chair

Chip and a chair in poker mean the situation where a player is still capable of winning a tournament even when then on the last chip.

Chip Dumping

Chip dumping is the act of losing chips at the table to another player. It is an intentional act known to be used to launder illegally sourced funds.

Coinflip

A coinflip refers to when there’s an outcome in the equal range. It means a range around 50/50.

Cold-Call

A cold call is a call made as the first action in a hand.

Cold Deck

A cold deck refers to when a bad run of cards is dealt to a player. It means a player has been unlucky with the cards dealt to him.

Collusion

Collusion refers to collaboration with players at the table to gain an undue advantage. Poker is not a game that allows collaboration. Chip dumping is a form of collusion in poker games.

Coloring Up

It means exchanging chips of low value for high ones for easier handling of the stack.

Combination

Combination means an instance of a specific holding in a poker game.

Combo Draw

A combo draw is a drawing hand with several draw parts.

Community Cards

These cards are dealt facing up and placed in the middle of the table. While Omaha and Hold’em use these cards, not all poker styles adopt them. Stud and Draw games don’t adopt it except where the deck finishes, then the dealer deals a lone card on the river.

Complete

Its meaning is subject to the poker variant. In Omaha and Hold’em, complete means putting in the small blind. In stud games, the first player to move can complete by paying the bring-in amount or raise to the small bet amount.

Connector

Connector means a card is linked to another card based on rank.

Continuation

A continuation is a bet a player makes following his previous aggressive move in the previous round. It is used for any scenario where previous aggression is built upon.

Cooler

A cooler refers to a hand too strong to fold but finishes as second best when all chips are in. an example is an opponent picking Aces while a player picks picket kings preflop. Another example is a player losing to a superior full house despite having a full house.

Counterfeit

In poker, counterfeit refers to the weakening of a potent hand following the dealing of an additional card. In Hold’em, an example is where pairs of turn cards damage the hand value holding two pairs on the flop.

Cowboys

It is a nickname for pocket kings when playing Hold’em.

Crack

A crack refers to when a player improves his hand to win a potent holding in a game. It can be used in scenarios where strong hands lose but are common in Hold’em where pocket Aces are defeated.

Cripple

A hand the opponent cannot outdraw is said to cripple the deck. It also describes when player stacks become short in a tournament.

Crossbooking

A cross-book refers to a bet made between two plates in one event. The first player to bust out owes the winner a part of his winnings.

Cutoff

It refers to the right of the button at the poker table which provides the chance to steal the blinds.

Dark Bet

A dark bet is made without viewing the contents of any cards in a hand. In Hold’em, the player that first makes a move on the flop can make his decision on flop betting preceding dealing the flop cards.

Dealer

A dealer in a poker game is the person that deals the cards during the game. There are usually designated dealers for poker in casinos. The cards are usually dealt clockwise on the table.

Dealer’s Choice

It is a type of poker game the poker variant to be played is picked by the dealer button.

Dead Man’s Hand

The exact meaning is unclear and debated. However, a dead man’s hand casually means Eights and two pairs of Aces.

Dead Money

Dead money is a poker term that means surplus or unclaimed chips in the pot that an aggression can easily win. The aggression is to be taken by the first player willing to make such a move.

Deuce

A deuce simply means a card that has a rank of two. It does not have any particular strategic advantage.

Depolarised

Depolarised is a poker term that describes the range consisting of the top percentages of holdings and no bluffs.

Dirty Stack

A dirty stack refers to a disorganized stack of chips. Two major rules guide players’ interaction with their stack; chips of the same value are put together and bigger chips should be in front of the stack. Stacks that aren’t in line with these are dirty stacks.

Dog

Dog in poker terms is a short form for the underdog. It means the least favorite to win a game or hand. It can apply to an entire tournament when the chips go in.

Domination

Domination in poker terms means a range or hand is weaker compared to another range or hand. It also means some hand types that are likely subject to issues of domination.

Donk

Donk in poker terms refers to making an out-of-position bet without making the last aggressive action in the previous round. It applies to particular types of poker players and poker actions.

Door Card

A door card is a term used in Stud poker to refer to a player’s upcard on the third street/the first round.

Double Up

Double up means doubling the chip stack size through an all-in bet win. It applies to both tournaments and cash games.

Downcard

Downcard in poker terms means the hole cards in a Stud game. The dealer deals four upcards and three downcards in a seven-card Stud game. The upcards are visible to other players at the table while the downcards are known by the players that they’re dealt to.

Downsizing

Downsizing means an extended period of a losing streak. This is due to the variance nature which is significant.

Draw

A draw in poker terms means a hand with strong holding potential with the fall of the right cards. Flush draws and straight draws are the most popular types. A straight draw is when one card is needed while a flush draw is when one card is needed to complete the flush.

Dead

Drawing dead refers to a situation of no winning chance in a particular scenario. For example, a player with a straight draw against an opponent with a full house has no chance. The opponent will surely win the pot which means the player is drawing dead.

Dry

Dry in poker terms refers to a board texture with very limited draws.

Ducks

Ducks is a name used to mean when the starting hand pocket twos are dealt in Hold’em. There is no strategic implication to this term.

Early Position

Early position means the initial two or three seats at a full poker table. At a six-handed table, this poker term will refer to the LoJack.

Effective Stacks

It refers to the chips that are in play. The shorter of the two stacks in a heads-up contest is the effective stack.

Equity

Equity in poker terms refers to the percentage of possibility of winning a poker hand if a player goes all-in. It describes the chances of a hand to win at showdown without folding.

Equity Calculator

It is a tool that calculates pot equity to evaluate poker hands. Users can input data like ranges, community cards, and hands to reveal the amount of equity in each range or hand.

Expectation

Expectation in poker terms means anticipated average win or loss following a particular decision at the table. It can also be called the expected value. Positive expectation refers to the anticipation of a win through a poker decision.

Expected Value

It means the anticipated amount a player expects to win or lose due to a poker decision at the table.

Face Card

A face card refers to a Queen, king, or Jack. these cards usually have a face in the artwork printed on them.

Family Pot

A family pot in poker terms means when all or most players in the game sight a flop or the equivalent of the second round in other poker variants.

Fastplay

Fastplay refers to playing a high-value hand through aggressive raising and betting. It usually applies to big bet sizes.

Favorite

A favorite in poker terms means the player most likely to win in a situation or a tournament.

Fifth Street

Fifth Street is another name for the third betting round in Stud poker games.

Fish

Fish in poker terms means a weak player in a game.

Fish Hooks

Fish hooks refer to a situation where a player is dealt pocket jacks in a Hold’em game. The name is due to the hook shape of the jack which is like a fish hook.

Five-bet

Five=bet means the fifth bet or the fourth raise in a sequence of bets. It usually happens in the preflop round in Omaha and Hold’em games.

Flat

Flat in poker terms means a call. Both words are used to mean the same thing and can be used together.

Float

Float in poker terms means calling a bet on a weak hand with the hope of bluffing in subsequent streets.

Flop

Flop refers to the second round of betting in a community card type of poker game like Omaha and Hold’em. The dealer deals three cards face up in the middle of the table. These cards are available to all players to use to make a five-card hand.

Flush

A flush in poker terms refers to a hand with five cards and all cards belong to the same suit. The highest card in a flop decides the flop’s strength.

Fold

Fold in poker terms means when a player gives up on his hand. It is usually done when facing a bet requiring an action. When a player folds, no additional chips can be invested in the pot.

Four-bet

Four bet means the fourth bet or the third raise in a betting sequence.

Fourth Street

The fourth street refers to the second round of betting in a Stud poker game. The name is because the dealer has dealt four cards to the players at this point.

Free Card

A free card is a scenario where a player or opponent sees another card without adding chips to the pot. The free card can have a positive or negative effect subject to which player the free card favors most.

Freeroll

A freeroll means a scenario where a player is sure not to lose but winning isn't guaranteed. It is very common in freeroll tournaments. Players can join the game without any cash investment and can win actual cash prizes from the game.

Full Boat

It is a term used to mean a full house and is usually just called a boat. It refers to a hand with three cards of a rank and two cards of another rank.

Full House

A full house refers to a five-card hand that has three cards of a rank and a pair.

Gap

A gap means the distance between the rank of two cards.

Grinding

Grinding in poker terms refers to when a player plays long periods at the table. It is usually in a bid to make a living.

Gutshot

It is a name used to mean an inside straight draw. Where a player holds 4, 5, 7, 8, and needs a 6, getting that 6 will be a gutshot to the opponent.

Gutshot Straight Draw

It refers to a straight draw variant where the card needed to finish the straight is inside the structure.

Hanger

A hanger in poker terms means the card e=below the deck which sticks out during base dealing. Base dealing is a cheating tactic that involves drawing cards from below the deck.

Hand for Hand

Hand for hand refers to the stage where all tables in a tournament must complete the current hand before moving the tournament to the next hand.

Hand Rankings

Hand rankings mean the order of hands in a poker game subject to the strength of the hands. For example, a flush will win a straight but cannot win a full house.

Heads Up

Heads up in poker terms mean two-handed poker. It can happen when all players at the table except two fold and when there are two players in a hand.

Hero Call

A hero call in poker terms means a weak-handed call in the final round. It is usually done when a player faces lots of action.

Hero Fold

Hero Fold refers to when a player folds a potent poker hand due to an impression of being a beat.

High Hand

A high hand means a hand without a pair or stronger. The highest card in the hand determines the strength of the hand.

High Roller

A high roller is a player that joins games with the highest stakes.

Hijack

Hijack in poker terms refers to the position on the right side of the button, directly on the cutoff’s right. It gets chances to add to the pot occasionally.

Hit

Hit in poker terms refers to when a card creates a good hand.

Hit and Run

Hit and run in poker terms mean a scenario where a player fresh into a cash game wins a big payout and leave the game shortly after.

Hold’em

Hold’em is a poker variant played without a limit to the betting system. It is the most widely engages poker variant where players can raise or bet any amount of money at any point. It is a community card game.

Hole Cards

Hole cards refer to the secret cards a player must guard against the others at the table. Hold’em is a poker variant that uses two hole cards in the first round of betting.

House

A house in poker terms means the gambling establishment providing the poker gaming services. It can be an online casino/poker room or a physical building casino.

Hyper Turbo

Hyper turbo is a variant of a poker tournament with shallow stacks at the start and a very quick blind structure.

ICM

ICM is an acronym for Independent Chip Model. ICM is the system of ascribing poker chips monetary value in tournaments. It’s a system where a doubled chip stack in the tournament is not double the payout.

Implied Odds

Implied odds in poker terms mean a form of an equation for calculating pot odds considering potentially winnable chips in subsequent streets. A standard calculation will consider what is presently in the pot which might not capture the additional chips yet to be played.

Inside Straight Draw

The inside straight draw is a straight draw variant usually called an open-ended straight draw. An inside straight draw is made with four cards that follow a rank order. When a card that follows the same rank order either from before or after is drawn, it completes the straight.

Insurance

Insurance in poker terms refers to a side bet of a player’s hand not holding up following all the chips going in. If the player’s hand holds up, a small policy fee is paid, and if otherwise, the insurance enforcer pays the player’s pot equity or whole pot depending on the agreement.

ITM

ITM is an acronym for in the money. It means players that have crossed the bubble and have waiting cash prizes.

Jackpot

Jackpot in poker terms means the biggest prize in a game.

Jam

Jam in poker terms refers to when a player ‘raises all in’. It applies in any scenario where all-in is used despite the street.

Joker

The jokers are two special cards in a deck with court jester artworks on them. They are often adapted into poker as wildcards.

Kicker

A kicker refers to a side card that’s part of a five-card poker hand.

Kill Button

It is a button in a kill game that shows the player with a kill action.

Kitty

A kitty refers to a money pool usually for purchasing refreshments or cards.

LAG

LAG is an acronym for Loose Aggressive. It refers to a player that approaches several starting hands aggressively.

Last Longer

Last longer refers to a side bet between players in a tournament. The bet is on which player will be eliminated last. The player who lasts the longest in the game wins the bet and agreed to prize.

Laydown

Laydown refers to folding in a poker game. Both words can be used interchangeably.

Leveling

Leveling in poker terms means playing mind games with an opponent.

Leverage

Leverage in poker terms means the effect chips potentially have on chips yet to be played in a game.

Limit

A limit in poker terms means an available betting structure for use during a poker game. It can also be called fixed-limit. It means all raising and betting is done in big and small bets.

Limit Poker

Limit poker is a betting pattern in variants of poker. It states that players have to raise or bet based on pre-concluded fixed additions.

Limp

Limo in poker terms means to call when no raise is made in the first round.

Lowball

A lowball in poker refers to poker types that adopt low-hand ranking styles. Some of such variants are; Deuce to Seven, Triple Draw, and Razz.

Low Hand

A low hand refers to a hand in poker that’s of a low-rank system.

Maniac

A maniac in poker terms refers to a losing aggressive player.

Mark

A mark in poker is the weak player at a poker table. The weak player is targeted by the strong to increase their winnings.

Mechanic

A mechanic in poker terms means a player who can use his sleight of hand techniques to cheat when dealing by manipulating the deck of cards.

Mental Game

A mental game means a poker player’s mental state during a poker game. A good mental game is a result of good psychological strength which helps top-level performances.

Middle Position

Middle position in poker terms means the mp1, hijack, and LoJack at a full poker table. In a six-handed table, it specifically means the hijack.

Mid Stakes

Mid stakes in poker mean the games where the buy-in is bigger than the low stakes and the smaller buy-in is bigger than the high stakes.

Misclick

Misclick means accidentally clicking the mouse during an online poker game.

Monotone

Monotone in poker terms means a card selection belongs to the same suit. It is usually used to mean flop textures in Hold’em.

Monster

A monster in poker terms refers to a potent poker hand. It typically implies a stone-cold nut holding or something close.

Muck

Muck in poker terms means returning the hole cards to the dealer. This act is usually done without showing the hole cards. It usually occurs at a showdown where a hand has lost, the hole card is then slid to the dealer.

Must Move

It is a type of game for when the main table is full. Players must move to the free spot at the main table when it's available.

Nash Equilibrium

It is a concept for a game theory that is complete when all players in the game are balanced.

Nit

A nit is a poker layer that only enters the pit with top-tier holdings.

Nosebleed

A nosebleed refers to ultra-high stakes in a poker game. The idea is the extreme height of the stakes can cause a nosebleed when winning or losing.

No Limit

No limit is a poker term which means the size of a player’s raise or bet at any moment has no limit. Players cannot bet beyond the size of their stack.

Nut-Low

Nut low refers to the most likely low hand in a low hand rank game.

Nut Flush Draw

A nut flush refers to a draw to an Ace high flush. It can also mean stone-cold nuts when it hits.

Nut Flush

This refers to an Ace high flush.

Nuts

Nuts in poker refer to the most plausible hand. It can also be called the stone cold nuts.

Offsuit

Offsuit refers to card suits that don’t match. In Omaha and Hold’em, it usually means preflop holdings.

Omaha

Omaha is a variant of poker. It is different from Hold’em in that four cards are dealt on the first round of betting and not 2. It has four betting rounds like in Hold’em.

One-gap

One gap refers to when a one-rank gap exists between two cards.

Open-ended straight draw

An open-ended straight draw is a straight draw that can be finished from both ends. It can be completed from the beginning or the end.

Open Raise

Open raise refers to the initial raise in the first round. The player that approaches the pot with a raise where the action is folded around preflop. This action is an open raise.

OOP

OOP is an acronym for out of position. It means acting first in the betting rounds which is seen as a demerit.

OMC

OMC is an acronym for Old Man Coffee. It refers to an older player who shows some certain features at the table.

Out

Out in poker terms refers to any cards still in the deck that can finish a hand.

Overbet

Overbet means to make a bet size bigger than the present pot size.

Overcall

An overcall is a call made after an existing call on the present round of betting.

Overcard

Overcard is a card higher in rank than another hand or card it’s compared to.

Overlay

An overlay refers to extra money added to the prize pool to ensure the room gets its guarantee on the tournament. It is typical of tournament games.

Overlimp

Overlimp in poker terms means a limp made following a previous limp in the present round of betting.

Overpair

An overpair is a hole pair that’s higher than the highest card in the game. For example, a KK in the hole and a board texture of T72 is an overpair.

Pair

A pair in poker terms refers to when a player has a poker hand with two cards of the same rank. The value of the pair increases with the rank of the pair. A pair of Aces is the highest pair and is unbeatable.

Play the Board

Play the board means where a player uses his hole cards. The player does this as he is playing a hand.

Paint

Paint in poker terms refers to the card between an Ace and a Jack.

Pocket Rockets

Pocket rockets is a term used in Hold’em to refer to pocket Aces. It is considered the most potent starting hand a player can have.

Pocket Pair

A pocket pair consists of a pair made using hole cards. It is most commonly used in Hold’em poker games. When a player is dealt a pair during the pre-flop round.

Position

Position in poker terms means the seat a player has during the game. The seats determine the action order in the game.

Post

Post in poker terms refers to when a player makes a compulsory payment to the pot. This action is taken when during a poker hand. The two types of compulsory payments are antes and blinds.

Postflop

Postflop in poker terms refers to after the flop. The second betting round in Omaha and Hold’em are called the flop.

Pot

Pot means the space in the middle of the table. The pot is the place where chips in the wager are placed. The player that wins the hand wins the wagered chips in the pot.

Pot Committed

It is the idea that a player’s investment of a significant amount of his chips will make a folding action a costly mistake.

Pot Odds

Pot odds is an expression of the potential win weighed against the wagered risk. It is usually expressed in a ratio format.

Pot Limit

Pot limit in poker refers to when the highest permitted raise or bet is equal to the pot size. It is common in Omaha poker games.

Preflop

Preflop is a poker term meaning before the flop. The second betting round in Omaha and Hold’em are called the flop.

PRF

PRF is an acronym for preflop raiser. It signifies the number of hands raised by a player in the preflop.

Price

Price in poker terms refers to a comparison of risk amount and the amount in the middle.

Probe

A probe in poker terms refers to a small bet used to measure the opponent’s range. It has a modern definition that it’s a bet made against a continuation bet that was missed when a player was out of position.

Prop Player

A prop player in poker is a poker player paid by a casino to play at their tables. It is also called a proposition player.

Protection

Protection means betting a hand with the aim of preventing an opponent from getting extra cards.

Polarized

Polarized in poker terms means a sequence of hands separated into two groups. The two groups are bluff hands and value hands.

Quads

Quads in poker a name to mean four of a kind in a poker game.

Qualify

Qualifying in poker means a player has a hand in split-pot games that allow them to make a low hand.

Rabbit Hunting

Rabbit hunting allows players to see the potential board runout following a fold.

Ragged

Ragged in poker terms means when cards have no connection between them. It is used in Omaha and Hold’em to mean a dry flop texture.

Rap

Rap in poker refers to when a player taps the table. A double tap is seen as a player indicating a check.

Rainbow

Rainbow in poker terms refers to all the suits in the game. It is usually common to Omaha and Hold’em.

Raise

Raise in a poker game refers to increasing the size of the previous bet in the present street. The response to this must be a reraise, call, or a fold.

Rake

Rake in poker terms is the poker room’s fee for hosting a game. It is usually taken as a percentage from the pots.

Rakeback

Rakeback in poker terms means a percentage of the rake which is given to players. It is a form of reward and can come through a VIP system.

Range

Range in poker terms means a series of plausible holdings a player might possess.

Range Advantage

Range advantage refers to when a player has a more potent range of possible holdings.

Rank

Rank in poker terms means the value a particular card carries. It can be in the form of a number between ten and two. It can also be a face card that is the Queen, King, Ace, and Jack.

Ratholing

Ratholing is a poker term that meant to cash out chips in a cash game and rebuy with a smaller chip amount. It is seen as unethical and unruly in most cash games.

Razz

Razz is a seven-card Stud type but a lowball variant.

Read

Read in poker is a sign that an opponent has a particular hand type. It is deduced based on information known about the opponent and the opponent’s behavior. It is generally used to refer to checking cards that are available for the type of hand a player has.

Rebuy

Rebuy in poker terms means to buy more chips for the stack. It is common in cash games and can be used in certain tournaments.

Redraw

Redraw in poker terms means a draw type made after a complete draw. The player holding the completed draw doesn’t matter.

Regular

Regular is a poker player who plays frequently. It can also imply an above-average skill level in poker.

Represent

Represent in poker terms refers to when an action signifies a particular type of holding.

Reverse Implied Odds

Reverse implied odds refers to a pot odds equation that accounts for potential losses in later streets.

Re-raise

A re-raise is a subsequent raise from another raise in the same betting round.

Ring Game

A ring game describes a cash poker game.

River

The last betting round in most variants of poker games is called the river. In Hold’em, the betting rounds are; the preflop, the flop, the turn, and the river.

River Rat

A river rat refers to the player that gets lucky cards and wins the pot on the river.

Rock

Rock in poker terms refers to a player that doesn’t approach the pot with many hands and is considered a very tight poker player.

Rolled Up

Rolled up in poker terms describes three of a kind on the first round of betting. It is a term used in Stud poker.

Royal Flush

Royal flush describes the most potent hand in variants of poker with a high hand rank structure. It’s a suit with the Queen, King, Jack, an Ace and a ten.

Run

Run in poker terms refers to how the game cards fall during the game. A player’s favorable cards is described as ‘running good’.

Rundown

Rundown is a poker term used when the cards follow a consecutive rank pattern in a Pot Limit Omaha game.

Run it twice

Run it twice refers to dealing two runouts on the board following the players going all in. Each round carried half the pot’s worth.

Runner Runner

Runner runner is a poker term meaning to complete a potent holding by getting two cards needed one after the other.

Sandbagging

Sandbagging is used interchangeably with slowplaying. It means when a player passively plays a potent hand. It is done to try to hide a potent hand from opponents.

Satellite

Satellite in poker terms is a poker tournament with bigger tournament tickets as prizes. It is also called qualifiers.

Scare Card

A scare card is a card that induces discomfort in an opponent about his holding. It can induce the opponent to fold in the face of aggression.

Semi-bluff

A semi-bluff refers to a bluff made with a hand that can likely make a potent hand better.

Set

Set in poker terms refers to three of a kind with a pocket pair of hole cards. Without a pocket pair, it is called trips. It is common to Omaha and Hold’em.

Set over Set

Set over set refers to when two players make a set concurrently with one being higher.

Sequence

A sequence in poker refers to the order of the cards.

Short Handed

Short-handed in poker terms means a poker game with not more than six players.

Short Stack

A short stack refers to a player with less than the regular chip amount for a game.

Shove

A shove in poker terms refers to a bet or an all-in raise.

Showdown

A showdown refers to the point of a poker game where all players in the game show their hole cards strength. It comes at the end of a hand. The strongest hand at this point wins the game.

Show Yout Hand

To show your hand in poker means revealing your hole card's value at the end of a hand. It can be optional or compulsory.

Sick

Sick in poker terms mean an extreme situation in a poker game.

Side Pot

A side pot is a second pot made for players with more chips for playing after a player has gone all-in.

Sit and Go

A sit-and-go type of poker is a tournament with a specific time despite the number of registered players. It starts when all players have been registered.

Sizing

Sizing in poker terms means the bet size which can be an amount of money, a part of the whole pot, or big blinds.

Slowplay

Slowplay means passively playing a strong hand to deceive the opponents. It can be done by calling or chacking.

Slow roll

Slow roll means when considerable time is used to make a simple call on the river. It arises during the closing action.

Soft Playing

Soft playing refers to playing weak strategies deliberately.

Solver

A solver is a variant of a poker calculator that creates optimal game theory solutions with a game tree.

Small Bet

A small bet is used in a fixed limit bet system. It describes the smaller bet size between two sizings.

Small Blind

It is the position on the button’s direct right at the table.

Snap Call

A snap call refers to when a player makes a call without hesitation.

Splash the Pot

To splash the pot means to place chips in the middle in such a way that it spills over the table.

Split

A split in poker is used in Stud games. It means a third street pair with an exposed pair of upcards.

Split Pot

A split pot is a poker variant where two pot halves are subject to different hand rank requirements.

Spread Limit

A spread limit is a betting system with no range for bets or raises.

Squeeze

A squeeze is when a player facing a bet and a call makes a raise. The raise made is a squeeze.

SRP

SRP is an acronym for single-raised pot. It means pots with one raise in the first round.

Stab

A stab is used interchangeably with a bet.

Stack to Pot Ratio

SPR is the comparison between the remaining playable stacks and the current pot.

Staking

Staking in poker terms means loaning a poker player money for a percentage of the winnings.

Stand Pat

It means when a player refuses the chance to draw more cards and continue with his hand.

Steam

It means to be very angry.

Stealing

Stealing in poker terms means when a player makes a late position raise on the first round of betting aiming to pick the whole pot.

Steel Wheel

A steel wheel is an Ace to five straight flush.

Stop and go

Stop and go is the point when a player will bet the flop, check the turn to stop, and fires the river to go.

Straddle

A straddle is a non-compulsory blind paid before cards are dealt. It is usually double the big blind size and can be the third blind.

Straight

A straight is a combination of five cards in order of ranking.

Straight Flush

A straight flush is a combination of five cards in ranking order and of the same suit.

Street Poker

Street poker is an agreement between two players to engage in wide ranged aggressive poker. It is usually an unwritten agreement.

String Bet

A string bet is an illegally split betting action during live poker.

Structure

A structure means the parts of a tournament. It includes the blinds, antes, payouts, and level times.

Stud

Stud id a group of poker variants with close features. Hole cards don’t apply. It uses upcards and downcards dealt to the players.

Suck Out

A suck-out happens when an opponent gets a lucky card and wins the pot. It applies when a questionable move was made preceding the drawn card.

Suited

Suited refers to two cards of the same suit.

Table Stakes

Table stakes is a rule that stops players from making bets that exceed their chips at the table.

TAG

TAG is an acronym for tight aggressive. It describes players that have a tight and aggressive style of play.

Tank

A player tanks when he spends time considering the most potent play in a hand.

Tell

Tell in poker terms means information that gives more clues to an opponent's current hand.

Texture

Texture in poker terms means the comparison of the vic=sible cards. It is common to community cards in Omaha and Hold’em.

Three-bet

A three-bet is the second raise or the third bet in a betting series.

Three of a kind

Three-of-a-kind means when a player has three cards of similar rank.

Three-Pair

Three pair is used in Omaha. It describes three-hole cards that are paired.

Tie

A tie in poker terms means two or more hands are the same at the showdown. When this happens, the pot is equally split.

Tilt

A tilt in poker terms means being vexed at the table.

Time Bank

A time bank in poker is the extra time given to a player faced with a difficult decision.

Tournament

A tournament refers to poker variants where players are knocked out when their chips finish. The order of elimination determines how prizes are given.

Tracking Software

It is a series of computer programs used to track results in online poker.

Trap

A trap means when a player plays a monster holding aiming that the opponent values his bet too wide or runs a huge bluff.

Trey

Trey in poker terms means a card ranked Three.

Trips

Trips refer to three of a kind especially when just one of the hole cards forms it.

Turn

The turn in poker refers to the third round of betting. It applies to community card games like Omaha and Hold’em.

Two-bet

Two-bet is the second bet in a series.

Two-pair

Two-pair refers to when two sets of pairs make a hand.

Two-tone

Two-tone means a collection of cards that consist of two separate suits.

Under the Gun

Under the gun means the first player that acts on the first round of betting.

Underbet

Underbet means a bet below 40% of the pot size.

Underdog

An underdog is the least favorite player to win.

Upcard

An upcard is used in Stud poker. It is any card that is visible to the table.

Upswing

An upswing means when a player wins above average over a certain period.

Up the ante

To up the ante means an increase in the ante with each tournament level.

Value Bet

A value bet refers to a strong hand bet made to trap weaker hands into a call.

Variance

Variance is the deviation of the win rate from the anticipated results. It is usually a short-term deviation.

Variant

It is a certain rule set for poker games.

Villain

It refers to an opponent in a poker hand.

VPIP

VPIP is an acronym for voluntary put in the pot. It means when a player invests hid chips they put voluntarily given the opportunity.

Vulnerable

Vulnerable in poker terms means a hand expected to be outdrawn where it is presently the best hand.

Whale

A whale refers to a rich and unskilled poker player.

Wet

Wet in poker term means a coordinated board texture that gives room for some draws and potent made hands.

Wheel

A wheel is a name for an Ace to Five straight.

Wired

Wired is a term used in Stud poker. Ir describes a third street pocket pair.

Wrap

Wrap refers to a straight draw that has over 9 outs. It applies to Omaha.

Wrap Around Straight

It refers to a straight with an Ace in the center.

WSOP

WSOP is an acronym for World Series of Poker. It is an annual tournament series.

WTSD

WTSD is an acronym for went to showdown. It refers to how a player approaches a showdown following a flop.

WWSF

WWSF is an acronym for won when saw a flop. It shows how players win a whole hand following a flop.