Poker Terms

Poker Words Dictionary/Glossary

Any bet taking the game forward. 

 

Ante.

A small bet or contribution to the pot (by each player) before the deal. 

 

All In.

To put all your remaining money in the Pot. 

 

Backdoor.

Making a better hand out of chance which was otherwise not intended.

 

Bad Beat.

 

To a good hand when the odds of winning were in your favour.

 

Bankroll.

The amount of money a player has to play with. 

 

Bet.

To wager your chips or put money in the Pot.

 

Bet the Pot. 

To bet equal to the size of the pot.  

 

Big Blind. 

The second blind bet of Texas Hold ‘em Poker. It is put in by the second player to the left of the dealer.

Big Slick.

Nickname for Ace and King as your Hole cards.

 

Blank.

A community card that is of no use to any player’s hand. 

 

Blind.

A compulsory bet for the first two players to the left of the dealer before the cards are dealt.

 

Bluff.

To act like you have a better hand than it really is.

 

Board.

The five community cards.

Boat.

Nickname for a full house. 

 

Bottom Pair

A pair that uses the smallest board card and a hole card. 

 

Broadway

Ace high straight. 

 

Bullets

Two aces. 

 

Burn Card.

Discarding the topmost card from the deck before the flop, turn and river to avoid cheating.

 

Buy The Pot

To make a bet that makes the other players fold without having to show your cards. 

 

Buy In

The minimum amount of cash you pay to enter a game. 

 

Call

Putting in money to equal to the bet/raise before you.

 

Cash Game

The type of Game involving cash money or poker chips exchanged for money.

 

Check

The move where one does not bet. Could also be considered as a pass

 

 

Check Raise

To first check, then raise after have the betting come back to you(in a case when a player raised).

 

Chop

When the players still in the game decide to split up the pot between themselves before a game ends.

 

Community Cards

The board cards or the five cards dealt face up and used by the players to form hands. 

 

Connector

The two hole cards in sequence. For example, 7and 8.

 

Dealer Button

A pointer indicating the currently dealer. 

 

Early Position.

The first player to move in a betting round. 

 

Family Pot.

A pot in which all, or almost of all the players Call before the flop. 

 

Fifth Street.

The fifth community card or the River. 

 

Flop.

The first three community cards dealt out on the table put face up. 

 

Flush.

A Poker hand of five cards where all the cards are of the same suit. 

 

Flush Draw.

A Poker hand where you have 4 out of 5 cards to make a Flush. 

 

Four Of a Kind.

A Poker hand of four cards of the same rank. For example, 4 Queens. 

 

Fourth Street.

The fourth community card or the Turn. 

 

Free Card.

The turn or river card in which there was no bet in the previous round. Players only in the previous round. 

 

Full Boat.

Alias for a Full House. 

 

Full House.

A Poker hand with a three-of-a-kind and a pair. 

 

Heads Up

The situation when only 2 players are left in the game. 

 

High Card.

A Poker hand determined by the highest card in the hand. 

 

Hole Cards.

The two cards dealt to each player at the beginning of every deal.

 

Kicker.

The unpaired cards in a hand often used to settle ties. For example, if both players have a pair of 8s, the player with the highest unpaired card (or kicker) wins. 

 

Limit Poker.

A version of Texas Hold 'em in which a player must bet/raise by the predetermined betting amounts. 

 

Live Blind.

A forced bet before the deal. The player still has the option to raise when it is their turn. 

 

Live Hand.

An unfolded or active hand. 

 

Low Limit Game

A game with small stakes. 

 

Middle Position.

The player who has its turn between early and late positions.

 

Muck.

Folding  the hand. 

 

No Limit Game.

A version of poker in which no betting limit is defined. A player can bet up to his or her chips last.

 

Offsuit.

Hole Cards of different suits. 

 

Outs.

The cards that will possibly allow you to win the hand.

 

Over Card.

A hole card higher in rank than any community card. 

 

Over Pair.

A hole card pair higher than any community card. 

 

Over the Top.

A Reraise or betting over another bet. 

 

Pair.

Two cards of the same rank. For example, two 7s. 

 

Pocket Cards.

Hole Cards.

 

Pocket Pair.

Having the two hole cards of the same rank. 

 

Position.

Position of the player at the table with respect to the dealer. 

 

Pot.

The amount of money and sum of bets in the current hand being played for. 

 

Pot Limit.

A limit  in which a player may bet an amount equal to the pot. 

 

Pot Odds

The amount of pot compared to the money the player has to put in to stay in the game. 

 

Preflop.

The betting round before the Flop.

Raise

To increase a bet. 

 

Rake.

The amount of money charged by the enterprise. 

 

Rebuy

An option in a tournament to buy back into the game after you are out of chips. 

 

Reraise.

Raising over a raise. 

 

River.

The fifth and the last community card dealt on the board.

 

Runner.

A situation where both cards on the turn and river make the player’s hand. 

 

Short Stacked.

Having very little money as compared to other players. 

 

Showdown.

Show their hands by all the players at the end of a round. 

 

Side Pot

A new pot is formed when a player has all their money into the pot. There must be at least two players left betting more than the player who went all-in. 

 

Small Blind.

The first and the smaller blind bet of Texas Hold ‘em Poker. It is put in by the player to the left of the dealer.  

 

Split Pot.

A pot  split by two or more players when they have hands of equal standing. 

 

Stack.

The pile of chips a player has. 

 

Straddle

An optional 3rd blind bet made by the player to the left of the person making big blind. It is twice the big blind.

 

Straight.

A Poker hand with the five cards in sequence. The cards should have cards of at least two suits.  

 

Straight Flush.

A Poker hand with all the five cards being in sequence and of the same suit. 

 

Suited Cards.

Hole Cards of the same suit. 

 

Suited Connector.

Hole Cards of the same suit and in sequence. For example, 6 and 7 of clubs.

 

Three of a Kind.

A Poker hand with three cards of the same rank. 

 

Top Kicker.

The Kicker ranking higher.

 

Trips. 

Another name for Three of a kind. 

 

Turn.

The fourth community card. Also known as ‘Fourth Street’. 

 

Two Pair.

A Poker hand with 2 pairs. For example, two 8s and two Kings.