A
Aces Full
A full house consisting of 3 aces and any pair.
Ace-high
A 5 card hand that includes 1 Ace, with no straight or flush or a hand with no pair in it.
Aces Up
A hand that consists of 2 pairs, one of which is a pair of Aces.
Act
A deliberate sign / tell in the aim of giving false information about a hand.
Action
Raising / Checking / Betting. Where players play a lot of pots.
Active Player
A player who is still playing the game.
Aggressive
A player who often raises and seldom calls.
Ajax
The name of an Ace and Jack in the pocket, suited or otherwise.
All-in
When a player wagers all his chips.
American Airlines
Two Aces (AA).
Angle
An action that is not necessarily against the rules, but still contains unfair tactics.
Angle-shooting
Using unfair tactics.
Ante
Money that is placed in the pot before the hand begins.
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B
Bad Beat
When a hand is beaten by a lucky draw.
Bankroll
The amount of money you have.
Bet
Placing chips into the pot.
Bet Odds
The odds you get as a result of evaluating the number of callers to a raise.
Bet the Pot
When a player bets the amount of the pot.
Bicycle or Bike
A straight: 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.
Big Slick
A hand that contains an A-K.
Blank
A worthless card.
Blind
The bet(s) that must be made by the two players sitting directly to the dealer's left which will start the first round of betting. The blinds are posted before any cards are dealt.
Blind Bet
A
bet that is made without looking at your cards
Blind Raise
When a player raises without looking at his cards.
Bluff
To make other players believe that one has a better hand than they might otherwise have either by betting or raising.
Boat
A full house.
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 It In
To start betting on the first round.
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 indicate who the dealer is in each hand.
Buy-in
The minimum amount of money that is required by a player to sit down in a particular poker game.
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C
Call
To match the bet amount.
Cardroom
The space or room where poker is being played.
Cards Speak
A hand that is the best possible card combination, no matter how you call it.
Case Chips
A player's last chips.
Cash Out
To leave a game and convert your chips into cash.
Check
When a player whose turn it is has no action in front of them and decides not to bet, he 'checks.'
Check-raise
When a player first checks and then raises in a betting round.
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D
Dead Man's Hand
Two pair - Aces and 8s (Originated from when Jack McCall shot Bill Hickock in the back when he was holding this hand).
Dealer
The person who handles the cards, monitors the game and gives out the pots .
Dealer's Position
Being the last to act in a betting round. On the button.
Diamonds
One of the 4 playing card suits.
Disconnect Protection
A tool used to protect players if they lose their internet connection while involved in a pot.
Dominated Hands
Hands that are fine to play, but tend to lose against similar non-straight / flush hands.
Dominating Hands
A hand that is not only a good and solid hand, but has lots of room for improvement.
Door Card
This is the first exposed card, or cards dealt face up in a player's hand in Stud games.
Down Card
Hole cards, or cards that are dealt face down.
Draw Poker
A type of poker game where each player is dealt 5 cards face down, with the option of discarding 1 or more and replacing them with new ones in an attempt to make a better hand.
Drawing
Playing a hand to improve.
Drawing Hand
A hand that needs to improve in order to win.
Drop
Fold.
Ducks
A pair of 2s.
Deuces
A pair of 2s.
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E
Early Position
The position on a round of betting where the player needs to act before many of the other players at the table.
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F
Fifth Street
AKA the 'river' card. In flop games, this represents the 5th community card on the table and the final round of betting.
Five-card Draw
A type of poker game in which each player receives 5 cards face down. They have one draw to replace them and the best high hand will win the pot.
Five-card Stud
A type poker game in which each player receives 5 cards, 1 face down and 4 face up, with betting after 2, 3, 4, & 5 cards. Click here for information on 5 Card Stud
Flat Call
Calling a bet without raising.
Flop
In Hold'em and Omaha, the first 3 community cards that are dealt face-up in the center of the table, all at a time.
Flush
Any 5 cards of the same suit.
Flush Draw
When a player contains 4 cards in his hand, all of the same suit and is hoping to draw a 5th to make a flush.
Fold
To throw your hand away when it's your turn to act.
Four of a Kind
Four cards of the same number or face value.
Fourth Street
In stud games, it is the 4th card dealt to each player and represents the 2nd betting round.
Full House
Any 3 cards of the same number or face value, plus any 2 additional cards of the same number or face value.
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G
Grinding
Playing in a style with little risk and moderate gains over a long period of time.
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H
Hand
A player's best 5 cards.
Heads-up
When there are only 2 players involved in a hand.
High Limit
A game where the bet amounts are high.
Hi/lo
Split pot games.
Hold'em
Also known as Texas Hold'em, where the players get 2 face down cards and 5 community cards.
Hole Cards
These are the ‘face down cards’ placed in front of the players.
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I
Image
The way in which other players view you.
Inside Straight
4 cards that need another card between the top and the bottom card to complete a straight.
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J
Jackpot Poker
A type of poker game in which the cardroom or casino offers a jackpot to a player who lost with a really big hand (usually Aces full or better).
Jacks-or-better
A type of poker game in which a player needs to contain at least a pair of jacks to start the betting.
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K
Keep Them Honest
To call at the end of a hand to prevent someone from bluffing.
Key Hand
In a session or tournament, the key hand is the hand that ends up being a turning point for the player either negatively or positively.
Kicker
The highest unpaired side card in a player’s hand.
Kick It
Raise.
Kill Pot
A process used to encourage action. It is a bet forced by a player who has just won a pot(s).
Knock
Check.
Kojak
A hand that contains a K-J.
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L
Ladies
2 Queens.
Late Position
Position on a round of betting where the player must act only after majority of the other players have already acted.
Lay Down Your Hand
When a player folds.
Lead
The player who begins to bet into a pot.
Limit Poker
A game that contains a fixed maximum and minimum betting intervals, along with a prescribed number of raises.
Limper
The player who first calls a bet.
Limp In
To enter the pot by calling rather than raising.
Live Blind
A player puts in a dark bet and is allowed to raise, even if none of the other players raise. It's also known as an 'option'.
Live Card(s)
In Stud Games where cards that have not been seen yet and are assumed to still be in play.
Live Hand
A hand that still has a chance of winning the pot.
Live One
A player with little or no experience who plays a lot of hands.
Long Shot
Making a hand despite having few outs and/or poor odds.
Look
When a player calls the final bet before the showdown.
Lowball
Is a variant of draw poker in which the lowest hand wins the pot.
Low Limit
A game where the bet amounts are small.
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M
Main Pot
The center pot.
Make
To shuffle the deck. (To make the deck)
Maniac
An aggressive player who plays a lot of hands.
Maverick
The name of a Jack and Queen in the pocket. Either suited or not.
Meet
To meet is to call.
Middle Pair
In flop games when a player makes a pair with one of their face down cards and the middle card on the flop.
Mnemonics
The process or technique of improving, assisting, or developing the memory.
Muck
To throw away or discard your hand. It is also a stack of cards that are no longer in play.
Minimum Buy-in
The minimum amount of money required to start a game.
Monster
A very big hand or a player who begins accumulating chips after having a small stack.
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N
No Limit
A game where players bet as much as they want on any round of betting.
Nuts
The best possible hand at any point of the game and cannot be beat.
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O
Odds
Either making a hand or not making a hand.
Offsuit
Cards of a different suit.
Omaha
A type of game in which each player is dealt 4 face down cards with 5 community cards.
On the Button
The last player who acts in a betting round. Dealer's Position.
Open
To make the first bet.
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 before the cards are dealt. If no one raises, the 'option' player may raise the pot.
Out Button
A disc positioned in front of a player who wants to sit out of a hand(s) but still remain in the game.
Outs
The number of cards remaining in the deck that will improve your hand.
Overpair
A pocket pair higher than any of the cards on the board.
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P
Paints
Picture or face cards (King, Queen and Jack ).
Pair
2 cards of the same number or face value.
Pass
To fold.
Picture Cards
Face cards (King, Queen and Jack ).
Play Back
To raise or re-raise another player's bet.
Pocket
The hole or down cards.
Pocket Cards
The2 cards dealt to you at the beginning of a Hold'em hand that no one else must view.
Pocket Rockets
A pair of Aces in the pocket or hole.
Position
Where a player is seated in comparison to the dealer which decides the players place in the order of betting.
Pot
The chips or money in the center of a table that players aim to win.
Pot Limit
A game where the max bet can equal the pot amount.
Push
When the dealer pushes the chips to the winning player at the end of a hand.
Put Down
To fold a hand.
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Q
Quads
4 of a kind.
Qualifier
In Hi/Lo games this is the necessity the Low hand must meet to win the pot.
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R
Rack
A tray that carries 100 poker chips in 5 stacks of 20 chips each.
Raise
To add to the previous bet.
Rank
The value of each hand and card.
Rap
When a player knocks on the table indicating that they have checked.
Ratholing
This is an illegal action when a player takes money from the table and places it somewhere else.
Razz
7 Card Stud where the lowest 5 cards win the pot.
Reading
Studying a players way of playing, tells and mannerisms.
Rebuy
The sum of money that a player pays to add a fixed number of chips to their stack in a tournament.
Re-raise
To raise a raise.
River
This is the last card dealt in all games.
Round of Betting
This is when players have the opportunity to raise, check or bet.
Royal Flush
This is an Ace high straight of the same suit (A-K-Q-J-10).
Run
The act of playing with more money than is reasonable.
Rush
A winning streak.
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S
Sandbagging
Holding back and calling despite having a very good hand which is to hide strength and promote bluffs.
Scoop
To win the entire pot.
Seating List
A waiting list where a player places their name on this list if no seats are available but they wish to play.
See
To call.
Semi-bluff
Betting with an average hand or drawing hand.
7 Card Stud
A popular poker game where players receive 3 face down cards and 4 face up cards. Click here for information on 7 Card Stud.
Seventh Street
This is the closing round of betting in 7 Card Stud and Stud 8 or Better.
Short-handed
A game with very little players.
Showdown
At the end of the final betting round when all active players turn their cards face-up to see who has won the pot.
Sixth Street
In 7 Card Stud, this is the 4th face up card dealt to a player (their 6th card in total).
Small Blind
The sum placed in the pot by the person immediately to the left of the dealer 'button' before the cards are dealt.
Solid
A fairly tight and good player.
Speed Limit
A pair of 5s.
Split
Tie.
Stack
A pile of chips.
Stay
When a player stays in the game by calling rather than raising.
Steel Wheel
A five high straight of the same suit (A-2-3-4-5).
Straddle
A straddle is a Blind bet which is usually double the size of the Big Blind
Straight
5 cards of any suit that are consecutive.
Straight Flush
5 cards of the same suit that are consecutive.
Stud Games
Games in which players get both down and up cards.
Stuck
A player who is losing in a game.
Suit
A characteristic of a playing card either of Diamonds, Clubs or Spades Hearts.
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T
Table
The surface on which poker is played.
Tell
An action giving clues about the cards someone is holding.
Texas Hold'em
Another name for Hold'em, the most popular type of poker. Click here for information on Texas Holdem.
Third Street
In 7 Card Stud and 7 Card Stud 8 or Better, this is the first betting round on the first 3 cards.
Thirty Miles
3 tens.
Three of a Kind
3 cards with the same same number or face value.
Tight
Either a player who doesn't play many pots or a game that doesn't have much action.
Tilt, On
Behavior as a result of losing, usually negative.
TOC
Tournament of Champions.
Top Two Pair
Both your pocket cards match the highest 2 cards on the board.
Treys
A pair of 3s.
Trips
3 of a kind.
Turn
In flop games, this is the 4th card dealt.
Two Pair
A hand containing 2 different pairs.
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U
Underpair
A pocket pair of lower value than the lowest card on the board.
Up Card
A card that is dealt face-up.
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V-W
Walking Sticks
A pair of 7s.
Wild Card
A card that can be played as any value.
Worst Hand
A losing hand.
WSOP
World Series of Poker.
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