Poker Glossary

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U W

Poker Terms	Definition
A
Aces Full	A full house with three aces and any pair.
Ace-High	A five card hand that contains one Ace, with no straight or flush or a hand with no pair in it.
Aces Up	A hand that contains two pairs, one of which is Aces.
Action	Checking/Betting/Raising. A game in which players are playing a lot of pots is considered an "action" game.
Active Player	Any player who is still in the hand.
Add-on	A purchase of more chips (optional) at the end of the re-buy period in a tournament.
All-In	When a player bets all his/her chips.: In online poker, you may be deemed "All-in" when you are disconnected (even if you have chips remaining).
American Airlines	Two Aces.Ante Money placed in the pot before the hand is begun.
Ante	Money placed in the pot before the hand is begun.
B
Backdoor	A hand that is completed with the last two board cards.
Bad Beat	When a hand is beaten by a lucky draw.
Belly Buster	A draw and/or catch to an Inside Straight.
Bet	To place chips in the pot.
Bet the pot	When a player bets the amount of the pot.
Bicycle	A straight that is A-2-3-4-5.
Big Blind	A forced blind bet placed by the player second to the left of the dealer or button.
Big Slick	A hand that contains an A-K.
Blank	A board card that does not enhance the value of the existing board cards.
Blind	A bet placed before the player has viewed their cards.
Blind Raise	When a player raises without looking at his hand.
Bluff	When a player bets or acts as if the hand they hold is better than it is to convince other players that their hand is strong.
Boardcards	The cards that are dealt face-up in a poker game for all players to see. In flop games, five cards are dealt face-up in the center of the table. In Seven Card Stud, four cards are dealt face-up in front of each player.
Board	The face up table cards. In Holdem games the community cards or in stud games the players face up cards.
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-In	The forced bet made on the first round of betting by the player who is dealt the lowest card showing in Seven Card Stud and Stud 8 or Better. In Razz (Lowball) it is the highest card showing
Bring It In	To start the betting on the first round.
Broomcorn's Uncle	A player who antes himself broke.
Bullets	A pair of Aces.
Bump	To raise the bet.
Burn	To discard the top card from the deck, face down.
Button	A disk placed in front of the dealer or nominal dealer.
Buy-In	The minimum amount of money required by a player to sit down in a particular poker game.
C
Call	To match the current bet and no more.
Call Cold	To call both a bet and raise(s).


Case	The last remaining card of a rank within the deck.

Check	To not bet but remain in the hand with the option to call or raise later bets.
Cap	To take the last of the maximum amount of raises allowed per round of betting.
Cardroom	The room or space in a casino where poker is played.
Case Chips	A player's last chips.
Cash Out	To leave a game and convert your chips to cash.
Check-Raise	When a player first checks and then raises in a betting round.
Chop	To return the blinds to the players who posted them and move on to the next hand if no other players call. It also means to "split the pot".
Collusion	When two or more players conspire to cheat in a poker game.
Community cards	Face up cards in the center of the table used by all players.
Connectors	Two cards that are consecutive.
Cowboys	Two Kings.
D

Dead Man's Hand	Two pair - Aces and Eights (Wild Bill Hickock was shot in the back while playing this hand).
Deuce	A two denominated card.
Dog	Short form of Underdog.
Door Card	This is the first exposed card, or "up" card, in a player's hand in Stud games.
Down Card Hole cards	Cards that are dealt face down.
Doyle Brunson	It's a Holdem hand consisting of a 10-2 (Brunson won the world championship two years in a row on the final hand with these cards).
Draw Lowball	Form of poker where each player is dealt five cards with the option of discarding one or more and replacing them with new ones and the low hand wins.
Draw Poker	Form of poker where each player is dealt five cards down with the option of discarding one or more and replacing them with new ones to attempt to make a better hand.
Drop	To fold.
Ducks	A pair of Twos.
E
Early Position	Position on a round of betting where the player must act before most of the other players at the table. (It's considered the two positions located to the left of the Blinds.)
F
Fifth Street	Also known as the "river" card. In flop games, this represents the fifth community card on the table and the final round of betting. In Stud games, this is the fifth card dealt to each player and represents the third round of betting.
Five-card Draw	A poker game in which the player is dealt five cards down. They have one draw to replace them and the best high hand wins the pot.
Five-card Stud	A poker game in which each player is dealt five cards, one down and four up, with betting after 2, 3, 4, & 5 cards.
Flat Call	Calling a bet without raising.
Flop	In Hold'em and Omaha, the first three community cards that are dealt face-up in the center of the table all at one time. The "flop" also indicates the second round of betting.
Flop Games	Poker games (Hold 'em and Omaha) that are played using community cards that are dealt face up in the center of the table.
Floorman	An employee of the cardroom who makes rulings and decisions.Flush Any five cards of the same suit.
Flush Draw	When a player has four cards in his hand of the same suit and is hoping to draw a fifth to make a flush.
Forced Bet	A required bet that starts the action on the first round of a poker hand.
Flop	The first three community cards dealt at the same time face up on the table.
Free Card	If in a round of betting on the flop or turn all remaining players check. The next card is said to be free.
Fold	To leave the hand. The player returns their cards to the dealer and takes no further part in the hand.
Four of a Kind	Four cards of the same number or face value ("quads").
Fourth Street	In flop games, it is the fourth community card dealt (also known as "the turn") and represents the third round of betting. In Stud games, it is the fourth card dealt to each player and represents the second round of betting.
Freeroll	Generally a tournament where there are cash prizes but no entry fee.
Full House	A hand consisting of a pair and a three of a kind.
G
Gutshot	A straight that is filled inside. For example: the player holds a 4s,6c, the flop is Kd,7h,8d. The turn brings a 5s to fill the inside straight.
H
Heads Up	A pot with only two players remaining.
High-Card	To decide the first dealer in the flop tournaments each user is dealt a single card and the player with the highest card (based on the card and the suit order - of spades, hearts, diamonds & clubs) becomes the theoretical dealer.
High-Low	Split pot games.
Hold 'em	Also known as Texas Hold 'em, where the players get two down cards and five community cards.
Hole Cards	The cards dealt face down to the player. The pocket cards.
House	The casino or poker room running the game.
I
In The Hole	The cards dealt face down to the player.
Inside Straight	Four cards that require one more card between the highest and lowest card to make a straight.
J
Jackpot Poker	A form of poker in which the cardroom or casino offers a jackpot to a player who has lost with a really big hand (usually Aces full or better).
Jacks-or- Better	A form of poker in which a player needs to have at least a pair of jacks to open the betting.
K
Kansas City Lowball	Form of lowball poker in which the worst poker hand (2, 3, 4, 5, 7 of different suits) is the best hand. It's also known as Deuce to Seven.
Keep Them Honest	To call at the end of a hand to prevent someone from bluffing.
Key Card	A card that gives you a big draw or makes your hand.
Key Hand	In a session or tournament, the one hand that ends up being a turning point for the player, either for better or worse.
Kicker	The highest unpaired card in a hand that decides the winner between similar hands. For example: Two players both have a pair of Queens. One player has a Jack kicker the other a nine kicker. The Jack kicker wins.
Kick It	Raise.
Kill Pot	A method to stimulate action. It is a forced bet by someone who has just won a pot(s).
Knock	To check
Kojak	A hand that contains a K-J.
L
Ladies	Two Queens.
Late Position	Position on a round of betting where the player must act after most of the other players have acted (usually considered to be the two positions next to the button).
Lay Down Your Hand	When a player folds.
Lead	The first player to bet into a pot.
Limit Poker	A game that has fixed minimum and maximum betting limits.
Limper	The first player who calls a bet.
Limp In	To enter a betting round by calling a bet as oppossed to raising.
Live Card(s)	In Stud Games, cards that have not yet been seen and are presumed to still be in play.
Live Hand	A hand that could still win the pot.
Live One	A not so knowledgeable player who plays a lot of hands.
Look	When a player calls the final bet before the showdown.
Loose	Is a player who plays a lot hands.
Lowball	Is a form of draw poker in which the lowest hand wins the pot.
M
Main Pot	The center pot. Any other bets are placed in a side pot(s) and are contested among the remaining players. This occurs when a player(s) goes all-in.
Make	To make the deck is to shuffle the deck.
Maniac	A very aggressive player who plays a lot of hands.
Middle Pair	In flop games, when a player makes a pair with one of his/her down cards and the middle card on the flop.
Middle Position	Somewhere between the early and late positions on a round of betting (the fifth, sixth and seventh seats to the left of the button).
Minimum Buy-In	The least amount you can start a game with.
Monster	A very big hand. In a tournament, a player who begins to accumulate chips after having a small stack is considered to be a monster.
Muck	The pile of folded cards in front of the dealer.
N
No Limit	A version of poker with no limit betting. Therefore a player may bet up to any amount, up to the total of their chips, whenever it is thier turn to bet.
Nuts	The best possible hand achievable given the community cards.
O
Odds	The probability of making a hand vs. the probability of not making a hand.
Off Suit	When the two pocket cards are of different suits.
Open	To make the first bet.
Open Card	A card that is dealt face-up.
Open Ended	A 4 card hand with consequetive cards requiring the next higher or next lower to make the straight.
Open Pair	A pair that has been dealt face-up.
Option	An option is a Live Blind made in the dark before the cards are dealt. If no one raises, the "option" player may raise the pot.
Out Button	A disc placed in front of a player who wishes to sit out a hand(s) but remain in the game.
Overcard	A hole card higher than any on the board.
P
Paints	Face or picture cards (Jack, Queen and King).
Pair	Two cards of the same face or number value.
Pass	To fold.
Pay Off	To call on the final round of betting 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.
Pineapple	A version of Holdem where players are dealt 3 hole cards and must burn one.
Playing the Board	In flop games when your best five card hand is all five of the community cards.
Pocket	The hole cards.
Pocket Rockets	A pair of aces in the hole.
Position	The player's position in relation to the dealer or button and the other players.
Post	When you post a bet, you place your chips in the pot. (You must post the Blinds.)Pot The money or chips in the center of a table that players try to win.
	The money or chips in the center of a table that players try to win.
Pot Limit	A version of poker where a player may bet up to the value of the pot whenever it is their turn to place a bet.
Prop Player	A player paid by the house to play.
Push	When the dealer pushes the chips to the winning player at the end of a hand. It's 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
Rack	A tray that holds 100 poker chips in five stacks of twenty chips each.
Rail	The rim of a poker table or a barrier outside a poker area.
Railbird	Someone who hangs around a poker room who watches the games and/or is looking to get into action.
Rainbow	When the community cards contain no more than two cards of the same suit therby no flushe is possible.
Raise	To call and increase the amount of the previous bet.
Rake	The amount taken from each pot by the house.
Rank	The numerical value of a card.
Rap	When a player knocks on the table indicating that he/she has checked.Razz Seven Card Stud where the lowest five cards win the pot.
Razz	Seven Card Stud where the lowest five cards win the pot.
Re-buy	The amount of money a player pays to add a fixed number of chips to his/her stack in a tournament.
Re-raise	To raise a raise.
Ring Game	A standard real money game as opposed to a tournament.
River	The fifth and final community card.
Rounders	Guys who hustle for a living. This is also the name of a popular poker movie starring Matt Damon and Ed Norton.
Royal Flush	The highest ranking poker hand consisting of the A,K,Q,J and Ten in the same suit.
S
Satellite Game	A qualifying tournament to gain entry to a larger tournament.
Scoop	To win the entire pot.
Seating List	A waiting list. A player would put his or her name on this list if there were no seats at the table at which they wish to play.
See	To call.
Seven-card Stud	A well-known poker game in which players get three down cards and four up cards. You play the best five of those seven cards. Click here for information on Seven-card Stud.
Second Pair	A pair with the second highest board card.
Set	Three of a kind.
Seventh Street	This is the final round of betting in Seven Card Stud and Stud 8 or Better.
Shill	A prop player.
Short Stack	A small number of chips compared to other players at the table.
Showdown	Showing cards at the end of the hand to decide the winner.
Side Pot	A second pot created for the remaining players after a player has gone all in.
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	Playing a strong hand weakly to try and keep others in the hand to eventually improve the pot.
Small Blind	A forced blind bet placed by the player to the left of the dealer or button.
Solid	A fairly tight player (and reasonably good).
Speed Limit	A pair of fives.
Split Pair	A pair made with one hole card and one board card.
Split Pot	When the pot is split between equal hands.
Stack	A pile of chips.
Stay	When a player remains in the game by calling rather than raising.
Steel Wheel	A five high straight (A-2-3-4-5) of the same suit.
Straddle	A straddle is a Blind bet which is usually double the size of the Big Blind (and that player may raise when the action gets to him).Straight Five consecutive cards of any suit.
Straight	Five consecutive cards of any suit.
Straight Flush	Five consecutive cards of the same suit.
Structure	The limits put on the blinds/ante, bets, and raises in any particular game.Stud Games Games in which players get down cards and up cards.
Stud Games	Games in which players get down cards and up cards.
Stuck	A player who is losing in a game.
Suited	Hole cards of the same suit.
T
Table Stakes	A rule in poker which forbids a player from bringing more money to the table during a hand.
Tell	A hint given by mannerisms or body language as to the strength of the player's hand.
Texas Hold'em	This is also the name for Hold'em, the most popular form of poker.
Third Pair	A pair with the third highest community card.
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 doesn't play many pots. A tight game is one that doesn't have much action.
TOC	Tournament of Champions.
Top Pair	A pair with the highest community card.
Top Pair	In flop games, when the player pairs one of his down cards with the highest card on board.
Treys	A pair of threes.
Trips/Triplets	Three of a kind.
Turn	The fourth community card.
Two Pair	A hand containing two pairs and another card.
U
Under the Gun	The first player to bet in a betting round.
Underdog	A hand that has an unfavorable chance of winning the hand.
Up Card	A card that is dealt face-up.
W
Walking Sticks	A pair of sevens.
Wild Card	Specific card or cards that may be taken as any value to make a hand.
Worst Hand	A losing hand.
WSOP	World series of poker.