Lost all chips and out of the tournament. Button: (aka Dealer Button), disc that. There are so many poker terms, abbreviations, and even some slang, that it requires some studying (or googling) to truly understand poker talk. This comprehensive list of poker terminology will help you understand the lingo. ALL 0-9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z. Poker terminology: common poker terms & meanings When you're playing poker, you may come across words that are unfamiliar. To help you learn the lingo of poker, we've developed a handy glossary of poker terms. Poker Terms is the most comprehensive and up-to-date poker dictionary on the internet. Our database of poker lingo contains well over 1000 poker terms and has in-depth explanations of terms that simply cannot be found anywhere else. Some of our pages explain advanced poker concepts. Also referred to as live poker. This is a type of poker game in which each hand is played with money or real money chips. Players are able to enter and leave at any time.
The below gives explanations for the most popular examples of poker terminology. The Glossary is designed for you to use to check what all the various poker terms mean. Poker is a game that uses a lot of jargon, but you will quickly get used to the language.
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
A
Action
Making, or calling, a bet or raise. i.e. “giving action”.
All-in
When a player is all-in, they have bet all of their remaining chips, and can take no further active part in future betting rounds.
Angle/Angle Shooting
Attempting to manipulate the action or other players decisions through questionable or illegal behavior. Cheating.
Ante
Poker games like Stud are played with an ante; a forced bet that every player has to post before each round of betting. Antes are also introduced in the later levels of some No-Limit Hold’em tournaments.
B
Bad Beat
Losing a hand after getting action as an overwhelming favourite.
Backdoor Draw
A draw that requires two cards to complete, i.e. a flop with one heart when you hold two hearts in your hand.
Badugi
(1) Badugi is a relatively new type of poker game originally from Asia. Each player gets four cards, and there are three draws. The player with the lowest hand wins the pot.
(2) Four cards of different suits that don’t form a pair is a hand known as a Badugi.
Bankroll
Refers to the amount of money you have available solely for playing poker.
Barrel
To continue betting on future streets post flop after taking the betting lead on the current street.
Bet
The first bet made in a round of betting. If this bet is increased later in the same betting round, this is known as a raise.
Big Stack
A player who has a lot of chips.
Blind
A forced bet which has to be posted before each hand. The player to the left of the dealer posts the small blind, while the player two places left of the dealer posts the big blind. As a rule the big blind is twice the size of the small blind.
Blind Level
Describes the size of the forced blind bets in the current stage of a tournament. The size of the blinds increases with each new level.
Blind Stealing
A raise before the flop with a weak hand, with the aim of forcing all opponents to fold, and therefore winning the blinds. Works best from late position if all players have folded so far.
Bluff
When a player bets and/or raises without having a good hand, to try and make their opponent fold the better hand.
Bluff Catcher
A hand that is not strong enough to beat an opponent who is betting for value with a made hand, but only an opponent who is bluffing.
Board
The five community cards in the middle of the table in poker games like Texas Hold’em and Omaha.
Boat
(slang) A full house.
Break-even
To break-even means that neither a loss nor a profit has been made.
Bubble
Describes any significant threshold in a tournament. The most common tournament bubbles are the initial money bubble, and the final table bubble.
Bubbleboy
The player in a tournament eliminated directly before the paid places are reached, therefore going away empty-handed.
Burncard
The card that gets discarded by the dealer before the community cards are dealt, in order to prevent cheating.
Busted/Bust-out
When you are eliminated from a tournament after losing all your chips
Button
(1) A plastic disc which is passed clockwise each hand to determine the position of the nominal dealer.
(2) Named used to describe the nominal dealer in the current hand.
Buy-in
The amount of money players have to pay to enter a tournament. Most of this money goes into the prize pool, except for a small entry fee retained by the card room (also see rake).
Bring-in
A forced bet in Stud, which has to be placed by the player with the lowest open card.
Broadway
(1) Name of the highest-possible straight in poker, for e.g. Tc-Jc-Qh-Kd-As.
(2) A single card (T-x or higher) is also often called broadway or a broadway card.
C
Call
Calling means you are matching the last bet made.
Cap
The fourth and last possible raise in a fixed limit game.
Cash Game
Poker played for real money, with blind levels that stay the same. Players can come and go as they please, and buy new chips anytime they want.
Calling Station
A player who plays many hands in a very loose way. They will call often, but rarely raise or fold.
Check
If no bets have been made, a player has the option to check, i.e. stay in the hand without putting any more chips into the pot.
Check-Call
To check and then call an opponent’s bet.
Check-Raise
To check and then raise an opponent’s bet.
Chipleader
The player with the largest amount of chips in a tournament.
Community Cards
The five cards dealt face up in the center of the table, which can be used by all players.
Complete
(1) Hold’em: To call preflop from the small blind if no bets have been placed.
(2) Stud: The first raise in the first betting round.
Connector
Two or more connected cards, for e.g. 6c-5s. Connected cards of the same suit are called suited connectors (6s-5s for instance).
Continuation Bet
A bet made on the flop by the last player who raised preflop. Also known as a C-bet.
Cold Deck
When a very strong hand is beaten by a player who improves their hand on the board.
Cut-off
The player seated to the right of the dealer. A strong position to be in, because you are one of the last to act on every round of betting.
D
Dead Money
Money in a pot which comes from players who have already folded, and therefore cannot participate in the hand any longer.
Dealer
(1) Live games: the person who deals the cards, sorts out the pot and watches over the game.
(2) Online: the position of the nominal dealer, marked by a dealer button, which is passed on clockwise.
Defending the Blinds
When a player is in one of the blinds and plays to try and enusre they keep their chips by winning the pot.
Dominated Hand
If two players hold a card of the same rank, the player with the better kicker is said to dominate their opponent. For e.g. If Player A holds Kc-As, they dominate Player B who holds Kd-Qd.
Donk Bet
The term used for a bet that is made into the aggressor from the prior street, instead of checking to them.
Door Card
The first open card dealt in Stud poker games.
Downswing
A run of bad luck which can often make players start playing bad.
Draw
A poker hand which needs additional cards to improve or complete.
Double Suited
Omaha starting hand that includes two times two cards of the same suit (for e.g. As-Kd-Jd-9s).
E
Equity
The winning odds multiplied by the pot size. For e.g. if you have a winning chance of 40% and there is $10 in the pot, your equity is $4.
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F
Feeler Bet
A small to medium sized bet to made to gauge your opponents reactions. Also known as a probe bet.
Final Table
The last table in a tournament, usually played nine or ten handed, and where the biggest cash prizes are paid.
Fish
A very bad or inexperienced poker player.
Floorman
The floorman is a casino employee who mediates between players and solves disputes between them or the dealer. The floorman has more power than the dealer
Flop
The first three community cards dealt in flop games like Hold’em or Omaha.
Flush
A combination of five cards of the same suit, for e.g. As-Qs-Ts-6s-3s.
Flush Draw
When a player has a combination of four cards of the same suit, with only one more card of this suit missing to complete the flush.
Fold
To discard your cards and place them into the muck. A player who folds is no longer in the hand and can win no part of the pot.
Fold Equity
The probability that one or all players will fold behind you.
Four Bet (4B)
Re-raising. The initial wager is a bet, the first raise is the 2nd bet, a re-raise is the 3rd bet, and another re-raise is the 4th bet.
Free Play
Chance to see the next community cards without having to place a bet.
Freeroll
(1) Chance to make profit without risk (for e.g. without having to invest money).
(2) A free-to-enter tournament with no buy-in.
Full House
A poker hand consisting of three of a kind and another pair.
Full Ring
A cash game table with nine or ten players. Opposite of shorthanded.
G
Gutshot
An unfinished straight with an inside card needed to complete. For e.g. a player has Ah-2s and the board shows Td-4s-5c. In this case, a 3x would complete the straight.
H
Hand
(1) Part of the game in which cards are dealt, chips are bet and the pot is won. After that, the button is moved to the left in games like Texas Hold’em, and the next hand begins.
(2) The best five card combination made using the hole cards and the community cards.
Heads-up
A hand or game with only two players.
High Card
The lowest poker hand, with less value than a pair.
High Roller
(1) A player who plays for high stakes.
(2) A tournament with a very high buy in.
Hold’em
Short name for Texas Hold’em Poker.
Hole Cards
The cards each player gets dealt face down in the beginning of a hand. Using these and the community cards, a player can assemble the best possible five card combination.
I
Implied Odds
Calculation of odds in relation to the estimated final size of the pot. Consequently, expected profits will be added on to the odds. For e.g. you have an open-ended straight draw on the turn and get pot odds of 4,5:1. If you expect to hit and to gain another big bet on the river, you will have implied odds of 5,5:1.
J
Jam
(slang) To bet or raise all in.
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K
Kicker
The side card one holds along with a pair. For e.g. if your hole cards are As-5s and the board shows 4c-5h-3c-Js-4h, you have two pair with an ace kicker. In such cases where two players hold the same hand rank, the higher kicker decides which player wins the hand.
L
Lay-down
To fold your hand.
Limit
(1) Short for Fixed Limit”, which means that all minimum and maximum betting intervals are fixed at all times.
(2) The size of the blinds or the maximum buy-in which indicates the amount of money played for. Can also refer to No-Limit or Pot-Limit” games.
Limp/Limper
A preflop action in which the big blind is just called instead of raised
Live Cards
Refers to cards that haven’t been opened yet and are possibly still in the card deck.
Low Card
A card that can form part of a qualifying low hand games like Stud Hi-Lo and Omaha Hi-Lo.
M
Made Hand
A complete hand with very little potential for improvement.
Marginal Hand
A mediocre or medium strength holding. When referring to starting hole cards, a weak starting hand.
Monotone
(1) Starting hand in Omaha, with all four cards of the same suit.
(2) A board where all cards are the same suit.
N
Nose bleeds
A reference to the highest stakes available. Also nose bleed stakes.
Nuts
The best possible hand in a given situation.
O
Odds
A form of presenting probabilities. The probability of making a hand is set in relation to the probability of not making a hand. For e.g. if you win with a probability of 20%, you will lose with a probability of 80%. The odds are therefore 80:20 or 4:1.
Offsuit
Two cards of different suits.
Omaha
A poker game played with four hole cards. Two of the hole cards and three community cards must be used to form a hand. Apart from that, the rules of the game are identical to Texas Hold’em.
Open Pair
A pair lying openly on the board
Option
The choice of the player in the big blind to either check or raise, providing there have been no raises before them.
Out of Position (OOP)
You are out of position when you are one of the first to act in a betting round.
Overcard
A card higher than the highest card on the board. For example, when dealt on a board, the ace is an overcard but the ten is not.
Overpair
A pocket pair which is higher than all of the community cards on the board.
P
Pocket Cards
Two face down cards each player gets dealt in the beginning of a Texas Hold’em game. Also called Hole cards.
Pocket Pair
Two cards of the same rank, dealt as a starting hand.
Poker Tracker
Software which tracks the hands you have played, enabling you to monitor your play and that of your opponents, and perform detailed analysis on your hands at a later time.
Position
Refers to a player’s seat in relation to the dealer. The further away you are from the dealer, the better your position is, because you will act later in each betting round – a big advantage that lets you evaluate your opponents’ betting patterns. The positions in detail:
• Blinds: The two players to the left of the dealer are called Small Blind and Big Blind. These are by far the worst positions in the game because you have to act first in any betting round except pre-flop and you are forced to put money in the pot before looking at your cards.
• Late position (LP): the dealer (usually called the ‘button’) and the ‘cut-off’ to the immediate right of the dealer are sitting in late position. This is the best position you can be in.
• Middle position (MP): the three players on the right hand side of the cut-off are in middle position.
• Early position (EP): the two players to the right of the middle position players are in early position. They act first pre-flop and after the blinds in all the other betting rounds. The first player to act pre-flop is often also called ‘under the gun’ (UTG).
If there are fewer than nine players at the table, disregard early positions. If there are only five players for example, there are two blinds, two late position players and one person in middle position.
Pot-Limit
In a pot-Limit game, a player may only bet up to the size of the total pot when it’s their turn. The most popular Pot-Limit form of poker is Pot-Limit Omaha, but you can also play Hold’em and draw poker as Pot-Limit.
Pot Odds
The current amount of money in the pot compared to the amount you have to put into the pot to be able to continue playing. The greater the pot odds, the better.
Post-flop
Play on the flop and in subsequent betting rounds.
Pre-flop
Play that takes place before the flop in flop games like hold’em or Omaha.
Probe Bet
A small to medium sized bet to made to gauge your opponents reactions. Also known as a feeler bet.
Q R
Quads
(slang) The hand rank of four of a kind.
Rainbow
(1) Hold’em: A flop or turn is described as rainbow when all three or four cards are of different suits.
(2) Omaha: A starting hand consisting of cards with all four different suits.
Raise
To increase the amount of the previous bet.
Rake
Money or percentage a poker room claims from each pot, or from the entry fee in a tournament.
Range
All hands that an opponent might possibly hold at a certain point in time.
Reverse Domination
In Hold’em, you are dominated if an opponent holds a card of the same rank as yours, but with a better kicker. If the dominated player then hits a pair with the lower kicker, it’s known as reversed domination.
Reverse Implied Odds
To calculate implied odds, potential profits are added to the pot. Reversed implied odds refer to how much a player expects to lose on later betting rounds. The loss is subtracted from the pot when calculating the odds.
Rip
(slang) To bet or raise all in.
River
The fifth and last community card.
Royal Flush
The best possible hand in poker – an ace-high straight flush. For e.g. As-Ks-Qs-Js-Ts.
Runner-Runner
An incomplete poker hand where additional cards are needed on both the turn and river to compete, e.g. if you hold two hearts and the flop contains one, you have a runner-runner draw to a heart flush.
Runner-up
The second place finisher in a tournament.
S
Satellite
A tournament with a moderate buy-in, where the prize is a seat in a bigger tournament.
Seat
Seat at the table that a player gets assigned to.
Second Barrel
A second bet on the turn after a flop bet. Correspondingly, a third barrel is a third bet on the river.
Semi-bluff
A semi-bluff is a bet or a raise with a hand that is not the best, but has a reasonable chance of improving up to the river (for e.g. a flush draw). The goal is to make all opponents fold. If this doesn’t work out, there is still a chance of winning if the hand improves.
Set
Three of a kind consisting of a pocket pair and one community card.
Shark
Very good player who makes some profit; opposite of fish
Shorthanded
Poker with only three to six players. Opposite of full ring.
Poker Terminology Nuts
Shortstack
A player with a small stack in a tournament.
Showdown
After all betting rounds have completed, all players remaining in the hand reveal their cards to see who has made the best five card poker hand to win the pot.
Shove
To bet or raise all in.
Single-suited
Starting hand in Omaha. Two cards of the same suit, two cards of mixed suits (for e.g. Ah-Ad-Th-7s).
Slow Play
When a player acts cautious despite having a very strong hand, the aim being to deceive their opponents about the true strength of their holding.
Speculative Hand
A temporarily weak hand with potential to improve.
Split Pot
A pot which gets split between two or more players who have cards of equal value.
Stack
Amount of chips or money a player can use at the table.
Steam
To get annoyed about lost hands and play badly as a result. Also see Tilt.
Straight
Five cards in a row, for e.g. 9x-8x-7x-6x-5x.
Straight Draw
A card combination with one card missing to complete a straight. Also see Gutshot.
Straight Flush
A straight of one suit, for e.g. 9h-8h-7h-6h-5h.
Street
Betting rounds, like the Flop, Turn and River.
Stud
Poker games in which players get dealt cards face up as well as face down. Seven Card Stud and Razz are popular examples.
Suck-out
When a player is lucky and beats a superior hand. Also see Bad Beat.
Suit
Spades, clubs, hearts and diamonds.
Suited
Cards of the same suit (Spades, clubs, hearts or diamonds).
T
Table Stake
The amount that a player can bet and bring to the table in a cash game.
Third Barrel
A bet on the river after having bet on the flop and turn.
Three-Bet (3B)
A re-raise. The initial wager is a bet, the first raise is the 2nd bet, and a re-raise is the 3rd bet.
Tight
To play very few hands only, and fold all weak or marginal hands.
Tilt
To respond badly to a bad beat or downswing by letting it have an adverse affect on your game.
Trips
Three cards of the same rank, for e.g. Kh-ks-kc-7s-5c.
Turn
The fourth community card in flop games, also called fourth street.
Trash/Trash Hand
A very poor starting hand.
U
Underpair
A pocket pair which is lower than some or all of the community cards on the board. E.g. if you have QQ and the flop is K-7-3, you have an underpair to the K. With 22 you would have an underpair to the board.
Under the Gun
The name given to the player who acts first on the opening round of betting, left of the big blind. This is not an ideal position because you have to act very early.
Upswing
A run of good luck, but not usually as a result of skillful play.
W X Y Z
Walk
A player is given a walk when all players fold preflop to them in the big blind, and they win the pot uncontested without having to act.
Wheel
A straight with the lowest value (ace to five). It’s called the wheel because the ace is used as the lowest card in this situation.
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Poker is a great game to play or to spend time with your friends or family. But, before you play poker you must be aware of some of the must know poker terms and phrases. Whether you play poker online or offline, you need to be aware of some of the basics poker terms and phrases. Without knowing these you will be at a disadvantage playing poker.
Poker can be pretty intimidating most of the times. But, if you prepare beforehand by knowing all the basics and covering the fundamentals, you can be much more confident when you are playing at a table or even playing poker online.
There are certain poker terms and phrases which will help you strengthen your fundamentals of poker. This will also help you in communicating with your opponents much easier. And thus will boost your confidence and morale when playing high stakes poker tournament or even to have a friendly relationship with your opponents.
Without any delay, lets take a look at the top 45 must know poker terms and phrases which will help you improve your game.
Top 45 must know poker terms and phrases
I will divide the poker terms that you must know into different sections. Such as Basic must know poker terms, Texas Hold’em must know poker terms, and Advanced must know Poker terms.
Basic Must know Poker Terms
There are certain basic poker terms that you as a poker player must be aware of. These terms are very much essential for you to get started with poker. Without knowing these poker terms, you’ll have a hard time understanding the basic fundamentals of the game. So, here are the basic must know poker terms:
1. Action
Action refers to playing the hand in poker. Also, it means to either bet, check, call or raise a hand. Even fold is a form of action when playing poker. At the end when everyone finishes betting, showing the cards to the dealer is also a form of action in poker.
For Example: If 2,3,4 are the flop and a lot of action is going on the table, then it is assumed that a player has had a straight. In general, action means opportunity to act. If a player doesn’t realise that it his his turn to play, then the dealer will say “Your Action” to him.
Poker Terminology Draw
2. Ante
Ante is the basic amount (Poker chips) that each player has to pay before the game even begins. That is the amount that each player has to pay inorder to receive their poker cards. Usually, Ante will be 1/10th of the amount of big blind.
For example: If the big blind is $10, then the ante that each player has to pay will be $1.
3. All-In
All-In is a type of bet where the player bets all his money or poker chips. A player calles All-In when he runs of poker chips for betting. That is if the player bets all his poker chips on a particular hand, then that bet is known as All-In.
Usually, a player goes All-In when he is confident that he wins the hand or he is bluffing the opponent into thinking he has a solid winning hand. Either way, once you go All-In, there is no turning back.
4. Blind
Blinds are forced type of betting for the player who is sitting to the left of the dealer button in the flop style poker games. There are usually two types of blinds. Big Blind and Small blind. The player to the left of dealer button pays the small blind and the player left of small blind pays the big blind.
In case of only two players, the player with the dealer button pays the small blind and the other player pays the big blind. When only two players are involved, it is known as Heads-Up Game.
5. Buy-In
Buy-In is the amount that the players have to pay inorder to play the Sit & Go tournaments. There are usally different Buy-In’s with different prize pool. More the buy-in amount, the more the prize pool amount will be. It is basically the upfront payment that a player has to make inorder to enter a poker tournament.
Usually, the number of players competing will be more for buy in with less fees. And vice-verca for buy-in with more fees.
6. Check
Check is sort of Action in poker where the player doesn’t do any of the actions like bet, fold, or raise. If the player checks then the player left to the checked person gets the chance to play.
Also, check is only possible if none of the other players have started any bet or if the player has met the current betting amount, he has the option to check.
7. Raise
Raise is an action made by a player if he wishes to increase the current bet made by another player in the same betting round. A player can raise as many times as possible for a no-limit game.
The minimum raise for any player is equal to the amount of previous bet. For example if the bet made by a player is $10, then if another player wishes to raise the amount, it has to be minimum $10 more. That is the minimum bet he can make for a raise is $20. There is no maximum limit for a raise.
8. Check-Raise
A check-raise in poker is a common deceptive play in which a player checks early in a betting round, hoping someone else will open. The player who checked then raises in the same round.
Check-raise is a tactic used by many players to fool the opponents into thinking they have a weak hand. By playing check-raise the players can milk more amount from other players.
9. Dealer
A dealer is a person in poker where he takes action in distributing the cards in a poker table as well as managing actions during the game. When playing poker online, there will be a dealer dealing the cards automatically.
The dealer has to maintain the shuffle of the deck as well as decide on the winner at the end of each hand. A dealer must also keep an eye on poker chips of all the players and distribute to them once the game finishes.
Online poker sites use random number generators (RNG’s) when dealing the cards. This will ensure you a unpredicted hand for all the players. You can learn more about dealers from this link.
10. Fold
Fold is an action made by players to discard their cards when they do not want to call the bet made by another player. That is if the player decides that his cards are not worth betting for, then the player can fold his hand. Once the player discards his cards, he has to forfiet from the current pot that is on the table.
When folded, the player has the option to let the other player see his cards or not. Usually, when folded most of the players don’t reveal their hands.
11. Hand
Hand in poker is a term used to refer five sets of cards which has to be formed by the players using the given 2 pocket cards and 3 community cards. There are nine different hand rankings according to the standard poker rules. And the player with the best hand wins the round and gets all the money or poker chips on the table.
12. Pot
Pot in poker refers to the sum of money that players wager during a single hand or game, according to the betting rules of the variant being played. The player who wins the round gets to keep the pot amount on the table.
If there is a tie in a round then the pot is split between the players.
13. Heads-Up
When the players involved in the poker game is only two, then the game played between the two players is known as a heads-up game.
14. Dealer Button
In poker, the dealer button is a marker used to indicate the player who is dealing or, in casino games with a house dealer, the player who acts last on that deal. It is also known as buck and is made of plastic.
The dealer button moves one step in the close wise direction after each round of betting. The player left of dealer button is the small blind.
15. Poker Chips
Poker chips acts as a currency in poker. There are different chips indicating different value of currency. It is also known as casino tokens in some casinos.
These are the must know poker terms and phrases when it comes to Baics. These poker terms will help you get started in your poker career.
Texas Hold’em Must Know Poker Terms
Texas Hold’em poker is one of the most popular poker varient in the world. Usually people start playing Texas Hold’em when they get introduced to poker. It is very easy to learn and is super fun to play. Hence, a lot of players prefer Texas Hold’em over other poker varients.
However, there are certain must know poker terms when playing Texas Hold’em poker. Without having any knowledge for these terms, you won’t understand the game. Hence it is very important to learn these poker terms before you get start playing Texas Hold’em. So, here are the common poker terminology related to Texas Hold’em.
1. Big-Blind
Big blind is the forced bet posted by the player to the left of small blind. Big blind is the minimum amount that can be bet in a game.
Usually in a poker tournament, the big blind increases as the number of hands played increases. Where as it remains the same when you are involved in a cash game.
2. Small Blind
Small blind is the forced bet posted by the player to the left of dealer button. Small blind is the amount equal to the half of big blind. For example, if the big blind is $2, then the small blind is $1.
Usually in a poker tournament, the small blind increases as the number of hands played increases. Where as it remains the same when you are involved in a cash game.
3. Bet
Bet in poker refers to the the first chips placed in the pot on any street. In Texas hold’em, Pre-flop, the small blind would be classified as the first bet.
4. Flop
Flop is an action in poker where the dealer deales three cards face down when dealing cards to other players. These three cards are common to all the players playing in the table. These cards are known as the community cards.
Once the bets are placed in the first round, the flop is revealed to all the players.
5. Turn
When the flop cards are revealed, a betting round happens. Once the betting round finishes, the dealer deals another card face up on the table. This card is known as Turn card. Turn card is also a community card where the players can use this to make a hand.
6. River
When the turn card is revealed, a betting round happens again. Once the betting round finishes, the dealer deals the final card face up known as the river. Once this card is revealed another betting round proceeds. And once the betting round completes the winner is decided.
7. High Card
High card is a hand which neither has a pair or any other hand rankings according to the standard poker rules. It is the worst possible hand that a poker player can get.
If two players end up with high card, then the person with the higher value high card wins the round. The highest value card in poker is the Ace.
Example of a high card: A♠2♠5♥9♥J♦. Here the high card for the player is the A♠.
8. A Pair
A pair is a hand in poker which contains two of the same value cards. This is the second worst possible hand that can be formed in poker.
If two players end up with the a pair, then the player with the higher value pair wins the hand.
For Example: 4♠6♦7♠4♣2♣. Here the 4♠4♣ are considered as a pair.
9. Three of a kind
Three of a kind is a hand in poker where the player has a hand with 3 of the same value card. This hand is also known as set in poker. If two player ends up with three of a kind, then the player with the higher value three of a kind wins.
For Example: J♥Q♦J♦T♥J♣. Here J♥J♦J♣ are considered as a three of a kind.
10. Straight
Straight is a hand in poker with continuous sequence of value cards. You have to have 5 continuous sequence of value cards to form a straight. If two players has a straight then the player with the higher value card straight wins the round.
For Example: 5♠6♠7♥8♦9♣.
11. Flush
Flush in poker is a hand with same type of suit. A hand must consists of 5 cards of the same suit to form a flush. If two player ends up with a flush, then the player with the higher value flush card wins.
For Example: 7♥3♥T♥A♥2♥.
12. Full House
Full House is a hand containing both the three of a kind and a pair. It is basically the combination of two hands. If two player has a full house, then the player with the higher three of a kind wins.
For Example: 2♥3♦2♣3♣3♠. Here the 2♥2♣ is a pair and 3♦3♣3♠ is a three of kind. Both of these combined is a full house.
13. Four of a kind
Four of a kind is a hand in poker with 4 type of same value cards with different suits. If two player ends up with four of a kind, then the player with the higher value four of a kind wins.
For example: T♥T♣T♦T♠A♥. Here T♥T♣T♦T♠ are the four of a kind.
14. Straight Flush
Straight flush is a hand with both straight and flush. That is, it is a hand with 5 sequence cards of the same suit.
For example: A♦2♦3♦4♦5♦. The hand has 5 sequence cards as well of the same suit. Hence this hand is known as a straight flush.
15. Royal Flush
Royal Flush is the same as straight flush but of the highest value. That is, Royal flush is the ultimate hand in poker. No other hand can beat the Royal Flush.
Royal Flush Hand: A♣K♣Q♣J♣T♣.
These are the must know poker terms and phrases when it comes to Texas Hold’em Poker varient.
Advanced Must Know Poker Terms
Some of the most advanced must know poker terms for the intermediate players out there. With these terms you’ll be able to communicate with the players better. Also, you’ll have a better understanding of the game.
These advanced must know poker terms are not necessarily important for to get started in poker or if you are a beginner in poker. But, are definitely worth learning them. So, lets get straight to the advanced must know poker terms.
1. Backdoor
Backdoor is a term used in poker for catching both the turn and river card to make a drawing hand. Usually backdoors are used when a player either makes a flush or a straight through the turn and river cards.
For example, if the player makes a straight using the turn and river cards, then it is called as a backdoor straight.
2. Bad Beat
Bad Beat is a term used in poker when a player with a higher probability of victory loses the round to another player with a higher hand. Bad Beat is usually applicable to only Texas Hold’em poker. Also, to be a bad beat, the pot should have a minimum of $20.
For example, if the player has a King Full house, but gets beaten by Ace Full House. These kind of defeats are pretty rare in poker, hence it is called as a bad beat.
3. Calling Station
Calling station is a poker term used to pejoratively describe someone who consistently calls bets and rarely (if ever) raises, regardless of the strength of his or her hand. He is a weak passive player. These kinds of players are plenty in poker and are usually easy to manipulate.
4. Draw Dead
Draw dead is a term used in poker to describe a situation where there is no possible chance of winning for a player. For example, if the player is drawing to make a straight, but the opponent has a flush. This is a draw dead hand for you. Even if you make a straight, there is no chance of winning that round.
5. Fish
Fish is a poker term used for a player who doesn’t have much experience in poker and is always constantly losing pots and hands. Usually, you don’t want to be called as a fish. Also, these players are the most easy to win over in poker. Hence always keep an eye in poker to identify such players and go after them.
6. Full Ring
Full Ring is a term used in poker for a table with more than 6 seats. Usually, most of the time full ring is used when the number of seats is exactly 9 or 10.
7. Hole cards
Hole cards is a term in poker which refers to the cards the players must hide from other players from seeing. These cards are known only to the card holders and not even to the dealers. Almost all the poker varients have hole cards in them.
In Texas Hold’em each of the players receive two hole cards at the start of the game. Similarly, the number of hole cards differs as per the various poker variants.
8. Kicker
Kicker is a poker term used to indicate the cards from the hand which do not itself involve in deciding the rank of the hand. That is, these cards are involved in final hand the player makes, but does not involve in deciding the hand rank. This poker term is also known as side cards.
For example, in the hand 7-4-4-3-T, 4-4 is a pair which decides the hand ranking. But the other three cards 7-3-T are the kicker cards. If a tie happens between two players, then the winner is decided by the kicker. Ace is the highest kicker possible in a hand.
9. Muck
Muck in Poker, most often refers to the discard pile into which players may throw their folded hands, and into which the dealer places burned cards. It also refers to when a player is folding his hand (face down) without saying anything.
Sometimes, In poker mucking is enforced to bluff the players and also to preserve your image on the table.
10. Offsuit
Offsuit are used in poker to describe the starting hands with different suits. For example, K♥T♦ as a starting hands are called as offsuit since both are of different suits.
11. On Suit
Offsuit are used in poker to describe the starting hands with same suits. For example, K♥T♥ as a starting hands are called as onsuit hands since both are of the same suits, in this case hearts.
12. Rainbow
Rainbow is a term used in poker to refer the flop cards with all different suits. Since flop is involved in omaha and Texas Hold’em, rainbow is often used in those poker varients. Also, a rainbow flop means there is no chance of a drawing a flush on the turn card.
Rainbow can also be used to refer the 5 community cards with no more than 2 cards of the same suit. Thus there is no chance of forming a flush from these cards.
13. Rake
Rake is a poker term used to refer the fees or commission the players have to pay when they win their hands. This way the casions or the online poker sites can make money when they conduct cash games.
Ususally the rake varies from 2%-10% depending on the poker site or casino. The lesser the rake, the more money you can make. So it is important to check out the rake rates when you are playing poker online or even playing in a casino.
14. Sit And Go
Sit and Go is a poker term used for tournaments with no set starting time. Instead Sit, & Go tournaments have a specific number of seats and when those seats are filled by the players, the tournament gets underway. It is one of the most popular type of tournament in poker.
15. Under The Gun (UTG)
Unter the gun also known as UTG is a popular poker term used to refer the position of the player to the left of the Big Blind. This is the player who acts first in the pre-flop betting round. That is the game is started from that player and moves in the clockwise direction.
These are the top 15 advanced must know poker terms for the intermediate or novice players in poker. These poker terms will help you communicate with the other players much easier than before.
These were top 45 must know poker terms and will definitely help you in understanding the game better. Hope you guys learnt something today. Make sure to check out other blogs on the site related to poker. And finally have a great day. Peace.
Poker Terminology Set
I am the owner of the site rohithebbar.com. I love playing poker and other card games.