Poker terms, lingo, jargon, definitions... whatever you call them, there is a multitude of special words that are dropped in poker games that leave many new comers bewildered. Don't look like a fool at your next poker game! Search our database of poker terms and learn the lingo of the pros and enthusiasts.
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act
To make a play at a (a call, bet, raise, fold, etc) at the appropriate time. Example: "It's David's turn to act."
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action
To make a bet, including all actions associated to the bet. Example: David makes a bet of $10 and the bet is called, David is said to have $10 "in action".
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action button
An action button is a marker is similiar to a kill button, which requires a player to place forced extra bets. In seven-card stud, the action button is awarded to the winner of a scoop pot above a certain size, signifying that in the next pot, that player will be required to post an amount representing a completion of the bring-in to a full bet.
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action card
The cause of lots of betting in Texas Hold'em, action cards are cards that are held by two players that come out on the Flop.
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action only
In many poker rooms only a full or half bet can be re-raised. Anything less is considered action only and other players are limited to calling the bet and can't raise it.
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add-on
Buying more chips before you go bust in a live game. Add-on also refers to a single re-buy for all eligible players, regardless of stack size, in tournament play.
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advertising
To give an impression of your play style to other players by making an obvious play or exposing cards in a deliberate manner. Example: To make a bad play or give the impression of frequent bluffing in hopes opponents will call your legitimate bets.
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air
In lowball, letting an opponent know you intend to draw one or more cards to prevent him from holding and induce him to call your bet.
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all day
The total of the current posted bet. Indicates the speaker is referring to the total bet, not the difference the acting player needs to post.
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all in
Betting all of your chips against another player.
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altogether
The total of the current posted bet. Indicates the speaker is referring to the total bet, not the difference the acting player needs to post.
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ammo
The chips currently in play. Example: "I'll need more ammo to continue the current game."
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ammunition
The chips currently in play. Example: "I'll need more ammo to continue the current game."
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angle
Plays that are considered unethical, though technically legal. For example, where a player miscalls there own hand in order to induce a fold. Another example is a player dropping an odd amount of chips into the pot to confuse opponents of their intentions to raise or call. Such players are dubbed "angle shooters".
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ante off
A forced ante for absent players in tournament plays so as not to disrupt the game. Absent players continue to pay antes, bring-ins, blinds, and other forced bets in order to keep the contest fair
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baby
A low-ranked card used in lowball games. Also called a "spoke" when between a five and an ace.
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back in
Entering a pot for free or almost free due to have posted a blind.
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back into
Winning a hand that would have folded to any bet.
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back raise
Re-raise from a player who had previous limped in the same betting round.
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backdoor
A hand made unintentionally. Example: You start with four spades hoping for a flush, but backdoor two more kings and win on your trips. Also can refer to a draw that requires two or more rounds to fill.
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bank
The house, or person responsible for keeping track of buy-ins, distributing game chips, and paying out winners.
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bankroll
The money a player has to wager for his poker habit.
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behind
Not having the best hand at any given moment.
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belly buster
An inside straight draw.
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berry patch
A game with a large base of unskilled live players, creating a lucrative opportunity for profit.
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bet
Money wagered during game play, including the opening wager.
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big bet game
A game played with a no limit or pot limit.
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blank
A card with no significant value.
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blaze
A poker variation in which a hand of 5 face cards outrank a flush.
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bleed
The loss of small bets in succession, adding up to a large loss. Example: David won a large pot, but then bled it off over the next couple of hours.
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bleeding chips
The loss of small bets in succession, adding up to a large loss. Example: David won a large pot, but then bled it off over the next couple of hours.
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blind
A forced bet.
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blind off
To ante off
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blind stud
A game of stud poker in which all cards are dealt face down.
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blinded
To ante off
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board
A set of face-up cards for a player in a game of stud poker.
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boat
Shorthand version of a full boat, commonly known as a full house (three of a kind and two of a kind).
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bomb
A card with no significant value.
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both ways
Both halves of a split pot (high and low)
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bottom end
The lowest hand of several possible straights. Example: Dave is holding 3-4 while another player is holding 4-8. Dave is holding the bottom end straight.
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box
The tray of chips in front of the dealer. Also can refer to the position of the dealer behind the table.
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boxed card
A card that is unintentionally found face-up in the deck. Boxed cards are considered void and treated as if they don't exist.
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break
Discarding of cards that make a hand in the hopes of making a better hand. Example: Dave has a hand consistent of Q-Q-J-10-9. Dave may want to consider breaking his set of Queens in hopes of getting a straight.
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brick
A card with no significant value.
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brick & mortar
Refers to physical casino halls and poker rooms rather than their online counterparts. Also known as B&M.
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bring in
The opening bet that starts a betting round.
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Broadway
The Ace high straight. A-K-Q-J-T (off suit) is Broadway.
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brush
Recruiting players into a game of poker. Example: Dave is brushing up some players for his nightly poker game.
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bubble
The last position in a tournament before entering the payout structure. Example: Dave was eliminated from contention after being on the bubble.
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bullet
An ace card or a poker chip.
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bully
Players who repeatedly make large bets are dubbed bullies.
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bum deal
A bad or mis-deal
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bump
The process of raising a bet.
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busted
The loss of all of ones chips. Can also refer to an incomplete hand.
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buy short
Buying into a game for less than the normal buy-in amount.
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buy the pot
Winning a pot uncontested by making a bet on a pot in which no one else is betting, forcing the other players to fold.
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buy-in
The minimum number (or amount) of chips required to be purchased in order to take part in the poker game or tournament.
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call the clock
Discouraging procrastinating players from taking a long time to act. When someone calls the clock, the current player must make up his mind within the specified time. Failure to do so will result in his hand being declared dead.
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cap
A limit on the number of raises allowed.
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card rack
Term for a lucky player who gets several strong hands dealt to him in a short period of time.
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case card
The last card of it's type in the deck. Example: Dave can win the game if he draws the case king, which is the last remaining king in the deck.
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cash plays
Player request to play with cash while he is waiting to receive his chips.
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catch perfect
Catching the only two possible cards that will complete a hand and win the pot, usually leading to a straight flush.
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catch up
Successfully completing a draw and beating a player who previously had a better hand.
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center
A synonym for pot.
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center pot
The main pot of chips on the table.
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chase
Calling a bet to see the next card when holding a drawing hand when the pot odds do not merit it.
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check
To not make a bet or to bet nothing
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check out
Often frowned upon, to "check out" is to fold even though there is no bet facing the player.
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cheese
A very poor hand
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chip along
Betting the minimum to stay into the game with no regards of sensibility.
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chip dumping
A form of collusion, most commonly occurring in tournament play. Two or more players go all-in early in the game. The winner gets a very large number of chips and increases their chance of cashing out.
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chip up
Exchanging lower value poker chips for higher value poker chips.
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chop
Splitting the pot due to a tie or split-pot game.
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clean out
Play for a card that will make it the strongest hand at the table.
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coffeehouse
The act of making annoying small talk during a game with the intent of distraction.
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cold
Unlucky streak.
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cold call
Calling a bet that represents the sum of all bets and raises. Example: Dave opened with $5 and Jon raised $10 and Jared cold called the total of $15 (initial $5 bet + $10 raise).
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collusion
Cheating involving two or more players through various means of disruption.
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color change
Exchanging low value (denominations) of chips in favor of larger ones. Example: Dave has five $1.00 chips he wants to color up for a $5.00 chip.
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color up
Exchanging low value (denominations) of chips in favor of larger ones. Example: Dave has five $1.00 chips he wants to color up for a $5.00 chip.
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combination game
A casino table in which poker variations are played in rotation.
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combo
A casino table in which poker variations are played in rotation.
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come bet
Building the pot by placing a bet or raise with the drawing hand in anticipation of filling the hand. It's often considered a play by weak players or novices.
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completion
To raise a small sized-bet to be the amount of a normal sized-bet.
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connectors
Two or more cards of consecutive rank.
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continuation bet
A bet made after the flop by the player in the lead after an initial flop.
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countdown
Counting all cards left in a deck after all cards have been dealt. This is often done by the dealer to ensure a full deck of cards was being used.
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cow
Sharing a buy-in amongst players with the intent of splitting after the result of the play.
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crossfire
A player who is caught between two raisers and is forced to call each bet due to pot odds.
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crying call
Reluctantly making a call with the expectation of losing, but with a slim glimmer of hope of catching a bluff and winning the hand.
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cutoff
The seat immediately to the right of the dealer button.
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dark
An action taken without receiving information in which the player would normally be entitled to.
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dead hand
A player's hand that is not allowed to participate in the deal. This may be due to violations, such as having fouled by touching other players cards or having the wrong number of cards.
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deadwood
The muck
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deal
The act of distributing cards to players in accordance with the rules of the game being played.
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deal twice
In cash games that involve a large pot, two players may agree to deal the remaining card twice. In the first player wins both times he/she wins the entire pot. If both players win they share the pot.
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dealer
Term for the person who deals the cards.
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dealer's choice
A variation on poker where the dealer can choose or invent a new poker game at each hand.
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declare
To verbally indicate an intended action, such as raising or folding. Example: Dave declared he was folding.
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decloak
To raise after slow playing. One a player decloaks, they're making it clear they were purposely slow playing.
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deep
Describes the loss of a large some of money, either in play or having been lost during play.
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deuce
Term used in poker and various card games to describe the number two, which can also be referred to as the duck, swan, or quack.
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deuce-to-seven
A method used to evaluate low hands.
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dirty stack
A stack of chips of specific denomination with one or more chips of the wrong denomination mixed in. Example: Dave had a dirty stack as his blue chips had a red one mixed in.
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discard
Removing all previously dealt cards from play.
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donation
A call made by a player who knows they'll lose the end. Donations are often made out or irrational optimism, frustration, or sometimes ego.
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donk
Name often bestowed upon novices or people who show inexperience and a tendency to play foolish.
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donk down
To play poorly.
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donkament
A multiplayer tournament consisting of a large group of inexperienced players.
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donkey
Name often bestowed upon novices or people who show inexperience and a tendency to play foolish.
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double through
To double your stack by betting all or your chips on one hand against another player's hand with an equal or larger stack.
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double up
To double your stack by betting all or your chips on one hand against another player's hand with an equal or larger stack.
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double-draw
A variation on draw poker in which the draw phase and additionally betting rounds are repeated two times.
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down to the felt
Having lost all of your money. Means you can see the green felt of the table where your chips once were.
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downcard
A card dealt facedown.
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drawing dead
To play a drawing hand that will lose even if successful.
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drawing live
To win a drawing hand if successful. Opposite of drawing dead.
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drop
To fold one's hand.
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dry pot
A side pot with no money added when a player goes all in and is called, but not raised.
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dump
Lose of a significant portion of one's stack (chips) on a particular hand or set of hands in succession.
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dumped
Lose of a significant portion of one's stack (chips) on a particular hand or set of hands in succession.
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duplicate
Counterfeiting cards, chips, or money.
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eight or better
In high-low split that uses ace-5 rankings, the common qualifier. You must have a hand where your highest card is an eight in order to qualify for the pot.
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English bet
Applies to wagers that are to be collected if won, but never paid if lost. The saying refers to Ram Vaswani's famous unpaid bet again Phil Ivey
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equity
The expected value from the result of the current deal. Equity is calculated by multiplying the total pot by the probability of winning. Example: Dave estimates he has a one in five chance of winning, or 20%. The total pot is $500, so Dave's equity is $100 (20% of the total $500 pot).
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expectaion
Poker term meaning the level of profitability expected in the long run
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expected value
Poker term meaning the level of profitability expected in the long run
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exposed card
A card in which the value has been shown to other players, either deliberately or by accident, that those players are not entitled to see.
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family pot
A deal in which almost every player calls the first opening bet.
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fast
Aggressive play style. Example: Dave played his trips fast as he was afraid of chasers.
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feeder
In Brick & Mortar (B&M) poker rooms, players who move from the main game table to second and third game tables that are playing the same game.
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felt
The green cloth of the poker table, usually made out of felt material.
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fifth street
The fifth card dealt to every player in stud poker
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fill
Successfully drawing to a hand in which one card is needed to complete it. This occurs by being dealt the last card to complete a straight, flush, or full house.
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fill up
Successfully drawing to a hand in which one card is needed to complete it. This occurs by being dealt the last card to complete a straight, flush, or full house.
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final table
Persevering long enough in multiple-table tournament play so as to make it to the final round.
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fire
To make an opening bet of a round.
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fish
A novice or unskilled player with a passive and lose playing style, calling lots of bets.
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five of a kind
A hand that comprises of five equal valued cards. Five of a kind is only possible in games with wild cards.
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flash
To show the bottom card in the deck while shuffling the cards.
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flat call
Making a call when one would be expected to raise.
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float
To call a bet on a weak hand with the intention of bluffing on a later round.
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floor person
The person at brick & mortar casinos and poker rooms who's responsible for handling player disputes, ensuring games are filled and balanced, and managing dealers and tables.
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floorman
The person at brick & mortar casinos and poker rooms who's responsible for handling player disputes, ensuring games are filled and balanced, and managing dealers and tables.
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flop game
A community card game.
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flush
A hand of five cards of the same suit.
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fold equity
The extra value received by forcing other players to fold rather than seeing the showdown.
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forced-move
In a brick & mortar casino where multiple tables are playing the same game using the same betting structure, one table may be the designated main table and must be kept full. Players are required to move from one of the other tables (called feeder tables) to fill the vacancy on the main table.
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forward motion
A house rules that states a player who moves his hands towards the pot after picking up chips is committed to make a bet (call) and may not withdraw his hand to check or fold.
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fouled hand
A hand ruled unplayable due to some form of contamination or disruption, such as having too many or too few cards.
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four of a kind
A hand consisting of four of the same cards, also known as quads. Example: Dave had a pair of queens and was dealt two more queens that made four of a kind.
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four-flush
Four cards consisting of the same suit in a non-standard game of poker.
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four-straight
Four cards in ranked sequence in a non-standard game of poker.
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fourth street
The fourth card dealt to every player in stud poker.
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free card
After a round of betting where no player opened, a card dealt to one's hand.
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freeze out
A common form of poker tournament in which there is no rebuy. Play continues until the chips have been won by only one player.
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full
A hand consisting of three cards of the same value (three of a kind) and two more of the same value (2 of a kind). Example: Dave had a full house consisting of Q-Q-Q-5-5.
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full bet rule
A rule in some casinos and poker rooms that require a player bet the full amount in order to constitute a raise. Example: Dave enters a game with a $4 fixed limit and faces an opening bet of $4. David is required to wager $8 in order to raise.
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full boat
A hand consisting of three cards of the same value (three of a kind) and two more of the same value (2 of a kind). Example: Dave had a full house consisting of Q-Q-Q-5-5.
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full hand
A hand consisting of three cards of the same value (three of a kind) and two more of the same value (2 of a kind). Example: Dave had a full house consisting of Q-Q-Q-5-5.
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full house
A hand consisting of three cards of the same value (three of a kind) and two more of the same value (2 of a kind). Example: Dave had a full house consisting of Q-Q-Q-5-5.
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gap hand
A starting hand in Texas hold'em with at least one rank separating the two cards.
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garbage
A hand that's worthless. Sometimes called a "muck" hand.
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going south
To sneak some of your chips from the table during game play. This practice is typically prohibited in poker rooms.
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grinder
A player who consistently earns a living by consistently making small levels of profit over long periods of time.
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guts
Refers to any of several poker variations in which the pots accumulate and carry-over until a single players wins.
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guts to open
Refers to any of several poker variations in which the pots accumulate and carry-over until a single players wins.
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gutshot
An inside straight draw.
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gypsy
Entering a pot by calling the blind and not raising.
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hammer
To consistently bet aggressively.
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hard
One's play that is very aggressive and uncompromising. A take-no-prisoners approach to playing. Example: Dave played me hard all night.
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head up
Playing against only one other opponent.
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heads up
Playing against only one other opponent.
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here kitty kitty
A modest size bet against a very good hand that is made to lure others into calling the bet who would otherwise fold.
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high
The best hand using traditional poker hand values, as opposed to lowball.
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high card
A hand that does not contain any pairs and is ranked based on the highest-ranking cards.
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high hand
The best hand using traditional poker hand values, as opposed to lowball.
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high society
Large value (denomination) poker chips.
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hijack
The seat to the immediate right of the cutoff.
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hit and run
Playing poker for a short time, winning some money and then leaving the game.
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hog
Winning the entire pot in a split-pot game by having both the best high hand and best low hand cards at the same time.
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hogger
Winning the entire pot in a split-pot game by having both the best high hand and best low hand cards at the same time.
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hole
Cards that are face-down, also known as "pocket cards".
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hole cam
A camera designed to display a player's face-down cards in televised games.
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hole cards
Cards that are face-down, also known as "pocket cards".
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Hollywood
Acting to deceive other players into folding or calling a fake bluff. Also refers to suspense-building moments in the game that irritates other players.
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home game
A poker game played on a home venue with friends and colleagues.
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hop the fence
Entering the pot with a cold call.
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horse
A player who's financially sponsored, or backed, by someone else who has the money to cover the bets.
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hunt
Flipping through the deck of cards at the end of a hand to see which cards would come next.
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idiot end
The bottom end of a straight.
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ignorant end
The bottom end of a straight.
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immortal
A hand that cannot be beaten in a given game based on the rules of play. Example: Dave's quad-aces were immortal.
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improve
To improve one's hand by trading away currently held cards in favor of others based on the rules of the poker game being played.
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in the bushes
A player in a game against aggressive players who is slow playing.
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in the middle
When playing in a game with multiple blind, an incoming player may be allowed to post the blinds out of order (in the middle) rather than waiting for them to pass.
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in the money
To place at a high enough level in poker tournaments so as to partake in the prize money.
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in the tank
A player facing a difficult bet or raise and taking a long time to act is said to be "in the tank" as he contemplates his options.
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in the weeds
A player in a game against aggressive players who is slow playing.
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in turn
At the expected time, an action required by the player.
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irregular declaration
Actions by players that are outside the norm of the playing environment and not an exact declaration of intent, but can be interrupted as such by other players or the house. Example: Dave signaled a thumbs-up to indicate he wanted to raise. Due to open interpretation, the house may render such actions meaningless in the context of the game and require verbal declarations of intent.
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irregularity
Abnormal conditions that cause play to be halted or require corrective action, such as a card accidentally being overturned, or a player having too many (or too few) cards in hand.
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ITM
Abbreviation meaning "in the money".
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jack it up
To raise.
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jackpot
Jackpot poker (also known as jackpots) is a variant on traditional five-card draw where each player antes, no blinds, and opening requires a pair of jacks or higher.
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jam
Raising to a maximum dollar amount allowed.
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joint
A straight.
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juice
Money that gets collected by the house.
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keep (a bettor) honest
Recklessly (and purposely) calling a final bet with the expectation of losing in order to discourage future bluffs.
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kitty
The pool of money that's accumulated from collecting small portions from certain pots. This practice is common amongst home poker games where players use the money in the kitty for snacks and beers.
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laydown
To fold a decent hand in anticipation of loosing to a superior hand held by the opposition.
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lead
The player who makes the last bet or raise in a round. Example: Dave has the lead at the start of the next round.
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limit
The minimum or maximum amount of a bet.
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limp
Entering a pot by calling and not raising.
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limp in
Entering a pot by calling and not raising.
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live bet
Under certain circumstances, a bet from a player that has the option to raise even if no other player raises first.
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live game
Games that entail a lot of action on hijinx, often including many unskilled and novice players.
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live one
A novice or weak player.
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lock up
Locking up a seat in a cash games means to place a poker chip, card, other personal possession on the table in the front seat. This signifies the seat is occupied even though the player isn't present.
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loose cannon
A player who isn't afraid to takes risks and put his money into the pot. Loose cannons are prone to loosing all of their money at any given moment.
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low
The lowest card by rank.
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maniac
A player who plays recklessly, betting and raising on inferior hands. Maniacs are often novices or casual players who don't have a full understanding of the intricacies of play.
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match the pot
To put up an amount that is equal to the total of all chips in the pot.
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micro-limit
For-money poker games played on the internet with extremely low stakes, similar to that of the penny slot. Example: Dave played a micro-limit game at a level of .50ยข
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misdeal
A deal where the hand is ruined, either by showing a card inadvertently or some other mishap. Misdeal my be re-dealt.
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move in
Betting one's entire stake on one hand in no-limit games.
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muck
The discarded pile of cards. Example: There were only a dozen cards in the muck.
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muppet
A player who is unskilled or unversed on the rules of poker.
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natural card
A card unmodified by game rules and not designated as a wild. In most games with wilds, a natural wins. Example: Dave's pair of naturals (3-3) beat Jon's wild card pair (Wild-3).
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offsuit
Cards that are not comprised of the same suit.
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on the come
Building the pot by placing a bet or raise with the drawing hand in anticipation of filling the hand. It's often considered a play by weak players or novices.
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open
To bet first in a poker game.
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open ended
An outside straight draw
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open ended straight draw
An outside straight draw
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openers
In a game of jackpots, openers are the cards held by a player that entitles him to open the pot.
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out of pocket
A game that allows players to add additional money to their chip stack at any point in the hand.
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outrun
To beat another player's hand, typically a result of being dealt cards after the initial deal has taken place.
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over the top
To raise on a raise (a re-raise)
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overcall
The act of calling a bet after others have already made a call. Example: Dave overcalled Jons call.
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overcard
A card with higher rank than other cards. Example: David had two overcards to Jons with one card to go.
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overpair
In community games, like Texas Hold'em, a pair with a rank higher than other community cards.
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paint
The face cards in a deck consisting of Jack, Queens, and Kings.
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passive
A style of play opposite that of aggressive play, usually involving many checks and calls.
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pat
A completed hand.
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pay off
Calling a bet when you're drawing dead because the pot odds justify the call.
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penny ante
Low stakes money game often played for fun only.
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perfect
The best possible combination of cards in a lowball hand. Example: Dave had an 8-6 perfecting of 8-6-3-2-A.
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Picasso flop
Slang term for "paint"
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pick-up
When the house picks up money from a dealer after players purchase their poker chips.
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pigeon
A bad, often reckless, player.
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pocket pair
When two of a player's cards comprise of a pair. Example: David's pocket pair of aces put him in a good position to win the hand.
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poker face
An often expressionless face that does not reveal anything about the poker hand held by the player.
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porch
Four cards deal face-up to players in a game of seven-card stud.
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position bet
A bet made on the strength of the players position rather than the strength of his current hand.
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post
To make a small or big blind bet in Texas Hold'em where blinds are played in favor of antes.
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post dead
To make a bet that's equal to the combined total of the small and the big blind.
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probe bet
A bet after the flop by a player who did not take the lead in betting before the flop
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prop
A player who's paid to start poker games and keep those poker games active. Prop players differ from shills in that they bet with their own money, not casino money.
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proposition player
A player who's paid to start poker games and keep those poker games active. Prop players differ from shills in that they bet with their own money, not casino money.
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push
Putting yourself all-in.
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put on
To determine what kind of hand a player has based on their actions and your knowledge of their play historically.
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quads
Four of a kind. Example: Dave was overwhelmed when he drew quad queens.
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qualifier
A qualifying low hand in high-low split games.
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qualifying low
A qualifying low hand in high-low split games.
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quarter
Winning a quarter of the total pot, typically a result of tying the low or high hand of a high-low split game.
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rabbit hunt
To reveal the last card that would come up in the deck after a betting hand is over. This sort of activity is common amongst community and home games, but typically prohibited at casinos.
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rack
A collection of 100 poker chips of the same color and denomination. May also refer to the plastic tray used to hold the stack.
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ragged
Cards that cannot be used for play due to their poor condition.
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rags
Cards that have no real value to them. Usually rags are found in high-hand games where they're values are worthless.
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rail
The sidelines ok a poker table where spectators stand and watch the game.
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railbirds
Spectators watching poker from behind the imaginary rail that separates them from the poker table.
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rainbow
Three to four cards of different suits.
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rakeback
A rebate of sorts. A portion of the rake paid by the player is returned to him by a third-party source.
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ram and jam
To be aggressively and often.
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rat holing
To "go south"
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rebuy
Chips that are purchased after the buy-in.
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redeal
To deal a hand after the previous hand had been discarded due to some sort of mishap, such as illegal contact by another player.
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redraw
The later draws in a game with multiple draws.
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represent
To play a hand that is thought to be different than the hand being held and giving the impression (bluff) that it's the hand others think it is.
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reraise
To raise after another player has raised.
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rock
A tight player who only plays strong hands.
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rolled-up trips
Three of a kind that's dealt in the first three cards in a game of seven-card stud.
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runner
One who's an entrant in a tournament.
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rush
A continuous winning streak. Example: Dave won several big pots and is on a rush!
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satellite
A tournament where prize money is forgone in favor of winning an entrance spot into a larger tournament.
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scare card
A card dealt to a player face-up that creates a scare to the opposition due to it creating a strong hand. Example: Dave had a jack of spades, which became a scare card for other players as it made both a flush and a straight a very real possibility.
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scoop
Winning both the high and the low portions of a pot in high-low split.
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second pair
A pair of cards that make up the second strongest hand on the board.
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set
Three cards of the same kind, especially in situations where two of the player's cards are concealed in the hole.
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set-up
A deck of cards that is in order of lowest to highest value, starting at King and ending with an Ace. It's customary for casinos to introduce a new set of cards in a prior-to-shuffle fashion and spread them on the table so players can be assured no cards are missing from the deck.
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shark
A professional player card player.
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shootout
A round robin tournament where the last remaining player at a poker tables goes on to complete against remaining players of other poker tables. Each table is played independently until all players have been eliminated and only one player remains victorious.
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short stack
A small number of chips in comparison to the stakes that are being played.
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shorthanded
A poker games played with a lower number of players than the usual nine or ten.
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sit and go
A poker tournament that has no starting time and begins once the table is full, usually with 9 or 10 players.
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slow roll
Avoidance in showing one's hand at showdown, placing other players to show their hands first. This practice is considered to be poor poker etiquette if the slow-roller's hand is likely a winning hand since it causes false hope for other players at the table.
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snow
Misleadingly playing a worthless hand in order to bluff while playing draw poker.
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soft-play
Going easy on a player intentionally. Sometimes done when a new player has entered the game and is just learning the rules.
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speeding
Playing loose and bluffing often with no rhyme, reasons, or strategy.
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splash the pot
The act of "throwing" chips into the pot, causing chips to "splash" across the table. Splashing is frowned upon and not allowed in casinos since the dealer can't determine how much has been bet.
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spread
The range between a minimum and maximum bet at a table.
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spread-limit
A variation to limit poker where bets and raises are made between a minimum and maximum bet threshold.
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stack
A collection of poker chips (usually 20) of the same color and money denomination, arranged in columns.
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stakes
The amount of money a player can buy in or bet in a poker game. Example: Dave played a low stakes game of poker with a $20 buy-in and $5 maximum raises.
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stand pat
Keeping to the original hand without drawing, either to bluff or belief that the hand cannot be improved through a draw.
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steam
Playing recklessly out of frustration or boredom.
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straight
Any five cards of more than one suit in sequence. Example: Dave was holding a straight consisting of A-K-Q-J-10 where the suits were a mix of hearts, spades, and clubs.
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straight flush
Any five sequential cards that are of the same suit. Can only be beat by a Royal Flush.
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strategy card
A small physical card or virtual card that is used to help when applying poker strategies. Most used in conjunction with online poker games.
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string bet
To call a bet with one motion while raising a bet with another. Also to reach for more chips while making a bet or raising without stating the intended amount.
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structured
Play where bets are allowed to change from round to round.
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stuck
To have lost money in a poker game.
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stud
A variation of traditional poker.
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suck out
Drawing a winning hand despite having poor odds.
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suited
To have the same suit of cards.
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super satellite
A tournament where prize money is forgone in favor of winning an entrance spot into a larger tournament.
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third man walking
Refers to a player who leaves a poker table after two other players have already temporarily left. The "third man walking" is given a 10 minute grace period to return to his seat. If he does not, the dealer reserves the right to forfeit that seat and give it to a player who's waiting for an opening in the game.
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three of a kind
Three cards of the same value. Example: Dave's three of a kind consisted of three queens, Q-Q-Q.
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three pair
In seven card poker variants, it's possible for players to hold three pairs.
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throwing party
A player who gambles recklessly, wasting all of his or her money on bad hands and showing in-consistent levels of play.
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to go
The amount of money a player is required to bet in order to stay in the hand.
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toke
A courtesy tip given to the dealer by the player who wins of the pot. It's common courtesy to toke the dealer as it's a major percentage of the dealer's income.
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top pair
A pair of cards of the same rank that are also the highest ranking cards on the board.
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top two
A split two pair, matching the highest-ranking two flop cards.
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trey
A three-spot card.
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under full
The lowest possible value of a full house based on held cards in a community game.
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under the gun
The position of the player to the left of the blinds in Texas Hold'em.
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underdog
A player who has a lesser chance, or lower odds, of winning than another player.
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up and down straight draw
A straight draw that's open ended.
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up the ante
Increasing the stakes of the game.
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vig
Another term to describe the rake.
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vigorish
Another term to describe the rake.
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vnh
Abbreviation for "very nice hand", often used when playing poker online.
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wake up
To discover you have a strong starting hand after action has already been taken in front of you.
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walk
When all players fold to the big blind.
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wash
Mixing the cards up by placing them face down on the felt and spreading them out. Dealers often "wash the deck" before they shuffle the cards.
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whale
An unskilled player who plays for high stakes.
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whipsaw
When a player must call two raisers because of the pot odds.
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window card
A face-up card in stud poker.
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wired pair
Pocket pairs.
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z-game
The lowest stakes game available.
Do you know of or use a poker term that's not included in our database?
let us know
and we'll add it to the poker terms list!
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