Listed below is a brief breakdown of terms used in poker.
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All In |
When a player puts all of
his/her chips into the pot. |
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Big Blind |
The full minimum bet. The
big blind is second left of the dealer button. |
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Big Slick |
Ace and King in the hole |
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Bleeding |
To play a strong hand as a
weak hand, which keeps more players in the game (also known as
Slow Play) |
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Blind |
A forced bet put in by one or
more players before any cards are dealt. Typically, blinds are
put in by players immediately to the left of the dealer button
(little blind, then big blind). Blinds are used to force action
into the pot. This way someone will always win some money. |
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Bottom Pair |
When you've paired up
against the lowest cards on the board. |
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Bullets in the hole |
Two Aces in the hole |
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Burn |
To burn or discard the top
card from the deck, face down. This is done between each betting
round before putting out the next community card(s). It's
security against any player recognizing or glimpsing the next
card to be used on the board. |
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Buy |
As in 'buying the pot'.
Typically referring to an overbet that causes everyone to fold.
Unless the better shows, you really have no idea if they were
buying or tempting you to foolishly put more money in. |
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Check |
To Check. To not wager or
get any money on the hand. |
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Dealer Button |
A white disk the follows the
where the deal is coming from. Typically used in games that have
a fulltime dealer. |
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Drawing Dead |
When cards are left to be
turned but no other card can help you against the winning hand. |
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Heads Up |
A pot that is played between
two players, either due to others folding or only two players
are left in the game. |
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Hole Cards |
The cards in your hand
dealt face down. |
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Inside Straight |
Any four cards that require a
fifth to fill one of the three middle ranks of the five-card
sequence as known as a Belly Buster Straight (Opposite to Open
Straight). |
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Kicker |
A unmatched card kept with
a pair in a an attempt to match up with a drawn card. |
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Kings |
These famous kings of history
are represented in a deck of cards: King David (Spade),
Charlemagne (Hearts), Julius Ceaser (Diamond), Alexander the
Great (Clubs) |
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Little Blind |
Half of the minimum bet.
This forces action in the pot. The little blind is left of the
dealer button. |
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Motown |
Jacks & Fives (Jaskson Five) -
get it. |
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Muck |
To fold, without showing
your cards. The pile of cards no longer in play is also referred
to as the Muck. |
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No Limit |
A poker game with "no limit"
means that a player can bet as much as they have on the table in
chips during any round. |
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Open Straight |
Any four cards that only
require one card on either end of the sequence to make a
straight (Opposite to Inside Straight). |
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Pocket Pairs |
When your hole cards (cards
dealt to you face down) are paired. |
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Pocket Rockets |
A pair of aces dealt
face-down. Any pair which is dealt face-down may also be called
a Pocket Pair. |
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Pot Bet |
To place a bet equal to the
size of the pot. Either you have a good hand or your buying the
pot. |
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Puppy Dog Paws |
Spades (Also Christine's
sceen name on Party Poker) |
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Railbird / On the
Rail |
Someone who hangs around a
poker room who watches the games and/or is looking to get into
action. |
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Rainbow |
When three cards of
different suits are dealt on the flop. Typically indicates that
a flush is not likely to happen. |
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Rake |
A fee for the house taken out
of the pot. Every house has a different set of rakes. |
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Rank |
The number or letter on a
card that represents its value (A,K,Q,J,10,9,...,3,2). A or Ace
is high or low. K or King is the second highest card rank. |
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River, Fifth Street |
The fifth and final community
card turned in Hold'em games. |
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Rounders |
Guys who play/hustle cards
for a living. Also a poker movie starring Matt Damon and Ed
Norton. |
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Royal Flush |
A hand that consists of the
A,K,Q,J, and 10 of the same suit. The highest hand in natural
poker. |
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Sent to the Rail |
When a person loses all
his/her chips and must leave the table. |
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Showdown |
Players who have matched all
bets expose their cards and declare the winner(s). |
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Side Pot |
A separate pot that is
formed by remaining players when one or more players are all-in,
while other players still in have additional chips to bet. |
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Slow Play |
To play a strong had as a weak
hand, which keeps more players in the game (also known as
bleeding) |
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Speed Limit |
A pair of fives dealt
face-down. Any pair which is dealt face-down may also be called
a Pocket Pair. |
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Split Pot |
A pot shared by two or more
players due to each player having the same hand. |
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Suits |
The black or red image on a
card. Suits are alphabetically ranked (Spade, Heart, Diamond,
Club). |
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The Flop |
In Texas Holdem - The first
three community cards turned up. |
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Tilt |
Or on the Tilt. To play
recklessly, usually done after loosing a large hand you thought
favored to win. |
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Top Pair |
When you've paired up against
the highest cards on the board. |
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Trips |
Three of a kind |
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Value Bet |
When you would like you
opponents to call your bet (as opposed to you bluffing). This
bet is typically smaller which helps keep others in the game.
Typically you have the nuts or a high favored winning hand. |
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Wired Pairs |
A Pair typically in the
hole (sometimes referrs to a red and black suit of paired cards
- from a red & black wire) |
