Poker Terminology and Slang You Need To Know

Curious about the meaning behind common poker terms? Our poker glossary is here to help! Whether you’re a beginner learning the lingo or an experienced player brushing up on terminology, this guide covers everything you need to know. From classic Texas Hold’em phrases to popular video poker jargon, we break it all down in simple terms.

Explore key poker expressions, strategies, and definitions to improve your game at both live and online tables at Las Atlantis Casino. Use this page to navigate through essential poker terms and enhance your skills today!

A

Ace High – A hand with an Ace as the highest card and no pairs or better.

Action – Any move made in a hand: bet, raise, call, check, or fold.

Aces Up – A two-pair hand with one pair being Aces.

Add-On – Extra chips you can buy during a tournament, usually during a break.

A-Game – Playing your best poker with focus and smart choices.

Aggression Factor – A stat that shows how often a player bets or raises compared to calling.

Alias – A player’s screen name in online poker.

All-in – Betting all your chips on one hand.

Angle – A shady but legal move to gain an unfair advantage.

Ante – A small forced bet everyone puts in before a hand starts.

Any Two Cards – Means the player will act no matter what cards they have.

Act – To make your move when it's your turn.

Acting Out of Turn – Making a move before it's your turn; seen as bad manners.

Action Card – A card that helps many players, causing more betting.

Active Players – Players who haven’t folded and are still in the hand.

Advertising – Making unusual plays to shape how others see your style.

Aggressive – A style where the player bets or raises a lot.

Air – A hand with no value, like a random low card.

Angle Shooting – Using sneaky tricks (like fake moves) to confuse others.

Ante Off – When a player isn’t at the table, but their chips still pay antes until gone.

B

Baby – The weakest version of a strong hand (like the lowest full house).

Backdoor – A hand made only if you hit two perfect cards on turn and river.

Back in – To enter a hand by checking, then calling someone’s bet.

Back into – Winning with a weak hand you wouldn’t have called with.

Backraise – Calling first, then re-raising after someone else raises.

Backing – Giving a player money to play in exchange for a share of winnings.

Bad Beat – Losing a hand even though you were the big favorite.

Bad Beat Jackpot – A bonus prize for losing with a very strong hand.

Balance – Playing different hands the same way to stay unpredictable.

Bank – The chips or money handled by the dealer or casino.

Bankroll – The total money set aside just for playing poker.

Bankroll Management (BRM) – Managing your poker money to avoid going broke.

Barrel – Betting again on the turn or river after betting earlier.

Behind – Your hand is currently worse than your opponent’s.

Belly Buster – A straight draw that needs one middle card (a gutshot).

Bet – Putting chips in the pot as your move during a hand.

Betting Structure – The rules for betting in a game (limits, blinds, raises).

Big Bet – The larger fixed bet used in later rounds of limit games.

Big Bet Game – A game with pot-limit or no-limit betting.

Big Blind (BB) – A forced bet made before cards are dealt.

Big Blind Special – Winning from the big blind with a bad hand because no one raised.

Big Full – The strongest full house possible in the hand.

Big Stack – A player with lots of chips compared to others.

Blank – A card that changes nothing in the hand.

Blaze – A rare hand of all face cards (used in some home games).

Bleed – Slowly losing chips due to bad luck or poor decisions.

Blind – A forced bet made before cards are dealt.

Blind Defense – Calling or raising from the big blind to stop a steal.

Blind Steal – Raising with a weak hand hoping to win the blinds.

Blind Stud – A stud poker variant where all cards are face-down.

Blind Off – In a tournament, losing chips to blinds while away from the table.

Blocker – A card in your hand that makes it harder for others to have strong hands.

Blocking Bet – A small bet to stop an opponent from making a bigger one.

Bluff – Betting with a weak hand to make others fold better ones.

Bluff Catcher – A hand that only wins if the opponent is bluffing.

Bluff Induce – Acting weak to tempt someone into bluffing.

Board – The shared cards all players can use.

Boat – Another name for a full house.

Bomb Pot – A hand where everyone puts money in the pot before cards are dealt.

Both Ways – Winning both high and low parts of a split-pot.

Bottom Dealing – A cheating method where cards are dealt from the bottom.

Bottom End – The lowest possible straight.

Bottom Pair / Bottom Set – Making a pair (or three of a kind) with the lowest card on the board.

Bounty – A reward for knocking out a certain player.

Box – The chip tray in front of the dealer.

Boxed Card – A card that shows face-up during the deal (usually discarded).

Break – 1) Folding a made hand to try for a better one. 2) A break in the game.

Brick – A card that doesn’t help anyone.

Brick and Mortar – A real-world casino, not an online one.

Bridge Order – The suit ranking in some rules: Spades > Hearts > Diamonds > Clubs.

Bring-In – A small forced bet in stud poker made by the lowest upcard.

Broadway – A straight from Ten to Ace (10-J-Q-K-A).

Brush – A staff member who manages tables and seating in poker rooms.

Bubble – The last spot before players start getting paid in a tournament.

Bubble Factor – The pressure to avoid risk near the money bubble.

Buck – Another name for the dealer button.

Bug – A wild card that usually acts as an Ace or to complete straights/flushes.

Bully – A player who uses big bets to scare others.

Burn / Burn Card – A card discarded before dealing to prevent cheating.

Busted – 1) A failed draw. 2) Losing all your chips.

Button – A marker showing who acts last in the hand.

Buy-in – The amount needed to enter a poker game or tournament.

C

Call – Matching the current bet to stay in the hand.

Call the Clock – Asking the dealer to give a slow player a time limit to act.

Calling Station – A player who calls a lot but rarely raises, even with weak hands.

Cap – The max number of raises allowed in one round (usually 3 or 4).

Cap Game – A no-limit or pot-limit game with a max total bet per hand.

Card Protector – A small item placed on your cards to keep them from being taken.

Cards – The playing cards used in poker. Casinos use plastic; home games often use paper ones.

Cards Speak – The rule that the best hand wins based on the cards, not what a player says.

Case Card – The last card of a certain rank left in the deck (like the 4th Ace).

Cash Game – A poker game where chips equal real money, and players can leave anytime.

Cash Plays – When a player uses real cash on the table before getting chips.

Cashing – Winning money in a tournament by finishing in a paid place.

Cashing Out – Trading your chips for money when leaving the game.

Catch – Getting a helpful card that improves your hand.

Catch Up – Making a draw to beat a player who was ahead.

Catch Perfect – Hitting the only two perfect cards to win the hand.

Center Pot – The main pot, not including any side pots.

Chase – Calling with a drawing hand, even when the odds are bad.

Check – Passing your turn without betting (only possible if no bet is made).

Check Out – Folding when there’s no bet to call (bad etiquette).

Check-Raise – Checking, then raising after someone else bets — often used as a trap.

Chip – A token used in place of money at the table.

Chip Declare – Saying whether you’re playing for high, low, or both in a split game.

Chip Dumping – Cheating by losing chips on purpose to help another player.

Chip Leader – The player with the most chips in a tournament.

Chip Race – Removing small chips during a tournament when they’re no longer needed.

Chip Up – 1) Exchanging small chips for larger ones. 2) Slowly growing your stack.

Chop – Splitting the pot evenly between players.

Chopping the Blinds – When only the blinds remain, and they agree to take their bets back.

Click Raise – Making the smallest possible raise (common online).

Closed – A betting round where no more raises can happen.

Coffee Housing – Talking to confuse others about your hand.

Coin Flip – Two hands have almost equal odds of winning (like AK vs. QQ).

Cold Call – Calling both a bet and a raise without having put in chips earlier.

Cold Deck – A rigged deck switched in to create a specific outcome (cheating).

Collusion – Cheating by secretly working with another player.

Color Up – Exchanging many small chips for a few large ones.

Combo / Combination – One way a hand can be made (like a combo for a straight).

Combo Draw – A hand that can make both a straight and a flush.

Community Card – A shared card all players can use (in Hold’em or Omaha).

Complete – 1) To raise the bring-in in Stud. 2) To call the big blind from the small blind.

Connector – Two cards in a row like 6-7 or 10-J, good for straights.

Continuation Bet (C-Bet) – A post-flop bet made by the pre-flop raiser.

Cooler – Losing a hand even with strong cards, in a situation that's hard to avoid.

Countdown – Checking the deck to make sure all cards are there.

Counterfeit – When the board weakens your hand (common in low or split games).

Cow – A backer you share profits and losses with.

Cripple – Having the best possible hand, making it hard for anyone to beat you.

Crying Call – Calling even when you think you’re beat, just to see the cards.

Cut – Splitting the deck before dealing to prevent cheating.

Cut Card – A card used to block view of the bottom card during the deal.

Cutoff (CO) – The seat just right of the dealer; a strong position for betting.

D

Dark Bet – Betting before the next community card is revealed.

Deal – Giving out cards; also refers to a poker hand or a prize-split agreement in a tournament.

Deal Twice – Two players agree to deal the rest of the cards twice after going all-in, to reduce risk.

Dealer – The person who deals the cards; also the player in the dealer position (button).

Dealer’s Choice – A game where the dealer picks the poker variant for that hand.

Dead Blind – A forced blind that doesn’t count as a live bet and can’t be raised by its poster.

Dead Button – When the dealer button stays in place instead of moving normally.

Dead Hand – A hand that’s disqualified due to an error (like too many cards).

Dead Man’s Hand – Aces and Eights — said to be the hand Wild Bill Hickok held when he was shot.

Dead Money – Chips in the pot from players who folded or have little chance of winning.

Declare – Saying your action out loud or choosing high/low in split games.

Deep Stack – Having lots of chips compared to the blinds, allowing more room to play.

Defense – A move made to stop or challenge a bluff.

Deuce – A card with the value of 2.

Deuce-to-Seven – A lowball hand ranking where 7-5-4-3-2 is the best hand.

Depolarized – A range that’s mostly strong or medium hands, with few bluffs.

Dirty Stack – A stack with mixed chip values, making it hard to read.

Discard – Throwing away cards in draw poker.

Dog – A player or hand that’s less likely to win.

Dominated Hand – A hand that’s way behind, like QJ vs. KQ.

Domination – When one hand crushes another that looks close.

Donk / Donkey – Slang for a weak or unskilled player.

Donk Bet – A bet made from early position without the betting lead.

Door Card – In Stud, the first face-up card dealt to a player.

Double Barrel – Betting again on the turn after betting the flop.

Double Belly Buster Draw – A hand with two inside straight draws.

Double Board / Double Flop – Two separate boards; the pot is split between winners on each.

Double Draw – A draw poker game where you can draw cards twice.

Double Raise – A raise that doubles the last bet (the minimum raise amount).

Double Suited – In Omaha, a hand with two different suited card pairs.

Double Up – Winning an all-in and doubling your chips.

Downbet – Betting a smaller amount than the previous round.

Downcard – A card dealt face-down.

Downswing – A losing streak caused by bad luck or tough spots.

Drag Light – Illegally pulling chips from the pot to fake weakness (not allowed).

Draw – A hand that needs more cards to improve.

Drawing Dead – You can’t win the hand, no matter what cards come.

Drawing Live – You still have a chance to win with the right cards.

Drawing Thin – You have only a small chance to improve and win.

Drop – Folding; also used for the casino’s fee (rake).

Dry Ace – An Ace without a matching suited card; used in bluff spots.

Dry Board – A flop with few draw possibilities.

Dry Pot – A side pot no one adds to after a player goes all-in.

Duplicate – A board card that repeats one of yours, weakening your hand.

Ducks – Slang for pocket Twos (2♦2♠).

E

Early Position – One of the first players to act; you usually need stronger hands here.

Effective Nuts – A very strong hand that acts like the best, even if it technically isn’t.

Effective Stack – The smaller chip stack between two players, which limits the maximum bet.

Eight or Better – In split games, a low hand must be 8-high or lower (no pairs) to qualify.

Equity – Your chance to win the pot, shown as a percentage.

Equity Calculator – A tool that shows how likely your hand is to win vs. others.

Expectation (EV) – The average value of a play over time (positive = profit, negative = loss).

Exposed Card – A card shown by accident; special rules decide how to continue.

F

Face Card – A King, Queen, or Jack.

Family Pot – A hand where many players call preflop and see the flop.

Fastplay – Betting or raising quickly with a strong hand.

Favourite – The hand with the best chance to win.

Feeder Table – A table that sends players to the main table as seats open.

Felt – The surface of the poker table; also means you’ve gone all-in (nothing left but the felt).

Field – All players in a tournament.

Fifth Street – The fifth card in Stud; also the river in Hold’em.

Fill / Fill Up – Completing your hand, like hitting a full house or flush.

Final Table – The last table with the remaining tournament players.

First Position – The first player to act preflop (also called "Under the Gun").

Fish – A weak player who plays badly or calls too often.

Fish Hooks – Slang for pocket Jacks (J♠ J♦).

Five of a Kind – Five cards of the same rank (only possible with wild cards).

Five-Bet – The fifth raise in a single hand.

Fixed Limit – A betting format where bets and raises have fixed sizes.

Flash – Accidentally showing a card to others.

Flat Call – Calling instead of raising, even with a strong hand.

Float – Calling now to bluff on a later street.

Floorman – A casino staff member who handles disputes and runs the floor.

Flop – The first three community cards dealt face-up.

Flop Game – A poker game with community cards (like Hold’em or Omaha).

Flush – Five cards of the same suit.

Fold – Giving up your hand and the pot.

Fold Equity – The chance your opponent folds if you bet.

Forced Bet – A required bet like a blind or bring-in.

Forced-Move – Players must move to the main game as seats open up.

Forward Motion – Moving chips toward the pot might count as a bet in some casinos.

Fouled Hand – A hand that’s no longer valid (wrong number of cards, etc.).

Four-Flush – Four cards of the same suit; needs one more for a flush.

Four of a Kind – Four cards of the same rank. Also called “quads.”

Four-Straight – Four connected cards; needs one more to make a straight.

Fourth Street – The fourth card in Stud; also the turn in Hold’em.

Free Card – Seeing the next card without calling a bet.

Freeroll – A free-entry tournament, or a hand that can’t lose (but can tie or win).

Freezeout – A tournament with no rebuys — once you bust, you're out.

Full House (Full Boat) – A hand with three of a kind and a pair.

Full Ring – A game with 9 or more players at the table.

Full Bet Rule – A rule that a raise must be at least as big as the last full bet.

G

Game Flow – How players adjust their strategy based on the way others are playing.

Gap – A missing rank between two cards (like 9 and J missing the 10).

Gap Hand – A starting hand with a missing card between the two (like Q-10).

Get Away – Folding a strong hand because you think you're beaten.

Going North – Illegally adding chips during a hand (not allowed).

Going South – Illegally removing chips from play to protect profits (also called ratholing).

Grinder – A player who plays often for small, steady profits.

Grinding – Playing many hours with a focus on consistent, low-risk winnings.

Guts / Guts to Open – A poker variant where any hand can start the betting.

Gypsy – Another word for limping — just calling the big blind instead of raising.

Gutshot – A straight draw needing one specific inside card (e.g., need an 8 with 6-7-9-10).

Gutshot Straight Draw – Same as gutshot; also called “inside straight draw.”

H

Half Bet Rule – If you put in half or more of a raise, it counts as a full raise.

Hand – The cards you hold, or one complete round of poker.

Hand for Hand – In tournaments, all tables finish each hand at the same time — used near the bubble for fairness.

Hand History – A written or digital record of how a hand played out.

Hanger – When the bottom card sticks out during a deal — can suggest cheating.

Heads-Up – When only two players are left in the hand or at the table.

Heater – A winning streak where you keep hitting good hands.

Hero – The player being described or followed in a hand example.

Hero Call – Calling with a weak hand because you think your opponent is bluffing.

Hero Fold – Folding a strong hand because you believe you’re beat.

High Hand – The best hand using normal poker rankings.

High Card – A hand with no pair — winner is decided by the highest card.

High-Low Split – A game where the pot is split between the best high and low hands.

Hijack – The seat two to the right of the dealer; good for making early steals.

Hit – Getting the card you need to improve your hand.

Hit and Run – Winning a big pot and leaving right after — seen as rude by some players.

Hold’em – A poker game where you get two private cards and use five shared ones.

Hole Cards – Your hidden cards dealt face-down at the start of the hand.

Hole Cam – A camera that shows players’ hidden cards in TV poker broadcasts.

Hollywood – Faking emotions or acting to confuse opponents.

Home Game – A private poker game played at home instead of a casino.

Horse – A player financially backed by someone else.

H.O.R.S.E. – A rotation of five poker games: Hold’em, Omaha Hi-Lo, Razz, Stud, and Stud Eight or Better.

House – The casino or platform running the game and taking the rake.

Hyper Turbo – A very fast tournament with short levels and small stacks.

I

ICM (Independent Chip Model) – A system that shows how much your tournament chips are worth in real money based on payouts. Helps with smart decisions near the bubble.

Idiot End (Ignorant End) – The lowest possible straight, often dangerous because someone might have a higher straight.

Implied Odds – The idea that if you hit your draw, you can win more money on later streets — not just the current pot.

Improve – Getting a better hand when a new card is dealt.

In Position – Acting last in a betting round, giving you more info before deciding.

In the Middle – Joining a table and posting blinds early instead of waiting for your turn.

In the Money (ITM) – Reaching a spot in a tournament where you win prize money.

In Turn – It’s your correct turn to act at the table.

Inside Straight Draw – A draw that needs one middle card to make a straight (like needing a 7 with 5-6-8-9); also called a gutshot or belly buster.

Insurance – A side deal in cash games to protect against bad beats by locking in some winnings.

Irregular Declaration – An unclear action (like a hand wave) that might count as a move based on the rules.

Irregularity – Something unusual in the game (like a misdeal or exposed card) that may require a fix.

Isolation (Iso-Raise) – Raising to push others out, so you can play heads-up against a specific player (usually a weak one).

J

Jackpot – A special bonus for rare events, like losing with a great hand (bad beat). Some games also need Jacks or better to start betting.

Jam – Slang for going all-in with all your chips.

Joker – A wild card used in some games; often acts as an Ace or helps make straights/flushes.

Juice – The house fee for running the game. Also called rake, vig, or vigorish.

Junk – A very weak hand with little to no chance of winning.

K

Kicker – The side card used to break ties when players have the same main hand (like both with a pair of Kings — the higher kicker wins).

Kill Button – A marker that shows which player triggered a kill hand (usually by winning a big pot).

Kill Game / Kill Pot – A poker game where the stakes go up temporarily after certain events (like back-to-back wins).

Kill Hand – A hand played with higher blinds or bets due to the kill game being active.

Kitty – A small collection of chips in home games, used to cover shared costs like snacks or cards.

L

LAG (Loose Aggressive) – A player who plays many hands and bets or raises often to pressure opponents.

Lammer – A plastic chip used in live poker to mark roles like dealer or who owes blinds.

Last Longer – A side bet in a tournament where the winner is whoever survives the longest.

Last to Act – The player who moves last in a betting round, gaining the advantage of seeing others’ actions first.

Laydown – Folding a hand, especially when it’s good but likely beaten.

Lead – The first player to bet in a round; also used as a verb (to "lead the betting").

Level (Tournament Level) – The current stage of a tournament based on blind/ante sizes.

Levelling – Trying to outthink your opponent based on how you think they are thinking — can get overly complex.

Leverage – Using your big stack to pressure smaller stacks, often by threatening an all-in.

Light (Play Light) – Making a move (like a raise) with a weak or marginal hand.

Limit – A betting style where bet and raise sizes are fixed.

Limit Poker – Games with fixed-limit betting (e.g., $2 to bet, $4 to raise).

Limp – Just calling the big blind instead of raising when first to act.

Limp-Reraise – Limping first, then re-raising after another player raises.

Live Bet – A forced bet (like a blind) that still allows the player to raise later.

Live Cards – Cards that could still come and help your hand because they’re likely not already held.

Live Hand – A hand still in play (not folded or dead).

Live Game – A game with lots of betting and action.

Live Poker – In-person poker played at a table (not online).

Lock Up a Seat – Saving your place at the table with a chip or personal item.

Loose – A player who plays many hands, including weak ones.

Low – The lowest card or hand in games that reward low hands.

Lowball – Poker where the lowest hand wins.

Low Hand – A strong hand under low-hand rules (like 5-4-3-2-A in some games).

M

Made Hand – A complete hand that’s already strong (like a pair or better); no draws needed.

Maniac – A player who bets and raises wildly with weak hands. Unpredictable and risky.

Mark – A weak or inexperienced player others try to win money from.

Match the Pot – Betting the same amount as what's already in the pot.

Mechanic – Someone skilled at handling cards, often tied to cheating.

Mental Game – The emotional side of poker: staying calm, focused, and confident.

Middle Pair – A pair made with the middle-ranked card on the board.

Middle Position – A seat between early and late position; you act after early players but before late ones.

Mid Stakes – Medium buy-in games — not low stakes, but not high rollers either.

Micro-Limit – Very low-stakes games, often online. Great for beginners.

Misclick – Clicking the wrong button online by mistake (like folding by accident).

Misdeal – A dealing error that voids the hand; cards must be re-dealt.

Missed Blind – You weren’t at the table to post a blind; you usually must pay it to return.

Monotone – A board with all cards of the same suit — high flush potential.

Monster – A very strong hand (like a full house or better).

Move In – To go all-in and bet all your chips.

M-ratio – A number showing how many rounds you can survive just posting blinds/antes in a tournament.

Muck – Fold your cards without showing them. Also refers to the discard pile.

Multi-Table Tournament (MTT) – A tournament with many tables that combine as players are eliminated.

Multi-Way Pot – A pot with three or more players still in the hand.

Must Move – A side table where players are forced to move when a seat opens at the main game.

N

Nash Equilibrium – A strategy where no one can gain by changing their play unless others do too. Used in push/fold decisions, especially heads-up.

Negative Freeroll – A spot where calling can’t win you more, but can lose big if wrong. Risky and best avoided.

Nit – A super-tight player who only plays very strong hands and avoids big pots.

No-Limit – A poker format where players can bet all their chips at any time.

Nosebleed (Stakes) – Extremely high-stakes games (e.g. $200/$400+), usually for pros or wealthy players.

Nothing – A hand with no pair, no flush, no straight — just high cards.

Nothing Card – A card that doesn’t help or hurt anyone’s hand — a blank.

Nut Flush – The best possible flush, often Ace-high.

Nut Flush Draw – A draw to the best possible flush (usually needs the Ace).

Nut-Low – The best low hand possible under split-pot or lowball rules.

Nut Hand / The Nuts – The best possible hand at the moment — unbeatable unless tied.

O

Offsuit – A starting hand with two cards of different suits, which lowers flush chances.

Omaha – A poker game where players get 4 hole cards and must use exactly 2 with 3 board cards to make their hand.

OMC (Old Man Coffee) – A nickname for a very tight and passive player, often older, who only plays premium hands.

On the Button – The dealer seat; acts last in most rounds and gives a big advantage.

One-Gap – A hand with one missing rank between the cards (like 7-9), slightly weaker than connected cards.

Open – To make the first bet in a round.

Open Limp – Being the first to enter the pot by calling the big blind, not raising.

Open-Raise – Entering the pot as the first player and doing so with a raise.

Open-Ended Straight Draw – A straight draw that can be completed from either end (like needing a 4 or 9 with 5-6-7-8).

Option – The big blind’s right to raise if no one else has; also refers to optional actions in some games.

Orbit – One full round where each player posts blinds once.

Out – A card that would improve your hand to (likely) win. For example, needing one more heart for a flush = 9 outs.

Out of Position (OOP) – Acting before your opponent after the flop — a disadvantage.

Outside Straight Draw – Same as open-ended straight draw; two cards can complete your straight.

Overbet – Betting more than the size of the pot to apply pressure.

Overcall – Calling a bet after other players have already called.

Overcard – A card higher than any on the board, or higher than your opponent likely holds.

Overlimp – Limping (just calling) after another player has already limped.

Overpair – A pocket pair higher than all board cards (e.g., J♠J♦ on 8♥5♣2♠).

Overlay – When a tournament’s guaranteed prize pool isn’t met by entries, and the poker room covers the difference.

Overs – A side agreement in limit games to play for higher stakes if only "overs" players remain.

P

Paint – A nickname for face cards: Jack, Queen, King, or sometimes Ace.

Pair – Two cards of the same rank (e.g., two 9s).

Passive – A play style where a player mostly checks or calls, rarely bets or raises.

Pat Hand – A strong, complete hand that doesn’t need improvement (like a straight or flush).

Pay Off – Calling a bet even if you think you're losing, often because the pot is big.

Penny Ante – A very low-stakes game, often casual or just for fun.

Play the Board – Using only the community cards to make your best hand.

Pocket Aces – Two Aces as hole cards — the best starting hand in Hold’em. Also called “rockets” or “bullets.”

Pocket Cards – The two private cards dealt face-down to each player. Also called hole cards.

Pocket Pair – A starting hand with two cards of the same rank (like 7♠-7♦).

Poker Face – A blank expression that hides your feelings or hand strength.

Polarised – A strategy where your range is either very strong hands or bluffs — no in-between.

Position – Your seat in relation to the dealer; acting last gives an advantage.

Post – Putting in a required blind or ante before cards are dealt.

Postflop – All action and betting after the flop (the first 3 community cards) is dealt.

Pot – The total chips in the center that players are trying to win.

Pot Committed – You’ve put in so many chips that folding doesn’t make sense anymore.

Pot Odds – The ratio between the pot size and the cost to call; helps you decide if a call is profitable.

Pot Limit – A format where the max bet allowed is the current size of the pot.

Preflop – The betting round before any community cards are revealed.

PRF (Preflop Raiser) – A stat showing how often a player raises before the flop.

Price – The amount you must call to stay in the hand.

Probe Bet – A small post-flop bet to test your opponent, often when they’ve shown weakness.

Prop Player (Proposition Player) – A casino-hired player who plays with their own money to keep games running.

Protection – A bet or raise made to force out drawing hands and protect a strong hand.

Push – To go all-in.

Put Someone On a Hand – To guess what cards your opponent might have based on their actions.

Q

Quads – Another name for four of a kind — four cards of the same rank (like four 7s); a very strong hand.

Qualify – In split-pot games, a low hand must meet conditions (usually 8-high or lower) to win the low half of the pot.

Quartered – When you tie for half the pot but have to share it, so you only get one-fourth — often disappointing.

R

Rabbit Hunt – Looking at the next cards after folding, just to see what would’ve happened. Doesn’t affect the game.

Ragged – A flop or board with low, unconnected cards that don’t offer many draws.

Rainbow – A board with all different suits, making flushes hard to complete.

Raise – Increasing the current bet.

Rake – A small fee the poker room takes from each pot.

Rakeback – A reward system that gives you back a portion of the rake you paid.

Range – All the possible hands a player might have based on how they’ve played.

Rank – The value of a card (like 2, 10, Queen, etc.).

Ratholing – Illegally taking chips off the table to save money and rejoin with less.

Razz – A poker game where the lowest hand wins.

Read – A guess about what hand an opponent has based on behavior or betting.

Rebuy – Buying more chips after busting out in a tournament or cash game.

Redraw – Improving your hand with a draw and still having more chances to improve further.

Regular – A frequent player who knows the games well.

Represent – Playing as if you have a certain hand, even if you don’t.

Reverse Implied Odds – When you hit your draw but might still lose money because the opponent has a better hand.

Re-raise – Raising after someone has already raised.

Ring Game – A regular cash game where players can join or leave anytime (not a tournament).

River – The final (5th) community card in Hold’em or Omaha.

River Rat – A player who wins by hitting a lucky card on the river.

Rock – A very tight player who only plays top hands.

Rolled Up – In Stud, being dealt three of a kind as your first three cards.

Royal Flush – The best hand in poker: A-K-Q-J-10 of the same suit.

Run – A streak of winning or losing hands (a “hot run” or “cold run”).

Rundown – In Omaha, a hand with connected cards (like 9-8-7-6), good for straights.

Run It Twice – After going all-in, dealing the rest of the board twice. Each run wins half the pot.

Runner-Runner – Making a strong hand by hitting perfect cards on both the turn and river.

S

Sandbagging – Playing a strong hand passively to trick opponents into betting more.

Satellite – A small tournament where the prize is entry into a bigger tournament.

Scare Card – A card that looks dangerous (like a flush or overcard) and may scare opponents.

Semi-Bluff – Betting with a hand that could improve (like a flush draw) but isn’t strong yet.

Set – Three of a kind made with a pocket pair and one matching board card.

Set over Set – When two players both have sets, but one is higher — often leads to a big pot.

Sequence – Cards in order like 5-6-7 — used for straights.

Short-Handed – A poker table with 6 or fewer players.

Short Stack – A player with fewer chips than most others at the table.

Shove – Slang for going all-in.

Showdown – When all remaining players reveal their cards to decide who wins.

Show Hand – Showing your cards after the hand, even when not required.

Sick – Slang for a crazy, surprising, or unlucky situation (e.g., "sick beat").

Side Pot – A separate pot made when a player goes all-in but others keep betting.

Sit and Go – A tournament that starts once all seats are filled (no set time).

Sizing – Choosing how much to bet — a key part of strategy.

Slowplay – Playing a strong hand weakly to trap opponents.

Slowroll – Delaying showing your winning hand on purpose — considered rude.

Soft Play – Not playing seriously against a friend; against the rules in real games.

Solver – A program that finds the best (GTO) poker strategies using math.

Small Bet – The lower fixed bet in limit games.

Small Blind (SB) – The small forced bet by the player left of the dealer.

Snap Call – Calling instantly, usually with confidence.

Splash the Pot – Tossing chips in messily — poor etiquette.

Split – Dividing the pot due to a tie or in split-pot games.

Split Pot – When two or more players tie, and the pot is shared.

Spread Limit – A betting format where bets must be within a set range (e.g., $1–$5).

Squeeze – A re-raise made after a raise and call(s), often as a bluff.

SRP (Single Raised Pot) – A pot with one preflop raise and no re-raises.

Stab – A small bet made when opponents show weakness, hoping to steal the pot.

Stack to Pot Ratio (SPR) – Your stack size compared to the pot — used to plan bets.

Staking – Backing a player with money in exchange for a share of winnings.

Stand Pat – In draw poker, choosing not to draw any new cards.

Steam – Playing emotionally and badly after a bad beat or loss.

Stealing – Raising preflop to win blinds with no showdown.

Steel Wheel – A straight flush from Ace to 5 — the best low hand in some games.

Stop and Go – Calling preflop, then shoving all-in on the flop no matter what.

Straddle – A voluntary blind bet made before cards are dealt to raise preflop action.

Straight – Five cards in a row (like 6-7-8-9-10), any suits.

Straight Flush – Five cards in a row of the same suit — a top hand.

Street Poker – A loose, bold, often unpredictable way of playing.

String Bet – Making a bet in multiple motions without declaring it — not allowed.

Structure – The rules for blinds, betting, and payouts in a game or tournament.

Stud – A poker variant with no community cards, some cards dealt face-up.

Suck Out – Winning with a lucky card after being behind most of the hand.

Suited – Two cards of the same suit (e.g., ♥K and ♥9).

T

TAG (Tight Aggressive) – A playstyle where you only play strong hands, but play them boldly with bets and raises.

Table Stakes – A rule that you can only use the chips you had at the start of the hand — no adding more mid-hand.

Tank – Taking a long time to think before making a move.

Tell – A behavior or action that accidentally gives away information about your hand.

Texture – How “wet” (draw-heavy) or “dry” (safe) the community cards look.

Three-Bet – The third bet in a sequence (bet → raise → re-raise = three-bet).

Three of a Kind – A hand with three cards of the same rank (e.g., 7-7-7).

Three Pair – In Omaha, when you have three pairs, but only two can count in your final hand.

Tie – When two or more players have equal hands and split the pot.

Tilt – Playing badly because of anger or frustration after a loss.

Time Bank – Extra time (mainly online) that you can use to think during tough decisions.

Tournament – A structured game where players start with equal chips and compete for prize positions.

Tracking Software – Tools used to analyze hands, track player stats, and improve your game.

Trap – Playing a strong hand passively to trick opponents into betting, then springing a surprise.

Trey – Another name for the 3 card (3♠, 3♦, etc.).

Trips – Three of a kind made with one hole card and a pair on the board.

Turn – The fourth community card (after the flop, before the river).

Two-Bet – Often refers to a preflop raise (the big blind is the first bet, this is the second).

Two Pair – A hand with two different pairs (like 8-8 and 5-5).

Two-Tone – A board with two suits, often leading to flush draw possibilities.

U

Under the Gun (UTG) – The first player to act in a hand, seated just left of the big blind. A tough spot due to acting first.

Underbet – A bet smaller than half the pot. Used to confuse opponents or get cheap value.

Underdog – A hand or player less likely to win; often called the “dog.”

Underfull – A weaker full house made with a lower-ranked set. Example: 3-3-3-10-10 loses to 10-10-10-3-3.

Up – In two-pair hands, the higher pair. Example: “Kings up” means Kings + a lower pair.

Upcard – A face-up card visible to all players; common in Stud games.

Upswing – A lucky or skillful run of wins over time.

Up the Ante – Raising the minimum forced bet (ante), often in tournaments to add pressure.

V

Value Bet – A bet with a strong hand, made to get called by a weaker hand and win more chips.

Variance – The natural ups and downs in poker results due to luck, even for skilled players.

Variant – A version of poker with its own rules, like Texas Hold’em, Omaha, or Stud.

Vig (Vigorish) – The fee taken by the house from each pot — same as the rake.

Villain – A common term for your opponent when discussing hands or strategy.

VPIP (Voluntarily Put Money in Pot) – A stat showing how often a player enters the pot preflop (not counting blinds); helps describe loose vs. tight play.

Vulnerable – A hand that’s currently ahead but can easily be beaten by upcoming cards.

W

Wake Up – When a player suddenly gets a strong hand, often after lots of folding or slow play.

Walk – When everyone folds to the big blind, who wins without contest.

Wash – A shuffle method where cards are spread out and mixed face-down on the table.

Weak Ace – An Ace with a low kicker (like A-2), which can easily lose to a better Ace.

Weak Player – Someone who plays passively and makes frequent mistakes — easy to bluff or beat.

Webcam Poker – Online poker with live video, letting players see each other via webcams.

Wet Board – A board with connected or suited cards that offer many draws (like for straights or flushes).

Whale – A rich but unskilled player who often loses big, especially at high-stakes tables.

Wheel – A straight from Ace to Five (A-2-3-4-5), often the best low hand in split-pot games.

Wired – In Stud, a starting hand with a hidden pocket pair (both cards face-down).

Window Card – The first card shown to everyone in Stud, or the top card on the flop in Hold’em.

Wrap – In Omaha, a big straight draw with many outs (often 9+ ways to hit a straight).

Wrap Around Straight – An invalid straight that loops around with an Ace in the middle (e.g., Q-K-A-2-3) — not allowed in standard rules.

Wild Card – A card that can stand in for any card — used in home games, rare in casinos.

WSOP (World Series of Poker) – The most famous poker tournament series, held yearly in Las Vegas.

WTSD (Went to Showdown) – A stat showing how often a player takes hands all the way to showdown.

WWSF (Won When Saw Flop) – A stat showing how often a player wins after seeing the flop.