ACES FULL
A poker hand with three Aces and a pair. Also known as a full house
ACE HIGH
A combination of five cards that failed to make a poker hand and an Ace is the top card
ACES UP
Any two-pair combination of which one pair is Aces
ACTIVE PLAYER
A player still involved in the pot
ADD-ON
Buying extra chips in a tournament at the end of the Re-buy period
ADVERTISE
To bluff with the intention of being caught by other players in order to get them to call a future bet that is not a bluff
AGGRESSIVE
Player with an aggressive playing style
ALL-IN
Putting all your chips into play during a round of betting
AMERICAN AIRLINES
A pair of Aces
ANTE
Money that comes into play and must be put into the pot
AUTOMATIC BLUFF
A bluff made in a certain circumstance regardless the players hand or the value
BABY
A small card – less then five
BACKDOOR
When a player makes a hand he wasn’t originally drawing at
BACKDOOR FLUSH
When you have three of the five cards to make a flush, and hoping to make the flush on the turn or the river
BACKDOOR STRAIGHT
When you have three of the five cards to make a straight, and hoping to make the straight on the turn or the river
BACK INTO HAND
To draw for a hand such as a flush, but catch a straight or top pairs instead
BAD BEAT
Losing a hand in a rough fashion that was favourite pre-flop
BANKROLL
The amount of money you have put aside to play poker with
BATTLE OF THE BLINDS
When all players have folded and the last two players, being the small and big blind, do battle
BEAT THE BOARD
Having a hand that can beat any other hand in sight
BET
Placing money or chips into the pot that becomes in play
BET INTO
To take the initiative in betting action knowing your opponent has a stronger hand
BETTING THE POT
To bet the total amount currently in the pot
BIG BLIND
Player sitting left of the small blind and has the largest ante on the table
BIG DOG
Underdog who has little chance of winning the hand
BIG SLICK
Pre-flop hand where the two hole cards are A-K
BIG STACK
Player at the table with the largest stack of chips in front of him
BLANK
A card that was to no use for any player at the table who entered a pot
BLIND
Two players who are forced to put money into the pot, and are referred to as the small and big blinds
BLUFF
A type of play representing something you have but don’t have, forcing your opponents to fold
BOARD
The cards that are face-up in a poker game
BUBBLE BOY
The player who goes out in a tournament with no money. The last position before the pay out positions
BULLY
Player with a large stack of chips who puts pressure on the smaller stacks with aggressive play
BUST OUT
To miss your hand completely or to loose all your money
BUTTON
The dealer and sits to the right of the small blind
BUY-IN
The minimum amount of money needed to enter a tournament or poker game
CALL
To put money in the pot equal to the previous bet or raise
CALLING STATION
A player who will almost call any bet
CASE CARD
The last card of a particular rank
CATCH PERFECT
A situation where only one or two cards will win the pot
CATCH-UP
To improve a hand that is nearly equal or better than an opponent
CHANGING GEARS
Adjusting play from loose to tight or vice versa
CHASE
Trying to beat a hand in superior value
CHECK
Not increasing the bet by a raise
CHECK-BLIND
To check a hand without looking
CHECK-RAISE
To check and then raise in the same round of betting when the action returns
CHIP
A plastic token used in place of money
CHIP LEADER
A player in a tournament leading with the most chips
COLD CALL
When a player with no money invested in the pot besides the ante, calls a raise or a re-raise
COLD DECK
When a player is going through a long period without any good cards
COMMUNITY CARDS
The 5 cards dealt face upwards on the board, also known as the flop, turn and river
COMPLETE BLUFF
A bluff made with a completely worthless hand
CONCEALED PAIR
A pair where both cards are face down
CONNECTORS
Two cards that follow upon each other
COWBOYS
A pair of kings
CRIPPLED DECK
A deck with almost nothing left that can help a hand
CRYING CALL
To call with an inferior hand
CUT
To separate the deck into portions after it has been shuffled
DEAD CARD
A card no longer in play
DEAD HAND
A misdealt hand that is not valid
DEAD POT
When there is no way for a player to win the pot
DUECE
A two
DOORCARD
The first up card in a stud game
DOUBLE-UP
The double your stack or chips in a single betting round
DOUBLE BELLY-BUSTER
A two-way inside straight
DOUBLE-POP
When you raise a raise with a re-raise
DOWN CARD
A card dealt facedown. Also called hole card
DRAWING DEAD
Drawing to a hand that would be impossible to win with
DRAW OUT
To improve and beat an opponent who originally had a better hand
DRIVER’S SEAT
When a player has an advantage, he is in the driving seat
EARLY POSITION
The first three positions to act at an eight, nine or ten player table
EXPOSED PAIR
A pair on the board
FACECARD
Jack, queen or king
FAVOURITE
The player with the best chance of winning a hand
FIFTH STREET
The last community card to be dealt in Texas Hold’Em
FILL
To draw a card to complete the straight or flush
FISH
New and inexperienced weak players
FIXED LIMIT
Where you can only bet or raise a fixed set amount
FLAT CALL
To call a bet without raising
FLOP
The first three community cards that are turned simultaneously
FLOPPING A SET
When a player forms three-of-kind or a trip with one or two of the community cards
FLUSH
A hand with five cards of the same suit
FOLD
To discontinue play and forfeit the pot
FOUR-FLUSH
To have four cards of the same suit
FOUR-OF-KIND
Four cards of the same rank with a side card
FOURTH STREET
The card dealt after the flop also known as the turn card
FREE CARD
A card received without any money being put into the pot
FREEZE-OUT
A game where there is an entry fee, but no re-buy or add-on’s are allowed
FULL HOUSE
Three cards of the same rank and one pair
GUT SHOT
A draw to a hand where there is only one card in the deck that can make a winning hand
HEADS UP
When there are only two people left in a hand
HOLE CARDS
The two face-down cards dealt to each player at the beginning of a round
HAND
Can refer to a specific betting round or the cards you hold
JAM
A pot where several players are raising and re-raising
KICKER
Your other card when making a pair with one of your hole cards
LATE POSITION
The last two players to act before the blinds at a nine or ten seater table
LAY DOWN
To fold what started out as a good hand
LIMP IN
To call the minimum bet in order to see the flop
LIVE CARD
A card that has not yet been dealt or seen
LOOSE PLAY
A player who stays in the pot when he should be folding. Plays a lot of hands
MAIN POT
All bets are placed in a specific betting round
MIDDLE POSITION
Positions for, five and six at a nine or ten player table
MISS THE FLOP
When a player’s starting cards are not improved by the three flop cards
MONSTER
A very strong hand
MUCK CARDS
To fold or throw away your cards in a face-down manner so nobody knows what your cards were
NO LIMIT
Where there is no limit how much you want to bet or raise in chips
NUT FLUSH
The highest flush possible
NUT FLUSH DRAW
A drawing hand to the best possible flush
NUTS
To be holding the best hand and can not be beaten
ODDS
Your chances of making a hand
OFFSUIT
Cards that are not in the same suit
OPEN-ENDED STRAIGHT
A four card hand where a straight is possible on either end
OUTDRAW
Catching cards that allowed an inferior hand to win
OUTS
Number of cards available to help you improve your hand
OVER THE TOP
Someone raises and you re raise
OVER-BET
Betting much more than what is a realistic bet to get a call
OVERCARD
A downcard in a player’s hand that’s higher than any other card showing
OVERPAIR
A pair in the pocket that is higher than any card on the board
PAINT
Same as a facecard. A jack, queen or king
PAIR
Two of the same rank of cards
PASS
Fold your hand and not continue play
PASSIVE
A player who does not raise and makes no moves. Can be seen as scared
PEDDLE THE NUTS
To bet the winning hand hoping the opponent will call
POCKETS
The two facedown cards a player gets at start of play – also hole cards
POCKET ROCKET’S
Two Aces
POSITION
Your position at the table in a round of betting. Changes every betting round
POT
Where all the blinds, bets, and raises are accumulated until a winner is established
POT-LIMIT
The maximum bet cannot be more than the total of the pot
POT ODDS
A calculation of your percent chance to make your draw in relation to the amount you stand to win
PREMIUM HANDS
The top starting hands in a game
PROTECT A HAND
To call a potential bluffer or raiser, hoping to protect what was at one time a strong hand
QUADS
Another name for four-of-kind
RAGS
Worthless cards that you hold
RAILBIRD
A spectator
RAISE
Putting an additional amount of money in the pot then what your opponent put in
RAKE
The percentage extracted from the pot by a house dealer
READ
To make an educated guess on what an opponent holds in his hand
RELEASING A SET
To throw away trips when you think they are beat
REPRESENT
To make it appear you have a hand that you don’t have
RE-RAISE
After a player has raised, you re-raise by making a bigger bet. Also known as going over the top
RIGHT PRICE
To get good pot odds on a bet or a raise
RIVER
The last community card to hit the table
ROCK
A solid and tight player that does not take many chances
ROUNDER
A person who makes a living playing poker
ROYAL FLUSH
10, J, Q, K, A of the same suit. The highest hand in poker
RUSH
A hot streak when nothing goes wrong
SANDBAG
Checking the probable best hand with the intention of raising
SEMI-BLUFF
A bet meant to make your opponent fold
SET
When the hole cards are paired and you make a trip with one of the community cards
SHARK
An experienced player looking to win money from weaker players also known as fish
SHORT CALL
To call a bet with an insufficient amount of money and having to go all-in
SHORT-STACKED
The smallest chip count at the table
SIDE POT
Occurs when three or more players have called a bet of someone who is all-in. The all-in player can only win the maximum amount he went in with and these chips go into the side pot
SLOW PLAY
To have a strong hand but play as if you have a weak hand
SMALL BLIND
The player to the immediate left of the button
SPLIT POT
A pot that is split amongst players who have the same hole cards or when the community cards make the best hand
STRAIGHT
Five cards in a sequence
STRAIGHT FLUSH
Five cards in a sequence that are all of the same suit
STEAL
To win a pot on a bluff
SUCKER
A player who thinks he is good but really has no chance of winning
SUITED
Two hole cards of the same suit
SUITED CONNECTORS
Two hole cards of the same suit and they follow up upon each other
TELL
A habit a player has where you can decide if he is bluffing or not, or to put him on a hand
THREE-OF-A-KIND
Three cards with the same value. Also known as trip
TIGHT
Also known as a rock. Tight and solid player who does not make many mistakes
TIP YOUR DUKE
To reveal the quality of your hand
TILT
When someone players reckless after suffering some bad luck
TOP KICKER
The highest side card when two or more players have identical hands and the highest side card wins the pot
TOP PAIR
When one hole card matches the highest card on the table
TRIPS
Three cards with the same value. Also known as three-of-kind
TURN
The fourth community card
UNDER THE GUN
The first player to bet in a round
UPCARDS
The exposed cards in a poker game
VALUE BET
Placing a bet hoping your opponents will call. Trying to get maximum profit with a winning hand
WALK
Letting the blind win unchallenged