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Poker Glossary
As the popularity of poker has risen to the skies, poker players have also developed their own language which is used in literature and at the tables. This is the most comprehensive poker glossary, covering most - if not all - of the cryptic poker tongue.ace-to-five
A lowball poker variation in which aces are ranked as the lowest card, and straights and flushes have no high value. The wheel (5-4-3-2-A) is the lowest possible hand in an ace-to-five lowball poker game.
ace-to-six
A variant of lowball poker that ranks aces as low, and maintains the high ranking of straights and flushes. Also called "6-4 low" because 6-4-3-2-A unsuited is the best possible hand in ace-to-six lowball games.
action button
1. A forced bet in 7 Card Stud Hi/Lo poker games. When a player "scoops" the pot - winning both the high and low halves of the pot - the player is required to complete the bring-in in the next hand by raising the bring-in to a full bet.
2. The round marker used to indicate that a player must post the action button bet.
2. The round marker used to indicate that a player must post the action button bet.
action card
A community card that improves the hands of two or more players, eliciting a marked increase in betting and raising "action".
active player
Any player who is still in contention for a pot.
add-on
An option that may be offered to all players in a poker tournament, usually at the first break or the end of the rebuy period, in which players may buy additional chips regardless of the number of chips they have remaining.
aggression
The act of betting and raising frequently in a poker game.
aggressive
A style of poker play in which a player bets and raises often. Compare to "passive."
ante
A forced bet posted by all players before each hand is dealt in order to establish the pot. Antes are often utilized in Draw and Stud poker games, and may also be implemented in addition to blinds in a poker tournament.
back into (a hand)
To hit a hand other than the one the player was betting on, usually in a backdoor draw. (see "backdoor")
backraise
To re-raise after having called the previous bet or raise in a single betting round. Also, "limp-re-raise."
bad beat
A relatively strong hand that is beaten by an even stronger hand.
Badeucy
An obscure split-pot draw poker game that awards half of the pot to the best Badugi hand, and the other half to the best 2-7 Triple Draw hand.
Badugi
A lowball, triple draw variant in which players attempt to form the best four-card low hand using only one card from each suit and each rank. (see Badugi Rules)
bank
The person who distributes the chips and pays the winning players in live poker venues.
bankroll
The money a poker player maintains specifically for wagering on poker games, generally kept separate from the rest of their money.
barreling
A slang term for placing bets in a pot on several consecutive betting rounds, whether as a bluff or to draw more money into the pot.
behind
Having a hand that is not currently the best at the table.
bet
May refer to all money/chips wagered in poker play; or, more precisely, to the opening wager of a betting round maintaining a distinct difference from a raise.
betting structure
The guidelines for all bets placed in a specific game, including forced bets, betting and raising limits - or lack thereof - and raising caps.
big bet
The greater of the two betting amounts in a fixed limit poker game, often abbreviated "BB".
big bet game or big bet poker
Any game in which a no limit or pot limit betting structure is being used, as opposed to a fixed limit betting structure.
big blind
The higher of two forced bets posted before the deal in a poker game that implements blind bets rather than antes. The big blind is typically equal to the minimum bet, and posted by the player two seats to the left of the player on the dealer button. (see "blind")
big blind special
When a player in the big blind position happens to win the pot with a poor starting hand that they probably would have folded from any other position, or if anyone else had made a significant raise.
big full
The highest full house one can possibly make with the given board in a community card poker game.
big stack
blaze
Any poker hand consisting of five face cards (Jacks, Queens, and/or Kings) that has no special poker ranking aside from any standard rankings achieved by the hand (pairs, trips, quads or a full house), though it may be added as a non-standard hand ranking in some home poker games.
bleed
To lose a steady stream of chips through repeated bad plays.
blind
A forced bet common to community card games typically issued before the deal by the two players seated to the left of the dealer button.
blind off
To force a player to post their blinds in a poker tournament when they are away from the table, or sitting out during hands in which they would normally have posted blinds anyway. Compare to "ante off."
blind stud
An obscure variant of 7 Card Stud in which all of the cards are dealt face down.
blocker
Any card a player holds that would be an out for an opponent.
blocking bet
A small bet made by a player in early position with the intention of discouraging a larger bet from an opponent in a more advantageous position.
bluff
boat
Alternative name for a full house.
bot
A software program that is designed to make decisions and act in place of a human player in an online poker game, the use of which is banned by most online poker sites.
bottom dealing
The act of dealing cards from the bottom of the deck for the purpose of changing the outcome of a poker game; a form of cheating.
bottom end
The lowest of potential straight one can form in conjunction with the board in a community card game. Also called "idiot end" since it is easily beaten by anyone who can build on the high end of a straight.
bottom set
A three-of-a-kind formed between a players hole cards and the lowest card on the board in a community card game.
boxed card
A card that is discovered to be turned face-up relative the rest of the deck in the course of the deal.
break
1. To discard one or more cards from a made hand in a draw poker variant in an effort to improve to a better ranking hand, such as breaking a pair to draw for a straight.
2. A brief respite from a poker tournament offered at regular intervals.
2. A brief respite from a poker tournament offered at regular intervals.
brick-and-mortar
A physical casino and/or card room, rather than an online poker site or casino.
bridge order
A ranking system given to suits in order to break a tie in the card game bridge; from highest to lowest: spade, heart, club, diamond. Bridge order is never used to break a tie for the pot in poker (instead the pot is divided), however, in stud games bridge order is utilized to determine the bring-in in the event of identical card rankings.
bring-in
In stud games, a forced bet placed by the player who is determined to act first in a betting round.
broadway
A slang term for a 10 to Ace straight.
brush
The casino employee who greets players, manages the waiting list, and performs a variety of duties, including cleaning the poker tables after a game is completed in preparation for the next game.
buck
Another term for the dealer button.
bug
A wild card which can only be used as an ace, or as the highest card that will complete a straight or flush.
bully
A poker player who forces tight or short-stacked players to fold with frequent raises.
burn card
A card discarded from the deck by the house dealer before dealing the next round of cards to reduce any unfair advantage that might be gained during the betting round if one or more players recognized any markings on the top card of the deck.
bust
To completely run out of chips or money.
buy the pot
To make an enormous raise that forces the remaining active players to fold.
buy-in
1. The amount a player must pay in order to receive chips in a poker tournament, or the minimum number of chips required for a ring game.
call
To match the current bet amount.
calling station
A player who regularly calls bets and raises without regard for their hand strength, often chasing a drawing hand.
cap
A predetermined limit on how many raises are allowable in a single betting round.
cap game
A no limit or pot limit poker game in which the amount of the current bet may not exceed a specified limit.
case card
The final card remaining in the deck of a specific rank, such as the only ace that has not yet been seen.
cash game
Poker games in which the chips represent the actual money at stake in the game, and players may buy into the table and cash out of the table at their own discretion.
cash plays
The allowance of players in a brick-and-mortar poker room to use actual money in a cash game while awaiting newly requested chips. Some casinos also allow players to use $100 bills in lieu of chips.
catch perfect
Catching the precise two cards one needs in order to win the pot, often the cards required to complete a straight flush.
catch up
To defeat an opponent on the draw when the opponent previously had a better hand.
center pot
check
To pass on the opportunity to open the bet, while remaining active in the hand. If all players check, then no money is contributed to the pot at the close of the betting round.
check-raise
chip
A token that is used in lieu of actual currency in poker games.
chip dumping
A banned form of collusion cheating in which two or more players agree to go all-in near the beginning of a game in order for one of the players to gain a chip lead, arranging to split any winnings.
chip leader
The player who holds the highest number of chips in a tournament at any give point during the event.
chip race
An event in poker tournaments that weeds out the smaller denomination chips as the blind levels make them cumbersome and unnecessary, exchanging them for higher denominations.
chop
1. To divide a pot for any reason, whether as the result of a tie, in accordance with the rules of a split pot poker variant, or as an agreement between the players at the table.
2. To make change for a chip of a larger denomination.
2. To make change for a chip of a larger denomination.
chopping the blinds
Only allowable in live cash games, a custom of allowing the small and big blinds to simply reclaim their forced bets if all other players fold.
closed
The state of a betting round when no more players may raise; due to either a cap, or the fact that the last raise has been acted upon by the remaining participants with a call or fold.
coffee housing
A form of bluffing in which a player talks about their hand in a way which is misleading to opponents about its true strength.
coin flip
A circumstance of two players going all-in, both having nearly equal odds of winning the pot.
cold call
cold deck
A deck of cards that have been deliberately tampered with in order to ensure that one or more players will not be able to win.
collusion
A method of cheating at poker by collaborating with one or more players in order to gain an advantage over the other players.
combo or combination game
A poker game in which two or more poker forms are played in rotation. Same as a "mixed game."
community card
A card that all players may utilize in order to form their final poker hand.
complete hand
A hand that may not require any further improvement.
completion
connectors
continuation bet
cooler
When a very strong hand is beaten by an even stronger hand.
counterfeited
Said of a hand when a community card does not have any impact on the value of the hand, but increases the likeliness of an opponent beating the hand.
cow
A poker player with whom another player has agreed to split any resulting winnings with after sharing a buy-in.
crack
To defeat a relatively strong starting hand with a weaker one, such as to "crack" pocket aces with significantly less desirable hole cards by catching a winning hand on the board.
crying call
cut
To divide the deck one or more times, and re-stack it in a different order; customarily performed after the shuffle to reduce the likelihood of cheating. In home games, the player to the right of the dealer (the "cutoff") performs the cut.
cut card
A distinct card used to cover the bottom of the deck in order to prevent any players from seeing the bottom card.
cutoff
The position to the immediate right of the dealer.
dead blind
As opposed to a "live" blind, a blind that does not give the player who posted it the option to raise. Dead blinds are required when a player sits out of a game - missing the blinds - and then returns to the table.
dead button
A rule for managing the movement of the button and blinds when one or more players who would have been in a blind or button position have busted out of a tournament. In "dead button" rules, the position of the dealer button and the small blind may fall to recently vacated seats (rendering each position "dead"), however the big blind must fall to the next active player clockwise from the empty seat of the player who would have been on the big blind if they had not gone bust in the previous hand.
dead card
Any card that has been seen by all players, and is known to no longer be a viable out for a drawing hand.
dead money
1. Money that has been placed in the pot by players who have since folded, and are no longer in contention for the pot.
2. A derogatory term for unskilled poker players.
2. A derogatory term for unskilled poker players.
deal
deal twice
An agreement that may be struck between two players in a cash game, when one player is all-in, to deal the last cards twice; if a player wins both times, that player takes the pot, but if each player wins one of the hands they split the pot.
dealer
1. The person in charge of dealing the cards to the players, whether a participant in a home poker game, a professional dealer at a casino, or the software that shuffles and distributes the cards to each player in online poker games.
2. A position of a player in card room and online poker games (in which a dealer is supplied apart from the players) that is marked by a button as a means of maintaining the appropriate betting order.
2. A position of a player in card room and online poker games (in which a dealer is supplied apart from the players) that is marked by a button as a means of maintaining the appropriate betting order.
defense
A type of play meant to retaliate against a player who is making frequent aggressive plays.
deuce
Another word for two, usually in reference to the card rank of a 2, though it can also be used to describe $2 chips or a $2 limit game.
deuce-to-seven (2-7)
A lowball variant that describes the method for evaluating the hands. In deuce-to-seven low, all hands and cards maintain their normal high ranking, thus 7-5-4-3-2 unsuited is the best low hand one can attain.
dirty stack
A chip stack with one or more chips of a different denomination accidentally or intentionally mixed in.
discard
To remove from play a card that has been dealt during the hand, such as cards removed from a hand in a draw poker game.
dominated hand
A starting hand that seems strong, but may easily be beaten by a specific, stronger hand.
double raise
To raise by the amount of the current bet; the minimum raise allowed in no limit and pot limit poker games.
double suited
A starting hand in Omaha Poker in which a player holds two cards of one suit, and two cards of another suit.
double-board or double-flop
A community card variant that allows players to play off of two community boards at a time, splitting the pot between the winners of each board.
double-draw
A draw poker variation that employs two drawing rounds and three betting rounds.
down-card
Any card dealt face-down, as opposed to face-up.
drawing dead
Unwittingly drawing to a hand that is already beaten by another player.
drawing hand
A hand that requires specific cards to land on the board in order to improve to a significantly stronger hand.
drawing live
As opposed to "drawing dead," a hand that will win if the draw is successful.
drawing thin
Drawing to a hand with poor odds.
dry ace
A starting hand with an off-suit ace, especially in cases where the community board presents the opportunity for a flush draw suited to the players ace.
dry pot
The empty side pot that is generated when a player has gone all-in, and has been called, but no one else has raised. Any subsequent betting would be placed into the dry pot.
duplicate
A counterfeiting card; specifically one that matches a card already held by the player which is of no use to improving the hand.
early position
One of the first players in a hand to act, considered to be at a disadvantage.
eight or better
A stipulation commonly applied to Hi/Lo Split variants in which a hand may not contain any card higher than an eight to qualify for the low half of the pot.
entry fee
The price to enter a poker tournament.
expected value (EV)
The statistical profitability of calling a bet with the same overall odds over a long period of time; abbreviated "EV".
exposed card
1. A card which has been mistakenly revealed to one or more players in the course of a game.
2. One of the cards intentionally dealt as up-cards in a stud poker game.
2. One of the cards intentionally dealt as up-cards in a stud poker game.
face card
A jack, queen or king; any playing card that is typically personified.
family pot
fast
Aggressive game play intended to discourage opponents from chasing drawing hands.
feeder
A poker table at a brick-and-mortar card room that is set up to feed new players to the main table as seats are vacated; the same game is played at the feeder table as the main table, but the main table is intended to be kept full.
fifth street
1. The final card dealt to a community board, synonymous with the "river."
2. The fifth card dealt to each player in a stud game.
2. The fifth card dealt to each player in a stud game.
fill or fill up
To catch the last card needed to complete a hand.
final table
The last poker table left active in a multi-table tournament once enough player have been eliminated to move all of the remaining players to the same table (up to ten players).
first position
The player to act first in the initial betting round of a hand.
fish
A player of little experience or skill.
five-of-a-kind
Only possible in poker games that implement the use of wild cards or multiple decks, five cards of the same rank.
fixed limit
A game with a strict betting structure in which the "limit" dictates the amount a player can bet or raise at specific stages in the hand, and often caps the number of raises allowed.
flash
To show a card intentionally or accidentally.
flat call
float
To call bets early in the hand with the intention of bluffing or semi-bluffing the lead bettor later in the hand.
floor, floorman or floorperson
Casino personnel who manage the workings of the card room, including seating, assigning dealers, and settling player disputes.
flop game
flush
A five-card poker hand comprised entirely of the same suit, such as all hearts or all spades.
forced bet
A bet that is required to be posted by one or more players; usually before the hand is dealt, though the "bring-in" is stud games would be and exception. See "ante" and "blind."
forced-move
The requirement to be moved from a "feeder" table to the "main table" in a casino, in order to keep the main table full.
four-flush
Any four suited cards in a hand; a drawing hand that requires one more card of the same suit in order to complete a flush.
four-of-a-kind
four-straight
fourth street
1. The fourth card that is dealt to a community board; the "turn."
2. The fourth card players receive in a stud poker game.
2. The fourth card players receive in a stud poker game.
free card
Any card that is dealt after a betting round in which every active player checked, thus no wagers were placed.
freeroll
A poker tournament that does not require a monetary entry fee.
freezeout
A classic poker tournament style in which players compete until one player has won all of the chips, with no rebuys allowed.
full bet rule
A rule requiring raises to be made in the same amount as the full bet amount; i.e., a $5 bet could only be raised to $10.
full ring game
A cash game involving seven or more players at the table; as opposed to a "short-handed" (6-max), or "heads-up" poker game.
ghosting
Offering instruction or advice to another player on what action they should take in an online poker game in real-time; essentially considered cheating.
going south
Attempting to remove chips from the table during a cash game in order to prevent risking them - generally prohibited. Same as "rat-holing."
grinder
A career poker player who spends long hours making small profits with conservative play, in order to earn a living.
gut shot or gutshot straight
A four card straight draw that requires one of the middle three cards to complete. Synonymous with
"belly buster" and "inside straight draw."
"belly buster" and "inside straight draw."
gypsy
hand
1. The cards held or utilized by a player in a card game.
2. A single instance of a card game, beginning from the time the cards are dealt, and ending with the awarding of the pot.
2. A single instance of a card game, beginning from the time the cards are dealt, and ending with the awarding of the pot.
hand for hand
A mode that tournaments nearing the money "bubble" will often shift to when there are multiple tables involved. Each table will start each hand at the same time, then wait for every table to finish that hand before dealing the next hand. This prevents any players from dragging the game out in an effort to "wait" for enough players to bust out of the tournament trying to ensure that they themselves finish in the money.
hand history
A poker tool provided by most online poker sites detailing textual information about the hand(s) the player has participated in for later review.
hanger
A card on the bottom of the deck sticking out from the others, signifying that the dealer has likely been "bottom dealing."
heads-up
Competition against a single opponent, either in a heads-up game, as a result of all other players folding in a hand of poker, or as the last two players standing in a poker tournament.
heater
An unusually long winning streak.
Hi/Lo or Hi/Lo Split
A variation on a poker game in which the highest and lowest hands are each awarded half of the pot.
high or high hand
The traditional means of determining the best poker hand based on common poker hand values; as opposed to low or lowball.
hijack seat
The position to the immediate right of the "cutoff;" two seats to the right of the "button".
hole cards
The private, face-down cards a player receives in a poker hand, as opposed to the "board" cards.
home game
A poker game played at the home of one of the players, or a similarly private venue.
idiot end or ignorant end
implied odds or implied pot odds
Pot odds that are estimated to include the future bets in the hand that the player believes will come into the pot.
improve
To catch a card that results in a stronger hand.
in position
To have the last action in the betting rounds following the flop, turn and river in a community card game.
in the money
Any finishing place in a poker tournament that results in a cash award from the prize pool.
in turn
To perform an action at the appropriate time according to the natural order of game play.
inside straight draw
A four-card straight draw that is missing a rank from one of the middle cards; i.e., only one rank can complete the straight. Synonymous with "gut shot" and "belly buster."
insurance
1. A deal between players to split or reduce the pot instead of playing out the hand.
2. A side bet a player might make against themselves with another person in order to reduce the impact of a huge loss.
2. A side bet a player might make against themselves with another person in order to reduce the impact of a huge loss.
irregularity
jackpot
1. A 5 Card Draw variant in which players must have at least a pair of jacks in order to open the bet.
2. A prize pool offered by a poker room for an unusual event, such as winning a Hi poker game pot with a starting hand of 2-7.
2. A prize pool offered by a poker room for an unusual event, such as winning a Hi poker game pot with a starting hand of 2-7.
joker
A non-standard card that may be used as a "bug" in some poker games.
juice
Fees imposed by a casino or poker room; synonymous with "vig" or "rake."
junk
A very poor hand.
kicker
A high card used to break ties between poker hands comprised of four cards or less (a sixth card cannot be used to break a tie between poker hands, the pot must be split).
kill game
An extended rule that may be applied to some fixed limit poker games, in which there is a predetermined trigger (such as winning a pot over a specific size, or a winning a certain number of hands consecutively) that forces the player who triggered the kill to post a kill blind of usually 1.5 or 2 times the big blind, forcing the betting limit of the kill hand to go up too.
kitty
In home games, the pool of a small percentage collected from pots to pay for food, drinks, and any other expenses related to hosting the game.
last to act
The player who will see everyone else make their initial action before having a turn; considered the most advantageous position.
laydown
To fold a good hand expecting that another player has a better hand.
lead
To initiate betting or raising action in a round.
leg-up button
level
Recurring intervals at which the blinds are increased to a predetermined amount in a poker tournament; each level of a tournament having a higher blind, and even incorporating antes into the forced bets at a given level if the tournament director so chooses.
light
A hand that is probably not the best at the table.
limit
limp
limp re-raise
live bet
A bet - usually a blind bet - in which a player maintains the option to raise even if everyone else calls the bet.
live cards
In stud poker, any "out" that has not yet been exposed.
live game
1. A physical poker game played in person, as opposed to an online poker game.
2. A poker game with significant "action."
2. A poker game with significant "action."
live hand
A hand still actively participating in a poker game.
lock up
To place a token of some sort on the table or in the seat to indicate that a player is sitting out of the game temporarily, and due to return within a reasonable amount of time.
loose
A style of play in which a poker player participates in a significant number of hands, rarely folding before the flop. Compare to "tight."
low or lowball
A variant that can be applied to several poker forms in which the lowest, or worst hand wins.
made hand
maniac
A player who is very "loose" and "aggressive," rarely folding, and betting and raising frequently.
mark
A player who the other participants begin to target in an effort to bust them out of the game.
match the pot
micro-limit
Poker games with extremely small stakes, lower than the average low stakes games, generally found in online poker rooms as brick-and-mortar card rooms typically cannot turn enough of a profit from micro-limit games to make them worthwhile.
misdeal
When something goes wrong during the dealing process, requiring that the cards be re-dealt.
mixed game
A poker game in which two or more predetermined poker games are rotated at regular intervals.
multi-way pot
A pot with multiple players actively vying for it.
needle
To taunt another player in a poker game.
negative expectation
A play in poker that is statistically doomed to lose money over time.
negative freeroll
To only be able to tie or lose a hand when a player is all-in.
nit
A very tight, conservative poker player.
no limit
A betting rule that allows players to bet as many chips as they currently have on the table.
nosebleed stakes
A slang term for ultra high stakes poker games.
nut hand
The best hand that can possibly be formed in conjunction with the board cards.
off-suit
Cards of differing suits, often used to describe a starting hand.
one-chip rule
A rule that may be applied in live poker games designating that a call made with a higher denomination of chip will be deemed a call of the previous bet if the player makes no verbal declaration that it is intended to be a raise.
one-ended straight draw
A consecutive four-card straight draw at either the highest or lowest end of the ranks (A-2-3-4 or J-Q-K-A) that requires a card of one specific rank to complete.
one-eyed
The face cards featuring a profile image that shows only one eye; the Jack of Spades, Jack of Hearts, and King of Diamonds.
open
To place the first wager in a betting round.
open limp
open shove
open-ended straight draw
orbit
A complete rotation of the button and blinds around the table.
outside straight draw
A four-card straight that necessitates catching a card on either end of the straight in order to complete it.
overbet
overcall
overlay
Money a poker room has to put up in order to furnish a guaranteed prize pool when there are not enough player entry fees paid to cover the prize.
overpair
A pocket pair comprised of higher ranking cards than any of the board cards.
overs
paint
Slang term for a royal card; face card.
pair
Two cards of the same rank.
pass
To fold.
passive
A manner of poker play in which a player checks, calls and folds frequently, seldom raising or calling large raises. Compare to "aggressive."
pat
A hand that is complete, as is, usually used in reference to Draw poker games in which a player does not discard any cards in the drawing round, opting instead to "stand pat."
pay off
payout structure
The guidelines dictating the percentage of the prize pool that goes to each of the finishing places in a poker tournament.
penny ante
Extremely low stakes poker games that are generally played just for fun.
perfect
Term used in lowball poker games to describe the lowest possible cards following the card(s) named - e.g., 6-perfect represents 6-4-3-2-A, and 7-5-perfect indicates 7-5-3-2-A.
play money
Poker games in which there is no real money at stake.
play the board
PLO
Initials commonly used in reference to Pot Limit Omaha.
PLO8
A common abbreviation for Pot Limit Omaha Hi/Lo Eight or Better.
pocket cards
The private hole cards of a player, as opposed to the face-up board cards.
poker face
An unchanging facial expression that offers no "tells."
post
post oak bluff
A bluff executed with a small bet (relative to the pot size) intended to convince players that the bettor has a monster hand, and does not want to risk scaring their opponents into folding with a larger bet.
pot
The collection of wagers placed by poker players in the course of a hand that each player is competing for.
pot limit
A betting structure that limits the highest amount one can bet or raise to the amount of chips currently in the pot.
pot odds
The amount of money in the pot compared to the cost to call the current bet. A large pot with a relatively low price to call would be better pot odds than a small pot with a large raise in order to stay in the hand. Pot odds are often used in conjunction with hand odds in order to determine the statistical value of a play.
pre-flop
The first betting round of a flop game, after players receive their starting cards, but before the flop is dealt.
prize pool
The total amount of money that will be paid out to the finishing players.
prop bet or proposition bet
proposition player
A person employed by a casino to keep interest and action going at the poker tables, typically gambling with their own money.
Protect
1. A bet made with a moderate, but improvable hand intended to force opponents to either call poor pot odds or fold drawing hands before they can chase down a better hand than the player making the protection bet.
purse
Synonym of "prize pool."
put on
To deduce the hand an opponent has based on their actions and a familiarity with their game play; e.g., "I put him on pocket deuces when the unconnected two landed on the turn, and he raised."
quads
Four cards of the same rank; same as "four-of-a-kind."
qualifying low
A hand that meets the requirements for the low half of a Hi/Lo Split pot, regardless of whether or not it actually wins the low pot.
quarter
rabbit hunt
To look at the cards that would have played out in the hand if it had continued further. An option offered by some poker room software, though generally not allowed in brick-and-mortar poker rooms.
race
A situation in which two players have a roughly equal chance of winning the pot.
rack
A tray designed to hold 100 chips in five rows of 20.
rag
A card of little or no value to forming a viable poker hand.
ragged
A board of apparently unconnected and unsuited cards.
rail
The sideline from which spectators may observe a poker table.
railbird
One who is observing a poker game from the rail.
rainbow
Cards comprised of different suits, often used to describe an unsuited flop.
raise
To increase the amount of the current bet that players must match in order to maintain their contention for the pot.
rake
A percentage of each pot in a cash game that is paid to the house in exchange for the use of the space and other services provided for a poker game.
rakeback
A percentage of the proceeds accumulated by a poker affiliate from the rake of players who have joined a poker site through the affiliate, that the affiliate pays back to those players.
rakeback pro
A player who is not necessarily a winning poker player, but has successfully worked the rakeback system in an effort to maintain a poker bankroll.
rank
The value of a card relative to the other cards in the deck.
Razz
A poker game played just like 7 Card Stud, except that the worst, or lowest hand wins.
re-buy
An option available in some poker tournament that allows players to purchase more chips if they bust out of the tournament within a specified time limit.
re-raise
redraw
represent
Playing as if one holds a specific poker hand, whether bluffing or not.
riffle
1. To shuffle cards by dividing the deck into two halves and using the thumbs to leaf through the cards, causing them to fall together in an alternating pattern.
2. To divide a chip stack into two equal stacks, then shuffle them back together with one hand.
2. To divide a chip stack into two equal stacks, then shuffle them back together with one hand.
ring game
Frequently used as a synonym of "cash game;" often used more specifically to represent a cash game with a full table of players, differentiating it from a shorthanded cash game.
river
The last card or round of cards dealt in a hand of poker.
RNG
Abbreviation for "random number generator;" the computer program that shuffles the cards in an online poker game in order to produce a random deal.
rock
An exceedingly tight player who rarely deviates from their playing style.
rolled-up trips
A three-of-a-kind received by a player in the first three cards of a 7 Card Stud hand, with only one of the cards exposed to opponents.
rounder
A poker player who travels in search of high stakes poker action.
royal cards
Jacks, Queens and Kings, also known as face cards.
royal flush
runner-runner
rush
A series of profitable hands in a game; same as a "heater."
sandbag
To play a strong hand as though it were a weaker drawing hand in order to lure more players into a pot, especially if one or more of the players is betting aggressively. Synonymous with "slow play."
satellite
A poker tournament that awards free entries into a larger tournament.
scare card
A face-up card that could result in a very strong hand for any opponent.
scoop
To win the high and low pot in a Hi/Lo poker game.
second pair
A pair made with the second highest card on a community card board; compare to "top pair" and "bottom pair."
sell (a hand)
To place a calculated wager on a strong hand that is intended to encourage opponents to call or raise instead of fold, thereby drawing more chips into the pot.
semi-bluff
To bluff that one has a very strong hand, when one is actually sitting on a draw hand that still has a chance to improve to a strong hand.
session
The time a poker player spends playing a poker game, from the time they sit down to the time they leave.
set
Synonym for three-of-a-kind, or "trips."
Seven Card Stud
A classic and popular stud variant in which each player receives a total of three cards face-down, and four cards face-up, with which to form their final five-card poker hand. See 7 Card Stud Poker.
shark
A highly experienced poker player who preys on new and unskilled poker players.
shill
A casino employee who helps to start and fill poker games, gambling with money provided by the casino.
shoe
The container that holds the shuffled cards at a live poker table.
shootout
A poker tournament consisting of multiple tables, in which the winner from each table goes on to the next round.
short stack
A player with a significantly low chip count.
shorthanded
Poker games in which a maximum of five or six players are allowed.
showdown
The last action of a game in which two or more players must reveal their hands in order to determine the winner.
side pot
A pot created aside from the main pot, when a player has gone all-in and cannot win more chips than are currently in the main pot, so that other players may continue to bet and raise. Compare to "dry pot."
sit and go (SNG)
Poker tournaments that begin as soon as the required number of players buy-in; often abbreviated SNG.
sixth street
The sixth card each player receives in a 7 Card Stud variant.
skin
A slang term for an online poker site located on a larger poker network, utilizing the same poker software as any number of other online poker sites on that network, often distinguished from the others by a customized site design (or "skin").
slow play
To play as though one has a mediocre hand when one in fact has a very strong hand, in order to draw more bets into a pot.
small blind
The smaller of the two blind bets required at the beginning of certain poker games.
smooth call
snapped off
When a bluff gets called.
snow
soft
A term describing inexperienced competition encountered in a poker game or a poker room.
soft-play
To purposely play to another poker players benefit (or reduced detriment).
split
To divide the pot evenly between two or more players.
split pair
Mainly used in reference to stud poker games, when a player has a pair comprised of a hole card and an exposed card.
split two pair
When a board pairs two of a players hole cards.
spread
The difference between the maximum and minimum bets allowed in a poker game.
spread-limit
A more obscure betting structure in which the difference between the minimum and maximum betting limits are much larger than a fixed limit game.
squeeze play
To re-raise a bet that has been raised and called at least once, usually as a bluff intended to drive the other players out of the pot.
stakes
The money at risk in a poker game.
stand pat
To take no more cards in a draw poker game, indicating to others that one has a made hand.
starting hand
The cards each player receives in the beginning of a poker game before the first betting round.
steal
steam
Anger or frustration experienced during a poker game that usually causes a player to make poor decisions. Similar to "tilt."
step
One of a series of tournaments that offer entry into another tournament, eventually culminating in the final tournament that usually offers a large prize. Similar to a satellite, a step tournament is essentially a string of satellites leading to the main tournament, each of which may be by-passed at any point by paying the buy-in for any one of the step tournaments.
stop and go
To call a raise in early position, then lead off the betting when the next card is dealt, usually as a means of intimidating the player who raised in the last round.
straight
A poker hand consisting of five, consecutively ordered cards. A straight beats a three-of-a-kind and a lower straight, and is beaten by a higher straight or a flush.
straight flush
A poker hand comprised of five cards, consecutively ranked, all of the same suit. A straight flush beats all traditional high-hand rankings except a higher straight flush.
street
Each round of cards dealt in stud or community card poker games.
string bet
To call and raise in two separate motions instead of declaring the intention to raise immediately; an action generally prohibited in card rooms.
structure
The guidelines by which a poker tournament is run, including the amounts and time intervals at which the blind and/or ante levels are raised, the starting chip count, re-buy rules, and prize pool distribution.
STT
Abbreviation for single table tournament, a type of sit and go involving only one table of players competing to win all of the chips at the table.
stud poker
A family of poker games in which each player receives one or more of their cards face-down, and some of their cards face-up.
suck out
Suicide King
The King of Hearts, who is depicted in the modern English deck of cards wielding a sword behind his head in a way that makes him appear to be stabbing himself in the head.
suited
Cards of the same suit; often said of starting cards that bear the same suit.
suited connectors
Sequentially ranked cards of the same suit.
super satellite
A multi-table satellite tournament that awards seats in a larger poker tournament or satellite.
table draw
The means by which players are randomly assigned to tables at the beginning of a poker tournament.
table image
The characteristics and mannerisms a player exhibits at the poker table, affecting the way they are perceived by opponents, as well as observers.
table selection
Actively utilizing known information in order to choose the most potentially profitable poker table available.
table stakes
A fundamental rule of cash games that prohibits players from purchasing more chips in the middle of a hand, requiring players to add-on or buy back into the game between hands.
table talk
Conversations during a poker game, generally considered acceptable in cash games, though frowned upon in tournament poker situations.
third street
Generally refers to the action to follow after the dealing of the first three cards in a stud poker game. Can also refer to the flop in a community card game.
three bet
The first re-raise in a betting round; i.e., the third increase to the current wager amount, including the opening bet.
three-of-a-kind
tight
A poker playing style characterized by frequently folding inferior cards in favor of playing only strong starting hands; as opposed to "loose."
time bank
A feature provided by online poker rooms that allows players to extend the amount of time they have to think about a play before performing an action; i.e., time allotted in addition to the primary time clock in online poker.
time collection
An alternative to "rake" in high stakes cash games, allowing players to pay the casino a fee based on the amount of time they spend on the table instead of a percentage of each pot.
toke
top kicker
top set
tournament director
The person who is in charge of organizing a poker tournament.
trey
Alternative name for three, in poker used in reference to a card rank of 3; e.g., the Trey of Hearts.
triple draw
trips
Three-of-a-kind.
turbo
A poker tournament in which the blind levels increase more quickly than a standard poker tournament.
turn
under the gun
The player to the left of the big blind, first to act in the initial betting round.
under-full
A fullhouse in which the set is comprised of a lower rank than the pair; a hand dominated by the "big full."
underdog
up the ante
To increase the current stakes.
up-card
A card dealt face-up.
upswing
A natural aspect of poker variance in which a player experiences an increase in wins.
value bet
The highest bet a player with a strong hand can make in order to get called, instead of causing their opponent to fold.
variance
The natural fluctuations in poker earnings, often used in reference to the short-term margin of error associated with expected value.
walk
weak ace
wet board
wheel
The lowest possible hand in a lowball poker game.
wild card
window card
The first exposed card dealt to a board in a stud or flop poker game.
wrap
