Online Poker Terms
This glossary is supposed to be readable and sensible. If it is not or (worse yet) contains an error, please send additions and corrections to Patrick
A
Active Player
A player who is still in the pot.
All
{BLUE,GREEN,PURPLE,etc.}
Colorful terms to describe a flush.
All-In
To have all of one's chips in the pot. A player who is all-in cannot be forced out of the pot by more betting, but is only eligible to win that portion of the pot he has contributed to. Generally, a SIDE POT is created each time a player is all-in.
America Airlines
In Hold'em, a pair of Aces in the hole. Better known (at least in rec.gambling) as POCKET ROCKETS.
Ante
A small bet all players are required to make before a hand is dealt. Not all games have an ante. Related terms: BLIND, FORCED BET.
Assault Riffle
In Omaha, hole cards that are A-K-4-7 of any suit(s).
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B
Back Door
Applies to a hand that was made in the last card or two, specifically not a hand the player was originally planning on having. Most often applied to straights and flushes.
Bad Beat
A very good hand, often a full house or higher, that is beat by an even better hand.
Bad-Beat Jackpot
In some cardrooms, a prize that is shared by the players in a game, when a very good hand (usually Aces full, or better) is beaten by a higher hand. Jackpots are usually financed by taking a drop ($1 is a common amount) from every pot. A typical division of the jackpot will give the losing hand 50 %, the winning hand 25 %, and the other players at the table share the remaining 25 % of the Jackpot.
Bad Game
Any game in which you figure to be the loser, because the other players are better than you.
Bankroll
Current total gambling funds available. To be distinguished from the current money you happen to have on the table. See also: STACK, STAKE.
Barn
A FULL HOUSE, three of a kind and a pair.
Bee No. 92 (TM)
Trade name for the "diamond back" cards frequently used in casino games. Compare: RIDER BACK.
Belly Buster
An inside straight draw. Same as GUTSHOT.
Bet
To put money into the pot, pursuant to the rules of the game, thus maintaining a chance of winning the pot.
Bet for Value
Betting a hand that, in the long run, is expected to win more than it loses. Antonym: BLUFF.
Bicycle
The best possible low hand: A-2-3-4-5. More common term: WHEEL.
Big Blind
A blind bet, usually a raise of an earlier blind which would be called the SMALL BLIND. In limit poker, the BIG BLIND is usually the size of the minimum bet on the first round of betting.
Big Bobtail
An open-ended 4-card straight flush.
Big Slick
In Texas Hold'em, hole cards of A-K, suited or not.
Black
When referring to chips, black usually stands for $100 casino chips. "This guy sits down with a stack of blacks and raises the first bet." Not ALL casinos use black for $100 but that is the common usage.
Blank
Used in describing stud and Hold'em games. Refers to a dealt card that does not offer any value; stating the actual rank and suit would detract from a description of the hand. "The last card was a blank."
Blind
A mandatory bet made by certain player(s) usually sitting left of the BUTTON before each new hand is dealt. Used in place of antes or in conjunction with antes. See also: ANTE, BIG BLIND, FORCED BET, LATE BLIND, LIVE BLIND, SMALL BLIND, STRADDLE.
Bluff
To make a bet or raise with a poor hand, in hope that the remaining active player(s) will fold.
Board
The exposed cards in Hold'em and stud. Also BOARD CARDS.
Boat
A FULL HOUSE, three of a kind and a pair.
Bobtail Dtraight
See OPEN-ENDED STRAIGHT.
Broderick Crawford
In Hold'em, hole cards of 10-4. From the 1950s TV series "Highway Patrol", starring Broderick Crawford.
Buck
See BUTTON. (Unrelated to one Michael Buck, this is said to be the origin of the term "buck" to represent one dollar).
Bug
A limited wild card, represented by the Joker. May be used as an Ace, or as any card to complete a straight or flush (or straight flush). See also: WILD CARD. Only used at certain tables in certain card rooms, most frequently in draw lowball.
Bullet
Ace.
Bump
Slang for RAISE.
Bunny
An eight. So named because one can easily draw "rabbit ears" above the numeral 8, "paws" in the middle and "feet" at the bottom. (Do this only at home, and not on cards that will be used for play.)
Burn
To discard the top card of the deck prior to dealing, usually done for every dealing round except the first. The theory being that if somehow the cards are marked (illegally) no one will know what card will next be dealt, only what card will be burned. This makes marked cards less of an advantage, hence tends to reduce cheating.
Button
A distinctive token held by the player sitting in the theoretical dealer's position, when a house dealer is used. The button rotates around the table so that every player has an opportunity to be the last to act. Also, "THE BUTTON" can refer to the player who currently has the button. ("I was the button and called the blind".) Synonyms: BUCK, PUCK.
Buy-In
The minimum amount of money necessary to join a game. Also, the amount of money one actually used to join the game. See also: REBUY.
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C
Call
To put in to the pot the minimum amount of money necessary to continue playing. See also: SEE. (CALL is used mostly in the present tense with the bet as the object, SEE with future tense and the original bettor as the object).
Call Cold
See COLD CALL.
Caller
One who calls. Sometimes used collectively, as in "3 callers".
Cap
To cap the betting is to make the last permitted raise in a round.
Cards Speak
winner(s) of the hand are determined by turning their cards face up, the best hand(s) wins (no declaration).
Case
The fourth card of a particular rank, as in "he folded the case 9" when describing where all the 9s were in a hand. Comes from the game of Faro where an employee of the house, called the "case keeper". kept track of the number of each rank of card remaining.
Chase
To continue in a hand, often at poor odds, in the hopes of catching a much better hand. "He called, chasing the flush."
Check A Chip
Dealers and other casino employees often use the term "check" where most nonprofessional gamers would say "chip". See CHIP.
Check
To bet zero, when it is legal to do so. Frequently a sign of only a fair hand, but may be a bluff.
Check raise
To check initially, then raise a bet made later on in the same betting round. Frequently a sign of strength, but may be a bluff.
Chip
A round gaming token used in place of cash for convenience in handling and counting. The standard form of currency in most casinos. See also: CHECK
Come
A hand that is not yet made ("come hand") such as four cards to a flush. See also ON THE COME.
Community Cards
Cards that are available for every player to use in making a hand. Usually dealt face up somewhere in the middle of the table.
COmputer Hand
Texas Hold'em hole cards of Q-7 offsuit. More generically, any hand that computer analysis/simulation determines is positive but turns out to be difficult to play in practice.
CCald Call
Calling both a bet and raise at the same time, as opposed to calling a bet then later calling a raise made after the call.
Court Card
A jack, queen or king.
Cowboy
A king.
Cut
To break the deck into 2 stacks of at least 5 cards each. Usually performed by the player to the dealer's right to insure that the the deck is not stacked.
Crying Call
A call made with little chance of ultimately winning, but marginally better than an immediate fold.
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D
Dead Drawn
See DRAWING DEAD.
Dead Man's Hand
Generically: two pair, aces and eights. Specifically: the black aces, black eights and nine of diamonds. The hand Wild Bill Hickok was holding when he was shot to death.
Dead Money
Money contributed to the pot by players who have folded.
Dealer's Choice
In home games, a rule that permits the dealer to name which poker game to be played that hand. Often limited to selecting from a list provided.
Declare
In high/low games, declaring one's hand as high or low or both ways (usually done with chips in hand). Usually played in home games; casinos tend to play CARDS SPEAK.
Deuce
A two.
Door
A player's first upcard in stud games.
Double Belly Buster
A two-way inside straight. E.g., 3-5-6-7-9.
Doyle Brunson
In Hold'em, 10-2 in the hole. So named because Doyle Brunson won two straight WSOPs (q.v.) in 1975 and 1976 with 10-2 on the last hand. (Suited (spades) in 1975, unsuited in 1976).
Draw
A class of poker games characterized by players being dealt 5 cards face-down and later having the opportunity to replace some of the original 5. "Draw poker" and "Five-card draw" are examples of usage.
Drawing Dead
A draw in which it is impossible to obtain a winning hand for any of a variety of reasons: an opponent's hand is better than whatever you are drawing to, the card(s) that make your hand are out of play, or (in Hold'em) give an opponent a stronger hand even if it makes yours. Frequently used in the past tense, since one rarely knows it at the time.
Draw Out
To catch a card that improves your situation from a losing hand to a winning hand, especially when you beat someone holding a hand that usually figures to win.
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E
Early Position
Being one of the first players to act in a betting round. See also: MIDDLE POSITION, LATE POSITION.
Edge
An advantage over an opponent, either specific or subjective.
Even-Money
A bet that pays off exactly the amount wagered. E.g., "Double or nothing" is an even-money bet.
Expectatin
The long-run [dis-]advantage of a given situation, specifically without reference to any particular outcome. I.e., what you figure to win [lose] on average after a large number of repetitions of the same situation.
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F
Face Card
A jack, queen or king (a card with a face on it, not joker).
Family Pot
A pot where all of the players at the table are participating, even after each has had an opportunity to act.
Favorite
Before all the cards are dealt, a hand that figures to be the winner. Ant: UNDERDOG.
FIFTH STREET In stud poker, the fifth card to be dealt to each player. Sometimes used to refer to the last card dealt in Hold'em, although the more common term for this is RIVER (q.v.).
Fill
To draw a card that makes a five-card hand (straight, flush, full house, straight flush).
Fill Up
To fill a full house.
Fire
To make the first bet in a betting round. Used to emphasize that the player bet when a check was possible, showing strength.
Fish
A player who loses money. An old saying is "If you can't spot the fish at the table, *you* are the fish."
Fixed Limit
A betting structure where the amount of each bet is a specific fixed quantity. Usually specified as A-B, where A is the amount to bet in the first few betting rounds and B (larger than A) is the amount bet in the later rounds. Related terms: FLAT LIMIT, NO LIMIT, POT LIMIT, SPREAD LIMIT.
Flat Call
To call a bet. Emphasizes that the caller did not raise.
Flat Limit
A variant of fixed limit where all bets are the same amount.
Floorman
The casino representative in charge of the card room or a section of a card room. Arbitrates disputes when unusual events happen.
Flop
In Hold'em, the first three community cards, dealt simultaneously.
Flush
A poker hand consisting of five cards all one suit.
Fold
To decline to call a bet, thus dropping out of a hand.
Forced Bet
In some stud games a player may be required to make a bet to start the action on the first card. This is similar conceptually to blinds and antes, but in this case is dependent on the cards shown rather than player position. Usually the weakest hand is forced to bet.
Fossil
An elderly poker player.
Four Flush
Four cards to a flush.
Four of a Kind
A hand containing all four cards of the same rank.
Fourth Street
In stud poker, the fourth card dealt to each player. Sometimes used to refer to the fourth community card dealt in Hold'em, although the more common term for this is TURN (q.v.).
Free Card
A card dealt after all players checked in a betting round.
Freeroll
A poker tournament that does not charge a buy-in fee; players must earn buy-in credits through previous play at the same establishment.
Freeze-Out
A table-stakes game that continues until a small number of players (possibly only one) has all the money. The major event in The World Series of Poker is a freeze-out game.
Full Boat
See FULL HOUSE.
Full House
A hand consisting of 3-of-a-kind and a (different) pair.
Full Of
Describes a full house. "Fives full of queens" is 5-5-5-Q-Q.
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G
Giving Away
Revealing one's hand by obvious play. See also TELL, READ.
Good Game
A game with players worse than you so that you can expect to win a lot of money.
Gut Shot
A draw to an inside straight, as in 2-3-4-6.
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H
Head Up
Playing a single opponent.
Help
To improve one's hand.
High-Low Split
Forms of poker in which the pot is split between the best hand and best lowball hand.
Hit
To make a hand or catch a card or cards that improves one's hand. "I hit a gut-shot draw on the river."
Hold'Em
Generic name for a class of poker games where the players receive a certain number (2 to 4) of hole cards and 5 community cards. Usually there are betting rounds after dealing the hole cards, then after dealing 3 upcards (FLOP), after dealing a 4th upcard (TURN) and finally after dealing a 5th upcard (RIVER).
Hole
See HOLE CARDS.
Hole Cards
In stud and Hold'em, the face-down cards dealt to each player.
Hook
A Jack. So named because the "J" resembles a hook.
Hot Babe (TM)
An attractive, well-dressed female in or near a casino. The term is a trademark of rec.gambling. An example of proper usage is: "I had just raked in the pot when this Hot Babe (TM) comes up to the table and asks `Are you Frank Irwin?'".
House Cut
Generic term for how the house profits from hosting the game. See BUTTON CHARGE, TABLE CHARGE and RAKE.
House Rule
Rules and interpretations (e.g., use of wild cards, or rules on having to show beaten hands) that are specific to an establishment or even tables within the establishment.
Hoyle
Edmund Hoyle (1769-?) was the authoritative source for rules of card games. Hoyle is to card rules as Webster is to word definitions.
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I
Implied Odds
A refinement to POT ODDS which includes money not yet in the pot. Considers the potential extra bets and winnings made when a player forms a very good hand.
In
Still eligible to win the pot. "I'm in" is often spoken as one adds chips to the pot, calling.
Inside Straight
Four cards to a straight, where only one rank will complete the hand. E.g., 4-5-6-8 is an inside straight since only a 7 will fill (i.e., complete) the hand. Often called a GUT-SHOT. Compare: BOBTAIL STRAIGHT, OPEN-ENDED STRAIGHT.
Irwin
See PRESTO!
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J
Jacks or Better
Draw poker in which a pair of jacks is the minimum hand permitted to start the action. See OPENERS.
Joker
A 53rd card in the deck, distinct from the others, used as a wild card or as a BUG.
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K
Kicker
In hands containing pairs and trips, the highest card not matched. In draw games, sometimes a card kept for deception purposes.
Kicker Trouble
Not having as high a kicker as an opponent.
Ku Klux Klan
3 Kings.
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L
Lady
A Queen.
Llate Blind
In addition to "regular" blinds, some games allow a player (particularly a new one) to post a blind bet in return for the right to enter the game immediately and act last on the first betting round. The amount of the blind is determined by house rules, usually somewhere between the last blind and double the last blind. It is frequently a LIVE BLIND.
Late Position
For a particular betting round, a player who does not have to act until most of the other players have acted.
Lay Odds
To give favorable odds to an opponent.
Lead
To bet first, even when one had the option to check. See also FIRE.
Leak
To show one's hole cards (often unknowingly).
Lid
The top card of the deck.
Limit Poker
A poker game wherein the amount to be bet is fixed, or at most variable
within a prescribed minimum and maximum. Ant.: NO-LIMIT POKER.
Liner
A face card. (Because you can see a line when the card is face down and the lower right corner is lifted).
Little Slick
In Hold'em, hole cards of A-2, suited or not.
Live
In stud, a card probably not held by other players.
Live Blind
The last and largest blind bet may or may not be LIVE. If LIVE, the
blind bettor has the option of "raising" his own blind in the event the
bet is called around to him. This is normal, and is sometimes referred
to as "blinds are live".
Live One
The best kind of opponent, a poor player with a lot of money to lose and in a hurry to lose it.
Lock
A hand that cannot be beat under any circumstances. Also: NUTS.
Loose
Playing more hands than the norm. Antonym: TIGHT.
Lowball
Generic term for poker where the lowest hand wins.
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M
Main Pot
The main pot, as related to one or more side pots, when there are one
or more all-in player(s). The main pot is the one in which all active
players participate.
Maniac
A player who bets, raises and reraises without regard to the quality of his hand. Most often found in flop games.
Market Cards
Cards that have been (illegally) altered so that their value can be read from the back.
Middle Position
Betting positions approximately halfway around the table from the first player to act.
Miles of Bad Rode
Three of a kind. Prefixed with a number, 3*, to indicate 3 s. Thus "24 miles of bad road" is 3 eights, etc. (This obviously doesn't work for face cards.)
Mislead
A hand dealt incorrectly that must be re-dealt.
Mites and Lice
A hand consisting of two pair, threes over twos.
Muck
A collection of face-down cards near the dealer composed of discards,
i.e., folded hands, burns and discards for drawing purposes.
Muck
To throw one's cards into the muck, thus folding.
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N
Nickel
Five dollars, usually represented by a red casino check.
No-Limit Poker
A game where there is no maximum bet; a player can wager any amount
(perhaps above some minimum) up to whatever money is on the table in
front of him.
No-Peek[EE]
A class of poker games where players do not get to see their cards before betting. Rarely played in public games.
Nut
The best possible hand of a given class. The "nut flush" is the highest
possible flush, but might still lose to, e.g., a full house. Usually
used in Hold'em games.
Nuts
The best possible hand at the time. Not a LOCK unless all cards have been dealt. Usually used in Hold'em games.
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O
Offsuit
Not of the same suit. "I held A-Q offsuit" or "The flop was 10-6-2
offsuit". When speaking of 5 or more cards, not \all/ of the same suit,
i.e., no flush, as in "button had A-K-10-8-7 offsuit."
Omaha
A variant of Hold'em where each player receives 4
hole cards and must use exactly two of them (together with 3 of 5 board
cards) to make a hand. Often played high-low split with an 8 qualifier
for low.
One-Eyed
The jack of hearts, jack of spades or king of diamonds. So named
because the characters are drawn in profile, thus showing only one eye.
On the Come
A situation where the player does not have a complete hand but hopes to make one if the right cards come up.
On Tilt
Playing worse (usually, more aggressively) than usual because a player has become emotionally upset.
Open
Make the first bet in a hand, especially in draw poker.
Open-Ended Straight
Four cards to a straight which can be completed by drawing a card at
either end. E.g., 6-7-8-9 is an open-ended straight. Also: BOBTAIL
STRAIGHT. Compare: INSIDE STRAIGHT.
Opener
The player who opens the betting, especially in draw poker. A hand may
have no openers, in which case it is PASSED OUT, i.e., new hands are
dealt.
Openers
Cards in a hand that qualify a player to open the betting.
Open-Handed
A category of games characterized by a part of each player's hand being exposed.
Open Pair
An exposed pair.
Out
A card that will improve your hand, often substantially. A hand with many OUTS is preferable to a hand with only 1 or 2.
Over
A term used in describing two pair or a full house. "Kings over tens"
means two pair, kings and tens. "Jacks over", also "Jacks up" describes
a hand that is two pair: Jacks with an unspecified lower pair. Also
used to describe a full house, distinguishing the three of a kind from
the pair. The hand J-J-J-A-A could be described as "Full house, Jacks
over Aces".
Overcall
To call a bet after one or more players already called.
Overpair
In Hold'em, a pair in the hole that is larger than any community card on the board.
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P
Pair
Two cards of the same rank.
Pass
Opposite of bet. To check, if checked to. To fold, if bet to.
Passed Out
A hand in which nobody opens. What happens next is a function of the game being played.
Pat
Holding or being dealt a pat hand. "I'm pat" would mean "I don't want to draw any cards.
Pat Hand
In draw poker, a hand that does not need any more cards. Specifically,
a straight, flush, full house or straight flush. One might bluff and
represent a pat hand but actually hold something else.
Pay Off
Calling a bet with little expectation of winning, unless the opponent is bluffing.
Pay Station
A player who rarely folds, thus who frequently calls better hands and loses. Almost as much fun as a LIVE ONE (q.v.).
Pocket [Cards]
Hole cards in stud and Hold'em.
Pocket Rockets
In Hold'em, a pair of aces for hole cards.
Pocket Pair
Generic Hold'em term for 2 hole cards of the same rank.
Position
One's location in the betting sequence, relative to the players still in the hand. First position is first to act.
Possible [Straight/Flush]
Up cards that quite possibly could lead to a straight and/or a flush.
Pot
The total amount of money bet so far in a hand.
Pot Limit
A game where the maximum bet is determined by the size of the pot at
the time. Note that a player wanting to raise first calls the bet, then
totals the pot to determine the maximum amount he can raise.
Pot Odds
The amount of money in the pot divided by the amount of money you must
bet in order to call. Often used to determine if a pot offers enough
reward to play on the come.
Presto!
In Hold'em, what one says when revealing pocket 5's. This term,
specific to rec.gambling, is still evolving and subject to
redefinition. The term comes from a more well-established background in
Blackjack where one says "Presto!" when turning over a blackjack. When
a player says "PRESTO!" at an appropriate time, the correct countersign
is to say "IRWIN". This is a method of identification, not a compulsory
ritual.
Prop
Also PROPOSITION PLAYER. An employee of the gaming establishment whose
primary purpose is to keep enough players at a table to prevent
breaking up the game for lack of players. Unlike SHILLs (q.v.) "props"
make a small hourly wage but play with their own money, winning or
losing based on their skill.
Puck
A token denoting the dealer position. See BUTTON.
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Q
Quads
Four of a kind.
Qualifier
A minimum standard that a hand must meet in order to win. Usually applied to the lowball side of a high-low split pot.
Quarter
Twenty-five dollars, often symbolized by a green casino chip.
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R
Race
In tournaments it is sometimes convenient to remove all lower-
denomination chips from play, as the remaining players' stacks tend to
grow. Small chips are converted to larger chips and any odd chips are
"raced off" in the following way: each player with odd chips places
them in front of his stack and is dealt one card for each chip. Highest
card (rank and suit) takes all the small chips and converts them to
higher-denomination chips.
Rags
Board cards that are small, not suited and not in sequence, e.g.,
9-5-2. When "rags flop", it is unlikely that anyone has a good hand,
except possibly the big blind in an unraised pot.
Rail
A barrier dividing the card playing area from a public area.
Railbird
A spectator behind the rail.
Rainbow
In flop games, a flop in which no two cards are of the same suit. "The flop was A 9 7 rainbow."
Raise
To wager more than the minimum required to call, forcing other players to put in more money as well.
Raiser
One who raises.
Rake
Money taken from each pot and given to the house in return for hosting
the game. Usually a percentage of the pot (5%-10%) up to some maximum
amount.
Read
To determine whether an opponent has a good, medium or bad hand by observing his personal behavior. An inexact science.
Rebuy
To purchase additional chips after an initial buy-in, usually after
losing most or all of the previous buy-in. This term is most often used
in certain tournaments where if one loses all one's chips, or falls
below a certain minimum chip level, for an additional sum of money one
can purchase a fixed amount of additional tournament chips. Usually
there is a time limit (The "REBUY PERIOD") as to how long rebuys are
allowed.
Rebuy
The additional chips "rebought" in tournament play.
Represent
Implying, by one's betting style, that one has a particular hand.
Reraise
To raise after an opponent has raised.
Rider Back(TM)
A brand of playing cards that feature a bicycle rider on the back of the cards. Often used in home games. Compare: BEE No. 92.
Ring Game
A standard game where players can come and go as they choose. The opposite of TOURNAMENT.
River
The last card dealt in a hand of stud or Hold'em.
Rolled Up
In seven-card stud, being dealt three of a kind in the first three cards.
Royal Flush
An ace-high straight flush, the best possible hand in regular poker.
Runner-Runner
A hand made using both of the last two cards dealt.
Rush
A winning streak. Also "ON A RUSH".
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S
S&M Sklansky & Malmuth
Generally refers to the ideas and algorithms published by these two
authors. When used in a 7-card stud context, often refers to '7 Card
Stud For Advanced Players', and when used in a Hold'em context, often
refers to 'Texas Hold 'em For Advanced Players'.
Sandback
Playing a strong hand as if it were only a fair one. See also SLOWPLAY.
Scoop
To take all of a pot that is normally split, either by winning both
halves outright or winning one half when no players qualify for the
other half.
Seat Charge
A periodic fee for playing poker, paid by all players at a table. Most
often seen at all tables in California card rooms and at higher limit
tables everywhere. Also TABLE CHARGE.
Seat Position
The actual seat a player has, normally numbered sequentially starting
with 1 as the first seat to dealer's left. Not to be confused with
POSITION in a particular pot. Typically unrelated to play of a hand but
often important in peripheral aspects, e.g.: "Seats 1 and 10 are
nonsmoking here", "Seat 5 has a good view of the table", "Seat 3 is in
a high-traffic area".
See
To call, as in: "I'll see you" or "I'll see that bet".
Semi-Bluff
To bluff with a come hand that figures to win if it hits.
Set
In Hold'em, three of a kind where two of the cards are hole cards.
Seventh Street
The seventh card dealt in 7-card stud.
Shark
A good/crafty player often posing as a fish early in the game.
Shill
A card room employee who plays with House money, and does not share in
any of his (her) winnings or losses. Shills are used to facilitate
starting games, and keeping them going. Compare: PROP.
Short-Stacked
Playing with a only a small amount of money, thus limiting one's risk and reward.
Showdown
The point at the end of the hand where all active players reveal their cards and the pot is awarded to the winner(s).
Side Pot
When an active player runs out of money during the course of a hand,
the remaining players participate in a second or SIDE POT for the rest
of the hand. Additional side pots are possible if several players run
out of money at different points in a hand.
Sixth Street
The sixth card dealt in 7-card stud.
Slowplay
To play a strong hand weakly, by checking instead of betting or by
calling instead of raising. Usually done to win extra bets by keeping
more players around for future rounds of betting. See also SANDBAG.
Small Blind
In games with two blinds the first blind is the SMALL BLIND because it is usually one-half (or less) the second or large blind.
Split
In draw poker, to discard one or more openers, usually to draw to a
straight or flush. Normally requires the opener to declare the act and
retain the discards so that the act of opening can later be validated.
Spread
To offer a particular game, as in "Shorty's casino spreads razz on weekends and holidays".
Spread Limit
A variation on fixed limit wherein the minimum and maximum bets are
different. A 1-4-8 game allows bets from 1 to 4 in the early rounds and
1-8 in the last round. A 1-4-8-16 game allows bets from 1 to 4 in the
early rounds, 1 to 8 in the next-to-last round, and 1 to 16 in the last
round.
Stack
The amount of money (the stack of chips) a player has on the table. See also: STAKE.
Stake
The amount of a player's BUY-IN, or the amount of money they are willing to play with in a given session. Compare: BANKROLL.
Stand Off
To call a raise. "Opener raises, I stand off".
Steal
To win the pot by bluffing.
Steam
Playing wildly, calling and raising a lot, because one is upset. Compare: ON TILT.
Straddle
In some games with blinds the player left of the last blind may make a
"straddle" wager, essentially a raise of the blind, before any cards
are dealt. The player making the straddle then has the privilege of
acting last on the first betting round. Straddles, like blinds, are
real bets that the rest of the table will have to call or raise. See
also: BLIND.
Straight
A hand consisting of 5 cards in sequence but not in suit.
Straight Flush
A hand consisting of 5 cards in sequence and the same suit.
String Bet
An unethical and often illegal means of raising whereby a player puts a
call-size stack of chips into the pot and, after observing the
reactions of the players, then goes back to his stack and puts out
more, thus raising.
Stuck
Down a nontrivial amount of money, as in "he's stuck $800".
Stud
Any of several poker games in which some of each players' cards are exposed.
Suicide
KING King of Hearts. So named because in the drawing the king appears to be stabbing himself in the head.
Suited
Two or more cards all the same suit. Ant: OFF-SUIT.
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T
Table Charge
A fee paid for playing. See SEAT CHARGE.
Table Stakes
A standard rule whereby during a hand players can only bet the money
they have on the table. If the bet to a player is more than the
player's stack, that player may call with all his chips and be eligible
to win only that portion of the pot he contributed to equally. A side
pot is created, for which only the remaining players may compete.
Tap
In no-limit games, to wager all of one's money in one bet.
Tapped
Out of money. Can refer to a player running out of money in the course
of a hand, thus still active for the main pot; or can refer to a player
who has lost his bankroll and can no longer play.
Tell
Any personal mannerisms that reveal the quality of one's hand. E.g.,
constantly looking at one's hole cards is often a tell of a poor hand.
(Some players, knowing this, will at times check their hole cards when
they have a great hand and don't need to look.)
Texas Hold'em
A Hold'em game where players receive two hole cards and may use zero or
more of them, together with 5 board cards, to make their hands. See
HOLD'EM.
Three of a Kind
Three cards all the same rank.
Third Street
In stud, the third card dealt to each player.
Three Flush
Three cards of the same suit.
Tight
A style of play that entails playing fewer hands than average. Antonym: LOOSE.
Tight
A FULL HOUSE.
To Go
The current betting level, as in "$20 to go" meaning every player must
contribute $20 (total) or drop. A $10 raise would then make the pot
"$30 to go".
Toke
Gambling term for "tip", as in "Toke the cocktail waitress". Comes from the term "Token of appreciation".
Top Pair
In flop games, having a hole card that matches the highest card on the board.
Top Two Pair
In flop games, having hole cards that make the highest possible two pair hand.
Tournament
A highly structured game involving potentially dozens of tables where
all participants pay an entry fee and obtain a fixed number of chips.
Once a tournament has started, additional players may not enter. As the
game progresses players bust out and are eliminated until only one
winner remains.
Trey
A three.
Trip
Three of a specific kind, as in "Trip sixes".
Trips
Three of a kind. In Hold'em the term SET is used when two of the three cards are hole cards.
Turn
The fourth community card in Hold'em.
Two Flush
Two suited cards.
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U
Underdog
Before all the cards are dealt, a hand that does not figure to be the winner. Ant: FAVORITE.
Under the Gun
The position that has to act first in a round of betting.
Up
Designates the higher card of a hand consisting of two pair. Thus,
"Queens up" refers to two pair, of which the higher pair is queens and
the lower pair is unspecified. See also OVER.
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W
Walk
A pot won by the last blind when no one opens.
Wheel
A-2-3-4-5. Usually discussed in the context of lowball where it is the
best possible hand. Can also refer to a 5-high straight in high games.
Also: BICYCLE.
White Blackbird
A hand so astonishingly rare as to be unworthy of the opponents'
consideration, e.g., being dealt a pat royal flush in 5-card draw.
Wild Card
A joker or standard card that, by player agreement and/or dealer's
choice, can be used to represent any card desired. See also BUG.
Wired
A pair in the hole. In 5-card stud, a door card that pairs the hole card.
World Series Poker
A series of several different poker games with relatively large
buy-ins, culminating in a $10,000 buy-in no-limit Hold'em tournament,
the winner of which is crowned the World Poker Champion. Sponsored by
Binion's Horseshoe Club in Las Vegas.
WSOP
Acronym for WORLD SERIES OF POKER.
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