Poker Terms and Definitions

Action - The play one makes when acting on their hand, such as betting, checking, or raising. “Everyone at the table checked, the action was on me, and I bet.”

Ante - Small forced bets that all active players must put into the pot before the cards are dealt in some poker games such as Seven Card Stud. Antes seed the pot and their sizes are predetermined depending on what size game you are playing.

All-In - To bet or raise the entire amount of chips that you have in front of you at the current time.

Backdoor - When a player hits both the turn and the river cards perfectly to complete a draw. For example, if a player held two hearts to a flush, the flop only had one heart, and the turn and river both came hearts, the player would have hit a backdoor flush. Also see ‘Runner’.

Bad Beat - To win with a hand that is initially considered not to be a favourite. While every player may have a different interpretation of what constitutes a bad beat, most experienced players would agree that a true bad beat occurs when a player wins the hand after not only being a severe underdog, but playing poorly in order to even see the final cards that brought them the miracle they needed.

Big Blind - One of the two forced bets used in particular poker games such as Hold’em and Omaha. The Big Blind is posted by the player seated two seats clockwise from the dealer button (to the immediate left of the Small Blind), and is typically double the amount of the Small Blind. The Big Blind has the last action of the first betting round.

Blank - A card that does not affect a player’s hand. “I was drawing to a straight and a flush, and the turn came a blank.”

Blind - A partial or forced bet that must be posted by one or more players before the cards are dealt in specific poker games. Blinds serve to seed the pot and also establish the minimum betting amount that is required after the deal. Blinds are usually required to be posted by players seated to the immediate left of the dealer button.

Board - The shared community cards in Flop games (The Flop, Turn and River make up the Board).

Bottom Pair - A pair made by a card in your hand and the lowest card showing on the board. If you held A-4 and the Board showed K, 7, 4, you would have bottom pair.

Burn Card - The face down card that is dealt and set aside after the completion of a betting round and prior to the next cards being dealt. Burning a card deters players from marking cards in order to cheat.

Button - A small round puck that establishes the position of the players at the poker table, and is typically moved clockwise one spot after the completion of each hand. The ‘button player’ has a strategic advantage because they have best position in the hand.

Buy - To bet or raise in an attempt to take the pot without contention. “I made a big raise, trying to buy the pot.”

Call - To put an amount into the pot equal to the size of the last bet or raise.

Calling Station - A name given to a person who continuously calls bets and raises but is not aggressive themselves.

Cap - The last bet allowed in a betting round, typically in limit games. “I put in the fourth bet to cap the pot.”

Case - The last card of a certain rank remaining in the deck. “My opponent told me he folded two aces and I held one, so I was drawing to the case ace.”

Center Pot - More commonly called ‘Main Pot’, this is the first pot that is created during the hand, as opposed to a side pot.

Check - To pass on the action and not make a bet.

Check Raise - To first pass on the action (and not bet) but then raise a player who bets after you. The check raise is a powerful move and often indicates a strong hand (or a daring bluff) because it serves to create a large pot by getting more bets in the middle.

Cold Call - To call two or more bets in a single action. For example, if one player bets and another raises and you call, you just cold called because you called two bets.

Come Hand - A drawing hand.

Community Cards - Shared cards that are used by all players at the table in combination with their hole cards.

Complete Hand - A hand that is made up of five cards, and uses all five to ‘complete’ it; flushes, straights and full houses.

Connectors - Two cards that are one numerical rank apart, such as 7,8 and K,Q.

Counterfeit - When your hand becomes less valuable (or worthless) due to a card falling on the board. For example, if you held A-4 and the board was A4K6, you have two pair. However, if another king fell on the river, your initial two pair would be counterfeited and now you hold aces and kings with a four kicker, so any opponent holding an ace with a bigger kicker would beat you.

Crack - To beat an opponent’s hand. This is usually said when beating a high ranked hand like pocket aces. “I cracked my opponent’s aces.”

Cripple - When a player holds all or most of the cards that are valuable in relation to what is on the board. For example, if two fours appear on the board and you hold two fours in your hand, you ‘crippled the deck’.

Dealer - The person dealing the cards in a poker game. Also may refer to the person sitting in the dealer position, although they are more commonly called “the button.”

Dog - Short for Underdog, this refers to a player whose hand is not a favourite when matched against an opponent’s hand.

Dominated Hand - A hand that has a very small chance of beating the hand it is matched against. For example, A4 is dominated against a hand like AA.

Draw - To look for another card (or cards) to improve one’s hand. “I held four to a flush and was drawing to one more.” This can also be a noun; “I had a terrific draw so I called the bet.”

Drawing Dead - When there are no cards that you can hit on further streets that will improve your hand enough to beat your opponent’s holding. For example, if you hold a straight and your opponent holds four of a kind, you are drawing dead because no cards can help you.

Equity - How much a player’s hand is worth in relation to the pot. For example, if your hand has a 50% chance of winning the $100 pot, then you have $50 in pot equity. This term is merely an expectation and sometimes the player will win nothing.

Expectation - The amount of money you expect to win or lose by making a certain poker play, or how much you expect to win or lose during a specific amount of time (based on several variables including your skill, your opponents, and the size of the game you are playing). “I made $1,000 in 10 hours playing that game, so my expectation there is $100/hour.”

Extra Blind - A forced bet (blind) that is posted by a player either just entering the game, returning after missing their blinds, or changing position at the table. This is commonly called simply ‘posting’.

Family Pot - A pot in which every player at the table is active.

Fast - Playing a pot “fast” means that you are aggressive the entire way, usually in an attempt to protect your hand.

Favourite - A hand that is favoured to win the pot.

Flop - The first three community cards that appear on the board. The three Flop cards come out all together, face -up.

Fold - Forfeiting your hand and surrendering the pot, as well as any money you have contributed to it.

Foul - To render a hand unplayable, usually because of a physical interruption such as a card going off the table.

Free Card - A card that is “free” because all players checked the previous betting round. For example, if all players checked the turn, the river would be a free card because it cost nothing to see it.

Free Roll - When a player has the chance of winning the entire pot when they are currently chopping it with another player. For example, if two players held a straight but one player was also drawing to a flush, they would be ‘free rolling’.

Gutshot Straight - A straight that was made by hitting an ‘inside’ card. For example, if you held T-J and the board was 7, 8, 2, you have a gutshot straight draw to the 9.

Heads-Up - Playing a pot (or an entire game) with only one other opponent.

Hit - Meaning a card connected with your hand. If you held pocket fours and a four flopped, you ‘hit’ a set.

Hole Cards - Face down cards that are dealt to each player and can only be viewed by them. Also called ‘down cards’.

Implied Odds - In short, odds that include future bets that will be made if you hit your hand. ‘I knew that if I made my hand, my opponent would pay me off, so I had good implied odds’.

Inside Straight Draw - A draw that requires a card to hit on the inside of a straight. If you held 5-6 and the board was 7, 9, 2, you have an inside straight draw because you need an eight to hit. This is also called a gutshot straight draw.

Kicker - An ‘extra’ card that is held along with your made hand. For example, if you have two pair, you will have one extra card which is your kicker. Kickers are important in games like Hold’em, as they are often compared to break ties.

Maniac - A name given to a player who plays a high percentage of their hands and frequently raises or bets, usually in large amounts.

No Limit - A variation of poker in which there are no betting limits. Players can bet up to the amount that they have in front of them.

Nuts - The best possible hand at the time, depending on what the board reads. Sometimes, players will say they have the ‘nut straight’ or the ‘nut flush’ because it is the best possible straight or flush (but not necessarily the best possible hand at the moment).

Offsuit - Cards of different suits.

One-Gap - Cards that are in ranked order with a gap in between them. 5-7 and T-Q are examples of One Gappers.

Open Ended Straight Draw - A straight draw in which you need one of two different ranked cards to complete. For example, if you held T-J and the board was 9, Q, 4, you could hit either an 8 or a K to complete the open ended straight draw. This is also called an up and down straight draw.

Out - A card (or cards) that will complete your hand. “My only out was a ten.”

Outrun - To beat another hand. “His hand outran me when he made his straight on the turn.”

Overcall - Calling a bet when one or more opponents have already made the call.

Overcard - A card that is higher than any card showing on the board. For example, if you hold K-J, and the board is 4, 5, 7, Q, you have one overcard (a king).

Overpair - A pair that is higher than any card on the board. For instance, if you hold pocket jacks and the board is 2, 4, T, you have an overpair to the board.

Pay Off - Calling a bet when you know you are likely beat. Players will pay off for various reasons; sometimes to gain information and sometimes because the pot is offering them such good odds.

Play the Board - When the best five card hand is present on the board because your hole cards do not play. For example, if you held 2, 2 and the board was K, K, Q, Q, 8, you would play the board because you have kings and queens with an eight kicker.

Pocket - A term for the cards that only you can see (your hole or ‘down cards). “I had two kings in the pocket.”

Post - To pay an extra blind, usually because you’ve missed the blinds when returning to the table or are changing seats.

Pot-Limit - A variation of poker in which players can bet any amount up to the size of the current pot, but no more.

Pot Odds - The odds you are receiving from the pot on your call. For example, if your opponent bet $10 into a $10 pot, you now need to call $10 to potentially win $20. Therefore, your pot odds are 2 to 1. Good players use pot odds to help them make prudent decisions.

Protect - To play aggressively in order to eliminate opponents and deter players from drawing. Making large enough bets may ‘protect’ your hand.

Quads - Another name for four of a Kind.

Ragged - A board of community cards that are unlikely to have helped any starting hands.

Rainbow - A term used to describe cards that are all of different suits, usually on a board. “There were no flush possibilities because the flop came out rainbow.”

Raise - To increase the amount of the bet.

Rake - A portion of the pot taken by the poker room in a ring game hand, which serves as the poker room’s income.

Rank - The numerical value of a card.

Represent - To act or play as if you have a specific holding, even if you do not. “I folded on Fourth Street because she was representing a straight.”

Ring Game - A game in which the chips represent real money; a cash game (and not a tournament).

River - The 5th and final shared community card, dealt face up and alone. Also called Fifth Street.

Rock - A term given to a player who is very tight and does not play many hands or call many bets.

Runner - When a player makes their hand by hitting the last two cards perfectly. Usually referred to as ‘runner-runner’, and also called a ‘backdoor’.

Scare Card - A card that looks frightening to a player because it is likely to help his opponent.

Second Pair - A pair with the second highest card on the board. If you held A-T and the board was 7, T, K, you hold second pair (of tens).

Semi-Bluff - Making a bet or a raise with the hopes of winning the pot right then, but still having outs if you do indeed get called.

Set - Three of a kind, specifically when you hold a pocket pair and the third card of the same rank appears on the board.

Short Stack - A smaller stack in comparison to the other chip stacks at the table.

Showdown - The final comparison of hands after the final round of betting that will determine who will win the pot.

Side Pot - After any player is all in during the play of a hand and there are more betting rounds that involve more players, a side pot is created which can only be claimed by the two players who are not all in yet.

Slow Play - To play a strong hand less aggressively in order to trap an opponent.

Small Blind - One of the two forced bets called blinds in certain poker games. The small blind is typically half the size of the big blind and is paid by the player seated to the immediate left of the dealer button.

Smooth Call - To call a bet or raise, often a term used when describing a slow play.

Split Pot - A ‘chopped’ pot between two or more players who either hold hands of identical rankings or are playing in a high low game in which pots are split routinely.

Spread Limit - A betting structure of poker in which players can bet a specific range of amounts. For example, if the spread limit is $10-$100, players can bet anything between $10 and $100 on each betting round.

Suited - Cards that are of the same suit.

Tell - A hint or clue that a player might unknowingly give about their hand or planned action to opponents. There are tells in live as well as online poker.

Texas Hold’em – This is the name of the most commonly played poker variant. You can learn more about the rules on the Texas Hold’em page.

Tilt - When a player gets angered or frustrated and it affects his play in a negative way.

Top Pair - A pair with the highest card on the board. For example, if you hold A-Q and the board is 2, 5, Q, you have top pair (of queens).

Top Set - A set made with the highest card on the board. If you hold pocket tens and the board is 3, 6, T, then you have top set.

Top Two - Two pair, made with your hole cards and the highest two cards on the board. For example, if you hold T-K and the board is 2, 4, T, 7, K, you have Top Two.

Top and Bottom - Two pair, made with your hole cards and the highest and lowest cards on the board. If you hold K-5 and the board is K, T, J, 5, then you hold Top and Bottom.

Trips - Three of a Kind, specifically when you hold only one of the three cards in your hand and the other two appear on the board.

Turn - The fourth shared community card, after the Flop and before the River. Also called Fourth Street.

Under the Gun - The position at the poker table where you are first to act in the first betting round. The Under the Gun player (UTG for short) is seated to the immediate left of the big blind.

Underdog - A hand (or person) that is not a statistical favourite to win the pot.

Variance - Swings, or ups and downs, in poker. Players discuss variance in short-term situations (like one session of poker) and also long-term (like months, years or even entire poker careers).