Poker Glossary
Scare Card - A card dealt on the board that could potentially improve the hand of an opponent, and therefore reduce the strength of the player’s hand.
Second Pair - Refers to when a player pairs one of their hole cards with the second highest card on the flop.
Semi-Bluff - A strategic move, in which a player attempts to win the pot with a hand that they know is probably behind, but has the chance to improve. This is different to a regular bluff, where the player has a hand of no value.
Set - Another name for three of a kind, i.e. three cards of the same rank.
Short Stack - If a player is described as short stacked, it means they have a chip count considerably lower than others at the table. Used primarily in tournament poker.
Showdown - If more than one player is still left in a hand after all cards have been dealt and all betting rounds are complete, a showdown takes place, in which both players reveal their cards. The player with the winning hand can then be determined.
Side Pot - If a short stacked player has moved all-in, and there is more than one other opponent in the pot, a side pot is created
Slow Play - A tactical move, in which a player has a strong hand, but plays it as though it is weak, in order to try and extract more chips from their opponent.
The smaller of the two forced ‘blind’ bets, used in games like Hold'em and Omaha. The small blind is usually half that of the big blind. Also see ‘blind’ and ‘big blind’.
Smooth Call - A strategic move, used as a method of slow playing a big hand. In order to try and extract as many chips as possible, a player may decide to simply call a bet made by an opponent, instead of making a raise.
Split Pot - Refers to the process of a pot being split between two players. In games like Hold’em, this occurs if two players have the same hand. .
Suited - Refers to hole cards that are of the same suit, usually used in Hold’em.
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