Before you read this section, it is extremely basic information which any experienced player will recognise, therefore, if you are an experienced player it might not be a worthwhile read. If you want to know the definition of another term, let us know and we will list it as soon as possible.

  

A

 

Aces up – This is 2 Pair, where the top pair is the ace. This can be used in any situation, 10’s up, 8’s up and so on.

 

 

Add on – In any rebuy tournament players will have the option to add on additional chips for the buy in, the add on signals the end of the rebuy period.
Used in a sentence – I had so many chips; I decided it was not worth adding on, as it would not make that much difference to my stack.

  

 

Aggressive – When a player is aggressive it means they play their hand by raising or re-raising. Note: Aggressive does not mean the player plays a lot of hands, it just means when they do, they will usually raise.
Used in a sentence – I knew he was aggressive, so I decided to check trap him.

  

 

All-in (to jam) – When a player puts all their chips into the pot. A player can go all in, on their turn at any variation of the no limit game.

  

 

Ante – Some variations of the game have an Ante. An ante is a compulsory bet that every player must contribute to the pot, this is usually put in place to speed up play.

 

 

ATM – Somebody that plays way to many hands, until the river.

 

 

B 

 

 

Backdoor – A hand that you can make by using the turn and the river, for example, if you have two diamonds in your hand, and one diamond hits the flop, then the turn and the river, you made that hand with a back door draw.

 

 

Bad Beat – Many players have different definitions of what a bad beat is. For us, a bad beat is when a player has less than a 10% chance at any point, and they manage to find a winner.

 

 

Big Blind – This is compulsory for players sitting two positions to the left to the dealer. The big blind is always double the small blind.

 

 

Blank – A card that looks like it does not help any of the players in any way.
Used in a sentence – Well that 2 on the turn was clearly a blank, and did not help me very much.

 

 

Bluff – When a player bets, knowing it is probable they have the worst hand, but, may sense weakness in their opponents play.

 

 

Bounty – Some tournaments offer a bounty on players, this means if you eliminate the player then you will pick up their bounty.
Used in a sentence – I called his small all in bet, just to pick up his bounty.

 

 

Bump Up – To raise.

 

 

Burn – A card that a dealer (in a live game) will take off the top, to ensure no cheating has occurred.

 

 

Buy-in Amount – Either the tournament entry fee, or the level at which you buy in to a cash game.

 

 

Bubble – The position before the money in a tournament, for example, if the tournament pays the top 90, the bubble is 91^st.

 

 

C

 

 

Call – When a player matches the bet of another player.

 

Check – A player can check if they want to continue in the hand, but do not want to contribute any chips to the pot. A player cannot check if there are any previous raises to them, or he does not have an involvement in the hand.

 

Check trap (check raise) – When a player checks figuring that they will get a bet from the other play, to induce more chips from them. A check raise is a very strong play and represents a monster.
 

Used in a sentence – That player was very aggressive, so I figured if I check trapped them then I would pick up some additional chips.

 

Chop – When two players have exactly the same hand (in Hold’em) therefore, they will chop the pot. In Hi Lo variations, when one player wins the Hi pot and the other the Low you will also chop the pot.

 

Cold Call – When a players calls a bet and a re-raise.

 

Collusion – Cheating in poker.

 

Community Cards – Any cards that the dealer deals used by every player at the table, for example, Hold’em has five community cards.

 

Continuation bet – A continuation bet is when a player has raised pre flop, and decides to represent the best hand they will bet out, a continuation bet probably means that the player has missed the flop and therefore, is looking to pick up the pot up on a bluff.
 

Used in a sentence – I had A-K, and I did not think the board 2 – 2 – 7 helped you very much, so I put in a continuation bet, representing an overpair.

 

D 

 

 

Dealer-button – As the dealer himself does not move every hand this button symbolises where the dealer would be sitting. The small blind and the big blind will be posted in the two seats after the button, and dealing begins at this button.

 

 

Dominate – When you have one of the same hole cards as another player, but your other card has a higher rank then their other card.

 

 

Drawing dead – When a player cannot win the hand regardless of the last community cards.

 

 

F 

 

 

Family pot – When every player at the table limps in and there is no raise, therefore, everyone can see the flop.

 

 

Flop – Used only in Hold’em or Omaha games, the flop is the first three community cards dealt by the dealer.

 

 

Fold – When the action comes round to a player, you can choose to fold; this means you will have no further involvement in the pot, including no chance of winning it.

 

 

G 

 

 

Gutshot – A straight draw, where you can only hit one card to make it, for example, if you have 10 7, and the board falls J, 8, 2, then you can make your gutshot with a 9.

 

 

H 

 

 

Hole cards – Your cards that have been dealt to you and cannot be used by anybody else.

 

 

I 

 

 

In the Dark – Only used in live poker, if a player decided to play in the dark, it means he has not looked at his cards, alternativaly a player can check in the dark, this means he is checking without seeing the community cards.
Used in a sentence – I’m completely in the dark, I have not looked at my hand yet.

 

 

K

 

 

Kicker – The highest unpaired card in your hand that does not contribute to the hand in any way. You are always looking to make the best 5 card hand. For example, if the board is 8, 8, 8, 8, 7 and one player has an ace, and the other a king, then the first player wins on the basis of having four eights with an ace kicker.

 

 

L 

 

 

Lay Down – To fold.

 

Limp – When no raise has been made a player can limp, to try and see some cheap cards, usually when a player limps it either means they are trying to trap, or looking to see an inexpensive flop with some semi decent cards (J 10 suited).
Used in a sentence – As I was in position, I thought I might be able to get a cheap limp with my K J.

 

Live – When your hole cards do not match anybody else’s hole cards. Therefore, if you hit one of your hole cards you are not being dominated. It also means a poker game that is played in person.

 

 

M 

 

 

Monster – A monster is an extremely big hand, which would be expected to win the pot, not to be confused with the nuts, which cannot lose the pot.

 

Muck – When a player discards his hand without even showing it at a showdown. This only usually occurs when a player has bluffed.
Used in a sentence – I muck, there is no point me An even showing my cards.

 

 

N 

 

 

Nuts (a lock) – The nuts, is the best hand you can have in any one hand of poker, this does not mean a royal flush, however, if the flop comes K, 2, 7 of diamonds and you have A 10 of diamonds, at that point you have the nuts.

 

 

O 

 

Outs – Any card a player can hit to give them the win.

 

Overpair – An overpair is when you have a pocket pair in the hole, if you have 10 – 10 in the hole, and the flop comes out 7, 4 and a 3 then you have an overpair to the board.
Used in a sentence – I folded an overpair, as the river brought you too many outs.

 

 

P 

 

 

Pay Off – Call when you are almost 100% sure you are behind.

 

 

Post Now – When joining a cash game, you have the option to post now, this allows you to post the big blind and play ASAP.

 

 

Pot – The amount of chips that are available to win at any one time. In some games (pot limit) players use the size of the pot to determine their maximum raise.

 

 

Position – You may often hear players say, they were playing their position. The position refers to where you are sat in comparison to the dealer and usually only applies when raising. For example, A 9 under the gun is not a strong hand; however, when there are three runners left in the pot, and you have position, you may find that A9 becomes a much strong hand, capable of a raise.

 

 

Pot odds – When a player says that they were playing for odds, it implies that they believe they were behind, but the pot has enough value to make a call worthwhile.
Used in a sentence – I figured I was probably behind, but I believed I had the right pot odds to call.

 

Pre-Flop – Any action that occurs before the dealer deals the first three cards. This will consist of entering the blinds, and a round of betting.

 

 

R

 

 

Raise – When a player puts in more chips then the original bet/blind.

 

 

Rake – The money removed from the poker site in order for them to make money. In a cash game you will see a small pot collect, usually by the dealer chair. In a tournament, there will be an addition to your buy in which is usually around 1/10^th of your original stake.

 

 

Rainbow – Three or four cards of a different suit in the community cards, this means there is no chance whatsoever for a flush.

 

 

Represent – To give the impression that you have a hand, which you do not, because other players may think that you have it. For example, if the board comes two diamonds and you check call, and a diamond hits the river, it might look like to have a diamond even if you do not, therefore, you can make a play and represent it.

 

 

Ring game – Another term for a cash game.

 

 

River – The river card, is the fifth and final community card dealt to the table, you may also hear players call the last card that they are dealt in other variations of the game.
 

Used in a sentence – The river completed my flush.                  

 

 

Rock – A player that plays few hands, and when he plays he will often have a monster. Rocks are talent players, but better players will get the best of them, with bluffs.

 

 

S 

 

 

Scare Card – A card that comes down which improves a person’s chance of winning without giving them the win itself. This mostly applies to a hand like a backdoor flush draw, where the turn brings one of the outs.

 

 

Semi bluff – If someone says they put a semi bluff out there, then they did not have a hand at the time of betting, but probably had a big draw. This way they could win the pot by hitting their draw or from the other players folding.
 

Used in a sentence – I had 9 – 10, the board 7 8 K, gave me a few outs so I my bet was a semi bluff.

 

 

Showdown – This is when two or more players have to see the other player’s hand/s because play has come to an end, so in order to determine a winner a showdown must occur.

Used in a sentence – I showed two pair at the showdown.

 

 

Side pot – When more than two players are involved in a pot, which puts one player all in, play does not stop, there will still be betting on the side, between the remaining players that have chips left. Any separate betting is now placed into another pot, which only players that contributed towards it can win.

 

 

Sitting out – When you want to take a break during play.

 

 

Slowplay – When a player has a monster, and does not bet out, instead waits for another player to bet, intentionally trying to draw more chips. Whereas this method can be very effective it can also be very dangerous.

 

 

Small Blind – Another compulsory bet, this time posted by the player sitting to the immediate left of the deal, the small blind is always half the big blind.

 

 

Spike (to hit) – A spike is when a player hits is behind and in a showdown, they are trying to spike a card in order to give them the win. A spike is usually only used for a hand that has very few outs.
 

 Used in a sentence – I spiked my 3 outer on the river.

 

 

Split Pot – In the event that two or more players have the same ranked hand, then the pot will be divided equally.

 

 

Stack – The amount of chips one player has at any one time.

 

 

Stacked – When a player has a lot of chips, compared to the average or compared to other players on their table.

 

 

Suited – When you hole cards are the same suit.

 

 

T

 

 

Tell – A tell is when you pick up a play that somebody carries out often, for example, they may limp under the gun when they are on a big pocket pair, or over bet the pot on a bluff.

 

 

Tilt – This is when a player drastically changes their play based on a bad beat.

 

 

Turn – In Hold’em the turn is the fourth community card dealt to the table.

 

 

U 

 

 

Under the gun – The first person to act. 

 

 

W

 

 

Walk – When action folds around to the big blind, allowing him to pick up the blinds.

 

WSOP – The world series of poker, literally the biggest poker tournament in the world, held in Las Vegas, once a year. This is the world cup, super bowl and the Derby of poker, the one everybody wants to win.