Texas Hold’em is without a doubt the most popular form of poker played in the United States, today. The World Series of Poker, the World Poker Tour, and countless poker tournaments across the country every day use Texas Hold’em to decide their ultimate champion. Doyle Brunson, aka “Texas Dolly,” calls it the “Cadillac of poker,” and for good reason, given that so many professional poker players use Texas Hold’em as their primary mode of income.
Evolution of Texas Hold’em
There exists no exact information on where Texas Hold’em originated, though it goes without saying that the game – a derivation of 7-Card Stud – more than likely originated in Texas.
Texas Hold’em was first played in Las Vegas at the legendary Golden Nugget casino, where it found its only home for more than a few years. It wasn’t until 1971, the year Texas Hold’em was adopted to decide the victor at the World Series of Poker’s championship event, that Texas Hold’em began to gain widespread popularity.
Even as late as 2003, however, Texas Hold’em was still relatively unknown to most of the poker-playing public. Nonetheless, it wouldn’t take much for all that to change, and for Texas Hold’em to become the most popular poker game in the United States.
Chris Moneymaker, a poker player who won his seat at the 2003 $10,000 buy-in World Series of Poker main event online, went on to win the championship title that year. The game? Texas Hold’em, of course. Almost immediately, Texas Hold’em began to take a front seat to games such as 5-Card Draw, 7-Stud, and Omaha, and secure itself firmly within the safe haven of popular culture.
Texas Hold’em Online
Further adding to the popularity of Texas Hold’em was the advent of online poker, allowing the common poker player to amass years of experience in a much shorter period of time. Additionally, the World Poker Tour, debuting in 2003, and the 1998 film, Rounders, served as fuel to the fire. A surge ensued, and Texas Hold’em became the game to play, both for professional and amateur poker players alike.
This period of time became known as the “poker boom.” The World Series of Poker has enjoyed an incredible increase of players since that time, and the climax was perhaps reached in 2006 with a field of almost 9,000 players competing in the $10,000 buy-in No-Limit Texas Hold’em World Championship.
Though Texas Hold’em remains undoubtedly the most popular game of poker in the United States, it is only recently that the game has started gaining notoriety in other countries. Liam “The Gentleman” Flood, an Irish poker player and bookmaker, helped introduce Texas Hold’em to Ireland, along with Terry Rogers, also an Irish bookmaker. Harrah’s, owner of the World Series of Poker, announced its plans in 2007 to host the first World Series of Poker Europe events.
The future of Texas Hold’em
Interestingly enough, the game of Texas Hold’em remains illegal for the most part in its home state. Card rooms, and gambling in general, remains illegal in Texas, although as of press time there is a widespread push in Texas for legalizing and regulating the game.
Whether it is the fast-paced nature of the game in an era of instant gratification, or the influence of the media and the internet acting as a driving force, it remains so that the game of Texas Hold’em is growing ever-popular in the eyes of the world.
Omaha 8/B or Omaha Hi/Lo
As in any dealer-button game, a random draw will determine the position to start with the button.
Two blinds will be posted to the left of the button. The small blind will be equal to one-half the small bet, the big blind will equal the small bet.
Both blinds are live and may raise the pot.
In the showdown, the player must use two cards from his hand and three from the board exactly. Player may use different cards for high and low.
In order for there to be a low, there must be a combination of two cards from the players hand and three from the board with a denomination of eight or smaller. Ace is low for this purpose. If there is no low, high will get the entire pot.
A wheel (A-2-3-4-5) is the best possible low and neither straights nor flushes count against you for low.
If a player misses his blind or blinds, he may wait until the big blind to post to come back in. Otherwise, he must post the missed blinds. Only the big blind is live.
A player who has posted the blind who is not present to act on his hand will have his hand killed and will not get his blind back.
Winning called hand must show all four cards to be awarded any part of the pot.
In the event of ties, the pot will be split.
Odd chip will go left of the button on both high and low pot odd chip.
Remember, you must use two cards from your hand and three from the board to make the best five-card poker hand.
Seven-Card Stud Poker
Seven-Card Stud is easy for beginners to learn, yet challenging enough to hold the interest of seasoned players. In Seven-Card Stud, each player receives two cards face down and one card face up. The player with the low card opens the betting. Each player in turn must call, raise, or fold. On all subsequent rounds, the player with the best hand open the betting.
Each player is then dealt 3 cards face up with a betting round following each card.
The last card dealt to each remaining player is face down with the final betting round following.
Players remaining in the hand will then show their hands and the winning poker hand will be awarded the pot. Suits are not used in determining the winning hand, and tied hands will split the pot.
Five-Card Stud Poker
All players place a small wager known as an ‘ante’. The dealer then deals each player two cards, one dealt face down, known as the ‘hole’ card and the other face up.
The player with the lowest ranking up-card must place the opening bet.
Each player to the left of the player making the opening bet must in turn either call the opening bet, raise it or fold.
When this round is complete each player is then dealt another card face up followed by a round of betting. This continues until all players have fice cards, one face down and four face up or until only one player remains.
From the third card onwards, the betting is started by the highest poker hand showing.
All players have five cards in their hand, one down and four up.
If there is a showdown, players show all five cards. The winning hand is the highest ranking five card poker hand.
Draw Poker
To begin, two players at the table make a small bet, or blind wager, before receiving any cards. Each player seated in the game takes a turn at placing such a wager.
Players first receive five cards dealt face down. Players pick up the cards and look at them and then decide if they wish to stay in the game. If so, a bet must now be placed.
Once all bets are called the first round of betting is complete.
Players may now choose to exchange with the dealer any number of cards from their hand. This is known as ‘the draw’.
Once the draw is complete a second round of betting takes place.
If all bets are called there is a showdown.
The winner is the player with the highest ranking hand.
If only one player remains (ie. no showdown) they will win the pot without having to expose their cards.
Seven-Card Stud High/Low Split
At the showdown, if a qualifying low hand (five cards of 8 or below with no pair) exists, it will be awarded one half the pot and the best poker hand is awarded the other half.
In the absence of a qualifying low hand, the best poker hand wins the entire pot. A straight or a flush, 8-high or lower, may be both the highest and lowest hand, in which case it wins the whole pot.
]]>There seem to be differences of opinion on the origin of Poker. Moreover, there seems to be no clear or direct early ancestor of the game. It is more likely that Poker derived its present day form from elements of many different games. The consensus is that because of it’s basic principal, its birth is a very old one.
Jonathan H. Green makes one of the earliest written references to Poker in 1834. In his writing, Green mentions rules to what he called the “cheating game,” which was then being played on Mississippi riverboats. He soon realized that his was the first such reference to the game, and since it was not mentioned in the current American Hoyle, he chose to call the game Poker.
The game he described was played with 20 cards, using only the aces, kings, queens, jacks and tens. Two to four people could play, and each was dealt five cards. By the time Green wrote about it, poker had become the number one cheating game on the Mississippi boats, receiving even more action than Three-Card Monte. Most people taken by Three-Card Monte thought the 20-card poker seemed more a legitimate game, and they came back time and time again. It would certainly appear, then, that Poker was developed by the cardsharps.
The origin of the word Poker is also well debated. Most of the dictionaries and game historians say that it comes from an eighteenth-century French game, poque. However, there are other references to pochspiel, which is a German game. In pochspiel, there is an element of bluffing, where players would indicate whether they wanted to pass or open by rapping on the table and saying, “Ich Poche!” Some say it may even have derived come the Hindu word, pukka.
Yet another possible explanation for the word poker, is that it came from a version of an underworld slang word, “poke,” a term used by pickpockets. Cardsharps who used the 20-card cheating game to relieve a sucker from his poke may have used that word among themselves, adding an r to make it “poker.” The thought was that if the sharps used the word “poker” in front of their victims, those wise to the underworld slang would not surmise the change.
There are those who also believe that “poke” probably came from “hocus-pocus”, a term widely used by magicians. The game of Poker later evolved to include 32 cards, and eventually the modern day deck of 52, not counting the two Jokers.
The game of Poker has evolved through the years, through many backroom games to the present day casinos around the world. Its history is rich with famous places and characters. For example, during the Wild West period of United States history, a saloon with a Poker table could be found in just about every town from coast to coast.
Today, Poker is carefully regulated by gambling laws, and saloons have given way to casinos and cardrooms, but Poker is played more than any other card game in the world. It has grown into a sporting event, with competitions and tournaments all around the world. Tournaments take place almost every week of the year somewhere in the world.
If you compare the prizes of major sporting events around the world, you will find that the monetary outcome of any given event in Poker would (pardon the pun) stack up. Poker today is one of the fastest growing, but hardly recognized sporting events. The pinnacle of the poker world, The World Series of Poker, attracts players from all over the world every year to compete for money and titles as the world’s top Poker players.
Poker will always be around and will continue to grow and flourish like so many other past times. There will always be a game to play, money to be won, and crowns to be worn.
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Despite the fact that the software controls most of the manual movements that you would normally have to make for yourself in a standard live game, there are still a number of important factors that you need to manage which can cause damage to the quality of the game if they are abused. Although with online play, there is absolutely zero chance that you will get caught out by faux-pas such as string-betting or acting out of turn, nevertheless there are other things that you can do wrong. Below is a list of things we’ve compiled for you so that you can help the online games run as smoothly as you can contribute to it.
1] Make sure your internet connection is robust.
Ensuring that you have a reliable internet connection is not only beneficial to your own online poker game, but it’s beneficial to the rest of the players at the table as well. It can be very frustrating when you miss out on winning a big pot because you were disconnected, but it is just as frustrating for the other players if you are constantly forcing them to wait while you try to reconnect in the middle of and in between hands. Most poker room software allows you a set amount of time to try and reconnect to finish off the hand, so if you use this time on a regular basis you are slowing down the game for everyone else.
2] Remember to pay attention at the table(s)
When it is your turn to act, you are given an allocated amount of time in which to make an action. The software is usually quite generous with the amount of time that they give you; so try to only use the amount of time that is necessary before making a decision. By no means should you try and rush every decision you make, but if you are not paying attention and let the timer run for a long time before making a decision every time then it can become a little tedious for the other players at the table.
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3] Don’t abuse the chat box no matter what!
The chat box is useful for light discussion about poker and other matters. The chat box should not be used to berate other players at the table or to tell other players about your ability. The other players are not interested in how good a poker player you think you are or how bad you thought their play was. There is no benefit from making offensive or annoying comments in the chat box, and you will only end up having some of the players out to get you. The chat box is a privilege not a right, and the poker room moderators can easily take you ability to chat away from you.
4] Discussing hands that you folded is a NO-NO!
When you are not in a hand, you should not talk about the cards that you folded whilst other players are still participating in the same hand. If you discuss what cards you mucked then it could give other players in the hand an advantage if they know what will not come out on the board, so don’t influence play by letting other players know information that they shouldn’t. This kind of behaviour is frowned upon both in live and online play.
The good thing about online poker is that the software helps keep you from making simple etiquette mistakes by having more control over the way you bet and act. Just remember that poker live and online is meant to be enjoyed by yourself and the other players, so try your best to make it that way.
]]>Many players seek to employ a technique known as trapping when they flop a monster hand. While this strategy seems simple enough, the truth of the matter is that to get maximum value for a trap, a player needs to take into account a slew of variables. Here we discuss a few of those variables and exactly what constitutes the optimum trapping situation.
Springing a trap can be one of the most fruitful enterprises undertaken at the poker table. But to do so requires more than merely flopping a monster and checking. Here are some guidelines to help you maximize on your traps.
Know Your Opponent: Every single time I write anything having to do with poker, the first thing I write is to know your opponent. From bluffing to trapping, the most important thing that any poker player ever does is understand who it is that they are playing against. Conventional wisdom would have you looking to trap against aggressive players. This is logical enough: a player who is likely to bet is also likely to bet with the worst hand. The classic trap here is to flop a joint, check or smooth call depending on your position then come over the top on fourth street or the river. Fine, that makes sense. The problem with this strategy is that it is inflexible and depending on your playing style it’s also rather easy to snuff out. To understand how to disguise your trap, we need to look at calibrating your monster with the flop.
Calibrating your Monster with the Flop (what you’ve got vs. what he’s got): First of all, let’s talk about what flopping a monster is not. A monster is not an overpair nor is it top pair with top kicker. A monster is a hand where both of your hole cards are going to be used in the made hand. So the weakest monster is two pair, which may or may not actually qualify as a monster depending on whether the board also has flush or straight possibilities. Then comes a set, which is a certified monster when the board is unpaired (like if you are holding pocket Queens and the board reads A Q 5) and a borderline monster when the board is paired (this would be like holding J-7 and the board reading 7 7 K.) Then you’ve got straights, which when flopped are always monsters, then full houses, quads and straight flushes which are obvious monsters.
Now that we have determined what a monster actually is, let’s build on the read that you should already have on your opponent:
• Raised pot, Heads up: If you have flopped a monster and are in a raised pot against a single opponent, the first thing that should cross your mind is “does he/she have an Ace?” Especially if the flop has brought an Ace, something like A 10 6 and you are holding a set of Tens. This situation is perfect for trapping. When I am first to act when the board has brought an Ace, I like to make a weak or overly strong bet (which also signals weakness to most decent players.) So this would be a bet of half the pot or so or a bet of twice the pot or so. Most trappers check on the flop, but I think that this broadcasts the strength of your hand or rather, it will broadcast the strength of your hand when you either check-raise or check-call later on in the hand. Sometimes the best trickiness is being straight-forward. The one exception I would make here is if your opponent is short stacked. If your bet is going to put him in a position where he is either folding or going all-in, then go ahead and check and let him hang himself. If you are not first to act, then the classic move is to do whatever your opponent does – if he checks, you check, if he puts $50 out then you put $50 out. Re-raising with a monster on the flop is a tough question. If you can sell it like you are making a move (making a very quick re-raise or too large of a re-raise) then go for it! Otherwise, it’s best to let the bettor keep the lead.
• Raised pot, more than one other player: These are the easiest hands to trap in and the ones that you are most likely to get paid off in. Why? Because it’s at least twice as likely that your opponent has something as you have at least twice as many opponents than in heads up hand. Remember that the best circumstance to get paid off with a monster is when your opponent has something good enough for them to call you down with. 100%, no exceptions, when you flop a monster with more than one player involved, check on the flop. You have to give your opponents a chance to make moves in front of you. I remember a hand where I had flopped a nut flush, was in first position and checked the flop. The two guys behind me, who had been engaged with each other for hours like rams locking horns, immediately raised and re-raised each other. So it comes back around to me and I “smooth call” (how this did not send off every red alert in the other two, I don’t know) then the guy who had been re-raised goes all-in for another $300 or so bringing the pot to like $700 on a flop with 3 Hearts. The next guy folds and the all-in guy goes to collect his pot like he had forgot that I had called. Then, just as his idiot fingers were reaching into the pot, the dealer oh-so politely reminded him that I was still in the pot and could he please not touch chips that were not his. His face was priceless – he had that moment of “Oh right, that guy… uh oh.” I, of course, called and he had top pair with the Queen of Hearts for a flush draw of his own. This brought him to a grand total of 0 outs against my nut flush. Now, this hand can be an example of any number of poker lessons from “don’t overvalue your hand” to “pay attention to who you are playing against” to the good old “don’t be a jackass” lesson. There is much to be mined in the failings of fools.
• Un-raised pots: These are the hardest monsters to get paid off because chances are that your opponent does not have interest in the pot. These are the hands that would more than likely get checked down to the river if you hadn’t flopped a wheel. Basically, this is the unluckiest luck you can have at the poker table and you have to keep checking and hope that your opponent picks something up. I say you can even check it on the river provided that you are first to act. Be careful though with two pair in this situation. As we have already said, two pair is barely a monster and if the turn and river come runner-runner, your opponent can stumble on a straight or set without ever betting on the turn. This is a nearly impossible hand to detect (because they won’t bet the turn) and because you have already gone down the trapping road, you will feel obliged to at least call and more than likely, come over the top. Tricky situation, un-raised pots are really not the best place to go trapping in. Play it strong unless you flop a Godzilla (quads or straight flush.)
Trapping is a largely overused strategy, especially by inexperienced players. While you can occasionally get paid off if you identify the right situation, all too often I will see players over-value hands like two pair or sucker straights and lose on the river. And betting strong with a strong hand can also go a long way to help you in the future as you will be seen as a straightforward player who bets strong when he has a strong hand. And that can set you up to pull off a much more valuable move than a trap – a bluff. So if the situation is perfect, then go ahead and trap. Otherwise, don’t get cute – get the chips.
When players are learning the many strategies of playing poker, they will particularly need to pay attention to which games they select. The concept of game selection is very important to whether or not you win often or whether or not you lose often. Game selection is quite possibly one of the most critical of all poker skills that people should be aware of.
Many people will approach the process of game selection in different ways depending on how they play the game. One thing that you will notice is that a person who is a professional player (someone who makes a living from playing poker) may choose a gaming environment that offers them a wide range of gaming options to choose from. They will want some place that has different table options and offer bigger games such as playing in Las Vegas Casinos or searching the web for higher table limits. One way to do that is to look for games played in your own country, because you can find more option of the types of games you are looking for such as players in the Northeast United States may have more opportunities to play Stud Poker games.
Another important thing that poker players should be aware of is that most places will take a house rake (percentage of your pot to pay for hosting the game, a commission to the house) which in many cases will make the players at these table play tighter games and usually do not contain loose players, however in games where the rake is shared among all the players seated at the table, you are sure to find people who play looser and are generally more aggressive.
Finding weaker players (Fishes) is also very important to the game of poker, watching a game for a little while before sitting in when you are playing online is one of the easiest ways to find out who your weaker players are. They tend to play games irregularly and they tend to bet more and take more chances. They may have some tricks but generally jump into hands that a more professional player would have nothing to do with. These weak players present a perfect opportunity for you to increase your bankroll and let you walk away from the table richer than when you came to it.
When you find a table where there are weak players this is a great thing for an experienced player to exploit. However, when you do find these weak players (fish) you will need to be able to tell what their very different weaknesses are. Usually you will find the weakest players at a game like Texas Hold’Em, usually because it is one of the most popular games and is generally easier to play than Omaha and in some cases Stud Poker. Another thing is that sometime weak players and generally loose players usually have more of a chance at winning in a game of Hold’Em. Weak players have little to no chance of winning at a game of Stud and they should give up in Omaha cause they have no chance of walking away with their funds at this game. So when playing Hold’Em it is relatively easy to find a table that has weak players because most tables have them, however you will need to learn some strategies to find the weak players in Omaha and Stud, so learning game selection is very important in these cases.
You also will find that playing in the game of Stud or Omaha where there are no weak players increase you variance and you must then depend on random luck because a table with a bunch of great players is going to be harder to beat. However, you can still make money here as well by making the right bids at the right time. The best poker players are those that can watch any table and figure out what is wrong with any players game play, they can also play any where in the Casino, and they know their bankroll. They will also choose the right table limits for their skill level, which will give them more opportunity to win the games and make money.
When deciding how to handle game selection, a player should also learn a little about table selection where choosing a table helps them when more money. It is important to remember that taking chances is not a good idea, if a game is much better than another game then play the one that is better. When playing online choose the game that you consider your specialty, the one you know the most about and the one you enjoy the most, you will most likely be able to use this game selection to make the most of your bankroll.
If you are a great player be sure not to trivialize the importance of game selection, being sure of what you need in the way of the right game, the right table and ultimately the amount of money you need to make is very important. Look around the different tables being played online, watch a few games, look around the online lobby, and if you are in a bricks and mortar casino walk around the card room and inspect the tables and watch the players so that you can choose the very best games to play and the right table to sit at. Check out the skill level of all of the players and inspect the differences in their gaming styles, and be sure to look out for weak players who play loosely and who are overly aggressive in their gaming approach. Watch how the cards are played; see if the players are taking a lot of unnecessary chances when in game play. Being able to recognize the best tables and learning the skill of game selection will ensure you will win and come away with your original bankroll and a lucrative amount of winnings.
]]>In its most simple form ‘Fold-Equity’ in poker describes your ability to get an opponent to fold their hand. The usual reason for folding is a big bet, however correctly assessing when you do and (importantly) do not have fold equity is a skill that many beginning players overlook. This article will look into the subject by taking various common situations and asking – Do we have any fold-equity here?
We will start the discussion by looking at short-staked tournament play, and the vitally important role of pot-odds in fold-equity. Next we bring the tendencies of specific opponents into the discussion before looking at flop ‘texture’ and your own hand.
Imagine this common scenario, you have reached the mid to late stages of a poker tournament. After losing a couple of pots you find yourself short-stacked, with only 6 big blinds. You are on the button with a medium strength hand, and a reasonably tight player with a reasonable stack opens the pot ahead of you by betting 3 times the big blind.
The question is whether you have the ability to make this player fold with an all-in bet? In other words – do you have fold-equity here?
To keep the numbers simple we will assign you 6,000 chips, the raiser 20,000 and put the blinds at 1,000 / 500. So the raise is 3,000 chips making the total pot 4,500, assuming the blinds will fold your all-in raise makes the pot 10,500 in total – and it will cost the initial raiser another 3000 to call.
From the raisers perspective he is getting odds of more than 3/1 – this means for his call to show a profit over time he needs to win around 25% of the time. The fact is that compared to the range of hands a short-stack might re-raise with he will usually win far more than this – the call is easy with any hand that legitimately raised in the first place. You have no fold-equity in this situation, the only reason for making this move is because you consider your hand a favorite to win a showdown.
Now we increase your stack to 10 times the big blind and look at the situation again. Now your all in bet makes the pot (including the blinds) 14,500, for the big stack to call he would need to put in another 7,000 chips. Here his odds are > 2/1. Again an easy call with the majority of legitimate raising hands (though he might throw away some of the very weakest).
In order to cut the pot-odds that the raiser sees to a point where he will fold more hands than he will call with we need to increase our own bet to 12 times the blind.
Of course, you may well have a hand you would like to show down – in which case your options are far wider. However, the rule is – If you would ideally like your opponent to fold then look at the price (in terms of pot-odds) that you are offering them to call your re-raise.
Some opponents are more likely to fold than others. A timid, tight player offers you far better opportunities in terms of fold equity than a wild and loose one. Make a note throughout the tournament of those players you see open a pot with a raise and then fold when someone re-raises. The knowledge that a player is ‘capable of folding’ is a valuable asset as the tournament gets into the later stages.
Fold-equity can also work later in the hand. In the same example as above we can imagine that, instead of re-raising before the flop, you call and see a flop. Now the ‘texture’ of the flop – combined with the chips you have left – make a difference to your fold equity. Flops with high-cards are far more likely to have hit an opponent, those with draws to straights or flushes may also give someone enough reason to stick around in the hand.
Finally, your own image at the table affects your ability to get opponents to fold. If you have been active lately, playing many pots, then opponents may be more willing to call your bets. If you have been super-tight your ability to get opponents to fold is maximized.
To summarize, next time an opponent calls your all-in bet with a medium strength hand review the betting from their perspective. You will often find that the pot-odds on offer to them made the call an easy one with any legitimate raising hand. Learning to spot these situations in advance – and adapting your own play accordingly will win more chips over time. Further adapting to the tendencies of specific opponents and your own table image will ensure that you get the maximum benefit from the concept of fold equity.
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Most people associate Poker Tilt with the angry and frustrated reaction to a bad beat (or perhaps an annoying opponent), causing them to ‘steam off’ piles of chips and therefore money. While this does of course happen, the more experienced poker players out there are fully conscious of the fact that going on Tilt can arise from many other factors, and sometimes being on tilt is not easily recognisable as it comes in many forms and guises. What’s more, many of the less-than-obvious forms of tilt are equally dangerous to our bankroll as the most obvious tilt forms.
This article will help you to track, manage and ultimately avoid the main forms of tilt – by making you aware of them and their destructive influence on your poker game. We start by introducing the 3 main types of tilt – noting that these could be broken down even further. Next we cover the importance of a Tilt Management Plan. Finally the double-identity method of managing Tilt is introduced.
1. Angry Tilt: This form sees you become increasingly angry and frustrated as losses mount, only to be tipped over the edge by a bad-beat. Red mist descends and turns you from a rational and winning player into a monster determined to spread chips to all of your opponents, usually by over-betting or making bluffs which – when analyzed in the cold light of day – had very little chance of working.
2. Frustrated Tilt: Every time you raise with kings, 3 people call you and an ace flops. Each time you flop an over-pair a flush is possible on the river, and each time you flop a flush the board pairs… frustration grows and grows and your play inevitably suffers. This is closely related to angry tilting but distinct in that the feeling is one of tension instead of anger. You may play too passively, refusing to give up pots when the situation suggests you should fold early. You may play too aggressively against an opponent who took chips from you earlier in order to ‘get even’. Feeling frustrated is a bad starting point in any poker game and will invariably cloud your decision making processes.
3. Despondent Tilt: Every time you get your money in you lose, every time you get a pair someone has a higher one, someone always gets lucky when you are close to the bubble… in fact what you do does not matter – because you are bound to lose anyway. This is the line of thinking caused by despondent tilt, this occurs when you have mentally resigned yourself to losing – and is actually hugely dangerous. It is a primary cause of passive play and can quickly lead to a self-fulfilling prophesy… you expect to lose at the same time as giving free cards to opponents, and so end up losing another pot – and so on.
Even the best players are not immune from the effects of Tilt. What the most profitable poker players do better than the rest is to spot and then manage their emotional reactions to the game effectively. Setting up a Tilt Management Plan need not be complicated, it simply involves putting a process into place to identify tilt and then having the discipline to quickly act on this when you do spot it creeping into your game.
For example, having a self-check every 30 minutes of play can be as easy as asking yourself whether there are any feelings of frustration, revenge, anger or despondency creeping into your game. If the answer is ‘yes’ then you can act on this depending on the perceived severity.
For example:
Tilt can be doubly dangerous playing poker online, since it is very easy to lose money quickly – for example by joining a high-stakes table. One of our favourite ways of managing tilt is actually to keep a second, separate identity at a different poker site to the one we are used to playing.
If you become angry or frustrated with ‘PlayerA’ at one site, simply becoming ‘PlayerB’ somewhere else completely can seem like a fresh start. This enables you to psychologically associate the bad feelings with one online identity – allowing you to de-personalize any disputes and get on with making the best poker decisions possible with your new identity. We still recommend that 10 minute break, or even better we suggest taking an hour off, between games though!
]]>The tips won’t turn you into an expert player in ten minutes, but they will set you on the right track to becoming a winning poker player.
1. Don’t Play Too Many Hands
A very common mistake that amateur players make is not being selective enough with their starting hands. Don’t fall into the common trap of thinking that ‘any hand can win’. Although this is true, some hands are more likely to win than others and will help you win more money, whilst others will help you in losing more money. So be selective about which hands you play.
2. Don’t Bluff Too Much
Another common misconception about poker is that you need to bluff to win. You may see spectacular bluffs on the WSOP shows, but these are edited to show the highlights of the tournaments and so give the wrong impression of the frequency that top players bluff. If you are an online poker beginner, it is better to play your cards well rather than trying to bluff your opponents out of hands. It is good to try occasional bluffs here and there, but the real art of knowing when to bluff comes from knowledge and practice.
3. Think About Your Opponent’s Cards
It is vitally important in poker to think about the strength of your opponent’s hand, and not just your own. It is nice to have a big hand, but if you think that your opponent has a better hand than you, you should prepare to fold. For example a straight is a decent hand, but if there are four cards of the same suit on the board and your opponent pushes all in, do you still think you have the best hand?
4. Play Against Players Worse Than You
This may seem obvious, but you will be surprised at the number of players that go against this simple principle. If you are better than the players that you are playing against, it makes sense that you will be a winner in the long run. If you were the 10th best player in the world, it would not be profitable to sit at a table with the top 9 players in the world. So choose your games and limits carefully.
5. Think About Your Position
Position is a very important factor in poker, especially in texas holdem. The best positions to be in are when you are last to act on the hand, for example, when you are on the button. This means that you gain knowledge about what kind of hand they may have before the action gets to you. Having good position in a hand can easily turn a losing hand into a winning one.
6. Pay Attention To The Game
The best way to pick up tells is to watch your opponents and how they play in each pot. Even when you are not in the hand, you should still concentrate on the game to understand how your opponents play. Hopefully you will see what moves the players make when they don’t have the best hand, and what moves they make when they do have the best hand. The more information you can get from your opponents, the better the opportunity you will have to beat them.
7. Don’t Jump In At The High Limits
There are two reasons why you shouldn’t play for too much money as a beginner. Firstly, the players at the higher limits will be better than the players at the lower limits. There is less chance that you will be able to beat them and you will spend a lot of money trying to learn the game in the process. Secondly, you only want to play at limits you can afford. You should not play at limits where you are going to drop money that you cannot afford to lose.
8. Don’t Pay Too Much For Draws
You will often find yourself holding half a hand that only needs one card to complete your flush or your straight. As a general rule, if you opponent is betting heavily, it is unlikely to be profitable to chase after these draws. However, if there is only a small amount of betting it may be wise to call in the hope of making your hand. If the amount your opponent bets seems too big to warrant a call to make your hand, then don’t.
9. Suited Cards Aren’t That Great
The ultimate beginner mistake (that even some intermediate players make) is over-valuing suited cards. Flushes are not as common as you think, and if you limp in with your two small suited cards, there is the chance that you will lose all your money to a higher flush if the flush does come. Just because your cards are of the same suit, it only improves that hand by 2% compared to if your hand was not suited. This marginal improvement is too small to warrant calling pre-flop raises, so learn to fold the small suited cards. You will be saving yourself some money in the long run.
10. Know The Rules
As obvious as it seems, there is no substitute for knowing the rules of the game. You don’t want to find yourself calling a player all in, thinking that your straight beats his flush and losing all of your chips. There is no way you can be a winning poker player if you don’t know the fundamental rules of the game. Furthermore, each card room and casino may have its own unique set of rules that you must abide by, so make sure you familiarise yourself with them before jumping into any game.
Below we have a glossary of poker terms. It is impossible to have a comprehensive list due to the thousands of common and uncommon poker slang terms in use across different parts of the world. Therefore, this is not intended to be a complete dictionary of poker terms. In the interest of conciseness, exact usage details and multiple terms of closely related senses are deliberately left out of this list.
ace-to-five, ace-to-six
Methods of evaluating low hands. See lowball.
act
To make a play (bet, call, raise, or fold) at the required time. It is Ted’s turn to act. Compare to “in turn”.
action
1. A player’s turn to act. The action is on you.
2. A willingness to gamble. I’ll give you action or There’s plenty of action in this game.
3. A bet, along with all the calls of that bet. For example, if one player makes a $5 bet and three other players call, he is said to have $5 “in action”, and to have received $15 worth of action on his bet. Usually this term comes into play when figuring side pots when one or more players is all in. See table stakes.
action button
A marker similar to a kill button, on which a player places an extra forced bet. In a seven-card stud high-low game, the action button is awarded to the winner of a scoop pot above a certain size, signifying that in the next pot, that player will be required to post an amount representing a completion of the bring-in to a full bet. For example, in a stud game with $2 and $4 betting limits and a $1 bring-in, a player with the action button must post $2; after the cards are dealt, the player with the low card must still pay the $1 bring-in, then when the betting reaches the player who posted the $2, he is required to leave it in as a raise of the bring-in (and has the option to raise further). Players in between the bring-in and the action button can just call the bring-in, but they know ahead of time that they will be raised by the action button.
action card
In Texas hold ‘em or other community card games, a card appearing on the board that causes significant betting action because it helps two or more players. For example, an ace on the flop when two players each hold an ace.
action only
In many cardrooms, with respect to an all-in bet, only a full (or half) bet can be reraised. Anything less than a full (or half) bet is considered to be action only, that is, other players can call the bet but not raise it. For example, Alice bets $100. Bob calls. Carol goes all in for $119. When the action returns to Alice and Bob, they may only call the extra $19; they cannot raise it. Carol’s raise is called action only. Compare to “full bet rule”, “half bet rule”.
active player
A player still involved in the pot. If there are side pots, an all-in player may be active in some pots, but not in others.
add-on
In a live game, to buy more chips before you have busted. In tournament play, a single rebuy for which all players are eligible regardless of their stack size. This is usually allowed only once, at the end of the rebuy period. The add-on often offers more chips per dollar invested than the buyin and rebuys. Compare with “rebuy”.
advertising
To make an obvious play or expose cards in such a way as to deliberately convey an impression to your opponents about your style of play. For example, to make a bad play or bluff to give the impression that you bluff frequently (hoping opponents will then call your legitimate bets) or to show only good hands to give the impression that you rarely bluff (hoping opponents will then fold when you do).
aggressive, aggression
The act of betting and/or raising often. The frequency and amount of this betting or raising determines the level of aggressiveness of the player. Compare to “loose”, “tight”, “passive”.
air
1. In lowball, “giving air” is letting an opponent who might otherwise fold know that you intend to draw one or more cards to induce him to call.
2. Nothing, as in That last bluff was with total air, or I caught air on the river.
all in
Having bet all of your chips in the current hand. See all in.
angle
A technically legal, but borderline unethical, play. For example, deliberately miscalling one’s own hand to induce a fold, or placing odd amounts of chips in the pot to confuse opponents about whether you mean to call or raise. A player employing such tactics is called an “angle shooter”.
ante
See ante.
ante off
In tournament play, to force an absent player to continue paying antes, blinds, bring-ins, or other forced bets so that the contest remains fair to the other players. Go ahead and take that phone call. We’ll ante you off until you get back. Also “blind off”.
backdoor
1. A draw requiring two or more rounds to fill. For example, catching two consecutive cards in two rounds of seven-card stud or Texas hold ‘em to fill a straight or flush.
2. A hand made other than the hand the player intended to make. I started with four hearts hoping for a flush, but I backdoored two more kings and my trips won.
back in
To enter a pot by checking and then calling someone else’s open on the first betting round. Usually used in games like Jackpots, meaning to enter without openers.
back into
To win a pot with a hand that would have folded to any bet. For example, two players enter a pot of draw poker, both drawing to flushes. Both miss, and check after the draw. The player with the ace-high draw “backs into” winning the pot against the player with only a king-high draw. Also to make a backdoor draw, for example, a player who starts a hand with three of a kind, but makes a runner-runner flush, can be said to back into the flush.
backraise
A reraise from a player that previously limped in the same betting round. I decided to backraise with my pocket eights to isolate the all-in player. Also limp-reraise.
bad beat
A situation where a player who is favourite to win loses to an opponent or multiple opponents who have a worse hand initially by being outdrawn. The greater the margin was between the player who was favourite to win initially compared to his opponent(s), the worse the bad beat is.
bank
Also called the house, the person responsible for distributing chips, keeping track of the buy-ins, and paying winners at the end of the game.
bankroll
The amount of money that a player has to wager for the duration of his or her poker career.
A very chip or money rich player.
behind
1. Not (currently) having the best hand. I’m pretty sure my pair of jacks was behind Lou’s kings, but I had other outs, so I kept playing.
2. Describing money in play but not visible as chips in front of a player. For example, a player may announce “I’ve got $100 behind” while handing money to a casino employee, meaning that he intends those chips to be in play as soon as they are brought to him.
bet
1. Any money wagered during the play of a hand.
2. More specifically, the opening bet of a betting round.
3. In a fixed limit game, the standard betting amount. There were six bets in the pot when I called.
betting structure
The complete set of rules regarding forced bets, limits, raise caps, and such for a particular game. See betting.
big bet
Usually refers to a no-limit or pot-limit game (i.e. non fixed betting format, such as fixed limit). Can also refer to the placing of a large bet when the size of the bet is compared relative to the pot size or the stakes being played at.
big bet game
A game played with a no limit or pot limit betting structure.
big blind
A forced bet to provide something to play for. There are two blinds, the small blind and the big blind. Usually (but not always) the big blind is twice the small blind.
blank
A card, frequently a community card, of no apparent value. I suspected Margaret had a good draw, but the river card was a blank, so I bet again. Compare to “rag”, “brick”, “bomb”.
blaze
A Non-standard poker hand of five face cards that outranks a flush.
bleed
Consistently losing chips through bad play, possibly resulting from tilt. When a player is consistently losing chips, it is referred to as “bleeding chips”.
blind
1. A type of forced bet. See blind.
2. In the “dark”.
blind stud
A stud poker game in which all cards are dealt face down. Was popular in California before legal rulings made traditional stud legal there.
blind off, blinded
1. To “ante off”.
2. To have one’s stack reduced by paying ever increasing blinds in tournaments. Ted had to make a move soon or he would be blinded away in three more rounds.
blocker
In community card poker, refers to holding one of the opponent’s outs, typically when the board threatens a straight or straight draw. A blocker is also having a combination of cards that turn your opponents outs into your own, such as having four to a straight flush. The two cards to give you a straight flush are blockers against his high flush draw.The board was A23 but with my pair of fives I held two blockers to the straight. Compare to “dry ace”.
blocking bet
An abnormally small bet made by a player out of position intended to block a larger bet by an opponent.
bluff
To bet or play in such as way so as to give the impression to your opponent(s) that you are holding a stronger hand than you actually are in order to win the pot by making your opponents fold.
board
1. The set of community cards in a community card game. If another spade hits the board, I’ll have to fold.
2. The set of face-up cards of a particular player in a stud game. Zack’s board didn’t look too scary, so I bet into him again.
3. The set of all face-up cards in a stud game. I started with a flush draw, but there were already four other diamonds showing on the board, so I folded.
boat
Another name for Full House.
both ways
Both halves of a split pot, often declared by a player who thinks he or she will win both low and high.
bottom end
The lowest of several possible straights, especially in a community card game. For example, in Texas hold ‘em with the cards 5-6-7 on the board, a player holding 3-4 has the bottom end straight, while a player holding 4-8 or 8-9 has a higher straight. Also “idiot end”.
bottom pair, bottom set
In a community card game, a pair (or set) made by matching the lowest-ranking board card with one (or two) in one’s private hand. Compare second pair, top pair.
bounty
An aspect of some poker tournaments that rewards players for eliminating other players with a cash prize for each player they eliminate, separate from the tournament payout structure. See bounty
box
The chip tray in front of a house dealer, and by extension, the house dealer’s position at the table. You’ve been in the box for an hour now; don’t you get a break?
boxed card
A card encountered face-up in the assembled deck during the deal, as opposed to one overturned in the act of dealing. Most house rules treat a boxed card as if it didn’t exist; that is, it is placed aside and not used. Different rules cover cards exposed during the deal.
break
1. In a draw poker game, to discard cards that make a made hand in the hope of making a much better one. For example, a player with J-J-10-9-8 may wish to break his pair of jacks to draw for the straight, and a lowball player may break his 9-high 9-5-4-2-A to draw for the wheel. In a Jacks-or-better draw game, a player breaking a high pair must keep the discarded card aside, to prove he had openers.
2. To end a session of play. The game broke at about 3:00.
3. During a tournament, an interval where play ceases and the players are free to refresh or relieve themselves.
brick
A “blank”, though more often used in the derogatory sense of a card that is undesirable rather than merely inconsequential, such as a card of high rank or one that makes a pair in a low-hand game. Also known as a bomb. Compare to “rags”.
brick & mortar
A brick & mortar or B&M casino is a term referring to a “real” casino based in a building, as opposed to an online casino. This term is used to refer to many real world locations vs. their Internet counterparts. It is not just a poker term or even a gambling term; it is often used in e-commerce in similar situations.
bridge order
Poker is neutral about suits. A spade flush and a club flush with all ranks matching is a tie. But in determining the dealer at the start of a game, or in determining the bringin bettor in a stud game, bridge rank rules: Spades beat hearts beat diamonds beat clubs. It’s convenient but coincidental that this works out to reverse alphabetical order.
bring in
1. To open a betting round. Alice brought it in for $4, and Bob raised to $10.
2. A forced bet in stud games. In the first betting round, the holder of the worst (lowest or highest, depending) upcard must post a bring-in bet. The bring-in bet is typically a quarter to a third of a small bet. The bring-in bettor may look at his cards, and place a full bet if he deems it wise.
broadway
A 10 through ace straight.
brush
1. A casino employee whose job it is to greet players entering the poker room, maintain the list of persons waiting to play, announce open seats, and various other duties (including brushing off tables to prepare them for new games, hence the name).
2. To recruit players into a game. Dave is brushing up some players for tonight’s game.
bubble
The last finishing position in a poker tournament before entering the payout structure. He was very frustrated after getting eliminated on the bubble. Also can be applied to other situations like if six players will make a televised final table the player finishing seventh will go out on the “TV bubble”. Also used to describe any situation close to the payout structure.
buck
Same meaning as “button”.
bug
See bug. Compare to wild card.
bully
A player who raises frequently to force out more cautious players, especially one with a large stake for the size of the game (a “big stack” bully).[1]
burn card, burn
A card that is discarded between dealing out the community cards, e.g. a card is “burned” between dealing the turn and the river cards.
busted
1. Not complete, such as four cards to a straight that never gets the fifth card to complete it.
2. Out of chips. To “bust out” is to lose all of one’s chips.
button
Also “buck” or “hat”. The most common button indicates the dealer position at the table, but other specialized buttons exist.
buy-in
The minimum required amount of chips that must be “bought” to become involved in a game (or tournament). For example, a $4-$8 fixed limit game might require a player to buy at least $40 worth of chips. This is typically far less than an average player would expect to play with for any amount of time, but large enough that the player can play a number of hands without buying more, so the game isn’t slowed down by constant chip-buying.
buy short
To buy into a game for an amount smaller than the normal buy-in. Some casinos allow this under certain circumstances, such as after having lost a full buy-in, or if all players agree to allow it.
buy the button
1. A rule originating in northern California casinos in games played with blinds, in which a new player sitting down with the button to his right (who would normally be required to sit out a hand as the button passed him, then post to come in) may choose to pay the amount of both blinds for this one hand (the amount of the large blind playing as a live blind, and the amount of the small blind as dead money), play this hand, and then receive the button on the next hand as if he had been playing all along. See public cardroom rules.
2. A tactic most often used by late-position players: a raise to encourage the later and button players to fold, thus giving the raiser last position in subsequent betting rounds.
buy the pot
Making a bet when no one else is betting so as to force the other players to fold, thus winning the pot uncontested. A specialized version of this is “buying the blinds” by making a large raise in the first round forcing all other players out of the game.
call
To match the required bet, whether that is the blind or the amount bet already, to enable the player to continue the play of their hand.
call the clock
A method of discouraging players from taking an excessively long time to act. When someone calls the clock, the player has a set amount of time in which to make up his mind; if he fails to do so, his hand is immediately declared dead. In tournament play, a common rule is that if a player takes too long and no one calls the clock, the dealer or floor personnel will automatically do so.
calling station
Someone who doesn’t fold and calls the blinds or bets. Someone who doesn’t fold often enough, or doesn’t know when to fold.
cap
A limit on the number of raises allowed in a betting round. Typically three or four (in addition the opening bet). In most casinos, the cap is removed if there are only two players remaining either (1) at the beginning of the betting round, or (2) at the time that what would have otherwise been the last raise is made.
Also, term for the chip, token, or object placed atop one’s cards to show continued involvement with a hand.
cap game
Similar to “cap” above, but used to describe a no-limit or pot limit game with a cap on the amount that a player can bet during the course of a hand. Once the cap is reached, all players remaining in the hand are considered all-in. For example, a no limit game could have a betting cap of 30 times the big blind.[2]
cards speak
See cards speak.
case card
The last available card of a certain description (typically a rank). The only way I can win is to catch the case king., meaning the only king remaining in the deck.
cash game
A game where players play with real cash, and the chips are relative to the cash amount at stake. See also ring game. This is different to a tournament game where a fixed sum of money is exchanged for a fixed number of chips.
cash plays
An announcement, usually by a dealer, that a player requested to buy chips and can bet the cash he has on the table in lieu of chips until he receives his chips.
catch
To receive needed cards on a draw. I’m down 300–I can’t catch anything today. or Joe caught his flush early, but I caught the boat on seventh street to beat him. Often used with an adjective to further specify, for example “catch perfect”, “catch inside”, “catch smooth”.
catch up
To successfully complete a draw, thus defeating a player who previously had a better hand. I was sure I had Alice beat, but she caught up when that spade fell.
catch perfect
To catch the only two possible cards that will complete a hand and win the pot, usually those leading to a straight flush. Usually used in Texas hold ‘em. Compare with “runner-runner”.
center pot
The main pot in a table stakes game where one or more players are all in.
chase
1. To call a bet to see the next card when holding a drawing hand when the pot odds do not merit it.
2. To continue to play a drawing hand over multiple betting rounds, especially one unlikely to succeed. Bob knew I made three nines on fourth street, but he chased that flush draw all the way to the river.
3. To continue playing with a hand that is not likely the best because one has already invested money in the pot. See sunk cost fallacy.
check
1. To bet nothing. See check.
2. A casino chip.
check out
To fold, in turn, even though there is no bet facing the player. In some games this is considered a breach of etiquette equivalent to folding out of turn. In others it is permitted, but frowned upon.
check-raise
To check to other opponents, allowing them to bet first and then raising to that bet when the action comes back to the player that has checked.
chip
Also known as casino tokens. These are used to play and bet with in poker.
chip declare
A method of declaring intent to play high or low in a split-pot game with declaration. See declaration.
chip dumping
A form of collusion that happens during tournaments, especially in the early rounds. Two or more players decide to go all-in early. The winner gets a large amount of chips, which increases the player’s chance of cashing. The winnings are then split among the colluders.
chip leader
The player currently holding the most chips in a tournament (or occasionally a live no limit game).
chip race
See chip race.
chip up
1. To exchange lower-denomination chips for higher-denomination chips. In tournament play, the term means to remove all the small chips from play by rounding up any odd small chips to the nearest large denomination, rather than using a chip race.
2. To steadily accumulate chips in tournament play, typically by winning small pots with minimal risk-taking.
chop
1. To split a pot because of a tie, split-pot game, or player agreement.
2. To play a game for a short time and cash out. Also “hit and run”.
3. A request made by a player to a dealer after taking a large-denomination chip that he wishes the dealer to make change.
4. To chop blinds.
5. An agreement by all players remaining in a tournament to distribute the remaining money in the prize pool according to an agreed-upon formula instead of playing the tournament to completion. Usually occurs at the final table of a large tournament.
chopping the blinds
See chopping the blinds.
closed
See closed.
coffee housing
Talking in an attempt to mislead other players about the strength of a hand. For example a player holding A-A as their first two cards might say “lets gamble here”, implying a much weaker holding. Coffee housing is considered bad etiquette in the UK, but not in the USA. This is also called speech play.
cold call
To call an amount that represents a sum of bets or raises by more than one player. Alice opened for $10, Bob raised another $20, and Carol cold called the $30. Compare to “flat call”, “overcall”.
cold deck
See cold deck. Also “stacked deck”, “ice” or “cooler”.
collusion
A form of cheating involving cooperation among two or more players. See cheating in poker.
color change, color up
To exchange small-denomination chips for larger ones.
combo, combination game
A casino table at which multiple forms of poker are played in rotation.
come bet, on the come
A bet or raise made with a drawing hand, building the pot in anticipation of filling the draw. Usually a weak “gambler’s” play, but occasionally correct with a very good draw and large pot or as a semi-bluff.
community card
See community card poker.
complete hand
See made hand.
completion
To raise a small bet up to the amount of what would be a normal-sized bet. For example, in a $2/$4 stud game with $1 bring-in, a player after the bring-in may raise it to $2, completing what would otherwise be a sub-minimum bet up to the normal minimum. Also in limit games, if one player raises all in for less than the normally required minimum, a later player might complete the raise to the normal minimum (depending on house rules). See table stakes.
connectors
Two or more cards of consecutive rank.
continuation bet
A bet made after the flop by the player who took the lead in betting before the flop (Texas hold ‘em and Omaha hold ‘em). Compare to “probe bet”.
cooler
See cold deck.
countdown
1. The act of counting the cards that remain in the stub after all cards have been dealt, done by a dealer to ensure that a complete deck is being used.
counterfeit
See counterfeit. Also “duplicate”.
cow
A player with whom one is sharing a buy-in, with the intent to split the result after play. To “go cow” is to make such an arrangement.
cripple
In some community card games, to cripple the deck means to have a hand that is virtually impossible for anyone else to catch up to. For example, in Texas hold ‘em, if a player’s hole cards are A-T and the flop is A-A-T the player has “crippled the deck”; though that player’s hand is high (probably unbeatable), other players are unlikely to see any possibility for improvement and will probably fold. Such a hand generally doesn’t gain much money for the player holding such a hand, however it is possible to win a large amount through #slow play.
crying call
Calling when a player thinks he does not have the best hand.
cut
See cut.
cut card
A distinctive card, usually stiff solid-colored plastic, held against the bottom of the deck during the deal to prevent observation of the bottom card.
cutoff
The seat immediately to the right of the dealer button. In home games where the player on the button actually shuffles and deals the cards, the player in the cutoff seat cuts the deck (hence the name).
dark
Describing an action taken before receiving information to which the player would normally be entitled. I’m drawing three, and I check in the dark. Compare to “blind”.
dead blind
A blind that is not “live”, in that the player posting it does not have the option to raise if other players just call. Usually refers to a small blind posted by a player entering, or returning to, a game (in a position other than the big blind) that is posted in addition to a live blind equal to the big blind.
dead button
See dead button rule.
dead hand
A player’s hand that is not entitled to participate in the deal for some reason, such as having been fouled by touching another player’s cards, being found to contain the wrong number of cards, being dealt to a player who did not make the appropriate forced bets, etc.
dead man’s hand
See Dead Man’s Hand.
dead money
See dead money.
deal
1. To distribute cards to players in accordance with the rules of the game being played.
2. A single instance of a game of poker, begun by shuffling the cards and ending with the award of a pot. Also called a “hand” (though both terms are ambiguous).
3. An agreement to split tournament prize money differently from the announced payouts.
deal twice
In a cash game, when two players are involved in a large pot and one is all-in, they might agree to deal the remaining cards twice. If one player wins both times he wins the whole pot, but if both players win one hand they split the pot. Also, “play twice”.
dealer
1. The person dealing the cards. Give Alice the cards, she’s dealing.
2. The person who assumes that role for the purposes of betting order in a game, even though someone else might be physically dealing. Also “button”. Compare to “buck”.
dealer’s choice
A version of poker in which the deal passes each game and each dealer can choose, or invent, a new poker game each hand or orbit.
declare
To verbally indicate an action or intention. See declaration.
defense
See defense.
deuce
1. A 2-spot card. Also called a duck, quack, or swan.
2. Any of various related uses of the number two, such as a $2 limit game, a $2 chip, etc.
deuce-to-seven
A method of evaluating low hands. See Deuce-to-seven low.
dirty stack
A stack of chips apparently of a single denomination, but with one or more chips of another. Usually the result of inattention while stacking a pot, but may also be an intentional deception.
discard
To take a previously dealt card out of play. The set of all discards for a deal is called the “muck” or the “deadwood”.
dominated hand
A hand that is extremely unlikely to win against another specific hand, even though it may not be a poor hand in its own right. Most commonly used in Texas hold ‘em. A hand like A-Q, for example, is a good hand in general but is dominated by A-K, because whenever the former makes a good hand, the latter is likely to make a better one. A hand like 7-8 is a poor hand in general, but is not dominated by A-K because it makes different kinds of hands. See also domination.
door card
1. In a stud game, a player’s first face-up card. Patty paired her door card on fifth street and raised, so I put her on trips.
2. In Texas hold ‘em, the door card is the first visible card of the flop.
3. In Draw poker, the sometimes visible card at the bottom of a player’s hand. Players will often deliberately expose this card, especially at lowball.
double-ace flush
Under unconventional rules, a flush with one or more wild cards in which they play as aces, even if an ace is already present.
double-board, double-flop
Any of several community card game variants (usually Texas hold ‘em) in which two separate boards of community cards are dealt simultaneously, with the pot split between the winning hands using each board.
double-draw
Any of several Draw poker games in which the draw phase and subsequent betting round are repeated twice.
double raise
The minimum raise in a no-limit or pot-limit game, raising by just the amount of the current bet.
double suited
Used to describe an Omaha hold ‘em starting hand where two pairs of suited cards are held. May be abbreviated “ds” in written descriptions. AAJT (ds) is widely considered a premium pot-limit Omaha hold ‘em starting hand.
double up, double through
In a big bet game, to bet all of one’s chips on one hand against a single opponent (who has an equal or larger stack) and win, thereby doubling your stack. I was losing a bit, but then I doubled through Sarah to put me in good shape.
downcard
A card that is dealt facedown.
drag light
To pull chips away from the pot to indicate that you don’t have enough money to cover a bet. If you win, the amount is ignored. If you lose, you must cover the amount from your pocket. This is not allowed at any casino or any but the most casual home games; see table stakes.
draw, drawing hand
A hand that is not yet complete, and is waiting for the right card(s) to come to improve the hand. E.g. 4 cards to a flush, requiring one more card of the same suit to complete a flush.
drawing dead
Playing a drawing hand that will lose even if successful (a state of affairs usually only discovered after the fact or in a tournament when two or more players are “all in” and they show their cards). I caught the jack to make my straight, but Rob had a full house all along, so I was drawing dead.
drawing live
Not drawing dead; that is, drawing to a hand that will win if successful.
drawing thin
Not drawing completely dead, but chasing a draw in the face of poor odds. Example: a player who will only win by catching 1 or 2 specific cards is said to be drawing thin.
drop
1. To fold.
2. Money charged by the casino for providing its services, often dropped through a slot in the table into a strong box. See “rake”.
3. To drop ones cards to the felt to indicate that one is in or out of a game.
dry ace
In Omaha hold ‘em or Texas hold ‘em, refers to an ace in one’s hand without another card of the same suit. Used especially to describe the situation where the board presents a flush possibility, when the player does not in fact have a flush, but holding the ace presents some bluffing or semi-bluffing opportunity. Compare to “blocker”.
dry pot
A side pot with no money created when a player goes all in and is called by more than one opponent, but not raised.
duplicate
To counterfeit, especially when the counterfeiting card matches one already present in the one’s hand.
early position
See position.
eight or better
A common qualifier in High-low split games that use Ace-5 ranking. Only hands where the highest card is an eight or smaller can win the low portion of the pot.
equity
One’s mathematical expected value from the current deal, calculated by multiplying the amount of money in the pot by one’s probability of winning. For example, if the pot currently contains $100, and you estimate that you have a one in four chance of winning it, then your equity in the pot is $25. If a split is possible, the equity also includes the probability of winning a split times the size of that split; for example, if the pot has $100, and you have a 1/4 chance of winning and a 1/5 chance of taking a $50 split, your equity is $25 + $10 = $35.
expectation, expected value, EV
See expected value. Often used in poker to mean “profitability in the long run”.
exposed card
A card whose face has been deliberately or accidentally revealed to players normally not entitled to that information during the play of the game. Various games have different rules about how to handle this irregularity. Compare to “boxed card”.
family pot
A deal in which every (or almost every) seated player called the first opening bet.
fast
Aggressive play. I was afraid of too many chasers, so I played my trips fast. Compare to “speeding”.
feeder
In a casino setting, a second or third table playing the same game as a “main” table, and from which players move to the main game as players there leave. Also called a “must-move table.”
felt
The cloth covering of a poker table, whatever the actual material. Metaphorically, the table itself: Doyle and I have played across the felt. Also used to refer to table felt made visible by being uncluttered with chips from a player having lost them all or taken all of an opponent’s. I felted Carla when I filled up against her flush.
fifth street
1. The last card dealt to the board in community card games. Also “river”.
2. The fifth card dealt to each player in stud poker.
fill, fill up
To successfully draw to a hand that needs one card to complete it, by getting the last card of a straight, flush, or full house. Jerry made his flush when I was betting my kings up, but I filled on seventh street to catch up.
final table
The last table in a multi-table poker tournament. The final table is set when a sufficient amount of people have been eliminated from the tournament leaving an exact amount of players to occupy one table (typically no more than ten players).
five of a kind
A hand possible only in games with wild cards, or a game with more than one deck, defeating all other hands, comprising five cards of equal rank.
fixed limit, flat limit
See fixed limits.
flash
1. To show the bottom card of the deck while shuffling.
2. To show one or more downcards from one’s hand. After everyone folded, Ted flashed his bluff to the other players.
flat call
A call, in a situation where one might be expected to raise. Normally I raise with jacks, but with three limpers ahead of me I decided to flat call. Also “smooth call”. Compare to “cold call”, “overcall”. See slow play.
float
Calling a bet in order to take a pot down later, kind of like a bluff slowplay or a bluff call. e.g. You call suspected continuation bets on the flop in the hopes that the bettor will give up his unimproved AK and check on the turn. You then bet and hopefully take the pot away from the preflop aggressor. We are floating over the other guys flop bet looking for an opportunity to take the pot.
floorman, floorperson
A casino employee whose duties include adjudicating player disputes, keeping games filled and balanced, and managing dealers and other personnel. Players may shout “floor!” to call for a floorperson to resolve a dispute, to ask for a table or seat change, or to ask for some other casino service.
flop
See flop
flop game
A community card game.
flush
A hand comprising five cards of the same suit. See rank of hands.
fold
See fold.
fold equity
The extra value gained by forcing your opponents to fold, rather than seeing the showdown. See also equity.
forced bet
See forced bets.
forced-move
In a casino where more than one table is playing the same game with the same betting structure, one of the tables may be designated the “main” table, and will be kept full by requiring a player to move from one of the feeder tables to fill any vacancies. Players will generally be informed that their table is a “forced-move” table to be used in this way before they agree to play there. Also “must-move”.
forward motion
A house rule of some casinos states that if a player in turn picks up chips from his stack and moves his hand toward the pot (“forward motion with chips in hand”), this constitutes a commitment to bet (or call), and the player may not withdraw his hand to check or fold. Such a player still has the choice of whether to call or raise. Compare to “string bet”.
fouled hand
A hand that is ruled unplayable because of an irregularity, such as being found with too many or too few cards, having been mixed with cards of other players or the muck, having fallen off the table, etc. Compare to “dead hand”.
four-flush
Four cards of the same suit. A non-standard poker hand in some games, an incomplete drawing hand in most.
four of a kind
A hand containing four cards of equal rank. Also “quads”. See rank of hands.
four-straight
Four cards in rank sequence; either an open-ender or one-ender. A non-standard poker hand in some games, an incomplete drawing hand in most. Sometimes “four to a straight”.
fourth street
1. The fourth card dealt to the board in community card games. Also “turn”.
2. The fourth card dealt to each player in stud.
free card
A card dealt to one’s hand (or to the board of community cards) after a betting round in which no player opened. One is thereby being given a chance to improve one’s hand without having to pay anything. I wasn’t sure my hand was good, but I bet so I wouldn’t give a free card to Bill’s flush draw.
freeroll
See freeroll.
freezeout
The most common form of tournament. There’s no rebuy, play continues until one player has all the chips.
full house, full boat, full hand, full
A hand with three cards of one rank and two of a second rank. Also “boat”, “tight”. See rank of hands.
full bet rule
In some casinos, the rule that a player must wager the full amount required in order for his action to constitute a raise. For example, in a game with a $4 fixed limit, a player facing an opening bet of $4 who wagers $7 is deemed to have flat called, because $8 is required to raise. Compare to “half bet rule”. See Public cardroom rules and “All in” betting.
gap hand
In Texas hold ‘em, a gap hand is a starting hand with at least one rank separating the two cards. Usually referred to in context of one-gap and two-gap hands.
going south
To sneak a portion of your chips from the table while the game is underway. Normally prohibited in public card rooms. Also “ratholing”.
grinder
A player who earns a living by making small profits over a long period of consistent, conservative play. Compare to “rock”.
guts, guts to open
1. A game with no opening hand requirement; that is, where the only requirement to open the betting is “guts”, or courage.
2. Any of several poker variants where pots accumulate over several hands until a single player wins. See guts.
gut shot, gutshot
See inside straight draw.
gypsy
To enter the pot cheaply by just calling the blind rather than raising. Also “limp”.
half bet rule
In some casinos, the rule that placing chips equal to or greater than half the normal bet amount beyond the amount required to call constitutes a commitment to raise the normal amount. For example, in a game with a $4 fixed limit, a player facing a $4 opening bet who places $6 in the pot is deemed to have raised, and must complete his bet to $8. Compare to “full bet rule”. See Public cardroom rules and “all in” betting.
hand
See hand.
hand-for-hand
See hand-for-hand.
hand history
The textual representation of a hand (or hands) played in an Internet cardroom. See Poker tools.
hanger
When the bottom card of the deck sticks out beyond the others, an unwanted tell that the dealer is dealing from the bottom of the deck.
heads up
Playing against a single opponent. After Johnny folded, Jim and I were heads up for the rest of the hand.
heater
See rush.
high hand, high
The best hand using traditional poker hand values, as opposed to lowball. Used especially in high-low split games.
high card
1. A no pair hand, ranked according to its highest-ranking cards.
2. To defeat another player by virtue of high-ranking cards, especially kickers.
3. To randomly select a player for some purpose by having each draw one card, the highest of which is selected (for example, to decide who deals first). When all the players get here, we’ll high card for the button. Often high card by suit is used for this purpose.
high-low, high-low split
See high-low split.
hijack seat
The seat to the right of the cutoff seat, or second to the right of the button.
hole cards, hole
1. Face-down cards. Also “pocket cards”. I think Willy has two more queens in the hole.
2. A seat, often preceded by a number relative to the button. Sara opened from the 2-hole.
hole cam
a camera that displays a player’s face-down cards (“hole cards”) to television viewers. Also “pocket cam”.
home game
A game played at a private venue (usually the home of one of the players), as opposed to a casino or public cardroom.
horse
A player financially backed by someone else. I lost today, but Larry was my horse in the stud game, and he won big.
H.O.R.S.E.
See H.O.R.S.E..
ignorant end, idiot end
In flop games, a player drawing to, or even flopping, a straight with undercards to the flop has the idiot end of it. A player with 8-9 betting on a flop of A-T-J puts himself at great risk, because many of the cards that complete his straight give credible opponents higher ones.
implied pot odds, implied odds
See implied pot odds.
improve
To achieve a better hand than one currently holds by adding or exchanging cards as provided in the rules of the game being played. I didn’t think Paula was bluffing, so I decided not to call unless I improved on the draw.
inside straight
See inside straight draw. Also “belly buster”, “gutshot”. Compare to outside straight draw.
insurance
A “business” deal in which players agree to split or reduce a pot (roughly in proportion to the chances of each of them winning) with more cards to come rather than playing out the hand, or else a deal where one player makes a side bet against himself with a third party to hedge against a large loss.
in the middle
1. In a game with multiple blinds, an incoming player may sometimes be allowed to post the blinds “in the middle” (that is, out of their normal order) rather than having to wait for them to pass.
2. A player being whipsawed is said to be “in the middle”.
in the money
To place high enough in a poker tournament to get prize money. Also “ITM”.
in turn
A player, or an action, is said to be in turn if that player is expected to act next under the rules. Jerry said “check” while he was in turn, so he’s not allowed to raise.
irregular declaration
An action taken by a player in turn that is not a straightforward declaration of intent, but that is reasonably interpreted as an action by other players, such as pointing a thumb up to signify “raise”. House rules or dealer discretion may determine when such actions are meaningful and/or binding.
irregularity
Any of a number of abnormal conditions in play, such as unexpectedly exposed cards, that may call for corrective action. See Public cardroom rules.
isolation
See isolation.
jackpot
1. A game of “jackpot poker” or “jackpots”, which is a variant of five-card draw with an ante from each player, no blinds, and an opening requirement of a pair of jacks or better.
2. A large pool of money collected by the house and awarded for some rare occurrence, typically a bad beat.
joker
A 53rd card used mostly in draw games. The joker may usually be used as an Ace, or a card to complete a straight or flush, in high games, and as the lowest card not already present in a hand at low. See bug. A joker may give a player a great many outs.
juice
Money collected by the house. Also “vig”, “vigorish”. See rake.
kicker
See kicker.
kill game, kill pot
See kill game.
kitty
A pool of money built by collecting small amounts from certain pots, often used to buy refreshments, cards, and so on. The home-game equivalent of a rake.
A “loose aggressive” style of play in which a player plays a lot of starting hands and makes many small raises in hopes of out-playing his opponents.
laydown
A tough choice to fold a good hand in anticipation of superior opposition.
lead
The player who makes the last bet or raise in a round of betting is said to have the lead at the start of the next round. Can also be used as a verb meaning to bet out into the pot, “to lead into the pot.”
level
Used in tournament play to refer to the size of the blinds which are periodically increased. For example, in the first level the small blind / big blind may be $50 / $100, in the second level the blinds may be $100 / $200.
leg-up, leg-up button
The button used to signify who has won the previous hand in a kill game. Winning a pot in a “2 consecutive pots” kill game with the leg-up button in front of you, results in a kill.
light
A hand which is not likely to be best. Usually used as an action descriptor; “call light”, “3-bet light”. See semi-bluff.
limit
1. The minimum or maximum amount of a bet.
2. See fixed limit.
limp, limp in
To enter a pot by simply calling the bet to them instead of raising, called so because a player with a marginal hand may be willing to pay the minimum to see more cards, but would likely fold if the bet increased further.
limp-reraise
A reraise from a player that previously limped in the same betting round. I decided to limp-reraise with my pocket eights to isolate the all-in player. Also backraise.
live bet
A bet posted by a player under conditions that give him the option to raise even if no other player raises first; typically because it was posted as a blind or straddle, or to enter a new game.
live cards
In stud poker games, cards that will improve your hand that have not been seen among anyone’s upcards, and are therefore presumably still available. In games such as Texas hold ‘em, a player’s hand is said to contain “live” cards if matching either of them on the board would give that player the lead over his opponent. Typically used to describe a hand that is weak, but not dominated.
live game
A game with a lot of action, usually including many unskilled players, especially maniacs. See also live poker, below.
live poker
A retronym for poker played with at a table with cards, as opposed to video poker or online poker.
lock up
To “lock up” a seat in a cash game means to place a poker chip, player’s card, or other personal effect on the table in front of the seat, to signify that the seat is occupied even though the player may not be present.
loose
See loose/tight play. Compare to “tight”, “aggressive”, “passive”.
low
1. The lowest card by rank.
2. The low half of the pot in a high-low split.
A measure of the health of a chip stack as a function of the cost to play each round. See M-ratio.
made hand
See made hand. Compare to a drawing hand.
match the pot
To put in an amount equal to all the chips in the pot.
micro-limit
Internet poker games with stakes so small that real cardrooms couldn’t possibly profit from them, are said to be at the “micro-limit” level (e.g. 25¢-50¢).
misdeal
A deal which is ruined for some reason and must be redealt.
missed blind
A required bet that is not posted when it is a player’s turn to do so, perhaps occurring when a player absents himself from the table. Various rules require the missed bet to be made up upon the player’s return.
move in
In a no-limit game, to “move in” or to “go all in” means to bet one’s entire stake on the hand in play. See table stakes.
muck
1. To fold.
2. To discard one’s hand without revealing the cards. Often done after winning without a showdown or at a showdown when a better hand has already been revealed.
3. The discard pile “There were only a couple of cards in the muck”
multi-way pot
A pot where several players compete for it. Also known as a family pot.
negative freeroll
See negative freeroll.
no-limit
Rules designating players are allowed to wager any or all of their chips in a single bet. See no-limit.
nut hand (the nuts)
The nut hand is the best possible hand in a given situation. See nut hand.
offsuit
Cards that are not of the same suit. The ace of clubs and the king of spades are called ace-king offsuit
one-chip rule
A call of a previous bet using a chip of higher denomination than necessary is considered a call unless it is verbally announced as a raise.
one-eyed royals
See one-eyed royals.
one-ended straight draw
Four out of five cards needed for a straight that can only be completed with one specific rank of card, in cases where the needed card rank is either higher or lower than the cards already held as part of the sequence; as opposed to an inside straight draw or an open-ended straight draw
While A-2-3-4 and A-K-Q-J are the only truly one-ended straight draw possibilities, an open-ended straight draw could be considered one-ended if one of the card ranks needed to complete it would also give an opponent a hand of higher rank than a straight. Example: Player A has 8s-9c in the pocket, Player B has 10d-10c in the pocket. The flop and turn were 7c-6d-Ks-6h. Player B would complete a full house with a 6 or a 10. Player A would complete a straight with a 5 or a 10. While strictly speaking Player A has an open-ended straight draw, it can also be referred to as a one-ended straight draw because one of the ends – the 10 – would not help the hand. The odds of completing a one-ended straight draw are the same as the odds of completing an inside straight draw[3]
open
To bet first. See open.
open-ended straight draw, open-ended
An outside straight draw. Also “two-way straight draw”.
openers
The cards held by a player in a game of “jackpots” entitling him to open the pot. “Splitting openers” refers to holding onto one of your openers after discarding it to prove you had the necessary cards to open should you win the pot.
open limp
Being the first person in the pot preflop, but not raising.
option
1. An optional bet or draw, such as getting an extra card facedown for 50 cents or raising on the big blind when checked all the way around.
2. The right to raise possessed by the big blind if there have been no raises.
outs
See out.
outside straight draw
See outside straight draw. Also “two-way straight draw”.
overbet
To make a bet that is more than the size of the pot in a no limit game.
overcall
To call a bet after others have called, esp. big bets. Jim bet, Alice called, then Ted overcalled. Compare to “cold call”, “flat call”, “smooth call”.
overcard
1. A community card with a higher rank than a player’s pocket pair.
2. A higher card. Ted held two overcards to Jill’s pair with two cards to come.
overpair
In community card games such as Texas hold ‘em and Omaha hold ‘em, a pocket pair with a higher rank than any community card.
overs
An option to increase the stakes in limit games. Players may elect to play or not play overs; those who choose to play display some sort of token. If, at the beginning of a betting round after the first, only overs players remain in the hand, bets of twice the present limit are allowed. Most often used in home games as a compromise between aggressive and meek players.
P
paint
Any royal card. Used mostly in lowball games, where royal cards are rarely helpful.
pair
See one pair
passive
A style of play characterized by checking and calling. Compare to “aggressive”, “loose”, “tight”.
pat
Already complete. A hand is a pat hand when, for example, a flush comes on the first five cards dealt in Draw poker. Also see made hand.
pay off
To call a bet when you are most likely drawing dead because the pot odds justify the call.
penny ante
Frivolous, low stakes, or “for fun” only; A game where no significant stake is likely to change hands.
perfect
The best possible cards, in a lowball hand, after those already named. For example, 7-perfect would be 7-4-3-2-A, and 8-6-perfect would be 8-6-3-2-A.
pick-up
When the house picks up cash from the dealer after a player buys chips.
play the board
In games such as Texas hold ‘em, where 5 community cards are dealt, if your best hand is on the board and you go to the showdown you are said to “play the board”.
pocket cards
See “hole cards”.
pocket pair
In community card poker or stud poker, when two of a player’s private cards make a pair. Also “wired pair”.
poker face
A blank expression that does not reveal anything about the cards being held. Often used outside the world of poker.
position
See position.
position bet
A bet that is made more due to the strength of the bettor’s position than the strength of the bettor’s cards.
post
To make the required small or big blind bet in Texas hold ‘em or other games played with blinds rather than antes
post dead
To post a bet amount equal to the small and the big blind combined (the amount of the large blind playing as a live blind, and the amount of the small blind as dead money). In games played with blinds, a player who steps away from the table and misses his turn for the blinds must either post dead or wait for the big blind to re-enter the game. Compare to “dead blind”.
pot
See pot.
pot-committed
More often in the context of a no limit game; the situation where you can no longer fold because the size of the pot is so large compared to the size of your stack.
pot-limit
See pot limit.
pot odds
See pot odds.
pre-flop
On flop games refers to the time when players already have their pocket cards but no flop has been dealt yet. It’s also the first round of bets.
probe bet
A bet after the flop by a player who did not take the lead in betting before the flop (and when the player that did take the lead in betting before the flop declined to act). Compare to “continuation bet”.
prop, proposition player
A player who gets paid an hourly rate to start poker games or to help them stay active. Prop players play with their own money, which distinguishes them from shills, who play with the casino’s money.
protection, protect
See protection.
put the clock (on someone)
See call the clock.
push
To bet all in.
put on
To put someone on a hand is to deduce what hand they have based on their actions and your knowledge of their gameplay. See also tells.
Q
quads
Four of a kind.
qualifier, qualifying low
A qualifying low hand. High-low split games often require a minimum hand value, such as 8-high, in order to award the low half of the pot. In some home games, there are qualifiers for high hands as well: “Seven stud, trips-eight”.
quarter
To win a quarter of a pot, usually by tying the low or high hand of a high-low split game. Generally, this is an unwanted outcome, as a player is often putting in a third of the pot in the hope of winning a quarter of the pot back.
rabbit hunt
After a hand is complete, to reveal cards that would have been dealt later in the hand had it continued. This is usually prohibited in casinos because it slows the game and may reveal information about concealed hands. Also “fox hunt”.
rack
1. A collection of 100 chips of the same denomination, usually arranged in 5 stacks in a plastic tray.
2. A plastic tray used for storing a rack of chips.
rag
A low-valued (and presumably worthless) card. I don’t like playing ace-rag from that position. Hence “ragged”/”raggy” – having a low value: The flop was pretty ragged, so I figured my queens were good. Though note that if a flop consists of consecutive or same-suited low-value cards then it is not ragged/raggy, as it could be valuable as part of a straight or flush.
rail
The rail is the sideline at a poker table – the (often imaginary) rail separating spectators from the field of play. Watching from the rail means watching a poker game as a spectator. “Going to the rail” usually means “Losing all one’s money”.
railbird
A non-participatory spectator of a poker game
rainbow
Three or four cards of different suits, especially said of a flop.
raise
See raise.
rake
See rake. Also “juice”, “vig”, “vigorish”.
rakeback
Rebate/repayment to a player of a portion of the rake paid by that player, normally from a non-cardroom, third-party source such as an affiliate. Rakeback is paid in many ways by online poker rooms, affiliates or brick and mortar rooms. Many use direct money payments for online poker play. Brick and Mortar rooms usually use rate cards to track and pay their rakeback.
range of hands
Term used for the list of holdings that a player considers a opponent might have when trying to deduce their holding. See also “put on”.
rathole
To remove a portion of your chips from the table while the game is underway. Normally prohibited in public card rooms. Also “going south”.
rebuy
An amount of chips purchased after the buy-in. In some tournaments, players are allowed to rebuy chips one or more times for a limited period after the start of the game, providing that their stack is at or under its initial level. Compare with “add-on”.
redeal
To deal a hand again, possibly after a misdeal.
redraw
1. To make one hand and have a draw for a better hand. Ted made a straight on the turn with a redraw for a flush on the river..
2. Second or later draws in a draw game with multiple draws.
represent
To represent a hand is to play as if you hold it (whether you actually hold it or are bluffing).
reraise
Raise after one has been raised. Also coming “over the top”.
ring game
See ring game.
river
See river.
rock
1. A very tight player (plays very few hands and only continues with strong hands).
2. A bundle of chips held together with a rubber band, or other token signifying an obligatory live straddle. If the player under the gun has the rock, he must use it to post a live straddle. The winner of the pot collects the rock and is obligated to use it in turn.
rolled-up trips
In seven-card stud, three of a kind dealt in the first three cards.
rounder
An expert player who travels around to seek out high-stakes games
royal cards
Royal card are also known as face cards or picture cards. These cards consist of the Jack, Queen, and King of any suit.
runner-runner
A hand made by hitting two consecutive cards on the turn and river. Also “backdoor”. Compare to “bad beat” and “suck out”.
rush
A prolonged winning streak. A player who has won several big pots recently is said to be on a rush. Also “heater”.
sandbag
See slow play.
satellite
A tournament in which the prize is a free entrance to another (larger) tournament.
scare card
A card dealt face up (either to a player in a game such as stud or to the board in a community card game) that could create a strong hand for someone. The Jack of spades on the turn was a scare card because it put both flush and straight possibilities on the board.
scoop
In high-low split games, to win both the high and the low half of the pot.
second pair
In community card poker games, a pair of cards of the second-top rank on the board. Compare bottom pair, top pair.
sell
In spread limit poker, to sell a hand is to bet less than the maximum with a strong hand, in the hope that more of your opponents will call the bet.
semi-bluff
When a player bluffs on one round of betting with an inferior or drawing hand that might improve in a later round. See semi-bluff.
set
Three of a kind, esp. the situation where two of the cards are concealed in the player’s hole cards. Compare to “trips”.
set-up
A deck that has been ordered, usually King to Ace by suit (spades, hearts, clubs and diamonds). In casinos, it is customary to use a set-up deck when introducing a new deck to the table. The set-up is spread face up for the players to demonstrate that all of the cards are present before the first shuffle. Also called to “spade the deck”.
sevens rule
A rule in many A-5 lowball games that requires a player with a seven-low or better after the draw to bet, rather than check or check-raise. In some venues a violator loses any future interest in the pot; in others he forfeits his interest entirely.
shark
A professional player. See also card sharp.
shoe
A slanted container used to hold the cards yet to be dealt, usually used by casinos or in professional poker tournaments.
shill
See shill. Compare to “proposition player”.
shootout
A poker tournament format where the last remaining player of a table goes on to play the remaining players of other tables. Each table plays independently of the others; that is, there is no balancing as players are eliminated. This format is particularly common in European televised poker programs, including Late Night Poker.
short buy
In no-limit poker, to buy in to a game for considerably less money than the stated maximum buyin, or less than other players at the table have in play.
short stack
A stack of chips that is relatively small for the stakes being played.
shorthanded
A poker game that is played with around six players or less, as opposed to a full ring game, which is usually nine or ten players.
showdown
See showdown.
side game
A ring game running concurrently with a tournament made up of players who have either been eliminated or opted not to play the tournament.
side pot
A separate pot created to deal with the situation of one player going “all in”. See table stakes.
sit and go
A poker tournament with no scheduled starting time that starts whenever the necessary players have put up their money. Single-table sit-and-goes, with nine or ten players, are the norm, but multi-table games are common as well. Also called sit n’ gos and a variety of other similar spellings.
slow play
See slow play.
slow roll
To delay or avoid showing one’s hand at showdown, forcing other players to expose their hands first. When done while holding a good hand likely to be the winner, it is considered poor etiquette, because it often gives other players “false hope” that their hands might win before the slow-roller’s is exposed.
small blind
See blinds.
smooth call
See “flat call”.
snow
1. To play a worthless hand misleadingly in draw poker in order to bluff.
2. The worthless hand in question.
soft-play
To intentionally go easy on a player (e.g. not betting or raising against him when you usually would).
splash the pot
To throw one’s chips in the pot in a disorderly fashion. Not typically allowed, because the dealer can’t tell how much has been bet.
split
See split and high-low split.
split two pair
In community card poker, a two pair hand, with each pair made of one of your hole cards, and one community card.
spread
The range between a table’s minimum and maximum bets.
spread-limit
A form of limit poker where the bets and raises can be between a minimum and maximum value. The spread may change between rounds.
squeeze play
A bluff reraise in no limit hold’em with marginal or poor cards, after another player or players have already called the original raise. The goal is to bluff everyone out of the hand and steal the bets. Assuming a standard raise of 3-4BB, a Squeeze bet is about 20BB.
stack
1. The total chips and currency that a player has in play at a given moment.
2. A collection of 20 poker chips of the same denomination, usually arranged in an orderly column.
stakes
The definition of the amount one buys in for and can bet. For example, a “low stakes” game might be a $10 buy-in with a $1 maximum raise.
stand pat
In draw poker, playing the original hand using no draws, either as a bluff or in the belief it is the best hand.
starting hand
See starting hand.
steal
See steal.
steam
A state of anger, mental confusion, or frustration in which a player adopts a less than optimal strategy, usually resulting in poor play and poor performance. See steam. Compare to ’tilt’.
stop and go
Stop and go or stop ‘n’ go is when a player bets into another player who has previously raised or otherwise shown aggression. Example: On the flop, Bill bets into Tom, Tom raises, and Bill just calls. On the turn, Bill bets into Tom again. Bill has just pulled a stop ‘n’ go play.
Another version of the “stop and go” is in tournament poker when a player raises pre-flop with the intention of going all in after the flop regardless of the cards that fall. This is typically done when the blinds are high and every chip becomes vital.
straddle bet
See straddle bets.
straight
1. Poker hand: see straight.
2. When used with an amount, indicates that the speaker is referring to the total bet, versus the amount being raised. Alice bets twenty. Bob raises to fifty straight. Also “altogether” or “all day”.
straight flush
See straight flush.
strategy card
A wallet sized card that is commonly used to help with poker strategies in online and casino games.
string bet
A call with one motion and a later raise with another, or a reach for more chips without stating the intended amount. String bets are prohibited in public cardroom rules. Compare to “forward motion”. A player can (and should) defend himself against string bet complaints by declaring his intention before moving any chips. Note that the “I call, and raise…” cliche is a string bet.
structured
A structured betting system is one where the spread of the bets may change from round to round.
stud
1. A variant of poker. See stud poker.
2. A card dealt face up in Stud poker.
suited
Having the same suit. See card suits.
suited connectors
See suited connectors.
super satellite
A multi-table poker tournament in which the prize is a free entrance to a satellite tournament or a tournament in which all the top finishers gain entrance to a larger tournament.
table stakes
See table stakes.
tag
A “tight aggressive” style of play in which a player plays a small number of strong starting hands, but when in pots plays aggressively.
tell
A tell in poker is a detectable change in a player’s behavior or demeanor that gives clues to that player’s assessment of his hand. A player gains an advantage if he observes and understands the meaning of another player’s tell, particularly if the tell is unconscious and reliable. Sometimes a player may fake a tell, hoping to induce his opponents to make poor judgments in response to the false tell. See tell.
third man walking
A player who gets up from his seat in a cash game, after two other players are already away from the table, is referred to as the “third man walking”. In a casino with a “third man walking rule”, this player may be required to return to his seat within 10 minutes, or one rotation of the deal around the table, or else his seat in the game will be forfeited if there is a waiting list for the game.
three bet, three betting, 3-bet, 3bet
To be the first player to put in a third unit of betting. For example, if Bob opens for $10, and Mary raises to make the bet $20, if Ted also raises to make the bet $30, this is to “three bet”. (Before the flop, 3-betting means re-raising the first raiser.)
three of a kind
See three of a kind. Also “trips”, “set”.
three pair
In a seven card game, such as seven-card stud or Texas hold ‘em, it is possible for a player to have 3 pairs, although a player can only play two of them as part of a standard 5-card poker hand. This situation may jokingly be referred to as a player having a hand of three pair. Note that in Omaha hold ‘em, it is possible to “have” 4 pair in the same manner.
tight
1. See loose/tight play. Compare to “loose”, “aggressive”, “passive”.
2. Having a tight is also slang for a “full house”.
tilt
Emotional upset, mental confusion, or frustration in which a player adopts a less than optimal strategy, usually resulting in poor play and poor performance. See tilt. Compare with ‘steam’.
to go
A term used to describe the amount that a player is required to call in order to stay in the hand, “Alice was deciding whether to call now it was $50 to go.”
toke
In a brick and mortar casino, a toke is a “tip” given to the dealer by the winner of the pot. Tokes often represent a large percentage of a dealer’s income.
top kicker
In community card poker games, top kicker is the best possible kicker to some given hand. Usually it would be an Ace, but with an Ace on the board it would be a King or lower. Having “top pair, top kicker” is frequently enough to win a Texas hold ‘em hand.
top pair
In community card poker games, top pair is a pair comprising a pocket card and the highest ranking card on the board. Compare second pair, bottom pair.
top two
A split two pair, matching the highest-ranking two flop cards.
trey
A 3-spot card. Casino personnel refer to the 3♣ as the “trey of clubs”.
trips
When one of a player’s hole cards in Texas hold ‘em connects with two cards on the board to make three of a kind. This differs from a set where three of a kind is made when a pocket pair connects with one card on the flop to make three of a kind.
Three of a kind. Compare to “set”.
Three cards of the same rank with 2 of them from the community cards, e.g. 3 Jacks. This is different to a “set” where only 1 card from the community cards are used and a hidden pair from the player’s hole cards is used to form 3 cards from the same rank.
turn
The community card that is dealt after the flop is seen.
under the gun
The playing position to the direct left of the blinds in Texas hold ‘em or Omaha hold ‘em. The player who is under the gun must act first on the first round of betting.
underdog
An underdog or dog is a player with a smaller chance to win than another specified player. Frequently used when the exact odds are expressed. Harry might have been bluffing, but if he really had the king, my hand was a 4-to-1 dog, so I folded.
up
When used with a card rank to describe a poker hand, refers to two pair with the named card being the higher pair. For example, a hand of QQ885 might be called “queens up”.
upcard
See upcard.
up the ante
Increase the stake. Also commonly used outside the context of poker.
upstairs
See raise.
value bet
A bet made by a player who wants it to be called (as opposed to a bluff or protection bet). This is typically because he has a superior hand that he expects to win at showdown, or a very good draw for which he can increase his pot equity by more than the amount of his bet. See value.
vigorish, vig
The rake. See vigorish.
wake up
To “wake up with a hand” means to discover a strong starting hand, often when there has already been action in front of the player.
walk
A walk is the situation where all players fold to the big blind.
wash
To mix the deck by spreading the cards face down on the table and mixing them up. A dealer may wash the deck before shuffling.
weak ace
An ace with a low kicker (e.g. four). Also “small ace,” “soft ace,” “ace-rag.”
wheel
1. A 5-high straight (A-2-3-4-5), with the Ace playing low. See wheel.
2. In deuce-to-seven lowball, the nut low hand (2-3-4-5-7).
wild card
See wild card. Compare to bug.
window card
An upcard in stud poker. The first window card in stud is called the “door card”. In Texas hold’em and Omaha, the window card is the first card shown when the dealer puts out the three cards for the flop.
wrap
In Omaha hold ‘em, an open ended straight draw comprising two board cards and three or four cards from a player’s hand. A player holding 345A with the board 67K has a “wrap”, as any 3, 4, or 5, or 8 will make a straight. A hand of 4589 would also be a wrap draw, but would often be referred to as a “big wrap” because it has twenty outs rather than thirteen, and is not at the idiot end.
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