Poker seems exciting, but learning the game can be tricky when you’re stumbling on some jargon that makes it sound like another language! Good thing is: you’ll never feel lost again with our poker terminology guide. We’ve got you covered, from the everyday bets to the advanced strategy names so that you can walk into any game with confidence.
Table of Contents: Poker terminology
A to C: Poker Terminology
Ace High. A poker hand with an Ace as the highest card, without any pairs or better combinations.
Aces Up. Another poker hand, this time containing a two pair, one of which is Aces.
Action. It refers to the available options during a hand, such as a bet, raise, call, check, or fold.
Add-On. Additional chips that were purchased during a tournament break for a fee.
Aggression Factor. A ratio comparing aggressive actions (betting and raising) to passive actions (calling).
Alias. In casino and poker terminology, it is an online screen name used by a poker player.
All-In. Betting all of one’s chips.
Angle Shooting. Manipulating the rules to gain an unfair advantage. Per most poker etiquette in land-based and online casinos, it is considered one of the strategies to avoid.
Ante. It’s a small mandatory bet that’s made by all players before any cards are dealt.
Backdoor Draw. Completing a hand by hitting needed cards on the turn and river.
Bad Beat. Losing a hand where the player was initially a strong favorite.
Bankroll. This is total amount of money a player sets aside for a game of poker. In our poker strategies guide, it’s important to manage one’s bankroll.
Barrel. Betting again on a subsequent street after betting on the previous one.
Big Blind. The larger of the two forced bets, typically double the small blind.
Blank. A card that does not affect the hand’s strength.
Blinds. Forced bets that are posted by players to the left of the dealer button.
Bluff. Poker bluffs are betting with a weak hand to induce opponents to fold stronger hands.
Board. The community cards in poker games like Hold’em and Omaha.
Boat. In poker terminology, it’s a quick slang for a full house.
Bot. A non-human player, typically software that plays poker online.
Bottom Pair. A pair made with the lowest card on the board.
Bounty. A prize that’s awarded for knocking out a specific player in a tournament.
Brick. A card that does not help improve anyone’s hand.
Broadway. Any Ten, Jack, Queen, King, or Ace. It also refers to the Ace-high straight.
Bubble. The position in a tournament where the next player eliminated will not win a prize.
Burn. Discarding the top card before dealing with community cards to prevent cheating.
Button. The dealer is one of the main poker positions. This position is advantageous as it acts last post-flop.
Buy-In. The amount of money required to join a poker game.
Call. In poker slang, it is matching the current highest bet to stay in the hand.
Calling Station. A poker player who calls frequently, but they rarely raise.
Check. A poker term that means passing the action to the next player without betting.
Check-Raise. A deceptive poker strategy where a player checks early on in a betting round and then raises when an opponent bets.
Coinflip. A situation where two hands have nearly equal chances of winning.
Cold-Call. Calling a bet after there has already been a bet and a raise.
Community Cards. These are poker cards that are dealt face-up in the center of the table so all players can use them.
Connector. In poker terms, it’s the two consecutive rank cards, such as 7 and 8.
Continuation Bet (C-bet). Betting on the flop after being the last aggressor pre-flop.
Counterfeit. When a board card decreases the value of a made hand.
Cutoff (CO). The position that’s directly to the right of the button.
D to N: Poker Terms
Dead Man’s Hand. Two pairs, Aces and Eights.
Dealer. The person who deals the cards; also refers to the player in the dealer position.
Deuce. A card with a rank value of two.
Donk Bet. A bet made by a player who called on the previous street.
Draw. In poker terms, it’s a hand that needs further cards to become a strong hand.
Drawing Dead. A situation where no possible cards can give a winning hand.
Effective Stack. The smallest stack size in play, determining the maximum possible bet.
Equity. The chance of a hand winning the pot.
Expected Value (EV). The long-term profitability of a play.
Family Pot. A pot where most players at the table are involved.
Favorite. A hand or a player that’s statistically likely to win.
Fish. In poker terminology, it’s also known as a weak or inexperienced player.
Flop. The first three community cards dealt in Hold’em and Omaha.
Flush. In poker hand rankings, it’s five cards containing the same suit.
Fold. Discarding a hand and forfeiting any chips already bet.
Four of a Kind. A poker hand with four cards with the same rank.
Full House. Another poker hand, but this time three of a kind and a pair.
Gutshot. It’s a straight draw that needs a specific middle card.
Heads-Up. A hand or game involving only two players.
High Card. The highest card in a hand with no pairs or better.
Implied Odds. It’s about considering future bets you might get from players if you improve your hand. Basically, you’re hoping your opponent will call when you hit what you need.
Kicker. The highest side card in a hand that breaks ties.
Limp. Entering the pot by calling rather than raising.
Live Bet. A bet placed in a situation where it could influence other players.
Muck. Discarding a hand without showing it.
No-Limit. A betting structure where players can bet any amount up to their entire stack.
Nuts. In poker terms, it’s the best possible hand at any given situation in the game.
O to S: Terms in Poker
Offsuit. Cards of different suits.
Omaha. One of the poker variations where players use community cards and are dealt four-hole cards during the pre-flop betting round.
Open-Ended Straight Draw. In poker terminology, it’s a straight draw that two different cards can complete.
Outs. Cards that will improve a hand to a likely winner.
Overcard. A card higher than any on the board.
Overpair. A pocket pair higher than any community card.
Pocket Pair. A pair dealt as the initial two hole cards.
Position. In poker terms, it’s the order in which players act during a hand.
Pot. A pile of poker chips that’s placed in the middle of the table and is wagered in a hand. Learn more about poker chips and their values.
Pot-Committed. Being so invested in the pot that folding is not an option.
Pot-Limit. A betting structure where bets are limited to the current pot size.
Quads. In poker terminology, it’s another term for four of a kind.
Raise. Increasing the size of the current bet.
Rake. The fee that’s taken by the house from each pot.
Rebuy. Buying more chips after losing all in a tournament.
Ring Game. Another term for a cash game.
River. The fifth and final community card that’s dealt.
Royal Flush. It is the best possible poker hand in a game, consisting of Ten, Jack, Queen, King, and Ace of the same suit.
Satellite. A smaller buy-in tournament that awards entry to a larger tournament.
Semi-Bluff. Bluffing with a drawing hand that has the potential to improve.
Short Stack. A player with a relatively small number of chips.
Side Pot. A pot that’s created when one or more players are all-in.
Sit-and-Go. A tournament that starts when a predetermined number of players have registered.
Slow Play. Playing a strong hand passively to trap opponents.
Small Blind (SB). In poker terms, it’s the smaller of the two forced bets.
Split Pot. A pot where two or more players bet the same hand. Thus, the pot is divided between them.
Straddle. It’s an optional blind bet that’s made before the cards are dealt.
Straight. A poker hand with five cards in consecutive rank order.
Straight Flush. Another poker hand where there are five consecutive cards of the same suit.
T to Z: Poker Terminology
Three-Bet. The third bet in a sequence, typically a re-raise.
Tilt. Playing recklessly due to emotional distress.
Top Pair. A pair made with the highest card on the board.
Under the Gun (UTG). It is the first position to act in a betting round of poker, and the most likely to receive the most pressure. Learn more about UTG and other poker positions through 12BET Casino’s poker strategies for beginners.
Underbet. A poker bet that’s the size of less than half of the pot.
Underdog. In poker terminology, it’s the longer word for the abbreviation of “dog”. This describes a hand or player that is statistically unlikely to win.
Upcard. A poker card that’s dealt to the player in Stud face up. This means it is a card visible to the entire table.
Upswing. Poker slang for a prolonged or consistent period of winning (especially when the winrate is higher than anticipated). I.e. running good.
Value Bet. A bet made with a strong hand hoping to get weaker hands to call.
Variance. In poker terms, it describes the ups and downs of a poker player’s career. Poker variance is much more significant than many players realize.
Variant. Also known as a different type of poker game. Some examples are: Hold’em, Omaha, Stud, 5-card Draw, etc.
Vulnerable. A poker hand is considered vulnerable if it is susceptible to being outdrawn.
Wrap Around Straight. A straight poker hand where the Ace falls somewhere in the middle of the five cards. Unfortunately, it is not a legal hand in most poker variants.
WSOP. A short acronym for one of the most prestigious poker events of all time: The World Series of Poker. It is poker tournament held every year in Las Vegas, USA.
WTSD. In poker terminology, it’s an abbreviation of “Went to showdown.” This measures how often a player goes on to see a showdown after seeing a flop.
WWSF. It stands for “won when saw flop”. This measures how often a player wins the entire hand after seeing the flop.