Complete Dictionary of Poker Terms
Poker is a well-known game rich in intellectual elements. There are many strategic and tactical options in the game, which are actively used by many players on the PokerMatch website. It’s undoubtedly an exciting game, preferred by many gambling enthusiasts all over the world.
Contents
Glossary, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, W
Poker, which has been around for decades, has its own terminology. Players seated at the table should stick to this lingo. This way, you’ll be seen as “one of the crew,” and it makes communication easier. Below is a list of useful poker terms.
Poker Terms by Alphabet
A
Ace-high
A hand with five cards including an Ace as the highest card, but with no possible combination like a straight or flush.
Action
Refers to any move made by a player during the game. This term can also refer to a hand where there is a lot of betting action.
Active player
A player who remains in the hand and is currently participating in the game.
Agressive game
A playing style where a gambler constantly raises and doesn’t check or fold. Bets are aggressive and assertive.
All-in
When a player bets all the chips they have. Everything is on the line.
Ante
A required forced bet before the start of a hand.
B
BadBeat
Occurs when a weak hand on the river beats a very strong hand. It happens more often than you’d expect.
Backdoor
When a player unexpectedly makes a strong hand on the turn or river, such as a backdoor flush they didn’t plan to build.
Backraise
When a player first calls a bet and then re-raises later in the same betting round.
Bank, bankroll
The total amount of money a player has available for betting. It can refer to the pot or to a player’s total balance for betting at any time.
Bet
The act of placing chips into the pot; essentially a wager made during the game.
Bet odds
The potential advantage a player has after considering the size of the bet relative to the pot.
BetThePot
When a player bets an amount equal to the current size of the pot.
Big blind
A mandatory bet placed by the player two seats left of the dealer, before the cards are dealt. New players joining mid-hand must post a big blind regardless of position.
Big Slick
A starting hand that contains Ace and King.
Blinds
Mandatory bets posted by players to the left of the dealer before the cards are dealt. Includes small and big blinds, typically with the small blind being half the size of the big one.
Blind raise
A raise made by a player without looking at their own cards.
Bluff
A move where a player acts as if they have a strong hand to intimidate opponents and force them to fold.
Board cards
Community cards dealt face-up in the center of the table and shared by all players. In Texas Hold’em, there are five such cards.
Bottom pair
A pair made using the lowest-ranked community card.
Bullets
A slang term for pocket Aces.
Button
A dealer marker that moves clockwise around the table, determining the order of play and betting.
Buy-in
The minimum amount of money required to join a game or tournament. It’s like buying a seat at the table.
C
Call
In other words, it's the action of matching a bet.
Call Cold
A situation where a previous bet has been raised and the player calls both bets at once.
Cap
The final possible raise in a betting round. A cap is the last allowed raise.
Cash Out
The player leaves the game and exchanges all won chips for their cash equivalent.
Check
The gambler wants to stay in the hand without placing a bet. In other words, they pass the turn by saying “check.”
Check-raise
First, the player checks, then raises during the same betting round.
Chop
If players fold before the flop, the blinds are returned to them.
D
Dealer
The person responsible for dealing the cards and overseeing the game. In online games, this is handled by software.
Dealer's position
This determines which player will act last during the betting round. Also known as the "button position." The placement of the dealer affects the small and big blind positions.
Diamonds
One of the four card suits.
Disconnect Protection
A feature that protects players from disconnection issues during the game.
Dominated hand
A hand that appears strong initially but ultimately loses to a stronger hand.
Dominating Hand
A strong hand with good potential to become even stronger.
Down card
A face-down card, usually referring to a hole card dealt privately to the player.
Drawing hand
A hand that needs one more card to complete a winning combination, like a flush or straight.
Drop
The player folds and chooses not to continue in the hand.
Deuces
Two twos (2s) in a hand.
E
Early position
A seating position where the player must act early in the betting round. Typically to the left of the blinds. The number of early position players depends on the total number of players at the table.
F
Fifth Street
In flop games, it’s the fifth community card dealt before the final round of betting — also known as the river. In stud games, it's the third betting round card.
Flop
In Texas Hold’em, the first three community cards dealt face-up in the center of the table, before the second round of betting begins.
Flush
A poker hand consisting of five cards of the same suit.
Flush Draw
The player holds four cards of the same suit and hopes to draw a fifth to complete a flush in future betting rounds.
Fold
The player discards their hand, choosing not to continue in the round after being prompted to act.
Forced Bet
A compulsory bet required to initiate the action in the first betting round. New or returning players must also place a forced bet to join the game.
Four of a kind
A hand consisting of four cards of the same rank, such as four Queens.
Fourth Street
The fourth community card dealt, also known as the turn.
Full House
A hand made up of three cards of one rank and two cards of another — for example, three Kings and two Fours.
G
Gutshot
A straight draw where only one specific card will complete the straight. This card is typically drawn on the turn or river.
H
Hand
Refers to the best five cards a player can use to make a winning combination.
Heads-up
This format occurs when only two players remain, and they play against each other one-on-one.
Hearts
One of the card suits.
High Card
A situation where the player holds five cards that do not form any standard poker combination. The term has two meanings: one, it's used to determine the dealer in flop tournaments — each player receives a single card, and the highest one gets the dealer button. Suit ranking goes from lowest (spades) to highest (clubs). Two, it determines the winner when no player has made a combination — the player with the highest card wins the pot.
High limit
A game played at high stakes or betting limits.
Hi/Low
A poker variation where the pot is split between the highest and lowest hands. Players compete for both parts of the pot.
Hold'em
Also known as Texas Hold'em. Each player receives two hole cards, and five community cards are dealt face-up in the center of the table. Players use any combination of the seven available cards to make the best hand possible.
Hole Cards
Private cards dealt face-down to each player. These cards are only visible to the player they belong to and are also known as "pocket cards."
I
Inside Straight
The player has four cards to a straight but is missing the middle card needed to complete it. For example, holding 5, 6, 8, 9 and needing a 7. If they hit the 7, the hand is called an "inside straight."
J
Jackpot
A pre-determined prize awarded to a player under specific conditions, such as hitting a rare hand or meeting other promotional criteria.
K
Kicker
The highest-ranking unpaired card in a hand that helps break ties between similar hands. For instance, in a Four of a Kind hand using four Queens, the fifth card (the kicker) determines the stronger hand if needed.
Kick It
The card is turned over or revealed.
Knock
An informal way of checking (passing the action) during a hand. Usually done by tapping fingers on the table.
L
Ladies
A pair of Queens.
Late position
A table position where the player acts after most others in a betting round. The number of late positions depends on the total number of players at the table.
Limit poker
A version of poker with fixed minimum and maximum bet sizes. The number of allowed raises per round is also restricted.
Live hand
A hand that still has a chance to win the pot — it hasn't been folded or disqualified.
Low limit
Refers to playing poker at low stakes.
M
Main pot
The main pot includes all the money bet by players who have not gone all-in. If a player with fewer chips goes all-in, side pots are created. For example, if a player has fewer chips than others in the game, a side pot is formed for the other players, and the short-stacked player competes only for the main pot.
Middle pair
A combination formed by pairing one of the hole cards with the middle-ranked card from the flop.
Middle Position
This refers to a player's position at the table between early and late positions — usually one-third into the seating order.
Muck
Cards that are folded and placed into a discard pile. Also refers to folded hands that a player chooses not to reveal at showdown.
Minimum Buy-in
The minimum amount a player must contribute to sit at a specific table.
N
No limit
A poker format where players can bet or raise any amount of their chips at any time.
Nuts
The best possible hand at any given moment during a poker round — unbeatable under the current board.
O
Odds
The probability of completing a drawing hand versus the chances of not hitting the needed cards.
Offsuit
Hole cards that are of different suits.
On the button
The dealer position, the last player to act in betting rounds.
Open card
A card that is dealt face-up on the table.
Open pair
A pair that appears among the face-up community cards.
Out button
A chip placed in front of a player who is sitting out but still remains in the game room.
Outs
The cards remaining in the deck that can improve a player's hand to a winning combination.
Overpair
A pocket pair higher in rank than any of the cards on the board.
P
Pair
A hand that contains two cards of the same rank.
Pass
A decision to fold or not participate in the current hand.
PlayBack
A raise or re-raise made in response to an opponent's bet or raise.
Playing the board
A situation in flop games where the best hand is made using only the community cards.
Pocket Cards
The two private cards dealt to each player in Hold'em.
Pocket Rockets
A slang term for a pair of Aces in the hole.
Position
A player's physical and betting position at the poker table, affecting the order in which they act.
Post
The act of placing a forced bet (usually a blind) into the pot when joining a table or missing a blind.
Pot
The total amount of chips in the center of the table available to win in a hand.
Pot Limit
A poker format where the maximum bet or raise is limited to the current size of the pot.
Put Down
To fold cards and exit the current hand.
Q
Quads
A hand consisting of four cards of the same rank — also called Four of a Kind.
R
Raise
To increase the current bet amount beyond what has already been wagered.
Rake
A small percentage of the pot taken by the house as a fee for hosting the game.
Rank
The value of a card or hand, from highest to lowest.
Rap
A tap on the table indicating a check action.
Reading
The skill of interpreting opponents' actions and behavior to predict their next move — developed through experience.
Rebuy
The act of buying more chips in a tournament after losing all or most of one's stack.
Re-raise
A raise made after another player has already raised.
Ring Game
A cash game played with real money as opposed to tournament chips.
River
The fifth and final community card dealt in Hold'em or Omaha — also called "fifth street."
Round of Betting
A phase in which each player decides whether to check, bet, call, raise, or fold.
Royal Flush
The highest possible hand in poker — A, K, Q, J, 10 of the same suit.
S
Satellite
A mini-tournament that grants winners entry into a larger main tournament.
Seating list
A waitlist system where players add their name if all seats are currently filled.
Second pair
A flop-based term where one hole card pairs with the second-highest card on the board.
Set
Three of a kind formed by a pocket pair and one matching card on the board.
Showdown
The final stage of the hand where all remaining players reveal their cards to determine the winner.
Side pot
A secondary pot formed when one or more players are all-in and cannot compete for the full main pot.
Small blind
A forced bet made by the player immediately to the left of the dealer before cards are dealt.
Split
The pot is divided between two or more players due to a tie or by mutual agreement without showing cards.
Stack
The total number of chips a player has during a poker game.
Straight
A five-card sequence in numerical order but of different suits.
Straight Flush
A five-card sequence in both numerical order and the same suit.
Structure
The setup or rules defining a specific table or game format.
Suit
One of the four categories of cards: hearts, diamonds, clubs, or spades.
T
Table
The physical or virtual space where poker games are played.
Texas Hold'em
Each player is dealt two private cards, and five community cards are placed in the center of the table. The best five-card combination is formed from these.
Three of a kind
A hand containing three cards of the same rank.
Tight
This can describe:
- A game with few pots being played.
- A style of play involving limited actions or conservative betting.
Top Pair
A combination where one hole card pairs with the highest-ranking card on the flop.
Top Two Pair
Two pair made from the two highest cards on the board and matching hole cards.
Turn
The fourth community card dealt in Hold'em games.
Two Pairs
A hand that contains two different pairs.
U
Underpair
A pocket pair lower than the lowest card on the board.
Up card
A card that is dealt face up and visible to all players.
W
Worst Hand
The least favorable hand in a given round, with no potential to win the pot.
WSOP
World Series of Poker — the premier international poker tournament event.
Date: