Poker glossary
All – In
The situation in which the player bets all his chips. Importantly, when the player lacks chips and goes for all-in before the last round of bidding, e.g. after flop or during turn, a side pot is formed. Thanks to such a solution, the player is involved in potential distribution of reward even if he lacks chips at a certain stage of the game.
American Airlines
In poker jargon, this is how you specify (A, A). Two aces are also referred to as rockets.
Bad Beat
The hand which lost as a result of other player’s incredible luck. Bad beat is often used when the winner was supposed to resign from the game much earlier.
Bankroll
The amount of money intended for poker, also called poker budget
Bet
To make a bet
Big Slick
A-K in hand
Blind
Also referred to as „dark”: forced bet made into the pot, refers to first two players before the dealer’s button, applies in Hold’em and Omaha.
Board
All community cards which can be used by players, that is flop, turn and river
Button
The marker which specifies which player is a dealer, that is a person who deals cards. The button is transferred from the player into the player. Being a Dealer, the player is authorized to make the last decision during flop, turn and river.
Buy-in
The amount of money you need to pay in to participate in the tournament.
Call
Making a bet which is identical to the bet made by the last player from the right hand side.
Check
This variant is tantamount to Call, yet it does not require you to contribute to the pot at all. Check can be used when nobody else in a specific round of the bid has contributed to the pot. When somebody has made a bet, the player must call or raise or fold.
Check – raise
At first the player checks, then the other player makes a bet, and the player raises, that is checks-raises, increases the stake after the other player has made a bet.
Counterfeited
The card which strengthens your hand but unfortunately provides your opponent with a better hand.
Cowboys
Popular term for two kings (K, K) in hand
Cut-off
The player who makes a bet just before the dealer, button
Dealer
The conventional position of the player who deals cards, marked with „D” letter
Drawing dead
Drawing further cards, continuing the game with no chances of winning
Early position
In a 10-person game, the first 3 positions to the left of blinds, taken by players at the table
Fish
This is how a weak player is often referred to; as a rule it is the player who cannot properly select the first two cards and draws cards for weak hands
Flop
The bidding round in which the first three community cards are facing up, the first three cards visible to all players are called „flop”.
Fold
Dropping cards, resigning from further participation in the game.
Free Card
Another card which you could see without a need to make a bet
Freeroll
The type of poker tournament in which you do not need to make a contribution but you can win a specific set of rewards, funded by the organizer/sponsor.
Heads up
One-to-one competition
High Card
The highest card in your hand. If you have Ace and King, the former is the High Card.
Kicker
The second of the first two cards (starting hand) which does not form the hand with cards on the table. For example the first two cards are A and J, on the table are A, 5, 8, 10, 4). J, that is jack, is the kicker.
Late position
In a 10-person game, 2 last players who decide during a flop, turn and river, that is the dealer and cutoff
Nuts
The highest possible hand in a specific round of bidding
Offsuit
Cards in various suits
Outs
The remaining cards in the pack which can strengthen your hand if they show up on the table
Overpair
The so-called pocket pair, that is first two cards which give you a pair higher than the potential highest pair with a card on the table, at flop 10,8, 5 – overpairs are AA, KK, QQ, JJ
Playing Zone
The conventional range of cards which should be used to play in many cases – cards ranging from A to 9
Pot
The pool. All chips/cash which you can win, currently on the table.
Pot odds
The relationship between the value of the pot and value of the current bet
Preflop
The first round of bidding when players receive their first two cards and there is no flop on the table yet
Raise
To raise, to increase the value of the bet
Re-raise
Another raise, increasing the stake in the specific round of bidding
Ring game
The name for the cash game attended by 9-10 players. You can join it or leave it at any time
River
The fifth, last, community card on the table
Set
Three composed of one community card and a pair in the hand
Short-handed
Tables attended by 5-6 persons
Showdown
The moment in which players participating in the specific game show their private cards; results of the deal.
Split the pot
Division of the pot between two or more players having the same winning hand
Steal
Raising the stake in order to scare other players and „steal” blinds before the flop
Suited
Cards in the same suit, marked with a lower-case „s”, e.g. J10s
Tell
The player’s behavior which can reveal the strength of the player’s hand
Tilt
The moment in which you start playing unwisely. The cause of such a behavior may be bad luck in previous deals
Turn
The fourth card which comes to the table
Under the Gun
The player who is first to take a decision to continue preflop
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