Glossary of Poker Terms (A-Z)

A

• 1-4-8, 2-4, 3-6, 6-12, 10-20, etc. (adj.): The betting structure for a game. For example, "1-4-8" means $1 bets in early rounds, $4 in middle rounds, and $8 in later rounds. Related terms: Fixed Limit, Spread Limit.
• Action (n.): Money being bet. Example: "No action" means few bets or raises. "Gimme some action" is a plea for calls and raises.
• Active Player (n.): A player still in the pot.
• All-In (adj.): Having all of one's chips in the pot. An all-in player cannot be forced out but can only win the portion of the pot they contributed to. Side pots are created for remaining players.
• American Airlines (n.): In Texas Hold'em, a pair of Aces in the hole. Also known as Pocket Rockets.
• Ante (n.): A small forced bet all players make before a hand is dealt. Not all games use antes. Related terms: Blind, Forced Bet.
• Assault Rifle (n.): In Omaha, hole cards A-K-4-7 of any suit(s).

B

• Back Door (adj.): A hand made in the last card or two, often unexpectedly. Example: Completing a flush or straight on the river.
• Bad Beat (n.): [1] A very strong hand (e.g., full house) beaten by an even stronger hand. [2] A hand that wins despite having a negative expectation.
• Bad-Beat Jackpot (n.): A prize shared by players when a very strong hand (e.g., Aces full) is beaten. Often funded by a small drop from each pot.
• Bankroll (n.): Total gambling funds available. Different from the money on the table. Related terms: Stack, Stake.
• Belly Buster (n.): An inside straight draw. Also called Gutshot.
• Bet (v.): To put money into the pot, maintaining a chance to win.
• Bicycle (n.): The best possible low hand: A-2-3-4-5. Also called Wheel.
• Big Blind (n.): A forced bet, usually double the small blind. In limit games, it’s often the minimum bet for the first round.
• Big Slick (n.): In Texas Hold'em, hole cards A-K (suited or unsuited).
• Bluff (v.): Betting or raising with a weak hand, hoping opponents fold.

C

• Call (v.): To match a bet to stay in the hand.
• Check (v.): To bet zero when no one has bet yet. Often indicates a fair hand or a bluff.
• Check-Raise (v.): To check, then raise after an opponent bets. Often indicates strength.
• Community Cards (n.): Cards dealt face-up in the middle of the table, shared by all players (e.g., in Texas Hold'em).
• Cowboy (n.): A King.

D

• Dead Man's Hand (n.): Two pair, Aces and Eights. Historically, the hand Wild Bill Hickok held when he was shot.
• Dealer's Choice (n.): In home games, the dealer chooses the poker variant for the hand.
• Draw (v.): To discard and replace cards in draw poker.
• Drawing Dead (adj.): Drawing to a hand that cannot win, regardless of the cards drawn.

E

• Expectation (n.): The long-term average outcome of a situation. Positive expectation means a profitable play.

F

• Fish (n.): A losing player. Example: "If you can’t spot the fish, you’re the fish."
• Flop (n.): In Texas Hold'em, the first three community cards dealt face-up.
• Flush (n.): A hand with five cards of the same suit.
• Fold (v.): To discard one’s hand and forfeit the pot.

G

• Gutshot (n.): An inside straight draw. Example: Holding 5-6-8-9 and needing a 7 to complete the straight.

H

• Heads-Up (adj.): Playing against a single opponent.
• Hold'em (n.): A poker variant where players receive two hole cards and five community cards. The most popular form is Texas Hold'em.

I

• Implied Odds (n.): The potential future bets you can win if you hit your hand, in addition to the current pot size.

K

• Kicker (n.): The highest unpaired card in a hand. Example: In a hand of A-A-K-Q-J, the kicker is the King.

N

• Nut (adj.): The best possible hand at a given moment. Example: "Nut flush" is the highest possible flush.
• Nuts (n.): The best possible hand. Example: "I have the nuts" means you cannot be beaten.

P

• Pocket Rockets (n.): In Texas Hold'em, a pair of Aces in the hole.
• Pot Odds (n.): The ratio of the current pot size to the cost of a call. Used to determine if a call is profitable.

R

• River (n.): The fifth and final community card in Texas Hold'em.
• Royal Flush (n.): The best possible hand: A-K-Q-J-10 of the same suit.

S

• Set (n.): In Texas Hold'em, three of a kind where two cards are in the hole.
• Showdown (n.): The final phase where remaining players reveal their hands to determine the winner.
• Straight (n.): Five consecutive cards of mixed suits.
• Straight Flush (n.): Five consecutive cards of the same suit.

T

• Tell (n.): A physical or behavioral clue that reveals information about a player’s hand.
• Texas Hold'em (n.): A popular poker variant where players receive two hole cards and five community cards.

W

• Wheel (n.): The best possible low hand: A-2-3-4-5. Also called Bicycle.
• Wild Card (n.): A card that can substitute for any other card (e.g., Joker).