If you are new to the game of poker and get confused by the terms used by other players then this is the right time to learn about the poker glossary. Majority of the terms used in online and live poker are similar in meanings and used all over the world and are used for all types of poker games.
In this article we will go through some of the most commonly used and easy to understand poker glossary. These terms will help you to feel comfortable while playing with your friends, watching other people play or while playing online. While there is a huge list of such words available online and comes out to be a bit hard for a new player to grasp its meaning, but in reality most of it is quite easy to understand.
In order to become a successful poker player, learning the common terms is quite an essential part of the training. In fact it is the first thing which should be taken care of. This will help you to understand what other players really mean while making observations or calling their shots. There are always new additions of the slangs and terms for the game of poker and you can keep on learning them in the due course of your career as a poker player.
Ace High: The ace card is considered as the highest as well as the lowest denomination card in different variants of poker. Getting an “Ace High” is generally construed as the best hand with an ace as the highest value card.
Action: A player’s turn to act in the game is known as action. This term is also used in reference of buying another player’s investment in the game.
All In: Putting all your chips into the pot is called “All in”. After opting for this option a player cannot participate in other bets.
Ante: A small forced bet which is required to be posted before the deal.
Bankroll: The total amount of money dedicated for gambling.
Backdoor: The requirement to get two or more cards consecutively in order to complete a desired hand.
Blinds: The mandatory bets to be made by the players sitting left of the dealer.
Bluff: Making a bet without the best hand with an expectation of forcing your opponent to fold.
Call: Matching with the same amount of bet made by your opponent/other players.
Cap: A fixed limit game with one bet and a set of number for raises. Once the betting is capped, a player cannot make more raises.
Cash Play: During live play of the poker, cash game is sometimes allowed. This means that the cash on the table along with the poker chips is calculated into the total value of a player’s stack.
Card Speak: Evaluating best hand with each player turning their cards face up. The value of the cards indicates the winning hand.
Check: To bet nothing.
Check Raise: To opt for Check on your turn to bet and after other player puts in his bet, to raise that player’s bet.
Dead Blind: If a player misses a blind, it is required that he or she should pay for it before getting cards for the next game. In case the amount is small then it is considered as Dead Blind.
Deal:
- Distributing cards to all of the players for a game of poker.
- To make out a negotiation for a payout of a game or tournament.
Declare: To convey if the player is going for the high or low in Omaha Hi Lo Poker.
Drawing Dead: A situation during the draw that whatever card you get, you will still lose.
Eight or Better: In an “Eight or Better” game all the cards in a low hand must have equal or less rank than eight. Generally used in Hi Lo poker.
Face Cards: All the cards having a picture of face that is J, Q or K are known as face cards.
Five of a kind: Five of a kind is the best hand even in comparison to the “Royal Flush”. In games with “Wild Card” allowed, a player can have five cards of the same ranking.
Flop: Dealing of three community cards after the first round of betting.
Going South: Indecent act of removing chips from your or other players’ stack, table or from the game.
Grinder: A player who plays long sessions of poker.
Pot Odds: The ratio of amount of money in the pot to the amount of money required to call the bet.
Quads: Term used for four one of a kind cards in a hand.
River: The fifth and final card dealt in Hold’em.
Tilt: Playing loosely and aggressively in desperation to win a pot.
Turn: The fourth community card dealt between Flop and the River.