Poker Terms & Table Lingo
There's a lot of terms involved in the game of poker. Some are 'official', some are not - but it can't hurt to know
next time someone thinks they're in a 'berry patch' now can it?
Action
Opportunity to bet, raise, check, or fold.
American Airlines
Pair of aces.
Ante
A small amount of money that each player adds to the pot before the deal. Texas Hold'em doesn't use antes, it uses blinds.
All-in
This is when a player puts all of his/her chips in the pot.
Backdoor
Getting dealt 2 great cards on the turn and the river.
Bachelor's Hand
A Jack-King of different suits
Bad Beat
When an underdog wins a hand that he wasn't supposed to.
Belly Buster
Inside straight
Berry Patch
A game with lots of bad players.
Big Slick
Ace/King
Blank
A community card that gets dealt but doesn't affect the hands.
Blind
A forced bet (or partial bet) anted by one or more players before the hand is dealt. Posted by the two players to the left of the button.
Board
All the community cards in a hold'em game.
Bottom
Getting dealt a low pair on the flop.
Broadway
Straight ace high.
Burn
To discard the top card from the deck. To prevent cheating.
Bust
To go Broke.
Button
A white hockey puck shaped disk that moves around the tables after each hand.
Buy The Pot
Betting on that fact that everyone else will fold after you bet. AKA: Bluffing
Calling Station
A player who calls alot, doesn't fold, and never raises.
Canadian Rockets
Pair of Queens.
Cap
To make the last raise allowed in a round of betting.
Center Pot
The main pot during a poker game. Side pots are created when players go all-in.
Check
To not bet or to not put money in the pot.
Check Raise
To check on a round then to raise a players bet who bet after you checked.
Clock Hand
A Queen, a Nine, a Six, and a Three.
Crabs
Pair of 3s.
Cold Call
Calling more then one bet at a time.
Complete Hand
A hand that uses all five cards. (Straight, flush, full house, four of a kind, or straight flush.)
Connector
When your 2 down cards are connected. AK/56
Cowboys
Pair of kings.
Cripple
This is when you cripple the game by having the 2 cards that people need to complete a hand.
Dog
Slang for "Underdog".
Dominated Hand
A hand that will almost always get beat.
Ducks
Pair of 2s
Draw Dead
Trying to get a hand that is already beat. Drawing for a straight when you opponent already has 4 of a kind.
Family Pot
A pot where most if not all players have called.
Fast
Betting and raising fast to get other players that might be fishing to fold.
Flop
The first three community cards dealt faceup.
Flush
5 cards of the same suit.
Foul
A hand that cannot be played for a specific reason.
Fish Hooks
Pair of jacks.
Free Card
When you don't have to pay to see the turn or river card.
Free Roll
When you're tied with another player but you could draw a flush and win the whole pot.
Fishing
Calling bets in the hope of getting a certain card on the turn or river.
Full House
A 5 card hand with 3 of a kind and 2 pair.
Gretzky
Pair of 9s.
Gutshot
Getting that straight by being dealt an inside card. So if you had 34 and the flop was 578 and the turn is a 6.
Hit
Getting hit is when the flop helps your hand.
Hockey Sticks
Pair of 7s.
House
The Person/organization hosting the poker game.
Jackpot
A bonus paid to the player who got beat even though they had a great hand.
Kicker
A single card used if players have tied hands. Two players have 2 pair (10s and Qs) then the players would play their 5th card (the Kicker).
Live Blind
The forced bet that one or two players must ante before any cards are dealt. But they can raise after everyone else has anted after the down cards are dealt.
Lowball
Poker where the lowest hand wins.
Maniac
A player who bets like a maniac. Raises for no reason or calls when they have nothing.
Muck
To discard your cards without showing the other players.
NoLimit
A variation of poker where a player can bet as many chips as he would like.
Nuts
The best possible hand in a game. If you have the nuts you can't loose.
Offsuit
A starting hand in which the two cards are of different suits.
OneGap
A starting hand in which the two cards are two cards apart.
Opener
The player who bets first.
Out
Any card that will give you the winning hand.
Overcall
To call after other players have already called a bet.
Overcard
A card in your downcards that is higher then any other cards shown faceup.
Overpair
A pocket pair that is higher then any of the flop cards. Getting dealt a 99 and the flop is 257.
Pass
See check.
Pay Off
Calling a bet where you know your loosing but you hope he's bluffing.
Play the Board
When your best possible hand doesn't use any of your down cards.
Pocket
Your down cards that the other players don't see.
Post
Putting in a small bet because your new to the table or you have changed seats.
Pot Limit
A player cannot bet anymore money then whats already in the pot.
Protect
To put more money in a pot that you've already posted blind for.
Quads
Four of a kind.
Ragged
A flop that doesn't help any players.
Rainbow
A flop with 3 different suited cards.
Rake
A small amount of money taken by the poker host.
Rank
A numerical value of a card.
Ring Game
A regular poker game where you play for money not chips.
River
The 5th community card flipped faceup on the table.
Rock
A very tight player who only bets when they have a great hand.
Royal Flush
The highest possible hand in poker. 10,J,Q,K,A and all the same suit.
Runner
A hand that was made by catching cards on the turn and river.
San Francisco Waiter
A Queen-Three
Scare
A card that could turn a winning hand into nothing. Used on turn and river cards.
Second Pair
Second highest pair after the flop.
Sell
Betting less then the maximum even though you have a great hand in the hope of keeping other players in the pot.
Semi-bluff
To bet or raise and hope you don't get called. But if you do get called you still have some outs.
Set
Three of a kind when you have two of the cards face down in your hand.
Short Stack
The player with the smallest stack of chips at the table.
Showdown
When all players laydown their cards to see who has won.
Side Pot
A pot created when players with a small amount of money go allin and other players call him. A new pot is created for the people with money left to bet.
Slow Play
Playing a great hand slowly so players stay in.
Split Pot
A pot where two players split the winnings because they tied.
Split Two Pair
Getting dealt 2 pair with one of each pair in your hand.
Spread Limit
Betting ranges where a player can bet anywhere from say $2 - $10.
Straight Flush
5 cards in order and the same suit.
Straight
5 cards in order.
String Bet
A bet or raise where a player doesn't put his money in with one motion. Maybe to test other players reaction to his call. The dealer will ask the player to withdraw his bet if this happens.
Structured
A set betting system set for a table. $2/$4 would mean bets are $2 max before the flop and $4 max after the flop.
Suited
A hold'em hand where the players 2 down cards are of the same suit.
Snowmen
Pair of 8s.
Table Stakes
A poker rule where a player cannot go to his pocket to bring in more money during a hand. You can only use the chips in front of you.
Tell
A clue or hint about a players hand or betting style. IE: Some players play with their chips when they have nothing.
The Wheel
A low straight
Tilt
When a player tries despratley to win hands.
Time
A player asks for the game to be put on hold while he decides if he will call. If you don't call time the dealer can decide to fold you if you take to long.
Toke
A small tip to the dealer.
Top Pair
The highest pair after a flop and the highest single card.
Trips
Three of a kind.
Turn
The fourth community card flipped face up.
Underdog
A player who is not the favored to win the pot.
Upcards
The cards that are dealt faceup on the table.
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