Aggressive
In poker, “aggressive” describes a playing style or a specific action characterized by making bets and raises, rather than checking or calling. An aggressive player...
Poker Glossary
Complete A-Z dictionary of poker terms, definitions, and jargon. Learn the language of the game.
A
B
Bad Beat
A “bad beat” in poker refers to a situation where a player with a statistically superior hand, holding a very high probability of winning, unexpectedly...
Blind
In poker, “Blinds” are mandatory bets placed by one or more players to the left of the dealer button *before* any cards are dealt. Their...
Blinds
Blinds are mandatory forced bets placed by one or more players at the start of each hand in certain poker variants, most notably Texas Hold’em...
Bluff
A bluff is a bet or raise made with a weak hand with the intention of making opponents fold better hands. Successful bluffing is an...
Button
The Button, often referred to as the “dealer button,” is a physical disk used in poker games to indicate the nominal dealer position for the...
C
Call
In poker, a call is the action of matching the amount of the previous bet or raise in the current betting round. By calling, a...
Check
In poker, to check means to pass the action to the next player without placing a bet. This option is only available when no one...
Check-Raise
A check-raise is a poker maneuver where a player first checks their option to bet in a given betting round, and then subsequently raises a...
Chip Leader
The Chip Leader is the player who currently possesses the largest stack of chips at a poker table or in a poker tournament. This position...
Community Cards
Community cards are face-up cards dealt in the center of the poker table, shared by all active players to combine with their private hole cards...
Continuation Bet
The Continuation Bet (often abbreviated as “c-bet”) is a bet made on the flop by the player who initiated the pre-flop raise. It “continues” the...
Cut-Off
The Cut-Off (CO) is a crucial position in poker, located immediately to the right of the Dealer Button. In most poker variants, particularly Texas Hold’em...
D
Deep Stack
A “deep stack” in poker refers to a player’s chip stack being significantly larger than the average stack at the table, or well over 100...
Donkey
Poker Glossary: Donkey body { font-family: Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 1.6; color: #333; } h3 { color: #2c3e50; border-bottom: 2px solid #eee; padding-bottom: 5px; margin-top: 25px;...
Drawing Dead
Drawing Dead is a poker term that describes a situation where a player cannot win the pot regardless of what cards come on future streets....
E
Early Position
Early Position (EP) refers to the first few seats to act immediately after the Big Blind in a round of poker betting. These positions are...
F
Fish
In poker, a “Fish” refers to a weak, inexperienced, or unskilled player who frequently makes strategic errors, plays too many hands, and consistently loses money...
Flop
The “flop” is a pivotal stage in community card poker games like Texas Hold’em and Omaha, referring to the first three community cards dealt face-up...
Flush
A Flush in poker is a powerful five-card hand consisting of all cards of the same suit, regardless of their numerical rank. For instance, five...
Fold
To “fold” in poker means to give up your current hand and forfeit any chance to win the current pot. When a player folds, they...
Four of a Kind
Four of a Kind, often simply called “Quads,” is a very powerful poker hand consisting of four cards of the same rank, along with any...
Full House
A Full House is a very strong five-card poker hand consisting of three cards of one rank and two cards of another rank. For instance,...
H
Heads-Up
Poker Glossary – Heads-Up “Heads-Up” in poker refers to a situation where only two players are actively involved in a hand or a game. This...
High Card
A “High Card” refers to a poker hand that contains no pair, no straight, no flush, and no other recognized poker hand combination. It is...
K
Kicker
In poker, a “kicker” refers to an unpaired card that accompanies a pair, two pair, or three-of-a-kind to complete a five-card poker hand. Its primary...
L
LAG
LAG stands for Loose-Aggressive. It describes a poker player style characterized by playing a wider range of starting hands than average (loose) and frequently betting...
Late Position
Late Position refers to the last few players to act in a betting round during a poker hand. In a typical 9-handed game, the Cut-off...
Loose
Poker Glossary: Loose In poker, “loose” describes a player’s style characterized by playing a wide range of starting hands, often more than the statistical average...
M
Main Pot
The Main Pot refers to the primary collection of chips wagered by all active players in a poker hand. It represents the maximum amount of...
Muck
To “muck” in poker refers to the act of discarding your hand face down, without revealing its contents to your opponents. This action typically occurs...
N
Nit
A “Nit” in poker refers to a player who employs an extremely tight and passive playing style. They are highly risk-averse, participating in very few...
O
P
Passive
In poker, “Passive” refers to a playing style or a specific action characterized by checking and calling rather than betting or raising. A passive player...
Pocket Cards
Pocket cards, also commonly referred to as hole cards, are the private cards dealt face down to each player at the beginning of a poker...
Position
In poker, Position refers to the order in which players are required to act during a betting round. Players who act later in a round...
Pot Odds
Pot odds are the ratio between the current size of the pot and the cost of a contemplated call. Understanding pot odds helps you make...
R
Raise
In poker, a “raise” is the action of increasing the amount of the current bet made by a previous player in the same betting round....
Rebuy
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River
The “River” refers to the fifth and final community card dealt face-up on the board in flop games such as Texas Hold’em and Omaha. It...
Royal Flush
The Royal Flush is the absolute strongest and highest-ranking hand in standard poker. It consists of the Ace, King, Queen, Jack, and Ten, all of...
S
Semi-Bluff
Poker Glossary: Semi-Bluff A semi-bluff is a bet or raise made with a hand that is not currently the best hand, but has a good...
Shark
A “shark” in poker refers to a highly skilled, experienced, and successful player who consistently wins and profits from less experienced or weaker opponents, often...
Short Stack
A “Short Stack” refers to a player who has significantly fewer chips than the average or typical stack size at the table. This is often...
Showdown
The showdown is the final stage of a poker hand where all remaining players reveal their hole cards to determine who has the best five-card...
Side Pot
A side pot is a separate pot created in poker when one or more players go all-in, but other players still have chips remaining to...
Slow Play
Slow playing is a poker strategy where a player with a very strong hand chooses to play it passively (by checking or just calling) rather...
Straddle
A “Straddle” in poker is an optional, additional blind bet placed before any cards are dealt, typically by the player Under The Gun (UTG), or...
Straight
A Straight in poker is a five-card hand consisting of all five cards in sequential rank, regardless of their suit. For example, 5-6-7-8-9, or T-J-Q-K-A...
Straight Flush
A Straight Flush is one of the rarest and most powerful hands in poker, consisting of five cards in sequential rank, all of the same...
T
TAG
TAG stands for Tight-Aggressive. This term describes a poker player who is selective about the starting hands they play (tight) but when they do enter...
Three of a Kind
A “Three of a Kind” is a poker hand consisting of three cards of the same rank. For example, three Kings, three Sevens, or three...
Tight
In poker, “Tight” describes a player who is highly selective about the starting hands they choose to play. A tight player typically enters very few...
Tilt
Tilt is a state of emotional frustration that causes a player to make poor decisions. It often occurs after a bad beat or series of...
Turn
In poker, the Turn is the fourth of the five community cards dealt face-up on the table, following the Flop and preceding the River. It...
Two Pair
Two Pair is a five-card poker hand consisting of two cards of one matching rank, two cards of another matching rank, and one unrelated card...
U
Under the Gun
“Under the Gun” (UTG) refers to the player seated immediately to the left of the big blind at a poker table. This player is the...
V
Value Bet
A value bet is a bet made with a strong hand that you believe is currently the best hand, with the primary intention of being...