A
Ace
The highest value card in poker.
Ace High
When a player’s best hand is a single ace.
Ace to Five
In reference to a hand combination of A-2-3-4-5 in a lowball poker variant.
Aces Full
A full house combination of 3 aces and any pair.
Aces Up
When a player’s hand holds two pairs, one of which is aces.
All In
A move where a player bets all of their chips on a single play.
Angle Shooting
Using underhanded methods against novice players.
Anna Kournikova
A starting hand consisting of cards from A-K.
Ante
Referring to the amount of money in the pot before the game begins or the player to the left of the dealer.
Ante and Straddle
The player to the left of the dealer and the player to the left of them, respectively.
Apple
A term used to refer to the main or largest game in the venue.
B
Backdoor
Making an unexpected hand different to an expected one.
Backdoor Flush
Three cards that support a flush but missing the turn and river.
Backdoor Straight
Three cards that support a straight but missing the turn and river.
Bad Beat Jackpot
A jackpot for the loser that differs with poker rooms. E.g. loser wins 50% of the jackpot; higher hand gets 25%.
Barreling
Slang for betting on upcoming streets – usually the turn and river.
Big Slick
An Ace and King. Originally called “Santa Barbara” named after the famous oil spill.
Boat
An Ace and King. Originally called “Santa Barbara” named after the famous oil spill.
Broadway
Interchangeable with the term ‘Full House’.
Buy-in
Minimum entry fee for a particular poker game.
C
Check
May refer to a poker chip or when a player opts out of betting upon no action in front of them.
Cold Deck
A yet unplayed deck presumed to have preset hands inside beneficial to the dealer.
Computer Hand
Refers to a Queen – Seven off suit in Texas Hold’em, based on an 1970’s poker simulation result.
Counterfeiting
When you and other players both hold your best hand in the community deck essentially “counterfeiting” each other.
Cowboys
Pocket kings in Texas Hold’em.
D
Dead Man’s Hand
A pair of Aces and Eights – named after a player holding them was murdered in 1876.
Dime
One thousand dollars.
Donkey
(Derogatory) An unskilled player.
Donk Bet
An often small, non-aggressive bet to block bets or strategically trigger raises.
Draw
Refers to the received cards. Players can also be aiming for or “drawing to” specific hands.
Drop
Interchangeable with “Fold” – to throw away your hand.
Ducks
A pair of Two’s.
E
Equity
The pot value multiplied by your chance of winning it. E.g. 50% chance of winning a $40 pot = $20 equity.
Expectation
The estimation of how much you’ll make per hour based on your average performance rate.
F
Face Card
A Jack, Queen or King.
Five of a Kind
Five cards with the same number.
Flop
The first three community cards that are dealt face-up before the “Turn” and “River”.
Flop a Set
To start with a pair that turns into a Three of a Kind using the flop.
Flush Draw
When a player can potentially draw a fifth card to make a flush.
Folding
An action to discard your hand and forfeit the current round for the pot.
Forward Motion
A rule that treats the movement of chips towards the pot as intentional betting.
Full Boat
Interchangeable with Full House.
Full House
A hand consisting of Three of a Kind and any pair.
G
Grinder
High bankroll players that like to make consistent and relatively small wins.
Gutshot Straight
Four cards of a Straight hand with the middle card missing. Also known as “Inside Straight”.
H
High Roller
Players that play with large stakes, also known as “Whales” in extreme cases.
Hot Streak
A series of fortunate hands for the same player.
I
In the Money
Staying in a tournament long enough to receive a payout regardless.
Inside Straight
Four cards of a Straight hand with the middle card missing. Also known as “Gutshot Straight”.
J
Jackpot
A huge prize fund rewarded to a player when they achieve a specific set of results.
Jesse James
A Four – Five combo named after the .45 that murdered its namesake.
K
Kicker
The highest value stand-alone card in a player’s hand.
Knave
Used interchangeably with a Jack.
L
Limit
The Maximum amount a player can bet or raise.
Little Blind
The initial blind bet which has the lowest value.
M
Mississippi Straddle
A Straddle that can be made from any table position rather than only Under the Gun.
Monster
A player holding an incredibly strong hand.
N
Neocheating
Cheating that is practically invisible to other players and audiences.
Nut Flush
The best possible flush for that particular hand.
Nut Flush Draw
When the next card could give you a “Nut Flush”.
O
On the Button
The last player to bet. Otherwise known as the Dealer’s Position.
Open-ended Straight Draw
Four cards of a Straight hand with the missing Fifth card being either end.
OTB
Abbreviation for “On the Button”.
P
Pass
When a hand is folded.
Pokerface
A common word used to describe when poker players hide their emotions and expressions.
Preflop
The poker hand move made before the flop.
Puppy Feet
A reference to the suit of clubs due to the resemblance of the shape to puppy feet.
Q
Quads
Four of a kind.
Qualifying Low
The minimum hand to qualify for a “lo” pot in a hi/lo game.
Quart
A straight flush with four cards.
R
River
The last community card dealt on the table. Also referred as 5th street and 7th street in different poker variants.
Rolled Up
A term used in seven card stud poker when you receive the strongest starting hand with three of a kind.
Royal Flush
The highest value hand in poker consisting of 10-J-Q-K-A in the suit of spades.
Runner Runner
When a hand is made from cards on the turn and the river.
S
See
Calling a bet.
Side Bet
A bet made outside of the pot.
Slow Roll
Purposely dragging out a game even though you are highly likely to win in order to tilt an opponent.
Small Blind
A forced bet made by the player immediately to the left of the dealer button.
Smooth Call
Bluffing by calling instead of raising even though you have a strong hand to bait other players to continue.
Stake
A player’s buy-in value.
Steam
Playing randomly by calling and raising frequently, commonly a result of ’tilt’.
Straight Flush
A poker hand consisting of five consecutive numbers all in the same suit.
String Bet
A bet or raise in which a player does not throw all the chips required into the pot in one move.
Stub
The leftover cards from the deck that haven’t been dealt.
Suicide King
Coined term for the king of hearts due to the supposed image of stabbing himself in the head on the card.
T
Table Stakes
A rule that restricts players from using money outside of the amount in front of him during a hand.
Three Bet
Poker slang for a ‘re-raise’.
Three of a Kind
Three of the same cards.
Tilt
A psychological phenomenon describing when a player is playing irregularly after losing a big pot.
U
Under the Gun
The first player to make a move, seated to the left of the big blind.
V
Value Bet
When the player makes a bet with the intention of fishing for others to call.
W
Wet Board
When the community cards are connected in a way that players can make many different straight and flush combinations.
Wheel
The best hand you can have in a low hand game consisting of A-2-3-4-5.
Wired
When a pair, trips or four of a kind is dealt one after another in a hand.
X
We haven’t come across any poker terms that begin with X but if you find one, let us know using the contact form so we can credit you for it!
Y
Yard
A $100 bill.
Yeast
A term referred to when raising.
Z
Zero Sum
Games where the odds of winning are the same as losing.
