Burswood

How to speak Poker

Although they may sound weird at first, Poker terms actually make perfect sense as you become a more confident player. In the meantime here’s an alphabetical list of commonly used poker terms and phrases.

All in

Means a player has wagered all of their remaining table stake in the outcome of a hand.

Bad beat

When a good hand that would have been expected to win the pot is beaten by a lucky draw.

Big slick

An Ace-King combination as hole cards.

Blind bet

Means a wager or predetermined contribution to the pot made prior to any cards being dealt.

Bluff

To pretend that you have a better hand than you actually do, by betting aggressively, in the hope that the other players will fold.

Bullets

A pair of Aces. If these are your hole cards, they are also known as “Pocket Rockets”.

Burn card

Means a card that is removed from the top of the deck by the dealer without exposing its value and placed facedown; separate from the discards before the start of a dealing round.

Call

Means a wager made in an amount equal to the immediately preceding wager.

Check

Means to abstain from betting but continue to stay in contention for the pot by retaining the right to re-enter the betting after all other players have either made wagers or folded.

Check-raise

To check at the beginning of a betting round and then raise when a subsequent player wagers.

Community cards

Means the cards dealt and placed in the middle of the table for all players to use to complete their hand.

Dead man’s hand

Two pair hand consisting of Aces & Eights. Reputed to be the hand that Wild Bill Hickock was holding when he was shot dead.

Dealer button

Means a marker used to designate the player who shall receive the last card of each round of play.

Deuces

A pair of Twos.

Drawing to a hand

Remaining in the round with the hope of making one’s potential hand as more cards are dealt. E.g. Drawing to a straight when you have QJ and the flop contains 3K10 or drawing to a flush when you have Qd Jd and the flop contains 3d Kd 10h.

Flop

Means the three initial community cards dealt.

Fold

Means to throw in a hand and cease contending for the pot.

Go on tilt

When a player loses emotional balance during a game and plays irrationally.

Gun shot

To draw to an inside straight.

Heads up

Means where there is only two players contesting for the pot.

Hold cards

These are the cards dealt face down to the players. (Also known as “Pocket Cards”)

Kicker

The highest unpaired card of a player’s pocket cards.

Limping in

Calling the big blind rather than raising.

Nuts

The best possible hand that cannot be beaten, at a particular point of the game.

Nut flush

A flush containing the Ace.

Off suit

Cards of different suits.

Outs

Cards that will make the hand that the player is drawing to.

Picture cards

The picture cards (King, Queen, Jack).

Pocket cards

The cards dealt face down to each player. (Also known as “Hole Cards”)

Pocket rockets

A pair of Aces as your pocket cards (hole cards).

Pot

Means the accumulation of amounts wagered by players during a round of play.

Quads

Four of a kind (four cards of the same denomination).

Rainbow

When the board contains three or four cards of different suits.

Raise

When you increase the bet made by a preceding player. This increases the stakes for remaining Players, who now have to match the total amount including the raise.

River card

Means the fifth community card dealt.

Rock

A player who will only play the best hands and nothing less.

Seven deuce

The acknowledged weakest starting card combination in Texas Hold-em (7-2).

Showdown

Means the disclosure of cards in accordance with these rules at the completion of a final round of betting to determine a winner of a pot.

Slow playing

Playing non-aggressively with a powerful hand; calling and betting instead of raising. This in the hope of not driving players out of the hand and thus inducing more money into the pot. Also called “sandbagging”.