Poker/Glossary

Glossary of Terms

Here is a list of terms used throughout the book, and their definitions.

Ante

Required bet by all players to join the hand, and ensures a pot for the hand. There are usually no antes in games played with blinds.

Bet

To commit an amount of money or chips to the pot in turn during a betting phase. If called or raised, a bet is placed in the pot.

Big Bet

The value of one turn and river bet in a limit game

Big Blind

The larger of two bets that are placed before receiving cards. When blinds are used this bet is placed by the player in second position (the player to the left of the small blind). In limit poker, it is usually half of the small bet

Button

A large button that is usually passed, to the left, from player to player each hand to indicate what player the dealer is dealing for.

Call

To match an opponents bet and commit the same amount of money or chips to the pot in turn during a betting phase.

Card

A standard playing card has one side that is indistinguishable from the rest and one side that has a suit and rank that makes it unique.

Check

This indicates that the player wishes to stay in the hand but not commit any more chips to the hand. This can only be done when the bet to the player does not require any more money or chips be committed to the pot. This can be indicated by knocking the table.

Cut

The act of splitting the deck into two piles after a shuffle to prevent anyone from knowing the bottom card. This is done by lifting some of the cards off the top and placing them toward the dealer. The dealer then lifts the other cards (the lower cards) and places them on top of the top cards.

Deal

To give each player the number of cards defined by the game in the fashion defined by the game.

Dealer

The person that is dealing the cards out to the players. If the dealer is not one of the players then the button is used to indicate the player that the dealer is dealing for and the hand is dealt as if the player with the button was dealing.

Deck

A standard deck of 52 playing cards with four suits, each with 13 ranked cards.

Flop

In Texas Hold'em, the first three community cards.

Fold

To drop out of the hand and surrender your cards in turn during a betting phase. Any money or chips previously committed to the pot are forfeited by this move. Folding is usually indicated by turning any up cards over, and then giving the cards to the dealer. Cards that are folded are not shown unless the act of folding ends the game.

Hi-Hand

In a hi-lo game, a hand with a standard combination, such as a pair or a straight

Limit

In a Limit game there is a value assigned to the limit and usually (depending on the game choice) has a small and big value. A $10-$20 Limit game has a small bet of $10 and big bet of $20.

Limp in

A term used to describe when a player sitting in the small blind position, who has already committed some chips to the pot, calls the big blind bet.

Lo-Hand

In a hi-lo game, a hand with all cards being 8 (sometimes 9) or lower. The lower the card ranks, the better the hand

Muck

To fold or to throw away a loosing hand in a showdown without showing the hand.

No-Limit

In a No-Limit game there is no limit to the amount a player may bet (other than the amount of chips that player has).

Nuts

aka Nut hand. The best hand possible considering the community cards in community card poker.

Out

In community card poker, any card that helps one improve his hand. Nut out gives the player nuts

Pot-Limit

Bets in a Pot-Limit game are limited to the amount of chips already committed to the pot. This means that any bet can at most double the pot.

Raise

To call an opponents bet and to bet more at the same time in turn during a betting phase.

Shuffle

To mix up the deck of cards so that they are randomly ordered. A shuffle is usually followed by a cut to minimize the usability of the information a player may obtain by spotting the bottom card during the shuffle.

Small Bet

The value of one preflop and flop bet in a limit game

Small Blind

The smaller of two bets that are placed before receiving cards. When blinds are used this bet is placed by the player to the left of the button. It is usually half of the big blind