Poker Terms and Slang

The world of online poker and poker in general is full of a ton of different slang and table talk that has become one almost synonymous with playing these days.  With so many nicknames and slang terms out there, it can be really confusing especially for new players to get a grasp of the lingo at the tables.  This article focuses on some of the common terms you're bound to hear while playing poker either in a live casino or online.  We've done our best to include as many terms as possible, but if there are some we've missed feel free to get in touch and tell us.

Ace High: Hole cards consisting of an Ace with any other card and no pair on the board.

Ace Kicker: When two players hold the same four-card hand, but one player’s hand is better because he has an Ace (kicker).

Action: The betting activity (checking, betting, or raising).

Add-on: An add-on in poker allows tournament players to literally add onto their chip stacks; this is usually only allowed during a specific time period within a tournament.

All-in: When a player goes “all-in,” this means he’s putting his entire chip stack in the pot. If he doesn’t win the hand, he will be out of chips and out of the game.

Ante: Money put in the pot prior to the deal.

Ante Up: Call for action from all players participating in the pot.

Back Raise: When a player re-raises another player’s raise.

Bad Beat: When a very strong hand is still beaten by a lucky hand; when a player wins by a long shot.

Bait: A small bet or check used to entice opponents to stay in the pot or raise the pot.

Bankroll: A player’s available funds.

BB: Big Blind.

Bet: A wagering action into the pot during any betting round; also the chip value put into the pot.

Bet the Pot: To bet the entire value of the pot.

Big Blind: A specific bet amount put up before the hand is dealt by the player in 2nd position clockwise from the dealer.

Blinds: The two bets required by the two players sitting directly to the left of the dealer, clockwise, who will start the action on the first betting round of betting before cards are dealt.

Bluff: Strategy technique typically used when betting on a weak hand in hopes of driving other players out of the pot.

Bounty: An amount of cash put on the head of tournament players. When one player knocks out another, they receive the bounty.

Bring-in: The amount of chips required to open the pot; the minimum requirement for an initial bet. Also the player who started the betting.

Bubble: The player position just before getting paid for placing.

Button: The player in the position of dealer, or the actual circular marker used to indicate the dealer’s position.

Buy-in: The cost to enter a tournament.

Call: To match the previous player’s bet.

Check: To relinquish the right to initiate a bet while retaining the right to act if another player bets.

Check Raise: To relinquish the right to bet until another player bets; then automatically increasing the bet (raising) by an amount at least equal to the other player’s bet.

Collusion: The act of conspiracy to cheat between two or more players.

Community Cards: Those cards dealt face up in the center of the table to be used by all players participating in the hand.

Deadwood: Discarded or burned cards.

Down to the Felt: A player who is broke.

End: A share of the pot.

Favourite: The hand with the best odds that is favoured to win.

Fifth Street: The river card or the 5th community card to be dealt on the table.

Fish: A player who plays with a poor hand in hopes of winning with luck.

FL: Fixed-limit.

Flop: First three community cards dealt.

Flush: Five cards of the same suit.

Flush draw: A hand of four cards of the same suit. A player with a flush draw is hoping to draw the fifth suited card.

Fold: To throw your cards away and back out of the hand.

Foot: Bad hand.

Four of a Kind: Four cards of the same number. Also called quads.

Fourth Street: Also known as the turn in flop games, fourth street is the 4th community card to be dealt.

Free Roll: A tournament with real prize at no cost to the player.

Freeze Out: A game or a tournament that is played until one of the players has all of the chips.

Full House: Three of a kind with two of a kind.

GC: Good call.

Gut Shot: One card shy of a straight (i.e., 2-3-4-6).

HE: Hold ‘em.

Heads Up: A game consisting of just two players against each other.

High-roller: A big-limit, high-stakes player.

Hole Cards: A player’s hand.

Implied Odds: What a player can expect to win if he makes his hand vs. the amount of chips it will cost to play the hand.

Inside Straight: A hand of four cards to a straight but missing one in the middle (i.e., 8/9/J/Q).

Jacks or Better: In draw poker, a pair of Jacks is the lowest hand that can get in on the action.

Kicker: A high card that is used to break a tie.

LL: Low-limit.

Low Hand: Used in Hi/Lo games to indicate the winning low hand.

NL: No-limit.

NLH: No-limit Hold ‘em.

Meet: To call.

MTT: Multi-table tournament.

No room or No vacancy: Full House.

Nuts: The best hand in a game of poker.

Odds: The probability of winning a hand vs. not winning it.

Offsuit: A different suit.

On Tilt: Letting your emotions affect your game.

Outs: A card still in the deck that could potentially improve your hand.

Overpair: A pair in the hole that is higher than those cards dealt on the table.

Pair: Two of a Kind.

Passive: A playing style that is characterized by checking and calling rather than raising.

PL: Pot-limit.

Pocket: A hold ‘em player’s hand; hole cards. In a stud game, the downcard(s).

Position: The place at the poker table in which a player is literally seated in relation to the dealer, other players, and the blinds.

Post: Put up the blind.

Pot: The money up for grabs in a poker game.

Pot Odds: The calculated odds that involves how much money it will cost to play a hand, based on how much money is in the pot, in regards to the player’s chance of winning the hand.

Rabbit: A weak player.

Rail: Sidelines of a poker game.

Rainbow: A flop of three different suits.

Raise: To increase the stakes in the pot.

Rake: The money taken from each pot by the house.

Rakeback: A percentage of the rake paid back to a player for playing at a certain poker site.

Re-buy: The opportunity to buy more chips within a tournament.

Ring Game: A poker game that is not a tournament.

Royal Flush: An Ace high straight: A/K/Q/J/10; the best hand in poker.

Satellite: A small tournament that feeds into a larger one.

SB: Small blind.

See: Call.

Shootout: A tournament format that results in one player ending up with all the prize money; play continues until only one player is left.

Showdown: The final action between players in a hand to determine who will win the pot.

Short-stacked: The player with the least amount of chips at a table.

Small Blind: Half the amount of the big blind put up before the hand is dealt by the player in 3rd position clockwise from the dealer.

Straight: Five consecutive cards in any suit.

Straight Flush: Five consecutive cards of identical suit.

Street: The round of cards being dealt (i.e. third street, fourth street, etc.).

STT: Single-table tournament.

Suited: Cards of the same suit.

Suited Connectors: Cards of the same suit in subsequent order (i.e., 10h, Jh).

Table Talk: Any conversation going on at the poker table, especially that which would affect the game.

Tells: Any of a player’s behaviours or mannerisms that might reveal certain things about his hand to his opponents.

Third Street: Also called the flop, it’s the betting round that follows the first three community cards.

Tournament: A poker competition, typically with an entry fee, called a buy-in, and guaranteed cash prizes.

Turn: The 4th card dealt on the board flop games and the 3rd betting round; also called fourth street.

Wager: To bet or raise a bet; the amount of the bet or raise.

Wheel: A/2/3/4/5. The best low hand in poker; also called a bicycle.