Ace-high

A hand with no pair or better, where an ace is your highest card.

Action

The betting in a hand, or simply whose turn it is to act.

All-in

Putting your entire stack into the pot.

Ante

A forced bet paid before the hand starts, usually by all players or by the big blind in some formats.

Big blind (BB)

The larger forced blind bet posted before the cards are dealt.

Blind

A forced pre-flop bet. Usually refers to the small blind or big blind.

Board

The community cards in the middle of the table.

Boat

Slang for a full house.

Broadway

Either the cards Ten through Ace, or a Ten-to-Ace straight.

Burn card

The top card discarded face down before community cards are dealt.

Button

The dealer position; the player who acts last on most post-flop streets.

Buy-in

The amount paid to enter a game or tournament.

Call

Matching the current bet.

Check

Passing the action without betting when no bet is facing you.

Community cards

The shared board cards used by all players in flop games.

Dealer

Either the actual dealer or the player holding the dealer button.

Deck

The pack of cards used in the game.

Flop

The first three community cards dealt together.

Fold

Surrendering your hand.

Flush

Five cards of the same suit.

Four of a kind / quads

Four cards of the same rank.

Full house

Three of one rank and two of another.

Hand

Either the cards a player holds or a single deal of poker.

Heads-up

Play between two players only.

High card

A hand with no pair or better.

Hole cards

The private cards dealt to each player.

Kicker

The side card that breaks ties when players share the same pair or made hand type.

Muck

To throw a hand away face down, either by folding or after showdown.

Pair

Two cards of the same rank.

Pocket pair

A pair in your hole cards.

Pot

The chips being contested in a hand.

Quads

Four of a kind.

Raise

Increasing the size of the current bet.

Rake

The fee taken by the house from cash-game pots or tournament entries.

River

The fifth and final community card.

Royal flush

A-K-Q-J-10 of the same suit.

Runout

The sequence of board cards, especially the later streets.

Set

Three of a kind made with a pocket pair plus one board card.

Showdown

The point at which remaining players reveal hands to decide the winner.

Small blind (SB)

The smaller forced blind bet posted before the deal.

Stack

The chips a player currently has in play.

Straight

Five consecutive ranks.

Straight flush

Five consecutive cards of the same suit.

Table stakes

Only the chips on the table at the start of a hand may be used in that hand.

Three of a kind / trips

Three cards of the same rank. "Trips" usually means one hole card plus a paired board.

Turn

The fourth community card.

Two pair

Two separate pairs.

Wheel

The A-2-3-4-5 straight.

Cut-off (CO)

The seat immediately to the right of the button.

Dead blind

A posted blind that does not count as a live bet for raising purposes under some house rules.

Early position (EP)

Seats that must act early in the betting round.

Effective stack

The smaller of the two relevant stacks in a hand.

First to act

The player who must act before everyone else on that street.

Hijack (HJ)

The seat to the right of the cut-off.

In position (IP)

Acting after your opponent on later streets.

Late position (LP)

Seats near the button that act later in the round.

Lojack (LJ)

The seat between middle position and hijack at fuller tables.

Live blind

A blind that counts towards the amount to call or raise.

Main pot

The pot all active players can win.

Middle position (MP)

Seats between early and late position.

Mississippi straddle

A straddle posted from a position other than under the gun, often the button if house rules allow it.

Multiway

A pot involving three or more players.

Out of position (OOP)

Acting before your opponent on later streets.

Seat draw

The process of assigning seats in a tournament.

Side pot

A separate pot contested by players with chips left after someone is all-in.

Straddle

A voluntary blind raise, usually posted before the cards are dealt, most commonly from under the gun.

Under the gun (UTG)

The first player to act pre-flop in a full-ring game.

UTG+1 / UTG+2

The seats immediately after UTG in order.

Barrel

Continuing to bet on later streets after betting an earlier street.

Bet

Putting chips into the pot when no bet has yet been made on that street.

Blocker bet

A small bet, often used to set a cheaper price or discourage a bigger bet.

Bluff

Betting or raising with a hand that is likely behind, aiming to make better hands fold.

Call down

Continuing to call through multiple streets.

C-bet / continuation bet

A bet made by the pre-flop aggressor on the flop.

Check back

Checking when in position after action is checked to you.

Check-call

Checking, then calling a bet.

Check-fold

Checking, then folding to a bet.

Check-raise

Checking first, then raising after an opponent bets.

Click-back

A very small reraise, often online.

Cold call

Calling a raise without having already put money in voluntarily on that street.

Cold four-bet

Making a four-bet after there has already been a raise and a reraise, without having entered the pot earlier.

Delayed c-bet

Betting the turn after declining to c-bet the flop.

Donk bet

A bet into the previous street's aggressor, typically from out of position.

Double barrel

Betting the flop and turn.

Flat / flat call

Calling rather than raising.

Float

Calling with the intention of taking the pot away later.

Five-bet

The fifth aggressive bet in a raising sequence.

Hero-call

A call made with a marginal hand because you believe your opponent is bluffing.

Iso-raise / isolation raise

A raise aimed at getting heads-up against one weaker player, often after a limp.

Jam / shove

Going all-in.

Lead

Betting into the field rather than checking.

Limp

Just calling the big blind pre-flop instead of raising.

Limp-reraise

Limping first, then reraising after someone raises behind.

Min-raise

The smallest legal raise.

Open / open raise

The first voluntary raise pre-flop.

Overbet

A bet larger than the current size of the pot.

Overcall

Calling after one or more other players have already called.

Overlimp

Limping after another player has already limped.

Peel

Call one street, often with a marginal hand or draw, to see what develops.

Probe bet

A bet made after the previous street checked through, often by the out-of-position player.

Reraise

Raising a raise.

Semi-bluff

Betting or raising with a hand that may not be best now but can improve.

Slowplay

Underplaying a strong hand to keep weaker hands in.

Snap-call

An immediate call.

Snap-fold

An immediate fold.

Squeeze

A reraise after there has been a raise and at least one caller.

Stab

An opportunistic bet after an opponent shows weakness.

Tank

Taking a long time over a decision.

Thin value

A value bet where only slightly worse hands are likely to call.

Three-bet

The first reraise after an open raise.

Trap

Deliberately disguising hand strength to induce action.

Triple barrel

Betting flop, turn, and river.

Value bet

A bet intended to be called by worse hands.

Walk

When everyone folds to the big blind pre-flop, giving that player the pot uncontested.

Air

A hand with little or no showdown value.

Backdoor draw

A draw that needs both remaining streets to complete.

Bad beat

Losing with a strong hand after being a clear favourite.

Belly buster

Another term for a gutshot straight draw.

Bottom pair

Pairing the lowest card on the board.

Brick

A card that changes little or does not help a draw.

Chop

Splitting the pot.

Combo draw

A draw with multiple ways to improve, such as a straight draw plus flush draw.

Connected board

A board with cards close in rank, creating straight possibilities.

Counterfeit

A board change that reduces or destroys the value of your made hand, especially in Omaha hi-lo.

Dominated hand

A hand that shares some outs or pair potential with a stronger hand but is in poor shape.

Double gutter

A straight draw with two inside straight possibilities.

Draw / drawing hand

A hand that is behind now but can improve to the winner.

Dry board

A board with relatively few draw possibilities.

Flush draw

Four cards to a flush, needing one more.

Freeroll (hand concept)

A spot where one player can win extra while the other can at best tie.

Gutshot

An inside straight draw needing one specific rank.

Made hand

A hand that already has pair or better.

Middle pair

Pairing the middle board card.

Monotone board

A board where all cards are the same suit.

Monster

An extremely strong hand.

Naked draw

A draw with little extra value beyond the draw itself.

Nuts

The best possible hand at that moment.

Nut flush draw

A flush draw to the highest possible flush.

Open-ended straight draw (OESD)

A straight draw that can complete at either end.

Overcards

Hole cards higher than the highest board card.

Overpair

A pocket pair higher than any card on the board.

Paired board

A board containing a pair.

Rainbow board

A flop or board with all different suits and no flush draw.

Redraw

Extra outs you have after already making a hand.

Runner-runner

Making a hand by hitting both remaining streets.

Scare card

A card likely to worry an opponent because it completes strong hands or changes the board dramatically.

Second nuts

The second-best possible hand.

Set mining

Calling with a small pocket pair hoping to flop a set.

Short draw

A draw with relatively few outs.

Suck-out

When a player behind catches up and wins.

Top pair

Pairing the highest board card.

Trips

Three of a kind made with one hole card and a paired board.

Underpair

A pocket pair lower than a board card.

Wet board

A board rich in draw possibilities.

Balance / balanced strategy

Playing in a way that makes you harder to exploit because your actions contain the right mix of value hands and bluffs.

Bankroll

The total money set aside for poker.

Bankroll management

Choosing stakes and formats sensibly so variance does not wipe you out.

BB/100

Win rate measured in big blinds won per 100 hands.

Blocker

A card in your hand that reduces the number of combinations an opponent can have.

Card removal

The same basic idea as a blocker effect.

Chip EV

Expected value measured in chips rather than cash.

Combo

Shorthand for a possible hand combination.

Capped range

A range that is unlikely to contain the strongest possible hands.

Edge

An overall advantage over the opposition.

Equity

Your share of the pot in theory, based on how often your hand wins.

Equity denial

Making opponents fold hands that still have live outs against you.

Equity realisation

How much of your raw equity you actually convert into value, given position and action.

Expected value (EV)

The average value of a decision over the long run.

Exploitative play

Adjusting to punish a specific opponent or player pool tendency.

Fold equity

The value gained from the chance that an opponent folds.

Frequency

How often a particular action should be taken.

Game theory optimal (GTO)

A strategy framework aimed at being difficult to exploit.

Implied odds

The extra money you expect to win on later streets when you hit your hand.

Minimum defence frequency (MDF)

The minimum amount you must continue to avoid being exploited by automatic bluffs in a simplified model.

Merged range

A betting range containing many medium-to-strong hands rather than just nuts and bluffs.

Nut advantage

When one player's range is more likely to contain the nut hands.

Outs

Unseen cards that improve your hand to the likely winner.

Perceived range

The range your opponent believes you have.

Polarised range

A range made mostly of very strong hands and bluffs, with fewer medium-strength hands.

Pot odds

The price the pot is laying you on a call.

Range

The collection of hands a player can reasonably have.

Range advantage

When one player's overall range interacts better with the board than another's.

Reverse implied odds

Money you stand to lose on later streets when you make a second-best hand.

Risk premium

The extra caution needed in tournament situations where busting is costly, especially under ICM.

ROI (return on investment)

Tournament profit expressed as a percentage of total buy-ins.

Shot-taking

Moving up in stakes or entering bigger events than normal.

SPR (stack-to-pot ratio)

The ratio of the effective stack to the pot size after the betting round.

Solver

Software used off-table to study strategically sound poker decisions.

Uncapped range

A range that can still contain the strongest possible hands.

Variance

The natural short-term swings in results, even when decisions are good.

Win rate

How quickly a player wins over time, hands, or hours.

Add-on

An optional extra purchase of chips at a set point, usually in rebuy events.

Average stack

Total chips in play divided by the number of players remaining.

Bag and tag

Ending a tournament day by sealing your chips for the next day.

Bink

To win a tournament, especially a notable one.

Bounty

A prize for eliminating another player.

Bubble

The stage just before the paid places begin.

Bubble factor

The added cost of busting compared with the benefit of gaining chips near a payout point.

Chip chop

A deal based mainly on chip counts.

Chip leader

The player with the most chips.

Day 1 / Day 2 / Day 3

Separate stages of a multi-day tournament.

Deal

An agreed adjustment to the remaining prize pool among finalists.

Deep stack

A structure or stack size with plenty of chips relative to the blinds.

Final table

The last table of a tournament.

Freezeout

A tournament where once you bust, you are out for good.

Freeroll

A tournament with no entry fee.

Guarantee / GTD

A minimum prize pool promised by the organiser.

Hyper

A very fast structure with rapidly increasing blinds.

ICM (Independent Chip Model)

A method for translating tournament chips into payout value.

ICM chop

A deal based on ICM calculations rather than raw chip counts.

In the money (ITM)

Finishing in a paid position.

KO / knockout

A bounty format where eliminations pay cash or token value.

Laddering

Surviving pay-jump to pay-jump.

Late rego / late registration

The period when players can still enter after the tournament has started.

Level

A fixed time period with set blinds and antes.

Min-cash

The smallest payout in the prize structure.

MTT (multi-table tournament)

A tournament spread across multiple tables.

Overlay

When the guarantee exceeds the total buy-ins collected.

Pay jump

The increase in prize money between finishing positions.

PKO (progressive knockout)

A bounty format where part of each bounty goes to cash and part increases your own bounty.

Rebuy

Buying more chips in a rebuy event after losing some or all of your stack, according to the rules.

Re-entry

Busting out and entering again as a new entry.

Satellite

A tournament that awards seats or tickets to another event rather than, or as well as, cash.

Seat-only

A prize that pays only the tournament seat, not extra cash.

Short stack

A small stack relative to the blinds.

Shot clock

A time limit on decisions, often with time extensions available.

Sit and go (SNG)

A single-table or small-field tournament that starts when enough players register.

Turbo

A faster-than-standard blind structure.

Angle / angle shoot

Using technically legal but unethical behaviour to gain an advantage.

Cards speak

At showdown, the actual hand shown determines the result, regardless of what a player says.

Chop the blinds

Agreeing to take back blinds and skip the hand; not allowed everywhere.

Clock

A request for a player to be timed on a decision.

Colour up

Exchanging small-denomination chips for larger chips.

Dead hand

A hand ruled ineligible to win, often because of a procedural error.

Exposed card

A card accidentally shown when it should not be.

Floor

The floorperson or tournament director who makes rulings.

Forward motion

A live rule concept where moving chips forward may commit you to an action.

Ghosting

Receiving outside advice while still playing, especially online.

House rules

The specific rules of the venue, room, or platform.

Hit and run

Winning, then leaving soon after; legal, though often frowned upon socially.

HUD (heads-up display)

Software showing statistical tendencies of opponents online.

Misdeal

A hand that must be redealt because the original deal was faulty.

One-chip rule

In many live rooms, one oversized chip placed in without verbal declaration is treated as a call. House rules vary.

Protect your hand

Keep a chip or hand protector on your cards so they are not accidentally mucked.

Rabbit hunt

Revealing what would have come next if the hand had continued. It does not affect the official result.

Race off

A method used to remove odd low-denomination chips from play.

Real-time assistance (RTA)

Software or tools used during play to advise decisions; banned almost everywhere.

Run it twice

Dealing the remaining board twice after players are all-in to reduce variance.

Soft play

Failing to play normally against a mate or partner, usually against the rules.

Splash the pot

Throwing chips directly into the pot in a way that makes counting difficult; bad etiquette and often not allowed.

String bet

Putting chips in with more than one forward motion without clear declaration; usually not allowed.

Table selection

Choosing games based on line-up quality and profitability.

Time

Asking for time to think.

Verbal is binding

In most live settings, a clearly stated action stands.

ABC poker

Straightforward, fundamentally sound poker without much trickiness.

Backer

Someone who finances another player's buy-ins in exchange for a share of the results.

Bumhunting

Targeting games mainly because weaker players are present.

Calling station

A player who calls too often and folds too little.

Coinflip / flip

A roughly even all-in, often a pair against two overcards.

Cooler

A big hand-versus-bigger-hand clash that is hard to avoid.

Card dead

Running through many hands without seeing playable cards.

Dust off a stack

Lose a stack quickly, often through poor play or wild action.

Fish

A weaker or less experienced player.

Get stacked

Lose your entire stack in one hand.

Good for the game

A player whose presence makes the game more enjoyable or action-heavy.

Grinder

A player focused on steady, long-term profit through volume and discipline.

Have a crack

Take a shot or give something a go, often at bigger stakes.

Horse

A player being backed.

LAG (loose-aggressive)

A player who enters many pots and applies heavy pressure.

Live read

Information gathered from physical behaviour, timing, or mannerisms in a live game.

Maniac

An extremely aggressive player who over-bluffs or overplays hands.

Nit

A very tight, risk-averse player.

Punter

A bettor or gambler; in poker, often just a casual player.

Railbird

Someone watching the action from the rail or spectator area.

Rec / recreational

A casual player, as opposed to a professional or regular grinder.

Reg

A regular player in a game or stake.

Rock

An ultra-tight player who rarely gets out of line.

Run bad

Experience poor results or poor runouts over a stretch.

Run good

Enjoy favourable results or cards over a stretch.

Scared money

Money a player cannot comfortably afford to lose, often leading to timid decisions.

Shark

A strong, predatory player.

Soul read

A very confident read on an opponent's exact or near-exact hand.

Spewy

Too loose or careless with chips, especially through unnecessary bluffs or heroics.

Splashy

Loose, action-heavy, and willing to put chips in often.

Stake / piece / action

A share of a player's results sold or swapped.

Sticky

Reluctant to fold.

Sweat

Watching another player's session or all-in closely.

TAG (tight-aggressive)

A player who enters relatively few pots but plays them assertively.

Tell

A behavioural clue that may reveal strength or weakness.

Timing tell

Information inferred from how quickly or slowly someone acts.

Tilt

Emotional or frustrated play that harms decision-making.

Torch

Lose money or chips badly through poor decisions.

Whale

A very loose, often wealthy player willing to gamble heavily.

Bomb pot

A hand where all players put in a set amount pre-deal and the hand often starts post-flop.

Bring-in

A forced opening bet used in stud variants.

Cap game

A game with a maximum buy-in or betting cap, depending on context.

Double-suited

In Omaha, having two different suits in your hand, which improves flush potential.

Exactly two from hand

In Omaha, you must use exactly two hole cards and exactly three board cards.

Fixed-limit / limit

A betting structure with fixed bet sizes.

Hi-lo / eight-or-better

Split-pot games where the best high hand and qualifying low hand split the pot.

Mixed game

A rotation of different poker variants.

No-limit

A betting structure where you may wager any amount up to your full stack.

NLH (No-Limit Hold'em)

The most common hold'em format.

Omaha

A community-card game where players usually receive four or more hole cards and must use exactly two.

PLO (Pot-Limit Omaha)

Omaha played with pot-limit betting.

PLO5 / PLO6

Omaha variants with five or six hole cards.

Pot-limit

A betting structure where the largest legal raise is the current size of the pot.

Quartered

In split-pot games, winning only one-quarter of the pot because part of your hand is shared with another player.

Scoop

Winning the whole pot in a split-pot game.

Short Deck / 6+ Hold'em

A hold'em variant played with a reduced deck.

Stud

A family of poker games using upcards and downcards instead of community cards.

Wrap

In Omaha, a very large straight draw with many outs.

3B / 3-bet

A reraise pre-flop.

4B / 4-bet

The reraise after the 3-bet.

AF

Aggression factor; a stat comparing aggressive actions with calls.

BTN

Button.

BDFD

Backdoor flush draw.

BDSD

Backdoor straight draw.

BB

Big blind.

CO

Cut-off.

C-bet

Continuation bet.

FD

Flush draw.

GS

Gutshot.

HJ

Hijack.

IP

In position.

LJ

Lojack.

NFD

Nut flush draw.

OESD

Open-ended straight draw.

OOP

Out of position.

PFR

Pre-flop raise; also used as a stat showing how often a player raises pre-flop.

SB

Small blind.

SPR

Stack-to-pot ratio.

UTG

Under the gun.

VPIP

Voluntarily put money in pot; a stat showing how often a player enters a hand pre-flop.

x/c

Check-call.

x/f

Check-fold.

x/r

Check-raise.

Arvo game

An afternoon session.

Brick an event

Bust a tournament without cashing.

Home game

A private game run outside a casino or formal room.

Pub poker

Pub-based poker, often freeroll or league-style.

Rego

Short for registration.

Soft field

A line-up or tournament field considered weaker than average.

Take a shot

Move up in stakes or enter a bigger event than usual.

Top up / reload

Add chips back to your stack in a cash game, within the rules.