POKER GLOSSARY

OF TERMS

Your A to Z Poker Guide

OFFICIAL GRIPSED.COM E-BOOK SERIES

If you’re going to walk the walk, you’re going to need to talk the talk. This is why part of learning how to play

winning poker involves delving into the often esoteric and always colourful world of poker terms. After all, if you

don’t have a solid grasp of at least the most basic poker terms, you’re going to be lost at the tables.

We’ve complied a comprehensive A-Z list of the most common and useful poker terms you’ll encounter at and

around the tables today. Like any language, poker’s unique lingo is constantly evolving and morphing, but these

basic terms will give you a solid background and help you get started.

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CONTENTS

A. 1-6 N. 52-53
B. 6-14 O. 54-56
C. 15-21 P. 57-61
D. 22-27 Q. 62
E. 28-29 R. 63-66
F. 30-34 S. 67-75
G. 35-36 T. 76-79
H. 37-40 U. 80-81
I. 41-42 V. 82
J. 43-44 W. 85
K. 45-46 X. 86
L. 47-49 Y. 87
M. 50-51 Z. 88

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A-Game. 1) High quality playing by a particular player. “He brought his A-game to the table!” 2) When a game is

played at the highest available stakes at a given venue.

ABC Player. A person who plays using highly readable and predictable betting strategies.

According to Hoyle. A phrase used to highlight the textbook rules for a game. Even though Edward Hoyle (1672-

1769), the namesake behind this poker term, lived long before the incarnation of poker as we know it, he was a

recognized authority on the governing rules of card and board games.

Ace. Depending on the poker variation being played, the poker term ‘ace’ can refer to the highest or lowest

card. In a low card game, the ace ranks lowest, after the 2. In a high card game, it is the highest possible card,

ranking above the King - though it can also be used as the lowest card to make a straight (example: 5-4-3-2-A).

Ace Magnets. Another name for K,K. The nickname comes from the belief that K,K will always (or often)

encounter aces in the hole.

Ace Out. This poker term is used as a verb and means to win with an ace high hand.

Ace to Five. A poker term that is applied to low hand games in which the lowest (i.e. best) hand runs 5-4-3-2-A.

Ace Up the Sleeve. While this poker term was originally coined to quite literally mean that a player was

concealing an ace card up his sleeve, it has now passed into general usage to mean that a player has taken

unfair liberties.

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Ace Working. Having an ace in a hand.

Ace-High. When a player has a five-card hand with an ace, but nothing else. In the event that no one has a pair

or better, the ace-high would win.

Acepots. A high draw poker variation where a player has to hold at least two aces as openers to open the pot.

Aces and Spaces. When a player has a five-card hand comprised of two aces and three valueless cards.

Aces Full. A poker term used to describe a full house made up of three aces and a pair.

Aces Over. 1) A full house made up of aces and any pair. 2) Pair sets; one of which is aces.

Acey - Deucey. Two sets of pairs comprised of aces and twos (i.e. ‘deuces’).

Acey - Uppy. Two sets of pairs, of which one is aces.

Act. To make a move (i.e. call, bet, raise or fold).

Action. 1) A term used to signify a players turn to act. 2) When there is a lot of play happening; usually when

someone has made a good hand.

Action Button. A marker that signifies a mandatory bet in a hi- lo 7 Card Stud game. This bet must be posted by

the player who wins a scoop pot if it is above a certain size. The amount is equivalent to a full bet.

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Action Card. A poker term used in games that have community cards and refers to a card that appears on the

board and increases the action by helping the hands of at least two players.

Action Only. This poker term applies to all-in bets and sets the rule that only full bets will be considered as legit

wagers; anything less than a full bet is considered ‘action only’. (I.e. Other players may call this sort of bet, but

they cannot raise it.)

Let’s look at an example: Dawn bets $20. Jacob calls. David then goes all-in for $26 dollars. Once the bet

returns to Dawn and Jacob, they are only allowed to call the extra $6. This rule applies in many card rooms, but

may not be observed in home games.

Active Player. A player who is currently involved in a pot, even side pots.

Add-On. A poker term used to describe purchasing more chips prior to busting out. The add-on is optional and

is made at the end of a tournament’s designated re-buy period.

Advantage Player. Quite literally, a player who wins by taking advantages.

Advertising. To deliberately convey information or display cards that will project an impression to your

competition about your particular style of play.

Example: You win by bluffing with a poor hand and show your opponents your cards in hopes that they will think

you always bluff, thereby leading them to call you in future - even though you will only be playing good hands.

This tactic would draw more money out of them and sweeten the pot for you.

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Aggressive. A player or style of playing marked by active behaviours like betting or raising, as opposed to

calling or checking.

Ahead. 1) Leading the game; winning. 2) In regards to position at the poker table, acting before someone else.

Aggression Factor (AF). The measurable quantity of a player’s aggression. AF calculation: AF= (number of bets

+ number of raises)/number of calls.

Ainsworth. A poker term named after a player named Ainsworth that refers to landing 6-2 in the hole in Texas

Hold’em.

Air. 1) Meaning, “nothing”. Example: I had nuts in the hole, by caught air on the board. 2) “Giving air” in a lowball

game means you let another player who might fold know that you’re going to draw more cards; this tactic is

employed to encourage more calling and a bigger pot.

Ajax. Any ace and jack in the pocket.

Alabama Night Riders. Three kings.

Alexander. The King of Clubs. It is widely held that the four kings in a deck of cards represent four of the world’s

most well-known rulers: Spades = King David; Hearts = King Charlemagne; Clubs = Alexander the Great;

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All-In Over the Top. The act of raising with all your chips after an opponent bets.

AMC. Acronym for ‘All My Chips’. (I.e. a player is going all-in.)

American Airlines. A,A; two aces.

Ammo. Short for ‘ammunition’, which in the case of poker, means ‘chips’. If you need more ammo, you need

more chips.

Angle. An action in poker that is contrary to ethics, but is not strictly against the rules. (E.g.: taking an unfair

advantage of another player.)

Anna Kournikova. A,K in the hole.

Announced Bet. A player’s verbal declaration and acknowledgment of his or her bet. In games where

announced bets are permitted, they occur in turn and are seen as final.

Ante. A forced bet made by each player at the beginning of a hand to seed the pot.

Ante Bean. A chip or signifying marker of an ante.

Ante Off. Applicable to tournament play and used when a player is absent from the table to force him or her to

keep paying antes, bring-ins, blinds and/or other forced bets. This keeps the player in the game and keeps the

play fair for everyone.

Ante Up. The act of putting an ante in the pot.

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Any Two. A phrase utilized in Texas Hold’em to insinuate that the strength or weakness of player’s hand will not

impact the way they’ll play. For example, a super loose player might be said to “play any two”.

Apology Card. The appearance of a card in a current hand that would have completed the player’s previous

hand.

Apple. A big game; the biggest game in a venue.

Argine. Queen of Clubs. The term is thought to be an anagram of Regina, which is Latin for ‘queen’.

Arkansas Flush. A four card flush.

As Nas. A Persian card game which originated around the 16th century and is thought to be the primary

ancestor of poker.

Assault Rifle. A term used in Omaha to signify A-K-4-7 hole cards of any suits.

Assigned Bettor. The first player to bet in any given round.

Athos. A, 10. Usually only utilized in Texas Hold’em.

Ax. 1) A term used to signify having an ace and any other card in a hand. 2) The portion of the pot skimmed by

casino or venue management to cover expenses.

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Baby. Any of the four cards that are not aces that are needed to make the lowest hand (i.e. 2, 3, 4, 5) in a split

pot game.

Backdoor. When you make a hand that you were not intending to make. Example: You have four spades and are

holding out for a flush, but then you ‘backdoor’ two more jacks and get three of a kind instead.

Backdoor Flush. Unlike the use of the solo term ‘backdoor’, a backdoor flush refers to a hand you do intend to

make, but still need additional cards to complete. In this case, you would have three of the cards for a flush, but

still have to see the turn and the river.

Backdoor Straight. You have three of the cards needed for a straight but still need to see what cards are

presented on the turn and river to seal the deal.

Backer. A person who is not playing who funds someone who is playing.

Back Raise. When a player who originally called re-raises in the same round.

Bad Beat. When a hand is beat out by a lucky draw; especially pertinent when the hand that lost out was a solid

hand.

Balance. A strategic tactic used to throw other players off and stop them from being able to gather valuable

information about you and your cards; involves playing very different hands exactly the same way.

Bankroll. The amount of money you have to spend throughout your life as a poker player.

Barbara Hutton. 10, 5. This hand’s namesake was the five-and-dime store heiress.

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Baskin Robbins. 3, A: i.e. 3, 1, like the 31 flavours sold by the famous ice cream chain.

Battle of the Blinds. When every player except the ones who have forced bets fold, leaving the blinds to ‘battle’

it out.

Beat the Board. When you hold a hand that wins out over all your opponents’ hands come showdown.

Behind. 1) When you are losing. 2) Refers to your position at the table; you are acting after or ‘behind’ the person

to your right, s/he will act ‘ahead’ or before you.

Behind a Log. Being so far ahead of the game in regards to winning that a player can easily play only choice

hands.

Bet. 1) The act of putting chips in the pot. 2) When referring to a fixed limit game, ‘bet’ also refers to the baseline

betting amount.

Bet Blind. When you make a bet without first consulting your cards.

Bet Odds. Your odds after calculating how many callers there are to a raise.

Betting Stakes. The actual limit in dollars of all permitted bets and raises.

Betting Structure. The entire run-down on regulations regarding forced sets, raise caps, limits, etc, for a game.

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Bicycle (or Bike). 1) A hand of 5,4,3,2,A; the lowest hand possible in hi-lo poker. 2) The bicycle design on the

back of cards used by The US Playing Card Company.

Big Bet. The larger bet of two or more bets.

Big Blind. The larger of two forced bets placed by the player in second position (two seats to the left of the

dealer) before the cards are dealt.

Big Bobtail. An open-ended flush comprised of four cards.

Big Dog. The extreme underdog; the player with precious little chance of winning.

Big Pair. A pair that consists of Ts (10,10) or greater.

Big Slick. A pocket hand of A, K.

Blank. 1) A card that’s of no use in general. 2) Specifically, a community card that does not appear to change

the standings of a hand. For example, if the flop is Ac-JH-10C and the turn is 3d, then the turn card would be a

‘blank’ whereas a 3c, on the other hand, could be used to make a flush.

Blaze. A hand made up of five face cards. This hand has no intrinsic value in poker hand rankings, but the term

is often used in lowball games when players wish to emphasize their tales of bad luck.

Bleed. To acquire a large sum of money by small increments; the money can come from a game in general or

another player in particular.

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Blind. A forced bet required from the two players to the left of the dealer; the blinds start the action in the first

round of betting.

Blind Bet. Placing a bet before looking at your hand; identical in meaning to ‘bet blind’.

Blind Defense. When a player in the big blind position calls or raises an opponents’ raise to protect their blinds

(i.e. money invested) from being lost.

Blind Raise. When a player in late position raises with a mediocre hand when all the other players have folded

their cards; the intention is to win the blinds and the antes.

Blind Stud. A variation of stud poker where all cards are dealt facedown.

Blinded, Blind Off. Occurs in tournament play when your stack is diminished by paying the steadily increasing

blinds.

Blocker. A card in another player’s hand that you require to make your hand.

Blocker Bet. An incredibly small bet made with the intention of blocking a larger bet from an opponent.

Blow Back. Losing the majority of (or all of) your winnings in a game.

Bluff. Misleading other players about the strength of your hand, usually by playing (betting, calling, raising)

aggressively – though sometimes it’s by underplaying the strength of your hand.

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Bluffing Catching Range. The number of hands that won’t have any true value on the river, but could still

possibly catch an opponent’s bluff.

Bluff Induce. Making an aggressive play with a solid hand that gives the impression of a bluff; used to extract a

bluff (and thereby more money) from your competition.

Board, Boardcards. The cards dealt face-up for all players to use to make their best possible hand.

Boat. A full house; three cards of the same value/number and any other two cards of the same value/number.

Boss. The strongest hand at any given point in betting.

Bottom Pair. When a player uses one of his or her own cards plus the flop’s lowest card to make a pair.

Bounty. A cash reward given to players in some tournaments to encourage players to knock out other players.

This reward is given separately of tournament payouts.

Box. 1) The chip tray located in front of the dealer. 2) The dealer’s position at the table.

Boxed Card. A card that is found face-up in the deck come the deal. For the most part, boxed cards are treated

as non-existent and are placed aside.

Break. 1) A reprieve from play in a tournament in which players are free to refresh themselves. 2) Used in draw

poker to mean the act of discarding certain cards that could have made a hand in the hopes of landing a better

one.

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Brick. An undesirable card.

Brick and Mortar (also B&M). A real casino as opposed to an online casino.

Bridge Order. While poker hand rankings do not assign a higher value to one suit over another, suits can matter

at the beginning of a game when the dealer is being determined or when deciding on who will bet the bring-in

during a game of stud. Bridge rank order: Spades beats hearts, hearts beat diamonds, diamonds beat clubs.

Bring-In. A mandatory bet in 7 Card Stud made by the person who had the lowest upcard in the initial round of

betting.

Broadway. Refers to an ace high straight.; A-K-Q-J-10.

Broderick Crawford. The hand 10, 4; named for the actor Broderick Crawford’s famous overuse of the term “ten-

four” in the series Highway Patrol.

Broomcorn’s Uncle. Refers to a player who antes until he or she is broke.

Brush. 1) A employee of the casino who greets players, maintains the waiting list, makes announcements about

open seats, and brushes tables to prep for the next game. 2) The act of recruiting players to a game.

Bubble. The very last player eliminated in a tournament before he or she makes it into the winning payouts.

Bubbled. Occurs in tournament play when a player is knocked out before making it into the payout spots.

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Buck. A marker that indicates who is the dealer; the ‘button’. It is believed the original marker used in poker

games was a buckhorn handled knife, giving birth to the phrase, “the buck stops here.”

Bug. A wildcard used in some poker variations. The ‘bug’ is restricted and can only usually signify an ace or fill a

spot in a flush or a straight.

Bullets. A, A; pocket aces.

Bully. A player who can be characterized by super aggressive play who pushes more cautious players out of the

pot.

Bump. To raise.

Buried Pair. Used in stud games to refer to a pair in the hole.

Burn, Burn Card. The act of discarding the first card on the top of a deck before dealing.

Bury, Bury Card. The act of taking a card from the top of the deck and putting it in the middle; part of shuffling.

Bust, Busted. 1) A hand that could not be completed; a broken hand. 2) Having no more chips; to ‘bust’ out.

Button. A round marker that sits in front of the dealer to show who is dealing.

Buy-In. The absolute minimum amount of chips that a player must purchase in order to play in a game or a

tournament.

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Buy-In Limit. Used in 7 Card Stud to refer to the minimum sum of money a player has to bring to a one-on-one

game.

Buy the Button. 1) A strategy used by players in late position that involves raising in order to prompt the

subsequent opponents to fold. As a result, the player will be able to take advantage of playing in last position in

the following betting rounds. 2) A rule adopted in some casinos that allows a new player sitting to the dealer’s

right to pay the equivalent of both the blinds in order to play the current hand; usually this player will have to

wait. The player will also receive the button on the next hand, like he or she was actually playing previously.

Buy the Pot. A tactic used to force non-committal players out of the pot by placing a bet when no one else has

made a move.

By Me. An expression used when wanting to check.

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California Lowball. Ace-to-five lowball with a joker; a popular poker game in California during the 1970s.

Call. Matching either a bet or raise.

Call Cold. The act of calling both a bet and raise (or raises).

Caller. Refers to the player who calls a bet.

Calling Station. A player who is characterized by passive and loose play involving overly frequent calls, but

infrequent raises.

Cap. The limit placed on the number of raises permitted in a round of betting. Caps vary, though they usually run

at three or four.

Cap Game. A no-limit or a pot limit poker game with a restriction placed on the amount a player can bet over

the course of any given hand. When the cap is maxed, all active players (i.e. players in the hand) are considered

all-in.

Cardroom. The space in a live or online casino where poker, specifically, is played.

Card Speak. Meaning that the cards ‘speak’ for themselves. Any verbal announcements that players make in

regards to their hands are not seen as binding.

Case Card. Refers to the fourth (and last) card of a particular rank available in a deck of cards. So, for example, a

“case queen” would refer to the last queen remaining in a deck.

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Cash In. To cash out; to leave the game and exchange your chips for money.

Cash Game. Also known as ‘ring games’, cash games refer to poker games in which the chips represent real

money and players can enter and leave the game as they please. (This is as opposed to tournament play, where

the chips aren’t worth anything out of tournament context and there is a definite closing condition - i.e. only one

player left in the tournament. Also, tournament play has a specific line up of pre-registered players.)

Cash Plays. When a player uses real cash instead of chips while he or she waits for his or her chips to arrive.

Cashing. When a player wins a portion of prize money in a tournament.

Cash Out. See ‘cash in’.

Catch. When a player gets the card he or she needed on any street of action.

Catch Bluffing. The act of calling or raising someone who has been bluffing to win the pot.

Catch Up. When a player completes his or her hand on a draw, thereby winning over a player who had the

better hand previously.

Catch Perfect. Refers winning a pot by getting the only two cards that could possibly make a complete hand.

Center Pot. The primary pot, as opposed to a side pot.

Change Gears. To alter your style of play. For example, to go from tight to looser playing.

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Chase. To pursue a hand when the odds don’t warrant the risk.

Check. 1) To pass on making a bet, but to stay in the action. 2) Another name for a poker chip.

Check Blind. To check without first looking at your cards.

Check Out. When a player folds even though there is no active bet and he/she could have checked.

Check-Raise. A poker strategy where a player checks with the aim of raising once another player’s bet; a tactic

to draw money out of the competition without making an initial investment (i.e. a call).

Cheese. An incredibly poor starting hand.

Chip. A small, round marker used in the place of money.

Chip Dumping. When one player purposely loses chips to another. If players agree to engage in this activity, it’s

considered collusion (i.e. cheating).

Chop. The act of giving the blinds back to the players who posted them in the event that no other players call.

The dealer will then deal out a new hand.

Cinch Hand. An optimal hand that is unbeatable.

Click Raise. To make the very minimum raise; specific to online poker, where players can click the ‘raise’ button

without being specific in regards to the raise amount.

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Closed. When no player can raise any more in a particular round of betting.

Coffeehousing. When opponents engage in chit-chat about a hand they are playing, often with the intention of

misleading one another.

Coin Flip. A situation in a poker hand when two players have put their money in the pot with an about equal

chance of winning.

Cold Call. The act of calling more than one bet. For example, when the player after the blinds raises, forcing the

subsequent player to bet (i.e. call) without warming up to the action. Hence the term ‘cold’.

Cold Deck. A deck of cards that has been fixed to prevent some player(s) from winning; a form of cheating.

Cold Hands. 1) When a player has a succession of substandard hands. 2) Hands at showdown are thought of as

‘cold’, since they are no longer in play.

Collection Drop. A nominal amount charged for every hand dealt at a casino.

Collusion. Cheating involving a collaboration of two or more players.

Colour Change. The request to switch the denomination of chips; usually to a larger denomination.

Colt 45. Refers to the hand 4,5. It is believed this is named after either the malt liquor or the weapon.

Come Bet. Refers to a bet or raise made with a drawing hand in hopes of making the desired draw.

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Come Over the Top. The act of raising or re-raising another player’s bet.

Community Card. A card that is used by all players to make their own best hand.

Complete Hand. A hand that does not need any additional cards to make it whole; it stands as is.

Completion. Raising a small bet so it equals the amount of a standard-sized bet.

Concealed Pair. When both pair cards are facedown.

Connectors. A starting hand where the hole cards are consecutively ranked. (e.g. J-Q.)

Conservative. Refers to a player or type of play that only acts with decent hands.

Continuation Bet. A strategy used mainly in Texas Hold’em that involves betting on the flop when you have

previously made a raise pre-flop. Also called a c-bet.

Cooler. The second best hand that’s so strong given the circumstances it’s bound to lose the maximum no

matter how it’s played.

Countdown. When a dealer counts the remainder of cards left in a deck post-deal to ensure a full deck is being

used.

Counterfeit. When a card appears on the board that duplicates a card in your hand and lessens your chances

of winning. (E.g. You hold 7,6 and the board shows 5-8-9. The turn reveals a 7. The strength of your straight is

diminished because it’s now more likely an opponent can beat it.)

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Court Card. Refers to a king, queen or jack.

Cow. Refers to a player with whom you are sharing a buy-in and splitting the winnings after the game.

Cowboys. A pair of kings as hole cards; mainly used in Texas Hold’em.

Crabs. 3, 3 as your hole cards. The hand was given this name presumably because the numbers look like the

pincers of crabs.

Crack. A term used to describe beating a strong hand. “I cracked his pocket aces.”

Cranberry. Refers to a player who calls despite unfavourable pot odds.

Crapshoot. Used to describe tournaments with an influx of loose action; usually also carries the insinuation of

poor playing.

Cripple. To disable almost anyone else from winning because you have the majority (or all) of the cards an

opponent would need to win with the current board.

Crying Call. Calling even when you think you do not have the best hand; usually involves vocally complaining

while making the call. Some players use it as a tactic to try to mislead opponents, though it among skilled

players it is viewed as fairly tacky and transparent.

Cut. To divide a deck of cards into two in order to change the card order; usually part of shuffling and simply

requires putting the bottom half of the deck on top.

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Cut it Up. The act of splitting the pot when two hands tie for value.

Cut Card. A totally distinct card that the dealer holds over the bottom card in a deck to prevent players from

seeing the bottom card.

Cut-off. Refers to the seat to the immediate right of the dealer. The name originates from home games in which

the player who is dealing shuffes and distributes the cards, while the player to the right cuts the deck.

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Dark Bet. Taking action (i.e. betting) before looking at your hand; making a move without any information. “Being

in the dark.”

Darth Vader. Refers to 4s, 4c. A play on words since they are both ‘dark fours’, like ‘dark force’.

Dead Blind. When the player posting the blind does not have the option to raise in the event other players call;

the blind is not considered ‘live’ - hence the term ‘dead’.

Dead Button. When the player who would have posted a blind has vacated his or her spot, leaving the position

empty or ‘dead’.

Dead Hand. A hand that cannot be played. Usually, the player’s hand is voided and/or the entire round is voided

and re-dealt. Dead hands are often the result of a dealer distributing the wrong number of cards or when a

player touches another player’s cards by accident or on purpose.

Dead Man’s Hand. Two pair, aces and 8s; named after Wild Bill Hickok who was holding this hand when he was

murdered.

Dead Money. Money that’s already in the pot from either the blinds or from a weak player.

Deal. 1) To distribute the cards to players. 2) Referring to one full poker hand played to completion, from the deal

to awarding of the pot.

Deal Twice. In cash games when there is no more betting, two players can agree to play out the rest of the

cards for half the pot, and then deal again for the other half.

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Dealer. The person who handles the cards, awards the pots and monitors the game.

Dealer’s Choice. A rule which allows the dealer to decide which poker game is going to be played that

particular hand. (E.g.: Hold’em, 7 Card Stud, Omaha Hi-Lo, etc.)

Dealer’s Button. A marker (usually a flat plastic disk) that sits in front of the player who is dealing in the event

there is not a house dealer; also called ‘the button’.

Declare. Refers to a player verbally announcing his or her intention or action.

Deep Stack. A stack of chips that is, relatively speaking, large for the stakes of the game; also referred to as ‘big

stack’.

Defence. When you strategically defend yourself against a perceived threat (like a bluff) by taking action to

force your opponent to invest more chips or fold their cards.

Deuce. 1) Any two spot card. 2) A pair of twos.

Deuce-to-Seven. A rule used in hi-lo games to evaluate low hands.

Diamonds. One of the four suits of playing cards. It’s commonly held that this suit used to represent merchants.

Dirty Stack. A stack that’s seemingly of one denomination, but actually has one or more chips of another. While

this is most often the result of an oversight, it may also be intended deception.

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Discard(s). 1) The cards you choose to remove from your hand to make room for replacements in a draw game.

2) The cards you throw away or muck.

Dog. The short form of ‘underdog’; the player thought least likely to win.

Dolly Parton. A straight 5-9. This hand was named for Dolly’s starring role in the movie 9 to 5.

Dominated Hand. A hand that is not likely to win against another specific hand even though it is not actually a

bad hand in and of itself. (E.g.: A, Q when it meets an A,K in Hold’em.)

Donk Bet. A bet made by an inexperienced or weak player.

Donkey. A weak player or a stupid move.

Door Card. 1) The first up-card or exposed card in a player’s hand in stud games. 2) The first flop card in Texas

Hold’em. 3) The sometimes visible card at the bottom of a player’s hand in draw poker. Many players will expose

this card on purpose, especially in lowball.

Double Ace Flush. A flush with one or more wild cards that are played as aces, even in the event an ace is

already present.

Double Barrelling. The act of bluffing into a pot twice – once on the flop and then again on the turn.

Double Belly Buster. A two-way inside straight. (E.g.: 4-6-7-8-10.)

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Double-Board. Refers to any of many board card game variations where two separate boards of community

cards are dealt at the same time with the pot being split between the winning hands using both boards; also

called a double flop.

Double Bluff. A two-part bluff that involves making the first bet, being raised, and then re-raising.

Double Draw. Refers to draw poker games where the draw portion of the game and the ensuing betting rounds

are repeated twice.

Double Raise. Raising by exactly the amount of the current bet; the minimum raise in pot-limit or no-limit games.

Double Suited. Refers to a starting hand in Omaha Hold’em where a player holds two pairs of suited cards (e.g.

two clubs and two hearts).

Double Up. The act of going all-in during a no-limit game and winning an amount that effectively doubles your

bankroll; also called ‘double through’.

Double Pop. When the second player to act re-raises a raise.

Down and Dirty. The last hole card dealt in a game of 7 Card Stud.

Down Card. Cards that are dealt face down; hole cards.

Down to the Green. Going all in. ‘Green’ is in reference to the green felt tops on many poker tables.

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Downswing. A period of play where a player is consistently losing.

Doyle Brunson. A Hold’em hand of 10, 2; named for Brunson who won the world championship two years

straight on the last hand with these cards.

Drag Light. The act of pulling chips away from the pot to show you don’t have enough money to cover a bet. In

the event you win, the amount is ignored, but if you lose you have to cover the sum from your pocket. This is not

permitted in casinos and is usually only allowed in laid-back home games.

Draw. 1) The act of playing a hand that’s not yet strong, but could increase in strength as more cards come. 2)

When players discard cards they do not want and are dealt replacements in an attempt to make the best hand.

Draw Card. A card a player has been dealt on the draw.

Draw Dead/Drawing Dead. Playing a drawing hand of poker that is bound to lose even if you complete it.

Draw for Deal. To take part in a top-card draw in order to determine which player will act as dealer.

Draw Game. A game of poker which is based on drawing new cards to replace unwanted cards to make the

best hand.

Draw Live/Drawing Live. Playing a drawing hand of poker that will win if the hand is completed.

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Draw Out. When you improve your hand enough to beat an opponent who had a better hand before your draw.

Drawing Thin. Chasing a draw even though you’re up against poor odds.

Drop/Drop Out. To fold.

Dry Ace. A pocket ace without another card of the same suit; the term is used in Texas and Omaha Hold’em.

Dry Board. When the community cards seem to indicate it is highly unlikely any player will make a strong hand,

like a flush or a straight - usually because the cards lack numerical or suit continuity.

Dry Pot. Refers to a side pot that’s created when a player goes all-in and is called by multiple opponents, but not

raised. This pot remains empty unless there’s subsequent betting, in which case the money will go there.

Ducks. A pair of twos.

Duplicate. Another term for counterfeit.

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Eagles. Refers to cards of a fifth suit present in a 65 card deck.

Early Bet. A tiny bet made after the first card in stud poker, or, alternatively, the first two cards in draw.

Early Position. The player to the immediate left of the dealer. In larger tables, this can include up to three seats

left of the dealer.

Edge. 1) An favourable position. 2) Can also refer to the dealer.

Edge Odds. Refers to a player’s relative advantage compared to all other opponents.

Edge Shot. Any bet that’s made from a favourable position.

Eight or Better. A term used in hi-lo split games to mean only hands where the highest card is an 8 or smaller

are eligible to win the low portion of the spot.

Eldest Hand. Refers to the player immediately to the dealer’s left,

End Bet. The final bet in an interval of play.

End Strippers. Cards that are tapered along the ends and used for marking (i.e. cheating) purposes.

English Poker. A form of draw poker played with a blind opening.

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English Stud. A game of stud poker that uses a draw; dealt the same way as 7 Card Stud, but players can opt to

draw after the fifth card is dealt.

Entry Fee. The amount a player must pay to enter a tournament. If an entry fee is $10+$2, for example, $10 is

allocated for the prize pool and $2 will go to the tournament organizer.

Equity. The amount you can mathematically expect to win given the current deal. Equity is calculated by taking

the amount of money in the pot and then multiplying it by your probability of winning. For example, if the pot has

$100 and you have a 50% chance of winning it, you have $50 equity in the pot. Again, equity does not refer to

how much you WILL win; it only refers to how much you can rightfully expect to win.

Eubie. 8,6. To understand the nickname, think of the term phonetically: “Play an 8,6 and you be losing!”

Even Money. A bet made with the intention of winning the exact amount wagered.

Expected Value (EV)/Expectation. Your probability of winning (or losing) in the long run. This term should not be

thought of as pertaining to a specific circumstance, but should be viewed as an indication of your hand’s merits

overall.

Exposed Cards. 1) The cards that are dealt face-up, most notably in stud games. 2) Cards accidently or

purposely dealt face-up and exposed to players who are not usually privy to knowledge of the card(s) content.

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Face Card. A king, queen, or jack; any card with depicting a person.

False Cut. When a deck appears to be cut, but the top portion has not actually been changed; a cheating tactic.

False Openers. A hand that is opened even though it does not have the necessary requirements to open.

Family Pot. A pot in which every (or just about every) player calls the opening bet.

Fast. Aggressive play marked by lots of betting and raising.

Favourite. The showdown hand with the best odds over the other hand(s) in play.

Feeder. Refers to a secondary or tertiary table that plays simultaneously to a main table and acts as a holding

tank for players waiting for a spot at the main table. Found in casino settings or larger private games.

Felt. The material covering a poker table - even if it is not actually felt.

Field. Collectively refers to all players in a tournament and/or the specific number of players in a tournament;

usually a larger tournament.

Fifth Street. 1) The final card dealt in a community card poker game; also called the ‘river’. 2) In stud player, it

refers to the fifth card dealt - though not always the final card (e.g. 7 Card Stud).

Fill/Fill Up. The act of drawing the card that completes any five-card hand.

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Final Table. The last table in a multiple table tournament.

First Position. The person in the seat directly left of the blinds in Texas Hold’em or Omaha Hold’em; also called

‘under the gun’.

Fish. A weak, often inexperienced player often defined by their tendency to lose money.

Fishhooks. Nickname for jacks because the ‘j’ looks like a hook.

Five of a Kind. Five cards of identical rank; this hand is only possible in wild card games or, alternatively, games

with multiple decks. Five of a kind defeats all other hands.

Five Card Draw. A poker game where each player is dealt five cards face down and given one chance to draw

and replace them to score the best high hand.

Five Card Stud. A poker game where each player is dealt five cards: one down, four up. Betting occurs after

dealing of the second, third, fourth and fifth cards.

Fixed Limit. A betting structure where the bet amount is pre-determined for each specific round.

Flash/Flashed Card. 1) A card which is accidently exposed to at least one player during the deal is shown to ALL

players and then discarded. Also known as ‘exposed’ cards. 2) Showing one’s cards to opponents, usually after

showdown. 3) Accidently revealing the bottom card on the deck while dealing; usually because the dealer was

not using a cut card. 4) To reveal a common card to be used by all players when there are not enough cards to

complete a stud game.

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Flat Call. To call a bet without making a raise.

Flat Limit. Much like fixed limit; all bets are the same amount.

Float. The act of calling a bet with the intention to bluff in a subsequent street of betting.

Floorman. A person employed by a cardroom to make decisions and final rulings on play.

Flop. The first three cards dealt face-up on the board; also indicative of the second betting round.

Flop a Set. Catching the third card of the same rank on the flop when holding pocket pairs.

Flop Game. Refers to a game played using community cards.

Flush. A hand made using five cards of identical suit.

Flush Draw. Occurs when a player has all but one of the five cards required to make a flush and is waiting on

the draw to see if the hand connects.

Fold. To discard your cards and refrain from betting that particular round.

Fold Equity. What a player stands to gain by an opponent folding under his or her bets. Calculated as such:

Fold Equity = chance that your opponent(s) will fold * increase in equity if your opponent(s) fold.

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Forced Bet/Force In. A mandatory bet made blind (i.e. without considering one’s cards); usually carries an

option to make a raise.

Forward Motion. A casino rule that dictates that a player who moves his or her chips towards the center of the

table has made a commitment to bet; the player cannot thereby check or fold.

Foul. When a hand cannot be played for whatever reason (e.g. having too few or too many cards, being mixed

with muck cards, etc).

Four Flush. Four same-suited cards. This hand is usually considered an uncompleted drawing hand in most

poker games.

Four of a Kind. Four cards that are of the same face value or number; also known as ‘quads’.

Fourth Street. 1) In community card poker games, the fourth card that’s dealt; also called the ‘turn’. 2) The fourth

card dealt to all active players in stud games.

Free Card. A card that’s dealt to the community cards or to each player’s hand individually after a round of

betting where no player opened (bet). A free card gives players the opportunity to improve their hand and get

the action going without having to front any money or re-deal the entire hand.

Freeroll. An opportunity for players to win something at no cost or no risk. This term can apply to a specific hand

or an entire tournament.

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Freezeout. A tournament in which there is no opportunity to re-buy and playing goes on until a single player has

all the chips. This is the most common kind of tournament.

Full Barn/Full Boat/Full Tub. A nickname for a full house; a five card hand with three cards of one rank and two

of another.

Full Bet Rule. A rule enforced in some casinos where a player has to bet the full amount for his or her wager to

be considered a raise. So, for example, in a $5 fixed limit game, a player who follows a $5 opening bet has to

wager at least $10 to raise.

Full-Buy. A buy-in that necessitates purchasing a bare minimum chip requirement to play.

Full House. A five card hand with three cards of one rank and two of another; rank can refer to number or face

value.

Full Ring Game. A cash game with more than six players; usually nine to eleven.

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Gallery. Refers to the spectators of a game.

GAP Concept. Introduced by respected and renowned poker authority David Sklansky, the GAP concept

purports that it takes a superior hand to call a raise than it takes to make the initial raise itself.

Gap Hand. A starting hand with one or more ranks separating two cards; often, the term is used to specifically

denote a ‘one-gap’ or ‘two-gap’ hand.

Get Away. To fold a solid hand in the face of a (presumably) better hand.

Going South. An action usually banned in public card rooms that involves sneaking a portion of your stack away

from the table when the game is in play in order to minimize the stakes you are required to risk.

Grifter. Someone who cheats.

Grinder/Grinding. A player or a style of play marked by conservative, profitable playing for relatively smaller

profits over longer periods of time. A grinder (as a person) refers to someone who makes their living playing

poker this way.

Guts/Guts to Open. 1) A game which specifies no requirement for opening hands; you only need ‘guts’ (courage)

to act. 2) A poker variation where the pot builds over many hands until a single player wins it all.

Gutshot. An inside straight; a hand that has four out of the five cards required for a straight, but lacks the card in

the middle to complete the straight.

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Gypsy/Gypsy In. Also known as limping, this term is used to describe entering the pot by calling the blind

instead of raising.

Gravy. Term that refers to one’s winnings and/or bankroll.

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Half Bet Rule. A rule enforced in some casinos that necessitates that if you place chips equal to or greater than

half the normal bet amount beyond the amount required to call, it constitutes a commitment to raise the normal

amount. So, for example, if you’re playing a fixed limit game and you’re facing a $6 opening bet and you put $6

in the pot, the pot is officially seen as raised, and you must complete the bet to $9.

Hand. Your best cards that complete your winning combination. In Texas Hold’em, this would be your best five

cards.

Hanger. When the last card of the deck is sticking out, showing that the dealer has been dealing from the

bottom.

Head to Head. When there are only two people playing against each other.

Heads Up. Two players playing for a pot.

Hearts. One of the four suits of playing cards.

Heater. An extended period in which a player is consistently winning.

Heinz. 5,7; a nickname derived from Heinz Ketchup’s 57 varieties.

Help Card. A card that assists a player’s hand.

Hero Call. When a player calls despite a weaker hand because he or she suspects an opponent is bluffing.

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High Hand. The best hand in any given round of poker as ranked by conventional poker hand values.

High Card. 1) A hand that has no pairs and is therefore ranked by the highest ranking card(s). 2) The act of

winning out over another player using high-ranking cards. 3) Dealing a round of cards to all the players and

seeing who has the highest card to determine the dealer.

High Limit. A poker game in which the amount wagered is relatively large.

Hi-Lo/Hi-Lo Split. A poker game where the pot is split between the player with the best ranking poker hand at

the table, and the player with the lowest ranking hand. In some cases, a player may have both the best possible

high hand and low hand, in which case that player gets the whole pot. Aces count as high (i.e. an ace) and low

(i.e. 1). A ‘wheel’ (A-2-3-4-5) is the best possible nut low hand.

High Roller. Someone who gambles for big stakes.

Hijack Seat. The seat that’s second to the right of the dealer; also called the ‘cut-off’.

Hit. When a drawing round contains cards (or a card) that is useful to your hand.

Hit and Run. When a player joins in a poker game, wins a large portion of money, and then leaves relatively

quickly.

Hitchhiker. A player who joins a pot inexpensively and is the unwitting victim of a strategic trap.

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Hockey Sticks. 7,7; the nickname comes from the numbers’ visual resemblance to a pair of upside down hockey

sticks.

Hole. A seat, usually in relation to the dealer. “Ian bet from the 3-hole.”

Hole Cards. The cards dealt facedown to each player.

Home Run Hitter. A player who wins making risky calls.

Home Game. A private poker game, often played at someone’s house.

Hook. A jack; nicknamed as such because the ‘j’ looks like a hook.

H.O.R.S.E. Stands for Hold’em, Omaha Hi-Lo, Razz, 7 Card Stud and 7 Card Stud ‘Eight’ or Better, respectively.

Each time the dealer button makes a full orbit of the table, the poker variation changes. In other words, you get

to taste test a little bit of several types of poker games in one sitting.

Horse/Horsing. 1) A player who is financially backed by a second party. 2) Passing a token sum of money to

another player after winning a hand.

Hot Deck. A deck which is consistently dealing good hands.

Hot Hands. When a player has a period where he or she gets a lot of good hands.

House. The cardroom, casino or venue that is hosting a poker game.

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House Rules. 1) The specific regulations enforced at a particular venue. 2) The rules agreed to by the players in

a game.

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Ice. A cold deck; a deck in which no good hands are being dealt.

Idle Card. A card that does not help a hand.

Ignorant End/Idiot End. Refers to the lower end of a straight in a game that uses board cards. A player who is

trying to get a straight with undercards on the flop is said to be on the ‘idiot’ end of it, since a lot of the cards

that will make his or her hand will also give opponents a higher straight.

Image. How your opponents perceive you at the tables.

Immortal. A hand that is a guaranteed winner; the best hand possible.

Implied Odds. An extension of pot odds that allows you to better predict the outcome of calling a raise on a

drawing hand. More specifically, implied odds allow you to glean how much you stand to win (or lose) post-draw.

Improve. To get cards that better one’s hand.

Inside Straight. A hand that has four out of the five cards required for a straight, but lacks the card in the middle

to complete the straight.

In Action. When a player is actively involved in playing a hand.

In Position (IP). When a player is the last to act on any given round of betting. Being IP is a coveted position

since it allows you act with the knowledge of how your opponents are playing their hands.

Insurance. When players agree to reduce or split a pot when there are more cards to come instead of seeing the

hand through; can also refer to a player making a side bet against him or herself with a third party to reduce the

impact of a big loss.

Insurance. When players agree to reduce or split a pot when there are more cards to come instead of seeing

the hand through; can also refer to a player making a side bet against him or herself with a third party to reduce

the

impact of a big loss.

In the Middle. A player (or players) between two other players who are raising; also known as ‘middle men’ or

‘the squeeze’.

In the Money. Finishing a tournament with a rank high enough to win prize money; placing high enough that you

do not lose any money.

In Turn. Being next to act under the rules of the game.

Indexing. Marking the cards for cheating purposes.

Investment Odds. The estimated return of your betting investments.

Iron Duke. A hand that’s unbeatable.

Isolation. A raise that is made to encourage other players to fold in an attempt to go head-to-head with a

specific opponent.

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J Hook. A jack.

J Boy. A jack.

Jack and Back. A form of jackpot poker that goes back to low-call in the event no one opens; also called Jack’s

Back, Jackson, Jack and Reverse.

Jack Benny. 3,9. This hand was given this nickname because comedian Jack Benny used to continually claim

this was his age.

Jack Up. The act of raising.

Jackpot. A prize fund allocated and awarded to a player who meets a pre-set list of requirements. For example,

some online poker rooms offer bad beat jackpots for players (or the player) who has the worst beat in a given

game or tournament.

Jacks to Open/Jacks or Better. A variation of draw poker where jacks or better are needed to start your betting.

Jackson Five. J, 5; named for the musical group comprised of the Jackson boys.

Jagging. Marking the cards subtly for the purposes of cheating.

Jake. A jack.

Jam/Jammed Pot. When multiple players are raising into a pot.

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Jesse James. 4, 5. The nickname comes from the fact that the gun used to shoot the renowned outlaw was a

.45.

Jog. A cheating technique where the deck is stacked unevenly by one player so another player who’s in

cahoots knows where to cut it; also called a ‘step’.

John. A jack.

John Juanda. J, J; named for the initials of the legendary poker pro.

Joker. The 53rd card in a deck. The joker is rarely used in poker games, except in high and low wild card

variants where it is considered partially wild and can be used for aces, straights in flushes. In lowball, it is the

lowest, uncontested rank in any hand.

Joker Poker. Any poker game played where the joker is wild.

Jonah. Refers to a player who is unlucky, be it in general or in a particular instance.

Juice. Money taken by the house; also called rake, vig or time.

Junk. A hand with little or no expected value.

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Kansas City Lowball. A poker variant where the worst poker hand (2-3-4-5-7 of varying suits) is also the best

hand; also called Deuce to Seven.

Katie or Katy. K, 10. The nickname is best understood when you think of the hand in terms of phonetics; ‘K’, and

then ‘T’ (since 10 is usually represented with a ‘T’ instead of the number).

Key Card. A card that completes your hand or provides you with a big draw.

Key Hand. Usually used in the context of tournament play, a ‘key hand’ is a hand that is a turning point for a

player, be it for the better or worse.

Kibitzer. A spectator who’s commenting.

Kick It. To raise.

Kicker. A player’s highest unused side card. The kicker is often used to determine a winner when there is a tie.

Kill/Kill Blind. A huge blind that’s usually double the size of the big blind and double the limit. Kills can be

mandatory or voluntary. When they are required it is usually because a player has won two pots in a row (often

in lowball) or has scooped the whole pot in hi-lo split.

Kill Button. A marker that shows players who has kill action in a kill game.

Kill Game. An option used in fixed limit poker games which serves to curb winning by fluke or sheer luck by

instituting a variety of extreme measures.

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Kill Pot. A tactic used in kill games to encourage action by forcing betting by a player who has won either one

pot or multiple pots in a row.

King Crab. K, 3. The nickname alludes the combining of the King face card and the 3, which looks like crab

pincers.

Kitty. A collection of money taken from in small increments from specific pots that’s often used to buy food,

drinks, cards and so on. This is like a rake for homegames.

Knave. A jack.

Knock. To check.

Kojack. K, J; named for the television show.

Komodo Dragoned. An instance when a players hand loses to an opponent who makes a flush or straight on

the river.

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Ladies. A pair of queens.

LAG. The acronym for ‘loose-aggressive’ play.

Late Position. The last player(s) to act; in a small table, the last player will be the very last one to act, period.

Laydown. Refers to making the difficult choice to fold a hand when faced with the strong possibility that an

opponent has a superior hand.

Lay Odds. Giving good odds to an opponent.

Lead/Leader. The very first player to make a bet into a pot.

Leak. To (usually unintentionally) reveal your hole cards.

Level. Refers to the size of the blinds which are incrementally increased in tournament play.

Leg-Up/Leg-Up Button. 1) The person who won the previous hand in a kill game. 2) The marker used to show

who won the previous hand in a kill game.

Lid. The top card in a deck.

Limit. Refers to the max permitted bet or raise in any given game.

Limit Poker. A poker game with fixed minimum and fixed maximum betting intervals and a set number of

permitted raises.

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Limp/Limp In/Limping. To get into a pot by calling as opposed to raising.

Limper. A person who enters a pot by calling (usually the big blind) rather than raising.

Liner. A face card. The name comes from the fact that you can see a line when the card is face-down and the

lower right corner is lifted slightly.

Little Blind. The initial and the smallest forced that’s made by the person to the immediate left of the dealer; also

called a ‘small blind’.

Little Oldsmobile. 8,8. The nickname comes from the 88 Oldsmobile model of car.

Live Bet/Live Blind. A bet that’s made by a player in a situation that allows him or her the option to raise, even if

other players do not raise first; usually due to the fact the bet was made as a blind, a straddle or was posted as a

means of entering a new game.

Live Cards. A term used in stud games to refer to the cards that haven’t been seen and are presumably still in

play.

Live Hand. A hand that still stands a chance of winning the pot.

Live One. A relatively inexperienced player who gets involved in a lot of hands.

Lock. A hand that can’t lose.

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Lock-Up. A marker that serves to hold a seat for an absent player.

Lollipop/Lollipop Hand. A, Q; named as such because it looks good, but often gets licked.

Long Odds. Small likelihood that something will pan out.

Look. A term used to signify when a player calls the final bet prior to showdown.

Loose. A player who gets involved in a lot of hands, not always wisely.

Loose Game. A game that features a lot of players in a lot of hands.

Low Limit. A poker game in which the amounts bet are relatively small.

Lowball. A kind of draw poker where the lowest hand wins the pot.

Lowcard. Refers to the lowest up-card in 7 Card Stud that’s needed to bet.

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M-ratio. The measure of vitality given to a player’s chip stack in order to determine the cost to play each round.

Made Hand. A hand that requires no additional cards to win, as opposed to a drawing hand where the hand’s

success depends on landing specific cards in subsequent drawing rounds.

Maniac. An incredibly loose and aggressive player whose game is marked by frequent bets and raises even

when it is not statistically advisable to do so.

Mark. A player at a table who has been made the focus of attention, often due to weak play. Opponents will

usually try to knock this player out of the game since marks are easy targets.

Marked Cards. Cards that have been visibly tampered with on the back in order to differentiate them for

cheating purposes.

Match the Pot. To bet an amount equal to the total sum of chips in the pot.

Maverick. Q, J - suited or not.

Mechanic. A name given to a cheater who manipulates the deck.

Meet. To call.

Micro-Limit. A term used in online poker to describe a game with such small stakes that real cardrooms would

not benefit from hosting them. (E.g. $0.50 - $0.75.)

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Middle Pair. Completing a pair with a community card that’s neither the highest or lowest of the cards on the

board.

Middle Position. Players seated between two and four players to the left of the dealer, depending on the table

size.

Misdeal. A deal that has been fouled for whatever reason (e.g. exposed cards) and must be dealt again.

Minimum Buy-In. The smallest amount you can pay to get in a game.

Miscall. When a hand is incorrectly ranked when verbally announced, usually by the dealer.

Missed Blind. When a required bet is not posted in its due turn. If this happens, it is usually required to be

posted in the next round of betting.

Mites and Lice. A name given to a hand that’s made up of two pair, threes over twos.

Monster. A big hand. Can also refer to chip stack size or a player’s dominance at a table or tournament.

Muck. To throw away, fold or discard your hand; also refers to the pile of cards that are no longer in play.

Multi-Way Pot. A pot in which several players are competing; also called a family pot or a jam.

Must-Move. When players of a second game are required to move into a primary game to keep it going.

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Nailing. A technique used to mark cards for the purposes of cheating.

Natural. A hand with no wild cards.

New Guinea Stud. A variation of 7 Card Stud where four cards are dealt face down, followed by turning or

rolling any two cards.

New York Stud. A variation of 5 Card Stud where a four flush can beat a pair.

Newlyweds. K, Q.

Nickel. Five dollars.

Nickel-Dime. 1) 5, 10. 2) A game that’s played for small stakes.

Nit. A player who is reluctant or totally unwilling to take risks; a player who only plays the best hands.

Nits and Lice. 1) A game where deuces and threes are wild cards. 2) Two pair or a full house of deuces and

threes; i.e. Mites and Lice.

No-Limit. A poker game in which players can bet as much as they’d like on any betting round provided they

have the money in front of them to back it up.

No-Limit Hold’em Table St. A poker variation where any player can bet any or all of his or her chips at any time.

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Northern Flight. A 7 card Stud variation where hearts are wild unless a player has a spade in hand.

Nucleus Player(s). A regular, predictable player.

Nut. Refers to the winnings (any by extension, talent) required to survive as a pro poker player.

Nut Flush. The best possible flush in terms of that particular hand.

Nut Flush Draw. When the addition of one card will provide you with the best flush possible in terms of the

particular hand you are playing.

Nuts. A hand that is unbeatable.

Nut Low. In hi-lo games, ‘nut low’ refers to the best possible low hand.

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Odds. The likelihood of making a hand versus the likelihood of not making the hand.

Odds On. The odds at less than even money.

Off-suit. Cards of different suits.

Omaha. A poker variation where every player is dealt four cards facedown with five community cards. In order

to make a hand players have to use two cards from their hand and three of the community cards.

On the Button. 1) The final player to act in a betting round. 2) The dealing position.

On Tilt. When a player is upset and usually, playing worse as a result.

One-End. Refers to a four card straight that needs a card on one of the ends to make the hand; also called a

one-way straight.

One-Gap. A starting hand in Hold’em where the two hole cards are one apart in rank. (E.g. 6,8.)

One-Way Straight. Refers to a four card straight that needs a card on one of the ends to make the hand; also

called a ‘one-end’.

Open. To make the first bet.

Open at Both Ends. Refers to a sequence of four cards that can be made into a straight by the addition of one

card on either end; also called an ‘open end’.

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Open Card. A card that’s dealt face-up.

Open End. Refers to a sequence of four cards that can be completed into a straight by the addition of one card

on either end; also referred to as ‘open at both ends’.

Open Game. A game where anyone is welcome play.

Open Pair. A pair that’s dealt face-up.

Open Poker. Any variety of poker games which necessitate that some cards are dealt face-up.

Open-Ended Straight. A straight that has four cards and requires one more at either end to make a five card

complete hand.

Open-Handed. A kind of poker game where some of each player’s hand has to be exposed.

Opener. The player who makes the first voluntary bet - so not a blind, which is a forced bet.

Opener Button. A marker used to show which player made the first voluntary bet into a pot in a draw game.

Option. A live blind made without seeing your cards. In the event no one raises, the player who has the ‘option’

may raise.

Out Button. A marker put in front of a player signifying his or her desire to sit out a hand (or hands) but stay in

the game.

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Outdraw. To win by drawing a better hand than your opponent(s).

Out. The number of cards left in a deck that could improve your existing hand.

Out of Position (OOP). A player that is either not the last to act or IS the first to act in a round of betting. Being

in last position is being ‘in position’ since it gives you the opportunity to see how all your opponents are playing

their hands before you have to decide how to play yours.

Over the Top. The act of re-raising an opponent’s raise.

Overblind. A blind that’s bigger than the normal blind that serves to proportionally increase the stakes and add

momentum to the game; also called an ‘oversize’ blind.

Overcall. To call after one or more players has called.

Overcard(s). A card (or cards) that’s higher in ranking than any other card on the board. So, for example, if

you have a K,Q and the flop comes 8, T, 3, you haven’t scored any decipherable hand, but you do have two

overcards.

Overpair. A pocket pair that’s higher than any of the community cards.

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Paint Cards/Paints. Face cards; picture cards; king, queen, jack.

Pair. Two cards that are of the same face value or numerical value.

Pass. To fold.

Passive. A style of play marked by checking and calling instead of betting and raising.

Pat. To not draw any cards in a game of draw poker.

Pay Off. The act of calling on the last round of betting whether you think you have the best hand or not because

the pot odds justify the act.

Pay Station. A term used to describe a player who seldom folds and therefore often calls on weaker hands and

loses money.

Pedigree. K,9. The nickname comes from synonym for dog, hence ‘pedigree’.

Peg/Pegging. The act of puncturing cards with a pin to mark them for cheating purposes.

Penny Ante. An incredibly low stake poker game.

Picked Off. To bluff and get called on it.

Pick-Up. When the house takes cash from the dealer after a player has bought into a game.

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Pigeon. An inexperienced and/or easy player.

Pineapple Hold’em. A poker variation that’s almost exactly the same as Texas Hold’em, except that players are

dealt three hole cards instead of two. There are still five streets of action, and the best five card hand still wins,

so players are required to give up one of their cards after the flop.

Pips. The marks or spots visible on a card’s face that are present as a result of frequent use of the deck.

Play Back. The act of raising or re-raising an opponent’s bet.

Play Fast. To bet aggressively.

Play Over. To play in a seat in place of the primary player when he or she is absent for whatever reason.

Play the Board. When you reach showdown and your hole cards don’t make a hand better than the hand shown

on the board. So, for example, if you have a 3,3 and the board shows 6-6-8-8-A, you have to play the board

since there is no flush possible and your optimal hand doesn’t involve using either of the cards in your hand.

Played Card. A card that’s been dealt to a hand.

Pocket/Pocket Cards. The hole cards or down cards dealt to a player.

Pocket Rockets. A, A in the hole.

Point. The value of a card in the game of poker.

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Poker Face. A facial expression devoid of emotion; hard to read.

Position. A player’s physical place (i.e. seat) at the table in regards to the dealer.

Position Bet. A bet that’s made based primarily on the merits of the player’s position rather than the strength of

his or her hand.

Post. To place your chips in the pot; to bet.

Post Dead. Posting a bet that’s equal to the sum of the small and big blind combined.

Post-Mortem. Analysis of a poker game after it’s over.

Post-Oak Bluff. A bluffing technique where a player uses reverse psychology to try to steal the pot by making a

diminutive bet in relation to the size of the pot.

Pot. The chips or money in the center of the table which players are attempting to win.

Pot Limit. A poker game in which the maximum bet can equal the sum in the pot.

Pot Odds. Refers to the sum of money in the pot versus the sum you need to put in the pot in order to continue

play. Your pot odds help you decide whether or not it’s worth it to act by illuminating the likelihood of your

winning a drawing hand.

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Potting Out. Making an agreement with another player (or players) to remove money from the pot to buy

refreshments or to make side bets; usually only done in home games.

Pre-Flop. The betting or situation in a poker game before the flop.

Premium Hands. The very best hands.

Price. Refers to the pot odds that you’re getting for a call or a draw; can be good or bad.

Pricking. Marking cards for the purposes of cheating.

Prop/Proposition Player. A person who is paid by a venue to begin poker games and/or keep them going. While

props play with their own money, they are paid an hourly rate by the casino.

Proposing Bets. Side bets made between players independent of the outcome of the hands.

Protect. 1) To invest additional money in the pot when you’ve already posted the blinds to keep that money from

being wasted. 2) To physically guard your cards with your hand or a chip to prevent them from being accidently

mucked or fouled.

Protected Pot. A pot which seems to dissuade bluffs due to the sheer quantity of active players who are betting

and raising.

Punctuating. Marking the cards for the purposes of cheating.

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Puppy Feet/Pups. 1) Clubs. 2) A club flush; named as such because clubs resemble paw prints.

Purse. A tournament’s total prize pool.

Push. 1) When a dealer gives the chips to the winning player by ‘pushing’ them across the table. 2) When dealers

rotate to other tables.

Pushing Bets. A situation where multiple players agree to return each other’s bets when one of them wins a pot

in which the other’s participate; also known as ‘saving bets’.

Put Down. To fold.

Put the Clock. Discouraging players from taking an unreasonably long time to act.

Putting on the Heat. The act of pressuring opponents through aggressive betting.

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Quads/Quadruplets. Four of a kind.

Qualifier. The pre-set requirement a low hand must meet in order to win the pot in hi-lo games. (E.g. 8-high.)

Quart. A four card straight flush.

Quartered. The act of dividing half a pot between two hands that have tied in a split pot game.

Quint. A straight flush.

Quint Major. A royal straight flush.

Quorum. The bare minimum number of players required to begin a poker game.

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Rabbit Hunt. Looking through the remaining cards in a deck after a hand has been dealt to see what would

have been dealt if the hand had gone on. This is not usually allowed in casino games but is common in home

games; also called a ‘fox hunt’.

Raccoon. 1) A poor or weak player. 2) Making calls with the hopes of hitting a backdoor draw, and inside or a

runner.

Rack. A tray of chips which contains five stacks with 20 chips in each stack (so 100 poker chips in total);

alternatively, just a tray of chips.

Race. When two players have both gone all-in with a basically even chance of winning; also called a ‘coin flip’.

Ragged. A flop or entire board that doesn’t look like it could help any player. For example, a Jh-6s-2d flop.

Rail. Refers to the barrier outside an area where poker is being played or a rim of a poker table itself.

Railbird. A person who hangs out around a poker room to watch the game and/or get in the action.

Rainbow. 1) A complete five card board that contains no more than two of any suit, making a flush impossible. 2)

A flop that contains three different suits, disallowing any possible flush on the turn.

Raise. To increase a previous bet.

Raise Blind. To make a raise without consulting one’s cards; can also refer to a forced raised.

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Rake. Chips that are taken from the pot by the cardroom for hosting the game; also called ‘time’, ‘juice’ or ‘vig’.

Rakeback. A rebate or refund to a player of part of the rake paid by that player as an incentive, usually paid out

by a third party like an affiliate.

Rank. The poker specific value given to each hand and each card.

Rap. Knocking on the table to indicate that you are checking.

Raquel Welch. 3, 8; supposedly named to represent the curvy actress’ measurements.

Rat-holing. Taking money off the table and placing it elsewhere; considered an illegal action.

Razz. A form of 7 Card Stud in which the lowest five card hands wins the pot.

Re-Buy. Adding a fixed quantity of chips to your stack in order to top up during tournament play.

Re-Deal. To deal a hand again, usually after a misdeal or foul.

Re-Draw. An extra out. For example, having a straight with a flush re-draw.

Represent. To play a hand as if you have it, whether you actually do or you are bluffing.

Re-Raise. To raise a raise.

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Ribbon Clerk. A term used to describe a small time gambler.

Ring Game. A live game that is not a tournament; also called a ‘cash game’.

River. The final card dealt in all games.

Rock. A tight, passive player.

Rolled Up Trips/Rolled Up. A hand in 7 Card Stud that involves being dealt three of a kind in the first three

cards.

Rotation. Clockwise; the direction of the deal.

Round of Betting. When each player has the chance to bet, check or raise in turn. A round of betting is over

when the last bet or raise has been made.

Rounders. 1) An expert player who travels to seek out and play high stake games. 2) People who hustle;

hustlers.

Royal Cards. Face cards; king, queen, jack.

Royal Flush. An ace high straight; A-K-Q-J-10. The best possible poker hand.

Run. 1) When a player gets a lot of good hands consecutively. 2) A straight.

Run a Pot. To win a hand by bluffing successfully multiple times throughout the course of the hand.

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Runner. A hand that’s made only by catching the necessary cards to complete the hand on the turn and the

river; usually said as ‘runner-runner’ and may also be called a ‘backdoor’.

Running Pair. An instance when the final two board cards are a pair.

Rush. A winning streak.

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Sandbagging. Refraining from calling even though you have a good hand. Used to disguise the strength of a

hand, encourage bluffing, and to draw more money into the pot from your opponents.

Santa Barbara. A, K as hole cards. Name comes from the famously devastating oil spill off the coast of Santa

Barbara; also called ‘big slick’.

Satellite. A mini-tournament that exists in order for players to gain entry into a bigger tournament.

Scare Card. A card that can change a very good hand into total trash. For example, you hold Ts-7s and the flop

shows Jh, 8c, 9d. However, a Th on the turn would be frightening because it is almost guaranteed you are going

to be beaten.

Scoop. When a player wins the whole pot.

Scramble. The mixing of cards face-down.

Second Pair. When you make a pair with the second highest card on the board in a flop game.

See. To call.

Sell. To bet less than the maximum in a limit game even when you have a strong hand in hopes your opponent(s)

will call (and put more money in the pot) instead of folding to a higher bet.

Semi-Bluff. Bluffing with a hand that stands a reasonable chance of improving later on.

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Set. Three of a kind - especially in a situation where two of the three cards are your hole cards.

Set Up. A deck that’s ordered, usually with king to ace by suit. It is customary to utilize these decks in casinos

when introducing a new deck into a game. The ‘set up’ exists to show the players all the cards are present.

Seven Card Stud. A poker game that’s played with between two and eight players. Each player receives seven

cards, three of which are closed and four open. As with Texas Hold’em, your goal is to make the best five card

hand using the cards you’ve been dealt; unlike Texas Hold’em, ALL players must ante a token amount to be

dealt into the hand - not just the blinds.

Sevens Rule. A restriction in many ace-to-five lowball games that necessitates that a player with a seven low or

better hand after the draw must bet; checking or check-raising is not an option.

Seventh Street. The last round of betting in 7 Card Stud and Stud 8 or Better.

Shaka Zulu. Refers to a black king; can also refer to the King of Spades and Clubs when they appear together as

a pair.

Shark. A crafty, experienced player who will often pose as a less experienced player (i.e. a fish) early in the

game to mislead opponents.

Shill. A paid casino employee who helps begin and drive poker games. Usually these players play with the

casino’s money, whereas a prop will play with their own money, but be paid an hourly wage by the casino.

Shoot-Out. A tournament that has no re-buys. When you’ve run through your chips, you’re out.

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Short Buying. When you purchase chips again after your initial chip purchase. This buy-in is often less than the

cost of the initial buy-in.

Short Stack. The least substantial collection of chips at the table.

Short-Handed. A game with few players.

Show. To reveal one’s cards on purpose.

Show Cards. The exposed cards in a game of stud.

Showdown. The point in a hand of poker at the end of the final betting round when all active players must

reveal their cards to determine who wins the pot.

Shuffle. To mix the cards in the deck before dealing a hand.

Side Bet. A bet that’s made outside the main pot.

Side Pot. A secondary pot which is fought for by the remaining active players when one or more players goes

all-in.

Sixth Street. The fourth card that’s dealt face-up to a player in a game of 7 Card Stud. Sixth Street also marks

the fourth betting round.

Slow Play. To affect having a weak hand when you have a strong hand by playing the hand passively. The hope

is to keep opponents in the game and putting money in the pot to maximize your winnings.

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Slow Roll. The act of stalling before revealing your hand to an opponent in order to provoke frustration and

perhaps even put them on tilt.

Small Blind. A forced bet put in the pot by the player to the immediate left of the dealer to encourage betting;

usually half the size of a full bet. Also called the ‘little blind’.

Smooth Call. To call with a hand that could (and perhaps should) have been raised.

Snapped Off. When a good hand loses.

Snow Job. A bluff that’s successful.

Snowmen. 8,8.

Soft Seat. A game or a seat that is advantageous because the other players at the table are inexperienced.

Soft-Play. To take it easy on an opponent.

Soft Break. The act of exchanging a large chip or bill into smaller denominations of chips and cash during buy-

in. The cash is returned to the player and is not part of the sum with which he or she will be using to play.

Speed Limit. 5,5.

Splash Around. Refers to a player who plays more aggressively and recklessly than advisable.

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Split. A tie.

Split Pot. Refers to a pot that’s shared by multiple players who have hands of equal value.

Split Two Pair. A hand where one of each of your hole cards appears on the board too. Example: You have

5h,8d in your hand and 5c-Ad-8s comes down on the flop.

Splitting Blinds. When the big and small blinds agree to take back their bets because no one else has opened

and they are not interested in perusing the hand themselves.

Splitting Openers. Dividing the openers in the hopes of making a different hand in high draw jacks-or-better

poker.

Spread. 1) Refers to the range between a table’s minimum bets and max bets. 2) The board cards.

Spread Limit. A kind of betting structure wherein a player may bet any amount in a pre-set range on every

round of betting.

Squared Deck. A deck of cards that’s readyfor play.

Squeeze Play. To use less than ideal cards to bluff and re-raise after one or more opponent has already called

the first raise. The hope is to bluff the competition out of the pot and steal the blinds.

Stack. A player’s pile of chips.

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Stacked Deck. A deck that has been tampered with and strategically arranged for cheating purposes.

Stake. 1) The specific amount that a player pays to buy-in. 2) The amount a player is willing to risk at a given

time.

Staking. When a person puts up the cash for a player to enter a tournament or game with the understanding

that any money won is split between the backer and the player.

Stand Off. To call a raise.

Stand Pat. To play the original hand without utilizing any draws in draw poker.

Starting Hand. A player’s pocket or hole cards or the cards they are dealt before any voluntary betting occurs.

Steal. To raise with the hopes of pushing all other places to fold; ‘stealing’ the pot.

Steal Position. Refers to the player who is the second to last or last person at the table to act.

Steal Raise. When a player in late position raises in order to thin the number of players in the pot.

Steal the Antes. When a player wins a small pot that is only made up of the antes by betting in such a way

that encourages opponents to fold; a strategy that is usually only exercised with a weak hand that’s unlikely to

improve in later drawing rounds

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Steal the Blinds. When a player wins a small pot that’s only made up of the blinds by betting in such a way

that encourages opponents to fold; a strategy that is usually only exercised with a weak hand that’s unlikely to

improve in later drawing rounds.

Steam. To play recklessly and often with anger; marked by frequent calls and raises.

Steamrolling. Re-raising with the intention of making your opponent(s) call two bets rather than just one.

Steel Wheel. A-2-3-4-5 of the same suit; a five high straight.

Stop and Go. When a player bets into an opponent who has raised previously.

Straddle. A blind bet that’s often double the size of the big blind.

Straight. Five consecutive cards of any suit.

Straight Flush. Five consecutive cards of the same suit.

Stranger. A new card in a hand post draw.

Street. Refers to the card(s) that are dealt or a specific round of betting. For example, the turn is called ‘fourth

street’.

String Bet. 1) To call with one move and then to later raise with another. 2) To reach for additional chips without

stating the amount intended. This move is not permitted in public cardrooms.

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Structure. Refers to the pre-determined restrictions placed on antes/blinds, bets and raises in a given game.

Stub. The undealt portion of a deck of cards.

Stuck. Losing a hand or game.

Stud (Poker). A poker variant in which each player is dealt a specified number of cards, some face up and some

face down. Unlike other popular poker variants, stud poker rules do not dictate that there are any board cards to

be shared among the players communally - though all players can see each other’s open (face up) cards.

Suckout. 1) When a superior hand loses to a weaker once all the cards have been dealt. 2) When a player draws

their opponents out with the expectation of bleeding them for more chips in the pot.

Suicide King. King of Hearts; named as such because in the picture the king seems to be stabbing himself in the

head.

Suit. Refers to either a club, diamond, heart, or spade.

Suited. Having the same suit of cards.

Suited Connectors. Two cards of the same suit consecutive in rank. (E.g. Th, Jh).

Suited Gappers. Two suited cards that are not consecutive but are close enough in their order that they could

easily complete or show strong signs of making a straight on the flop. (E.g. 9h, Jh.)

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Super-Bluff. Winning a hand by bluffing an opponent who had a premium hand.

Super Satellite. Refers to a multi-table tournament where the prize is free entry into a satellite tournament; also

a tournament where a pre-set number of the top finishers win entry into a larger event.

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T.J. Cloutier. Jc, 9c; named for the famous poker player who flopped three straight flushes with this hand in one

year.

Table Cards. The cards turned face-up for all players to use.

Table Charge. A fee paid for playing.

Table Stakes. A rule in a poker game that prohibits players from using any money that is not on the table to play;

a player cannot replenish his or her stack from another source.

TAG. Acronym used for ‘tight aggressive’ playing. Players who play TAG only play strong starting hands and

when they do play, they exhibit aggressive betting behaviour (e.g. raising, re-raising).

Tainted Outs. Cards that could improve your hand, but could also improve the hands of your opponents.

Tap. Refers to an action in no-limit poker where a player bets all his or her money in a single bet.

Tapped Out. When a player is out of money.

Tell. A physical sign or action that gives other players hints about the cards you are holding.

Texas Hold’em. A poker variant where players are dealt two hole cards and given access to five community

cards to make the best five card hand; the most popular form of poker.

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Texture. Refers to the community cards and how well they are coordinated. Evaluating texture allows players to

estimate the relative strength of their hand in that particular deal.

Third Street. Refers to the initial betting round on the first three cards in a game of 7 Card Stud.

Thirty Miles. Three tens.

Three Flush. Three cards that are of the same suit.

Three of a Kind. Three cards of the same face value or the same number; also called ‘trips’.

Ticket. Another name for a card.

Tie. When there are two hands of equivalent value.

Tied On. A hand that is good enough to see through to the end.

Tight. 1) A style of play where the player does not enter many pots. 2) A game without much action.

Tilt. Being emotionally upset, confused and/or frustrated; often leads to bad decision making.

To Go. Refers to the sum a player must call to stay in a hand.

Time/Time Collection. 1) A request from a player who wishes to pause the game while making a decision. 2)

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TOC. Acronym for ‘tournament of champions’.

Toke. A small sum of money given to the dealer by the player who wins the pot. While tiny (usually around $0.50

or $1) these tokes can often account for the vast majority of a dealer’s income.

Top Pair. When a player pairs one of his or her downcards with the highest card on the board.

Top Kicker. The best possible kicker.

Top Two Pair. When both a player’s pocket cards match the highest two community cards.

Tournament. A relatively large poker competition with many tables, an entry fee and prizes.

Tournament Fee. A fee that’s payable with the buy-in of the tournament to pay the house for hosting. For

example, if an entry fee reads $100 + $10, $10 is the tournament fee: $100 goes into the prize pool.

Trapping. Underbetting a strong hand in order to create a bigger pot and ultimately, win more.

Treys. A pair of threes.

Triplets/Trips. Three of a kind.

Trombones. 7.6. This hand got its nickname from Meredith Wilson’s play and movie, The Music Man which

featured the song ‘76 Trombones’.

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Turbo. Refers to a sort of tournament where the blind levels increase faster than normal.

Turkish Pocket Aces. A pair of pocket eights.

Turn. The third round of betting and the fourth card dealt in a flop poker game.

Two Flush. Two cards that are suited.

Two Pairs. A hand that has two sets of different pairs.

Two Way Hand. When a player’s hand could win both the high and low portion of a split-pot poker game.

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Under the Gun. The first person to act voluntarily (i.e. not the blinds); the earliest position at the table.

Undercut. 1) A technique used while shuffling that’s specifically useful for prepping two stacked hands at the

same time. 2) When the last downcard is the lowest hole card in a game of lowcard stud.

Underdog. The person who has the least chance of winning at hand, odds-wise.

Underpair. A pocket pair that has a lower value than the lowest community card.

Underplay. The act of making a small bet (usually with a decent hand) in order to draw your opponents into the

pot, therefore, increasing the amount of money you stand to win, if you win.

Union Oil. 7, 6. The nickname comes from the symbol Union Oil uses to represent the company.

Unlimited Poker. A poker game where there are no restrictions placed on the sizes of bets and raises.

Up. 1) The higher pair of two pair. 2) Refers to the ante ace.

Up the Ante. To increase the stakes.

Upcard/Up Card. A card that’s dealt face up.

Up the Creek. A poker game where kings with split beards are wild - i.e. hearts and clubs.

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Uphill. To try and outdraw or chase a better hand.

Upstairs. To raise.

Upswing. A period during which a player wins fairly consistently, usually winning more than expected.

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Valet. A jack.

Valle Card. 3, 5, or 7 of any suit; this nickname is derived from the game panguingue, where these cards are

greatly valued (‘valle’ means value.)

Value Bet. A bet made by a player who wishes to increase his or her pot equity by having opponents call his or

her (superior) hand. The expectation is to win come showdown after having drawn more money from opponents

into the pot, thereby increasing pot equity.

Variance. The measure of the ups and downs your bankroll experiences either through the course of a game or

your poker playing career.

Verbal Bet. A wager made by verbally declaring your intentions.

Victory Rip. Displaying your winning hand triumphantly at showdown.

Vigorish (Vig). Rake; house take; time; juice.

Village People. Four queens.

VPIP. The acronym for ‘Voluntary Put Money In Pot’ that represents a statistical percentage of hands with which

a player places money in the pot before the flop. Does not count blinds. Also referred to as VP$IP and is a great

way to take stock of how loose or tight an opponent plays.

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Wake Up. To realize you have a strong starting hand, usually when the round of betting is already underway.

Walk. When all players fold to the big blind.

Walk the Table. When a specific card or hand automatically wins the entire pot.

Walking Sticks. 7,7; named as such because they look like canes or walking sticks.

Wash. The act of shuffling the deck.

Waving. Manipulating the shape of a card or cards by crimping or coiling to make it easily distinguishable for the

purposes of cheating.

Wayne Gretzky. 9,9; so named for the famous hockey player’s 99 jersey number.

Weak. A player who folds often and usually unnecessarily; an inexperienced player.

Weak Ace. An ace that is accompanied by a low kicker, like a 3; also known as a ‘soft ace’, an ‘ace rag’ or a

‘small ace’.

Welcher. A player who does not pay a debt.

Wet Board. When the community cards on the table make it possible (and highly likely) that many players will hit

strong hands like flushes, straights and draws; the opposite of a ‘dry board’.

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Wheel. A-2-3-4-5; the best possible low hand. Also referred to as a ‘bike’ or ‘bicycle’.

Whipsaw. The act of betting and raising very aggressively on both sides of a player who is calling. This middle

player is called a ‘squeezed player’.

Whiskey Poker. A game of draw poker that uses widow cards that may be exchanged from a player’s hand.

Whore. A slang and derogatory nickname sometimes used for a queen.

Widow. A card or cards that are commonplace in all poker hands; also called a ‘spit card’.

Wild Card. A card that may be played as any value or rank.

Wild Game. 1) An exuberant, high-energy game. 2) A game that uses wild cards.

Window Card. Refers to an upcard in a game of stud poker.

Window Dressing. A card that’s flashed on purpose from a player’s otherwise closed hand.

Wing. To experience a winning streak.

Wired. Can refer to a pair, trips or four of a kind that are dealt back-to-back in a hand; this usually occurs in stud

games beginning with the initial card.

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Wired Pair. 1) A pair of cards in the hole. 2) A door card that pairs with the hole card in 5 Card Stud.

Wooden Hand. A hand that can’t win or possibly improve.

Woolworth. Any variety of hands made up of Ts and 5s.

World’s Fair. The best possible hand; the nuts.

Wraparound. Refers to a situation in Omaha where a player’s four downcards are comprised of three

consecutive cards, which, on the flop, connect with two cards, making five consecutive cards so that a great

many cards on the turn or river could give that player a straight.

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Yard. $100, either bill or chip.

Yeast. To raise; “I added a little yeast” would mean you raised.

You Roll Two. Another name for New Guinea Stud.

Younger Hand/Youngest Hand. A term that’s not used much anymore that refers to the player located

immediately to the right of the dealer.

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Z Game. Refers to the game with the lowest stakes in the house.

Zip. 4-3-2-A in lowball; this term is always preceded by mentioning the card with the highest rank in the hand.

For example, 7-zip would be 7-4-3-2-A.

Zombie. A poker player who is hard, if not impossible, to read; a player who has no visible tells.

Zuke. Another term for toke; a small portion of a player’s winnings given to the dealer when a player wins a pot.

Usually, the sum is quite small ($0.50 -$1) but these tokes can make up a sizable portion of a dealer’s income.

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