Ace
A card with only one spot. Although usually considered the highest card of a suit, it may be used to make a five-high straight.
Action
Any check, bet, raise, call or fold by any player.
Active Player
A player still in the pot.
All-in
Having all one's money on the table in the pot.
Ante
A bet required from all players before the start of a hand.
Bet
To put money in the pot before any else on any given round
Betting Round
A complete wagering cycle. It is finished when all active players have checked or all have placed the same amount of mo9ney into the pot (or, if going all-in, all the money they have on the table)
Bettor
The person who first puts money in the pot on any given round.
Big Blind
A forced bet posted by the player in the second position to the dealer.
Blind
In Hold'em and Omaha a forced bet that one or more players must make to start the action on the first round of betting. The blind rotates around the table with each new deal. The person whose turn it is to post this bet is said to be "in the blind:".
Bluff
A bet or raise with a hand that the player does not think is the best hand.
Board
The cards that are face up in a player's hand. In Hold'em, the community cards.
Bullets
Slang for Aces
Button
A round disc that rotates around the table to represent the dealer for indicating which player is to be first to act.
Buy-in
The minimum amount of money required to sit down in a particular game.
Call
To put in the pot an amount of money equal to the opponent's bet or raise.
Cap
1) The last allowed raise during the current betting round.
2) The maximum rake has been reached.
Check
To decline to bet when it is your turn (if there has already been a bet, a player may not check but must either call, raise or fold).
Check-Raise
To check and then raise after an opponent bets.
Community Cards
In Hold'em and Omaha the five face-up cards (board cards) in the center of the table. Community cards are used by each player as part of his hand.
Cowboy
Slang for Kings
Dealer Button
A round disk with the word dealer written on it used to determine who will open betting.
Deuce
A card of rank two.
Discard
The act of releasing one or more cards from one's hand.
Draw
To take one or more cards to replace discarded cards.
Ducks
Slang for Deuces
Fifth Street
In stud poker, the fifth card dealt to each player. In Hold'em the fifth and final community card on the board (see also river).
Flop
In Hold'em and Omaha the first three community cards, which are dealt face up.
Flush
Five cards of the same suit.
Fold
To drop out of a pot rather than call a bet or raise.
Forced Bet
A required bet to start the action on the first round of a poker hand. In Seven-Card Stud, the low card on board must make a forced bet.
Four of a Kind
Four cards of the same rank, (ie 4 jacks).
Fourth Street
In stud games, the fourth card dealt to each player. In Hold'em the fourth community card on board.
Full Boat
Slang for full house
Full House
Three cards on one rank and two of another (ie three aces and two kings).
Hand
1) Any player's cards.
2) The complete play of a hand of poker, from the deal through all betting rounds and the showdown.
High Card
No matching values, cards not in sequence, multiple suits.
Hold'em or Holdem
Also called Texas Hold'em. A form of poker in which players use five community cards in combination with their two hole cards to form the best five-card hand.
Hole Cards
In Seven-Card Stud, the first two concealed cards. In Hold'em, the player's two cards. In Omaha, the player's four cards.
Hooks
Slang for Jacks
Ladies
Slang for Queens
Limit
The amount a player may bet or raise on any round of betting.
Limits
The minimum and maximum bet sizes allowed at various times through a hand.
Missed Blind Button
A marker placed by the dealer at a player's chips when the player does not post a blind in turn, usually because the player is absent from the table.
Muck
To discard your hand without showing your cards.
Odds
The mathematical chances that an event will occur.
Omaha
Also called Omaha Hold'em, is a variation of Texas Hold'em in which each player must use EXACTLY two cards from his hand and EXACTLY three from the board to create the winning hand.
One Pair
Two cards with the same value combined with three cards of differing values.
Open
To make the first bet in a poker hand. The term is used most often in draw poker.
Option
If there has been no raise, then a player who has posted the big blind, or any required blind equal to the big blind, has the option to either check or raise when the action reaches that east. No other player has the option to check.
Pair
Two cards of the same rank (ie two jacks).
Pair Plus Bet
In Three Card Poker, a bet to gamble solely on the value of your hand.
Pat Hand
In draw poker, a complete hand before the draw.
Play the Board
In Hold'em, using all five face-up cards (board cards) in the center of the table to make your hand. You can never play the board in Omaha.
Position
The spot in the sequence of betting in which a player is located. A player in first position would be the first person to act; a player in last position would be the last person to act.
Pot
The total amount of money wagered at any point in a hand. A hand itself is also referred to as a pot. Thus, three people in the pot means there are three active players still playing the hand.
Raise
To raise an additional amount after someone else has bet.
Raise/Fold
A form of poker that only allows the player to raise or fold until the pot is capped. Players are not allowed to check and or call until the pot is capped.
Rank
The numerical value of a card; ace deuce, trey, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, jack, queen, king.
Refund
The amount returned to a player from the pot. If a player has put more money in the pot than anyone else at the table can match he is given a refund for the extra amount.
Re-raise
To raise after an opponent has raised.
River
The seventh and last card, dealt face down, in Seven-Card Stud. The fifth and last up card in Hold'em and Omaha.
Round of Betting
A sequence of betting after one or more cards has been dealt. A round of betting continues until each active player has either folded or called all bets - unless they are all-in.
Royal Flush
An ace-high straight flush of any suit.
Seventh Street
In Seven-Card Stud the seventh card dealt to each player.
Shill
A computer controlled opponent used to ensure there are enough players to keep the game balanced. Shills will be clearly marked at the tables.
Showdown
The showing of the cards at the end of the hand to determine the winner.
Side Pot
A separate pot created whenever there is an imbalance in chips contributed by the players remaining in the hand. Side pots ensure that players are not forced from hands just because they are low on money.
Small Blind
A forced bet placed by the player to the immediate left of the dealer.
Stand Pat
In draw poker, the decision to play your five original cards and declining the option to discard and draw.
Straight
Any five cards of mixed suit in sequence.
Straight Flush
Any five cards of the same suit in sequence.
Stud
Poker games in which some of each player's cards are dealt face up.
Suit
Clubs, diamonds, hearts and spades. The suit of the cards has no bearing on the value of a hand except to determine whether a flush exists.
Suited
Two or more cards of the same suit.
Texas Hold'em
A form of poker that uses seven cards - five of which are community board cards.
Third Street
In stud games, the third card dealt to each player.
Three of a Kind
Three cards of the same rank (ie .. three deuces).
Two Pair
Two sets of cards with the same value combined with one card of a different value.
Trey
A card of rank three.
Turn Card
1) The fourth card in Seven Card Stud.
2) The fourth board card in Hold'em and Omaha.
3) Sometimes used to refer to the flop in Hold'em.
Wager
A bet
Wheel
The lowest possible straight - ace, 2, 3, 4, 5.