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Poker Glossary — 133+ Terms Every Player Should Know

The complete poker dictionary. Search any term to get a clear, concise definition with examples. From "all-in" to "wheel" — if it's used at the poker table, it's here.

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A

Action
A player's turn to act, or a general term for betting activity at the table. "The action is on you" means it's your turn.
"There's a lot of action at this table" = many players are betting and raising.
All-In
Betting all of your remaining chips on a single hand. If you can't match a bet, going all-in puts you in contention for the main pot only.
Ante
A small forced bet that every player must post before each hand, used in addition to blinds in tournaments and some cash games to drive action.

B

Backdoor
A draw that requires hitting on both the turn and the river to complete.
Having two hearts with one heart on the flop is a backdoor flush draw — you need hearts on both the turn and river.
Bad Beat
Losing a hand where you were a strong statistical favorite. A common source of frustration in poker.
Having pocket Aces lose to pocket Twos when a Two hits the river.
Bankroll
The total amount of money a player has set aside specifically for playing poker. Proper bankroll management is essential for long-term success.
Barrel
A bet on a particular street, usually as a continuation of aggression. "Double barrel" means betting the flop and turn; "triple barrel" adds the river.
Big Blind (BB)
The larger of the two forced bets posted before each hand. The big blind is posted by the player two seats to the left of the dealer button and sets the minimum bet for the preflop round.
Blank
A community card that appears unlikely to help any player's hand.
A 2♣ on the river of a board with K♠ Q♦ J♥ 8♣ is considered a blank.
Blind
A forced bet posted before cards are dealt. The two players to the left of the dealer button post the small blind and big blind respectively.
Bluff
Betting or raising with a weak hand to try to make opponents fold better hands. A fundamental poker strategy.
Board
The community cards dealt face-up in the center of the table. In Hold'em, the board consists of the flop (3 cards), turn (1 card), and river (1 card).
Boat
Slang for a full house (three of a kind plus a pair).
K-K-K-7-7 is a "Kings full of Sevens" or just "a boat."
Bounty
A cash prize awarded for eliminating a specific player in a tournament. In bounty tournaments, every elimination earns a reward.
Broadway
Any card Ten or higher (T, J, Q, K, A). A "Broadway straight" is A-K-Q-J-10, the highest possible straight.
Bubble
The stage of a tournament where one more elimination will bring remaining players into the money. The bubble player is the last person eliminated without winning a prize.
Burn Card
A card discarded face-down from the top of the deck before dealing the flop, turn, and river. This is done to prevent cheating.
Button (BTN)
The dealer position, marked by a disc. The most advantageous position at the table because you act last on all postflop streets.
Buy-In
The amount of money required to enter a poker game or tournament. Cash games have minimum and maximum buy-ins; tournaments have a fixed entry fee.

C

Call
Matching the current bet amount to stay in the hand. Calling is a passive action — you're meeting the bet but not increasing it.
Calling Station
A player who calls too frequently and rarely raises or folds. Considered a weak playing style because it's purely passive.
Cap
The maximum number of raises allowed in a single betting round (in limit poker), or a tournament format where players start with a cap on rebuys.
Cash Game
A poker game where chips represent real money and players can buy in and cash out at any time. Also called a "ring game." Contrast with tournament poker.
Check
Passing the action to the next player without betting. You can only check if no one has bet in the current round.
Check-Raise
Checking when it's your turn, then raising after an opponent bets. A deceptive move that can indicate a strong hand or a bluff.
Chip
A token representing money at the poker table. In cash games, chips have specific monetary values. In tournaments, chips have no cash value and are used to track players' stacks.
Cold Call
Calling a raise (and sometimes a re-raise) without having any money already invested in the pot. Requires a stronger hand than a standard call.
Community Cards
Cards dealt face-up in the center of the table that all players share. In Texas Hold'em, there are five community cards: three on the flop, one on the turn, and one on the river.
Connectors
Two hole cards of consecutive rank, such as 8-9 or J-Q. "Suited connectors" are the same suit and have more value because they can make both straights and flushes.
Continuation Bet (C-Bet)
A bet made on the flop by the player who raised preflop, regardless of whether the flop helped their hand. A standard aggressive play.
Cooler
A situation where two very strong hands clash and the loser could not have reasonably folded.
Flopping a full house but losing to a bigger full house is a cooler.
Cutoff (CO)
The seat directly to the right of the button. The second-most advantageous position at the table.

D

Dead Money
Chips in the pot from players who have already folded. Also used to describe a weak player in a tournament who is unlikely to win.
Dealer
The person who deals the cards. In casino poker, a professional dealer handles the cards. The dealer button determines position and rotates clockwise.
Deuce
A card with a value of two (2). The lowest card in standard poker.
Donk Bet
A bet made out of position into the previous round's aggressor. Called a "donk bet" because it's traditionally considered a weak play, though it has strategic applications.
Double Up
Winning an all-in hand and doubling your chip stack. Common in tournament poker.
Draw
A hand that is incomplete but has the potential to become a strong hand with the right community cards.
Having four hearts after the flop is a "flush draw" — you need one more heart to complete it.
Drawing Dead
Being in a situation where no card can improve your hand enough to win. If your opponent has a flush and you're drawing to a straight, you're drawing dead.

E

Early Position
The seats to the left of the big blind that must act first in each betting round. Players in early position need stronger hands because they have less information.
Equity
Your mathematical share of the pot based on your chances of winning the hand at any given point.
If you have a 40% chance of winning a $100 pot, your equity is $40.
Expected Value (EV)
The average amount you expect to win or lose on a decision over time. A +EV (positive expected value) decision is profitable long-term; a -EV decision loses money.

F

Family Pot
A hand where most or all players at the table see the flop. Common in loose, passive games.
Fish
Slang for a weak or inexperienced player. Not a polite term, but widely used in poker culture.
Float
Calling a bet on one street with the intention of bluffing on a later street, rather than because of hand strength.
Flop
The first three community cards dealt face-up simultaneously after the preflop betting round. The flop is a critical moment that defines many hands.
Flush
A hand consisting of five cards of the same suit, not in sequence. Ranked by the highest card. A flush beats a straight but loses to a full house.
Flush Draw
Having four cards of the same suit with one or more cards to come. With one card to come, a flush draw has about a 19.6% chance of completing.
Fold
Giving up your hand and forfeiting any chips already invested in the pot. You are out of the hand and can't win the pot.
Fold Equity
The value gained from the possibility that your opponent will fold to your bet or raise. A key component of bluffing.
Freeroll
A tournament with no entry fee but real money prizes. Also describes a situation where you can't lose but might win.
Two players both have a straight, but one has a flush draw — that player is freerolling.

G

Grinder
A player who earns a steady income from poker by playing disciplined, low-variance strategy over many hands.
GTO (Game Theory Optimal)
A playing strategy that is mathematically unexploitable. GTO play balances ranges perfectly so opponents can't gain an edge by adjusting their strategy.
Gutshot
An inside straight draw that requires one specific card to complete. Also called a "belly buster."
Holding 6-8 with a board of 9-T-A — only a 7 completes your straight.

H

Heads-Up
A poker game or hand played between exactly two players. The final stage of most tournaments is heads-up play.
Hijack (HJ)
The seat two positions to the right of the button (one to the right of the cutoff). A late-middle position.
Hole Cards
The private cards dealt face-down to each player. In Texas Hold'em, each player receives two hole cards.

I

ICM (Independent Chip Model)
A mathematical model used in tournaments to calculate the real-money value of a player's chip stack based on prize pool distribution and remaining players.
Implied Odds
The ratio between what you expect to win on future streets and what it costs to call now. Extends pot odds by considering future betting.
In Position
Acting after your opponent in a betting round. Being in position is a significant advantage because you get to see your opponent's action before deciding.
Isolate
Raising to narrow the field, typically to play heads-up against a weaker player who has already entered the pot.

J

Jam
To go all-in, especially as an aggressive preflop action.

K

Kicker
The highest unpaired card in your hand used to break ties. If two players both have a pair of Kings, the player with the higher kicker wins.

L

LAG (Loose-Aggressive)
A playing style characterized by playing many hands and betting aggressively. Effective when done well, but requires skill.
Late Position
The seats nearest to the button (cutoff and button). Late position players act last and have the most information, making these the most profitable seats.
Limp
Entering a pot preflop by just calling the big blind rather than raising. Generally considered a weak play in most situations.
Loose
Playing a wide range of starting hands. The opposite of "tight." Can be profitable if combined with aggression (LAG style).

M

Main Pot
The pot that all active players are eligible to win. When a player goes all-in for less than the current bet, a main pot and side pot are created.
Maniac
An extremely loose and aggressive player who bets and raises with a very wide range of hands, creating high-variance situations.
Middle Position
The seats between early position and late position. Players here can play a slightly wider range than early position.
Muck
To discard your hand without revealing it, typically when you lose at showdown or when you fold. The muck pile contains discarded cards.

N

Nit
Slang for an extremely tight player who only plays premium hands. Nits are predictable but hard to get paid off.
No-Limit
A betting structure where players can bet any amount up to their entire chip stack at any time. No-Limit Texas Hold'em (NLHE) is the most popular poker format.
Nuts
The best possible hand given the current board. "Having the nuts" means you have an unbeatable hand at that moment.

O

Offsuit
Hole cards of different suits. Written as "AKo" (Ace-King offsuit). Less valuable than suited combinations because they can't make flushes.
Open
To make the first raise in a betting round (preflop). "Opening to $6" means raising to $6 as the first raiser.
Open-Ended Straight Draw (OESD)
A straight draw that can be completed by a card at either end. Has 8 outs (about 31.5% with two cards to come).
Holding 7-8 with a board showing 9-10-2 — either a 6 or a J completes the straight.
Outs
The number of remaining cards that will improve your hand to a likely winner.
A flush draw with 4 suited cards has 9 outs (13 cards of the suit minus 4 you already see).
Overbet
A bet that is larger than the current pot size. Used strategically to apply maximum pressure.
Overcard
A card higher than any card on the board, or a hole card higher than a pair on the board.
If the flop is 8-6-3, an Ace in your hand is an overcard.
Overpair
A pocket pair higher than any card on the board.
Pocket Queens on a J-8-4 board is an overpair.

P

Pair
Two cards of the same rank. A pair of Aces is the highest pair. In Hold'em, your pair can use one or both hole cards.
Pocket Pair
A starting hand where both hole cards are the same rank. Pocket Aces (AA) is the strongest, pocket Twos (22) the weakest.
Pocket Rockets
Slang for pocket Aces (AA), the best possible starting hand in Texas Hold'em.
Position
Where you sit relative to the dealer button. Position determines when you act in each betting round and is one of the most important strategic concepts in poker.
Post
To put in a required bet, such as a blind or an ante.
Pot
The total amount of chips in the center of the table that players are competing for in the current hand.
Pot-Committed
Having invested so many chips in a pot that folding is no longer a reasonable option, even if your hand is not strong.
Pot Limit
A betting structure where the maximum bet is the current size of the pot. Pot-Limit Omaha (PLO) is the most popular pot-limit game.
Pot Odds
The ratio of the current pot size to the cost of calling a bet. Used to determine whether calling is mathematically profitable.
If the pot is $100 and the bet is $20, your pot odds are 5:1. You need to win more than 1 in 6 times for the call to be profitable.
Preflop
The first round of betting that occurs after players receive their hole cards but before the flop is dealt.
Probe Bet
A small bet made when the previous round's aggressor checks, "probing" to see where you stand in the hand.

Q

Quads
Four of a kind — four cards of the same rank. One of the strongest hands in poker.

R

Rainbow
A flop with three different suits, meaning no flush draw is possible with just one more card of a suit.
Raise
Increasing the size of the current bet. Other players must then call your raise, re-raise, or fold.
Rake
The commission taken by the casino or poker room from each pot. Typically a small percentage (2-10%) up to a capped maximum.
Range
The set of all possible hands a player could have in a given situation. Thinking in ranges rather than specific hands is a hallmark of skilled players.
Rebuy
Purchasing additional chips in a cash game or during the rebuy period of a tournament after losing your stack.
Reraise (3-Bet)
Raising a raise. The initial raise is a "2-bet" (or just "raise"), the reraise is a "3-bet," and a raise of the 3-bet is a "4-bet."
Ring Game
Another name for a cash game (as opposed to a tournament). Called a ring game because players sit in a ring around the table.
River
The fifth and final community card dealt in Texas Hold'em. The last betting round occurs after the river is dealt.
Rock
A very tight, conservative player who only plays premium hands. Similar to a nit.
Runner-Runner
Hitting consecutive cards on the turn and river to make a hand. Same as "backdoor."
Needing two more hearts and getting a heart on the turn AND river = runner-runner flush.

S

Satellite
A smaller tournament where the prize is entry into a larger, more expensive tournament rather than cash.
Semi-Bluff
Betting or raising with a drawing hand that isn't the best hand yet but has the potential to improve.
Betting a flush draw — you might win by making opponents fold, or by hitting your flush.
Set
Three of a kind made using a pocket pair plus one matching community card. Distinguished from "trips," which uses one hole card and two board cards.
Shark
A skilled, winning player. The opposite of a fish.
Short Stack
Having a relatively small number of chips compared to the blinds or other players at the table.
Showdown
The point after the final betting round where remaining players reveal their cards and the best hand wins the pot.
Sit and Go (SNG)
A tournament that starts as soon as enough players register (typically 6, 9, or 10). No scheduled start time.
Slowplay
Playing a strong hand passively (checking or just calling) to disguise its strength and trap opponents into betting.
Small Blind (SB)
The smaller of the two forced bets, posted by the player directly to the left of the dealer button. Typically half the big blind.
Split Pot
A pot divided equally between two or more players with the same hand strength.
Squeeze
A preflop re-raise (3-bet) made when there was a raise and one or more callers. Designed to exploit the dead money from the callers.
Stack
The total number of chips a player has in front of them.
Straddle
A voluntary blind bet (usually double the big blind) made before cards are dealt, typically by the player to the left of the big blind. Creates a bigger pot.
Straight
Five consecutive cards of any suit. A straight beats three of a kind but loses to a flush.
Straight Draw
Having four cards to a straight with one or more cards to come. Can be open-ended (8 outs) or a gutshot (4 outs).
String Bet
An illegal move where a player puts chips into the pot in multiple motions without verbally declaring a raise. Enforce the "one motion" rule in live poker.
Suited
Hole cards of the same suit. Written as "AKs" (Ace-King suited). More valuable than offsuit because they can make flushes.

T

Tell
A physical or behavioral cue that reveals information about a player's hand. Examples include trembling hands (usually strong), quick calls (usually weak draws).
Tight
Playing a narrow range of strong starting hands. The opposite of "loose." Tight-aggressive (TAG) is a fundamental winning style.
Tilt
Playing emotionally rather than rationally, usually after a bad beat or a series of losses. Tilt is one of the biggest bankroll killers in poker.
Top Pair
A pair made using one of your hole cards matching the highest card on the board.
Holding A-K with a K-8-3 flop gives you top pair (Kings) with top kicker (Ace).
Tournament
A poker competition where all players start with equal chips and play until one player has all the chips. Players are eliminated as they lose their stacks. Prizes are distributed based on finishing position.
Trips
Three of a kind made using one hole card and two matching community cards. Different from a "set," which uses a pocket pair.
Turn
The fourth community card dealt in Texas Hold'em, after the flop. Also called "Fourth Street."

U

Under the Gun (UTG)
The player immediately to the left of the big blind who acts first in the preflop betting round. The worst preflop position.

V

Value Bet
A bet made with a strong hand, sized to get called by weaker hands. The goal is to extract maximum chips from opponents.
Variance
The statistical measure of how much your results fluctuate from your expected value. High variance means bigger swings; poker has inherently high variance.
Villain
Poker slang for your opponent in a hand analysis or discussion. The person you're playing against in a particular hand.
VPIP
Voluntarily Put money In Pot — a stat tracking the percentage of hands where a player voluntarily enters the pot (calls or raises). A key indicator of playing style.

W

Wheel
The lowest possible straight: A-2-3-4-5. Also called a "bicycle." In lowball games, this is the best hand.

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