Welcome to the Ultimate Poker Glossary, a comprehensive guide to poker terminology for both beginners and experienced players. Whether you’re looking to improve your understanding of the game or simply want to brush up on your poker lingo, this glossary has you covered. We have compiled a list of essential poker terms, in alphabetical order, to help you navigate the world of poker with ease.

A

Action

The act of betting or raising during a hand of poker.

Add-on

An optional purchase of additional chips during a tournament, usually available during a designated break.

All-in

Betting all of your remaining chips in a hand of poker.

Ante

A small, forced bet placed by all players before the start of a hand to help create a pot.

B

Backdoor

Making a strong hand by catching two consecutive cards on the turn and river.

Bad Beat

Losing a hand where you were a strong favorite to win.

Bankroll

The total amount of money a player has available for playing poker.

Big Blind

A forced bet placed by the player two seats to the left of the dealer button, usually twice the size of the small blind.

Bluff

Betting or raising with a weak hand in an attempt to make opponents fold stronger hands.

C

Call

Matching the current bet to stay in the hand.

Check

Choosing not to bet when no other player has bet in the current betting round.

Check-raise

Checking with the intention of raising after an opponent bets.

Community Cards

Cards dealt face-up in the center of the table, shared by all players.

Continuation Bet (C-bet)

A bet made by the pre-flop aggressor on the flop, regardless of whether their hand has improved or not.

D

Dealer Button

A small, circular object used to indicate the dealer’s position for a particular hand.

Draw

A hand that needs additional cards to become a strong hand.

Dominated Hand

A hand that is unlikely to win against a similar, stronger hand.

E

Early Position

Position at the table that requires a player to act first in the betting round, usually the first three seats to the left of the dealer.

Expected Value (EV)

The average value of a particular play, taking into account all possible outcomes and their probabilities.

F

Flop

The first three community cards dealt face-up on the table.

Flush

A hand consisting of five cards of the same suit.

Fold

Choosing to forfeit a hand and give up any money already invested in the pot.

G

Gap Concept

A theory stating that it is easier to call a bet than to make a bet with the same amount of chips.

Gutshot

A hand that needs one specific card to make a straight.

H

Heads-Up

A form of poker where only two players are playing.

High Card

A hand that does not contain any pairs or stronger combinations, ranked by the highest card in the hand.

I

Implied Odds

The amount of money you expect to win if you make your hand, taking into account the possibility of future bets.

In Position (IP)

Being in a betting position after your opponent.

J

Jackpot

A special bonus paid out for achieving a rare hand or completing a specific requirement.

Jam

Betting all of your remaining chips in a hand of poker.

K

Kicker

The highest card in a hand that does not contribute to a pair or stronger combination.

Kingpin

A slang term for a king-high straight.

L

Limp

Calling the minimum bet to enter a hand, rather than raising.

Loose

A playing style that involves playing a wide range of hands, often with a higher level of aggression.

Lowball

A form of poker where the lowest hand wins.

M

Middle Pair

A pair made with the second-highest card on the flop.

Muck

To fold a hand without showing your cards, or to discard a winning hand by accident.

N

Nit

A player who plays a tight, conservative style and only bets when they have a strong hand.

No-Limit

A form of poker where there is no limit on the maximum bet that can be made.

O

Odds

The probability of a particular event occurring, expressed as a ratio of the number of favorable outcomes to the total number of outcomes.

Offsuit

A hand where the two hole cards are of different suits.

P

Pair

A hand that contains two cards of the same rank.

Playing the Board

A situation where a player’s best hand is made up of the community cards.

Pocket Cards

The two cards dealt face-down to each player at the beginning of a hand.

Pot

The total amount of money or chips in the middle of the table, available to be won by the winner of the hand.

Pot Limit

A form of poker where the maximum bet is equal to the size of the pot.

Q

Qualifier

A requirement that a hand must meet to be eligible for a bonus or prize.

Quads

A slang term for four-of-a-kind.

R

Rabbit Hunting

Looking at the remaining cards in the deck after a hand has been completed to see what would have happened if the hand had continued.

Rag

A low-ranking card, usually a card that is unlikely to improve a hand.

Rake

A percentage of each pot that is taken by the house as a fee for hosting the game.

Raise

Increasing the size of the current bet in a hand of poker.

S

Satellite

A tournament with a smaller buy-in that awards seats to a larger, more prestigious tournament.

Set

Three-of-a-kind made with a pocket pair and one community card.

Short Stack

A player with a small amount of chips compared to the rest of the table.

Showdown

The final phase of a hand where all remaining players reveal their cards to determine the winner.

T

Tell

A physical or verbal indication of a player’s hand or intentions.

Texas Hold’em

A popular form of poker where players are dealt two hole cards and share five community cards.

Third Street

The first betting round in Seven-Card Stud, where each player is dealt three cards.

Tight

A playing style that involves playing a narrow range of hands, often with a lower level of aggression.

U

Under the Gun (UTG)

The first player to act in a hand, sitting immediately to the left of the big blind.

Upcard

A card dealt face-up in Seven-Card Stud or other stud variants.

V

Value Bet

A bet made with the intention of extracting value from a hand that is likely to call.

Vanessa Selbst

A professional poker player known for her aggressive playing style and numerous tournament wins.

W

Walk

A situation where all players fold to the big blind, who wins the pot without having to play the hand.

Wild Card

A card that can be used to represent any card value and/or suit in a particular game.

World Series of Poker (WSOP)

The largest and most prestigious annual poker tournament series, held in Las Vegas, Nevada.

X

Sorry, we couldn’t find any poker terms starting with X. If you know of any, please let us know!

Y

Yellow Zone

A range of stack sizes in a tournament where a player should exercise caution and avoid unnecessary risks.

Youth and Talent (YAT)

A term used to describe young, talented poker players who are making a name for themselves in the industry.

Z

Zoom Poker

A fast-paced form of online poker where players are immediately moved to a new table after folding a hand.

Zombie Hand

A hand that consists of two cards of the same rank and three unconnected, low cards.

There you have it, a comprehensive guide to poker terminology. We hope this glossary has been helpful in improving your understanding of the game and preparing you for your next poker adventure. Remember, practice makes perfect, so get out there and play some poker!