Common Poker Terms

Those who play serious poker use a language that outsiders rarely understand. If you want to be accepted in the 'big league', it's important that you also understand the most common terms.

Aces Full
A full house that includes three aces and any other pair.

All-In
This is used when a player puts his entire bankroll into the pot.

Bad Beat
Used when a prime hand is beaten by another, better, hand.

Bankroll
The amount of chips (or money) a player has available.

Big Slick
Used when playing 'Texas Hold 'Em'. A player who has an ace and a king as his hole cards is called 'Big Slick'

Bullets
A pair of aces as the hole cards in 'Texas Hold 'Em'.

Button
The position on the table representing the dealer. In casinos this is indicated by a white disc. In private games the 'button' is the dealer himself.

Buy In
The amount of money you need in order to join a game.

Check Raise
This is what you do if you check the first time the bet comes to you but raise the next time, all in the same betting round.

Connectors
Any two cards in succession, such as a nine and a ten. 'Suited Connectors' means two connecting cards belonging to the same suit.

Cowboys
A term used in 'Texas Hold 'Em' meaning a pair of kings as your hole cards (the first two dealt cards).

Double Up
When a player goes 'All In' on a hand and wins the game thus doubling his bankroll.

Drawing Dead
A player who remains in the game hoping to make their hand with a draw but who can't win.

Early Position
The player(s) who is immediately to the left of the button and who has a disadvantage due to needing to bet before others.

Flop
Used in 'Texas Hold 'Em' and means the first three community cards that are dealt face up on the table (flopped over).

Folding
Leaving the game.

High Roller
A gambler who plays for high stakes although the term is often relative to the amounts other players in the game are betting.

Hit
A drawn card that helps your hand.

Hole Card(s)
In 'Texas Hold 'Em', the two cards that each player is dealt face down. In Blackjack, the face down card of the dealer.

Late Position
The player(s) sitting immediately to the right of the button and who has an advantage by knowing other players' bets before he makes his own.

No Limit
A game where a player can bet everything he has.

Kicker
The highest card in a poker hand that isn't being used to create a pair, three, or four of a kind. The kicker can sometimes serve as a tie-breaker when two players are both holding similar hands.

Monster
A hand that stands an excellent chance of winning.

Muck
The pile of discarded cards. 'Mucking' your cards means throwing them in to leave the game. This is also known as 'Folding'.

Nut
A hand that can't be beaten.

Over The Top
Used when a player raises on another player's raise.

Pot Odds
The amount of money in the pot compared to what you need to put in to continue playing. If there's $100 in the pot and you need to put in $20 then you're playing 5:1 pot odds.

Quads
Another term for 'four of a kind'.

Short Stack
The player with the fewest chips at the table is said to be using a short stack.

Structured Betting
A game where the amounts allowed for bets and raises are fixed beforehand.

Table Stakes
If a game is being played by the 'table stakes' rule it means that no player can add to his bankroll during the game.