List of Poker Terms & Definitions

Poker is a classic card game with a deep history and heaps of variations. To really get good at poker, you've got to know the rules, sure, but also all the lingo.

This guide will give you a solid rundown of poker terms and definitions, perfect for both new players just finding their feet and seasoned pros looking to brush up. Whether you're hitting the tables online or taking on a high-stakes live game here in New Zealand, knowing these terms will give you the edge.

Your Go-To Poker Glossary for Kiwi Players

• Ante - A small mandatory bet all players chip in before a hand starts. It's like the buy-in to get in the game.
• All-In - When a player bets every single chip they have left. High stakes!
• Action - Refers to the betting and raising that's happening during a hand. The "action" is picking up.
• Bluff - This is when you bet or raise with a weak hand, hoping to scare your opponents into folding.
• Bad Beat - Unlucky! This happens when you have a strong hand but still lose to a weaker hand purely due to the cards that fall.
• Bankroll - The total funds you've set aside specifically for playing poker. Manage it wisely!
• Bet - The amount of money you wager on a hand.
• Big Blind - A mandatory bet placed by the player two seats to the left of the dealer button in certain types of poker games.
• Blind - A forced bet made by one or two players at the start of each hand to get the pot rolling.
• Button - A marker indicating the dealer's position for the hand. It rotates clockwise.
• Call - To match the amount of a bet made by another player.
• Check - To pass your turn to bet without making a wager, if no one has bet before you.
• Community Cards - Cards dealt face-up that all players can use to form their best hand.
• Check-Raise - A move where you first check, then raise after another player bets.
• Draw - A hand where you're trying to improve by discarding unwanted cards and getting new ones.
• Drop - Another way to say 'fold' or give up on a hand.
• Early Position - Being one of the first players to act in a betting round. Usually a disadvantage.
• Exposed Card - A card that's accidentally shown during dealing or gameplay. Usually results in a re-deal or specific ruling.
• Edge - A slight advantage a player has over their opponents, usually through skill or reading the game.
• Flop - The first three community cards dealt face-up in games like Texas Hold'em.
• Fold - To give up your hand and forfeit your chance to win the pot for that round.
• Full House - A powerful hand consisting of three cards of one rank and two cards of another rank.
• Flush - A poker hand consisting of five cards of the same suit.
• Gutshot - A straight draw in which a player needs one specific card in the middle of the sequence to complete the hand, such as holding 7-8 and needing a 9.
• Heads Up - A game in which only two players play against each other.
• Hole Cards - The cards that are dealt face down to each player at the beginning of each round
• Jackpot - A special bonus payout for hitting a rare hand, such as a royal flush.
• Jam - To go all-in one hand.
• Kicker - A card that is used to break a tie between two players who have the same hand ranking.
• Knockout tournament - A poker tournament format in which each player has a bounty on their head, and when they are eliminated, the player who eliminated them receives the bounty.
• Laydown - To fold a hand, especially a strong one, after facing a large bet or raise.
• Limit - A type of poker betting structure in which there is a fixed maximum bet size and a limited number of rises per betting round.
• Lowball - A type of poker game in which the lowest hand wins, such as a 2-7 Triple Draw.
• Main pot - The primary pot in a hand, which is created when one or more players go all-in and cannot match subsequent bets.
• Monster - A very strong hand, such as a full house or better.
• No-Limit - A type of poker betting structure in which there is no maximum bet size, and players can bet all of their chips at any time.
• Nuts - The best possible hand at any given point in the hand.
• Nut low - In high-low split games, the best possible low hand.
• Nine-handed - A poker game or table with nine players.
• Offsuit - Cards that are of different suits, such as a king of hearts and a queen of spades.
• Open-ended straight draw - A hand that needs one of two possible cards to make a straight, such as holding a 7-8 and needing either a 6 or a 9 to complete the straight.
• Out - A card that can improve a player's hand and potentially win the pot.
• Overlay - A poker tournament in which the total prize pool is greater than the combined buy-ins of all players.
• Overpair - A pocket pair that is higher than any of the community cards.
• Pot - the total amount of chips or money in play.
• Pocket cards - The two cards dealt face down to a player in a game of Texas Hold'em.
• Position - A player's place at the table relative to the dealer, which can impact the order of betting and the information available about other players' actions.
• Pot-limit - A type of poker betting structure in which the maximum bet size is the current size of the pot.
• Preflop - The period of play before the flop is dealt, when players have only their pocket cards and must decide whether to bet, call, or fold.
• Pair - Two cards of the same rank, such as two jacks or two sixes.
• Raise - increasing the current bet in order to stay in the game.
• River - the fifth and final community card dealt in Texas Hold'em and Omaha.
• Rebuy - In a tournament, the option to buy back into the game after being eliminated.
• Round of betting - One complete cycle of betting, usually starting with the player to the left of the dealer.
• Royal flush - The highest-ranking hand in poker, consisting of the ace, king, queen, jack, and ten of a single suit.
• Showdown - The final phase of a hand where players turn over their cards to determine the winner.
• Small blind - The forced bet placed by the player to the left of the dealer in Texas Hold'em and Omaha.
• Split pot - A pot that is divided equally between two or more players because they have equivalent hands.
• Straddle - A voluntary bet made by the player to the left of the big blind before the cards are dealt, usually double the big blind.
• Straight - A poker hand consisting of five cards in sequence, such as 4-5-6-7-8.
• Trips - Three of a kind made with one hole card and two on the board in Texas Hold'em.
• Turn - The fourth community card in Texas Hold'em, dealt face up on the board after the flop.
• Table stakes - A betting rule where players can only bet on the chips they have on the table at the beginning of the hand, and cannot add more during the hand.
• Under the gun - The position of the player who must act first in the betting round, located to the left of the big blind in Texas Hold'em.
• Underdog - A hand or player that is not favored to win the pot.
• Upcard - A card dealt face-up in a game of stud poker.
• Value bet - A bet made with a strong hand to extract value from opponents who have weaker hands.
• Wheel - The lowest possible straight, consisting of A-2-3-4-5.

Conclusion

There are many terms and definitions to learn if you are a poker beginner. But without knowing them, you won't succeed at the poker table. Some of the most critical terms to be familiar with include "ante," "bet," "check," "raise," "fold," and "pot." Also, there are terms associated with particular types of poker, such as "flop" in Texas Hold'em and "lowball" in 2-7 Triple Draw.

"Position" is one of the most important terms in poker, which means a player's position at the table relative to the dealer. When it comes to betting and bluffing, understanding position is essential.