High Limit: Refers to poker games with high stakes, characterized by large buy-ins and significant betting limits. Typically played by experienced players or professionals seeking substantial winnings.
High Stake: Refers to poker games or tournaments where the buy-ins and bets are significantly larger than average, often involving professional players and substantial financial risk.
Imprint: In poker, the term ‘imprint’ refers to the lasting impression a player’s style or strategy leaves on opponents during a game. This can influence future interactions and decisions, as players may adjust their tactics based on the perceived imprint of an opponent’s previous behavior.
Improve: To draw cards that strengthen one’s hand in poker.
In the Money (ITM): Refers to reaching a position in a poker tournament where a player is guaranteed to win a prize, as they have outlasted enough other players to finish in the paid positions.
In the Tank: The situation where a poker player is taking a long time to make a decision, often indicating deep thought about their next move or strategy.
Induce: A strategic move in poker where a player takes a specific action, such as betting or checking, to prompt a desired response from opponents, like bluffing or calling, to gain an advantage.
In poker, “announce” refers to verbally declaring an action or intention during play, such as calling, raising, or folding. Announcing actions is often used to clarify a player’s move and ensure clear communication at the table.
A ‘Boss’ in poker refers to a player who consistently dominates the table with skillful play, often taking control of the game dynamics and influencing other players’ decisions.
In poker, being “Behind” means a player has a weaker hand compared to their opponent’s hand at a given point in the game.
In poker, ‘chase’ refers to the act of continuing to call bets in hopes of completing a drawing hand or improving a weak hand. This often involves calling bets with poor odds, hoping for a favorable outcome on future streets.
Flop a Set: In poker, specifically Texas Hold’em, ‘flop a set’ refers to holding a pocket pair and then seeing a third card of the same rank appear on the flop, resulting in three of a kind.
Get Away: The act of folding a strong hand when you believe you are beaten, possibly saving chips.
Pass: In poker, to pass means to not take any action during your turn, often synonymous with folding when you choose not to call or raise a bet.
Protect: In poker, to protect means to take action to prevent opponents from drawing out on you, usually by betting or raising to make it costly for them to continue with weaker hands.
Put on: To assign a potential hand or range of hands to an opponent based on their actions and betting patterns during a game.
In poker, “put the clock on someone” refers to a player requesting the dealer to set a time limit for another player to make a decision during their turn. This is usually done to prevent slow play and keep the game moving at a reasonable pace.
Qualify: In poker, to qualify means to meet a specific condition or set of conditions, often related to poker hands. For example, in certain games, a low hand must “qualify” by meeting a minimum ranking, such as having five cards of eight or lower, to be considered for winning the low portion of the pot.
Represent: In poker, to act in a manner that suggests you hold a particular hand, often a strong one, regardless of your actual cards.
Sell: In poker, to ‘sell’ refers to the strategy of placing a smaller bet than expected, often to entice opponents to call or raise with weaker hands. This tactic can maximize value from hands that are strong but not unbeatable.
Short the pot: When a player does not have enough chips to cover a bet or raise, they go ‘all-in’ and create a side pot with the remaining players.
ITM stands for ‘In The Money’. It refers to the situation in a poker tournament where a player has progressed far enough to win a prize, typically after reaching a specific cutoff point.
Jack and Back refers to a situation in poker where a player holds a Jack and another card that is lower in value than a Jack, typically in a hand like J-9 suited or J-8 offsuit. This term is used to describe such marginal hands that often rely on specific circumstances, like position or board texture, to become profitable.
Jacks to Open: In certain poker games, a player must have a pair of jacks or higher to make the first bet in the opening round. This rule ensures higher-value hands are in play before betting begins.
Jail: A slang term in poker referring to a situation where a player is stuck in a hand or position with poor prospects, often due to a lack of good options for action.
In poker, “Jam” refers to a player going all-in, betting all their remaining chips in one move. This is often used as a strategic maneuver to pressure opponents into folding.
Jedi mind tricked: A poker slang term used when a player has been manipulated or bluffed into making a decision that favors their opponent, often by psychological tactics or misdirection.
In poker, “Jelly” refers to a situation where a player holds a strong but potentially vulnerable hand that may be beaten by an unexpected or unlikely draw.
K is an abbreviation for King, one of the face cards in a standard deck of playing cards. In poker, the King ranks above the Queen and below the Ace. It is represented by a symbol of a crowned figure. A King can form part of a high-ranking hand, such as a royal flush, straight, or full house.
Komodo Dragoned: A situation in poker where a player wins the hand in a dominating fashion, typically by holding a very strong hand that crushes the opponent’s hand, reminiscent of a Komodo dragon overpowering its prey.
Ladies refers to a pair of Queens in a hand of poker.
Lay Down: The act of folding a strong hand, typically as a result of reading an opponent’s potential better hand or situation. Often involves disciplined decision-making to avoid greater losses.
Leader: The player who is currently winning the most chips or has the strongest position in the game.
In poker, a ‘loose’ player is one who plays a wide range of hands, often entering many pots. They are less selective with the hands they choose to play, compared to a ‘tight’ player who plays fewer hands.
Luck Out: Achieving a winning hand against the odds, often by drawing a card that completes a strong hand unexpectedly.
Monotone: A poker term used to describe a flop or board where all the cards are of the same suit, creating potential for flush draws.
Move In: To bet all of one’s remaining chips in poker, commonly referred to as going all-in.
Muck: To discard one’s hand without showing it to the other players, typically done when folding. It can also refer to the pile of discarded cards.
Nickel: In poker, ‘Nickel’ refers to a $5 bet or chip. It is commonly used in cash games and is a colloquial term for a five-dollar denomination.
Nosebleed: In poker, ‘nosebleed’ refers to extremely high-stakes games, where the financial risks are so significant that they could metaphorically give participants a nosebleed. These games often involve very wealthy or highly skilled players.
Nursing: The act of maintaining a small stack of chips by playing conservatively and winning small pots, avoiding large bets or risks.
Off-suit: Refers to a starting hand in poker where the two cards are of different suits, reducing the potential for a flush.
OS (Offsuit): In poker, ‘offsuit’ refers to two hole cards that are of different suits. For example, a hand containing the king of hearts and the queen of spades is offsuit since the suits do not match.
OMC stands for “Old Man Coffee,” a term used in poker to describe a stereotypical older player who plays a tight and conservative style, often seen nursing a coffee at the table. This player is typically risk-averse, preferring to play only strong hands and avoiding aggressive betting.
On Tilt: A state of emotional frustration or confusion that negatively affects a player’s decision-making, often resulting in poor performance and losses.
One Player to a Hand: A poker rule stating that only the player dealt the hand may make decisions about it, without advice or input from others.
Open: The act of being the first player to make a bet in a round of poker.
OPM stands for ‘Other People’s Money’. In poker, it refers to using funds from others, such as through staking or backing arrangements, to play the game.
OTB stands for ‘On The Button’. It refers to the dealer position in poker, which is considered the most advantageous position at the table because the player can act last in each betting round. This allows the player to make informed decisions based on the actions of other players.
Out of line: Playing in an unpredictable or unconventional manner, often involving aggressive or risky decisions that deviate from standard strategy.
Out of Pocket: A term used in poker to describe a player betting their own money rather than winnings or chips provided by the house, often implying a personal financial risk.
Out-of-turn: An action made by a player when it is not their turn to act. This can disrupt the flow of the game and may result in penalties or corrective actions as per the rules of the poker game being played.
Outrun: In poker, to win a hand by improving to a better hand than your opponent’s, often unexpectedly.
Paired: In poker, a paired hand refers to a situation where a player has two cards of the same rank. This can occur with the player’s hole cards or through a combination with community cards on the board.
In poker, ‘Passive’ refers to a playing style characterized by a tendency to call or check rather than bet or raise. Passive players often avoid aggressive actions, preferring to let others control the betting action.
Pick up: To receive or be dealt a particular hand or set of cards in a poker game.
Picked Off: When a player calls a bluff and wins the pot by showing a better hand, thereby catching the bluffer’s deception.
Play Back: To raise or re-raise in response to an opponent’s bet or raise, often used to challenge or test the strength of their hand.
Play Behind: A situation in poker where a player is allowed to continue playing at the table with a short stack of chips, while additional chips owed are brought later. The player can only bet and win with the chips currently on the table.
Play Fast: Aggressively betting or raising to build the pot or protect a strong hand, preventing opponents from drawing out.
Playing Dark: Acting without looking at one’s cards, often used as a bluffing strategy or to add unpredictability to the game.
Playing the pot refers to a strategy in poker where a player decides to focus on winning the current pot rather than considering future hands or the overall game. This approach often involves aggressive betting or raising to either build the pot size or to force opponents to fold, thereby increasing the player’s chances of winning the pot at hand.
Pot Committed: When a player has invested so much in the pot that folding is not a viable option, usually due to the high cost relative to their stack size.
Potting Out: Betting an amount equal to the current size of the pot. This is often used to maximize pressure on opponents and is a common strategy in games like Pot-Limit Omaha.
Punt: Recklessly betting a large amount in poker, often with a weak hand, resulting in a significant loss.
Put Down: The action of folding a poker hand, deciding not to continue in the round after considering the strength of one’s cards and the situation at the table.
Putting on the Heat refers to an aggressive play style where a player consistently raises or bets to pressure opponents into making tough decisions. The aim is to dominate the table, forcing weaker hands to fold and increasing the pot size when holding strong hands.
Quarter: In poker, particularly Omaha hi-lo, being ‘quartered’ means splitting half of the pot with another player, usually because both have the same low hand. The result is receiving only a quarter of the total pot.
Rigged refers to the belief that a poker game is manipulated or unfairly controlled to benefit certain players or outcomes, often implying dishonest practices or cheating.
Rolled up refers to a situation in seven card stud where a player is dealt three of a kind with their first three cards.
ROW (Rest of the World): A term used to describe players or teams from outside a specific region, often used in international competitions or contexts to refer to all non-local participants.
Runner: Refers to hitting consecutive cards on the turn and river to complete a hand, often used in the context of ‘runner-runner’ when both cards are needed to complete a flush or straight.
Running Bad: A prolonged period of consistently poor results in poker, characterized by losing hands despite making strong plays, often attributed to bad luck rather than skill.
Second Best: Refers to the hand that is the second strongest in a showdown or comparison, often leading to a loss when the best hand wins.
Short Handed: Refers to a poker game with fewer players than a full table, typically 6 or fewer.
Shove: A poker term used to describe the action of going all-in, betting all of one’s chips in a single move.
Show Cards: The action of revealing one’s cards to other players, typically at the end of a hand, to prove a winning hand or for strategic purposes.
In poker, ‘Show Hand’ refers to the action of revealing your cards to the other players, typically at the end of a hand during a showdown, to determine the winner.
Show: In poker, the action of revealing one’s cards to the other players, typically at the showdown to determine the winner of the pot.
Shut down: In poker, this refers to a player ceasing aggressive actions in a hand, usually due to a belief that continuing to bet or raise is unlikely to be profitable. It typically occurs when a player senses they are beaten or have little chance of improving their hand.
Sick: Used to describe an impressive, surprising, or unbelievable play or situation in poker, often conveying a sense of disbelief or admiration.
Sit Out: In poker, the term ‘Sit Out’ refers to a player temporarily leaving the table, usually by choice, without being dealt in hands. This can occur in both online and live games, often for reasons like taking a break or attending to other matters. The player is not required to post blinds during this time but must return within a certain period or risk being removed from the game entirely.
Sitting Out: A situation in poker where a player chooses not to participate in hands for a period of time while remaining in the game.
Reasons: Players might sit out to take a break, handle a distraction, or if they are away from the table temporarily.
Implications: While sitting out, a player does not receive cards or participate in betting, but their seat remains reserved.
Snap: An immediate action taken in poker, such as ‘snap call’ or ‘snap fold’, indicating a quick decision without hesitation.
Solid: A player known for playing a strong, consistent, and fundamentally sound game. They rarely take unnecessary risks and make decisions based on probability and strategy.
South: A term used to describe a player who discreetly removes chips from the table, usually indicating an attempt to cheat by reducing their exposure or to safeguard winnings.
In poker, “speed” refers to the pace at which a hand or game is played. It can describe how quickly players make decisions, the rate of betting, or the overall tempo of the game. A fast speed might indicate aggressive play, while a slower speed could mean players are being more cautious.
Splash the Pot: The act of throwing chips into the pot in a disorderly manner during a poker game, making it difficult to determine the exact bet amount.
Split Two Pair: A poker hand consisting of two different pairs, where both players have the same highest and lowest pair, leading to a tie.
Stand Pat: In poker, particularly draw poker games, it refers to a strategy where a player decides not to exchange any cards during a draw round, indicating that they are satisfied with their current hand.
Steam: A state of emotional upset or frustration that affects a player’s decision-making ability, often leading to irrational or overly aggressive play.
Suicide King refers to the King of Hearts in a standard deck of playing cards. This term originates from the depiction of the king appearing to stab himself in the head with a sword.
Suited: Refers to two or more cards in the same suit, increasing the potential for flushes.
Sweat: A situation where a player is observing a game or specific hand closely, usually with interest in the outcome, such as when they have a financial stake in the result.
Tank: When a player takes an extended amount of time to make a decision during a hand, usually to consider the best move or strategy.
Tapped Out refers to a player’s situation in poker where they have run out of chips or money to continue betting or playing in the game. This term indicates that the player can no longer participate actively until they acquire more funds.
In poker, the ‘field’ refers to the total number of players participating in a tournament or event. It can also describe the collective group of opponents one faces in a particular hand or game.
In poker jargon, “John” is not a commonly recognized term with a standard definition. It may refer to a personal name or alias used by a player, rather than a specific concept in the game.
Three-suited: In poker, a hand containing cards of three different suits, often making it less favorable for flush draws or suited combinations.
Time Out: In poker, a time out refers to a pause in the game, typically requested by a player to consider their next move or by the game host to handle technical issues. It allows players to temporarily halt the action without affecting game flow.
Most Common
