In poker, ‘Top and Bottom’ refers to a hand where a player has a pair made with the highest and lowest cards on the board. For example, if the board is A Q 5 6 2 and the player holds A 2, they have top and bottom pair.
Top Up: In poker, ‘Top Up’ refers to the action of adding more chips to a player’s stack to reach a predetermined amount, usually after losing some chips.
TP stands for Top Pair, which is a poker hand where a player pairs one of their hole cards with the highest card on the board.
Under the Gun: The first player to act in a round of betting, seated directly to the left of the big blind in a Texas Hold’em game. This position is considered disadvantageous due to the lack of information about other players’ actions.
Up the Creek: Being in a difficult or disadvantageous position in a poker game, often with limited options to improve one’s hand or situation.
Up-stuck: A situation in poker where a player is winning, but not as much as they were at the peak of their session, leading to a feeling of disappointment despite being ahead.
In poker, “uphill” refers to a situation where a player is at a disadvantage, often used to describe needing to catch up in chips or when facing challenging odds to win a hand.
Position in poker, directly to the left of the big blind; first to act in a betting round.
In poker, the term ‘Villain’ refers to the opponent or opponents that a player is facing in a hand. It is commonly used in strategy discussions and hand analyses to describe the actions and possible strategies of the adversary.
Void: In poker, void refers to a situation where a hand or a round is declared invalid or canceled. This can occur due to a misdeal, rule violation, or other irregularities.
Wake Up: A term used when a player unexpectedly makes a strong move, such as a large bet or raise, after previously playing passively or folding.
In poker, ‘weak’ describes a hand with low potential to win or a player who is passive, often folding or calling rather than betting or raising.
Weak Tight: A playing style characterized by cautiousness and a tendency to fold marginal hands. Players who are weak tight often miss opportunities to bluff or capitalize on strong hands, playing predictably and passively.
In poker, ‘Whiff’ refers to missing the board entirely with your hand, meaning your hand doesn’t improve or connect with the community cards.
Withdraw: To remove money from a poker account or bankroll, typically for personal use or after cashing out from a session or tournament.
Won Money at Showdown: The total amount of money a player has won during showdowns, where players reveal their hands, and the best hand wins the pot.
A ‘Woolworth’ in poker refers to a hand with a 5 and a 10, reminiscent of the old “five and dime” stores, like the F.W. Woolworth Company.
WTSD (Went to Showdown) is a poker statistic that measures how often a player goes to showdown after seeing the flop. It is typically expressed as a percentage and indicates a player’s tendency to call bets and see all community cards revealed.
WWSF stands for “Won When Saw Flop.” It is a poker statistic that measures the percentage of time a player wins the pot after seeing the flop. This metric is used to evaluate a player’s post-flop performance and aggression.
Come Over the Top is a poker move where a player raises or re-raises an opponent’s bet or raise, often to apply pressure or take control of the hand.
$EV: Expected value in monetary terms, representing the average amount one can expect to win or lose in a given poker situation, considering all possible outcomes and their probabilities.
2-7 Single Draw: A poker variant where the goal is to make the lowest possible hand using five cards. Players can discard and draw once, with the lowest hand being 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 of different suits.
2-7 Triple Draw: A poker variant where players aim to make the lowest possible five-card hand. Each player is dealt five cards, and there are three drawing rounds where players can discard and replace cards. The best hand is 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 with no flush, making it different from other lowball games. Betting occurs before and after each draw, and the game is typically played with blinds.
3 Card Poker is a casino table game based on poker. Players compete against the dealer, each receiving three cards to make the best poker hand. The game includes two main bets: Ante and Pair Plus. The Ante bet competes against the dealer’s hand, while Pair Plus pays based on the player’s hand value alone. The dealer qualifies with a Queen high or better, and payouts vary based on the hand strength.
3-oak, also known as Three of a Kind, is a poker hand that contains three cards of the same rank, along with two unrelated cards. It ranks above two pair and below a straight in standard poker hand rankings.
3bet Light: A strategic play in poker where a player re-raises (3bets) with a weaker hand, intending to exploit opponents by increasing pressure and potentially forcing them to fold better hands.
4max: A poker game format where the maximum number of players at the table is four, encouraging aggressive play and more frequent action.
4th Street: Also known as the Turn, it’s the fourth community card dealt in a game of Texas Hold’em or Omaha. This round follows the Flop and precedes the River.
5 Card Draw: A classic poker variant where each player is dealt five cards. Players can exchange up to three cards for new ones from the deck to improve their hand. The game typically involves one betting round before and after the draw, with the best five-card hand winning the pot.
5max refers to a poker game format with a maximum of five players at the table. This format is often used in cash games and tournaments, offering a faster-paced and more aggressive style of play compared to full-ring games.
5th Street: In poker, particularly in games like Texas Hold’em and Omaha, 5th Street refers to the fifth and final community card dealt to the board. It’s also known as the river, and it follows the flop and turn.
6-max: A poker game format where a maximum of six players are allowed at the table, often leading to more aggressive play compared to full-ring games.
6th Street: In some variations of poker, a term referring to the fourth additional card dealt to each player.
7-Game: A mixed poker format featuring seven different variants, typically including Texas Hold’em, Omaha Hi-Lo, Razz, Seven Card Stud, Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo, Badugi, and 2-7 Triple Draw. Players rotate through the games in a set order, challenging their versatility and skill across multiple poker disciplines.
7th Street: In seven-card stud, the final betting round where a seventh card is dealt face down to each player who remains in the hand.
8-game is a mixed poker format where players compete in a rotation of eight different poker variants. The games include Limit 2-7 Triple Draw, Limit Hold’em, Limit Omaha Hi-Lo, Razz, Limit Seven Card Stud, Limit Stud Hi-Lo, No Limit Hold’em, and Pot Limit Omaha. Each game tests players’ skills across various poker disciplines, making it a popular choice for those seeking a comprehensive poker challenge.
8-or-better: A qualification rule for low hands in poker variants like Omaha Hi-Lo, where only hands with all five cards ranked 8 or lower can win the low portion of the pot.
9-max: A poker table format where up to nine players can be seated at a time, commonly used in cash games and tournaments. It offers a balanced mix of action and strategy, with slightly looser play compared to 6-max tables.
A 12-way straight draw occurs in poker when a player has a hand that can complete a straight in 12 different ways. This typically involves having four connected cards of different suits with eight cards in the deck that can complete the straight, and an additional four possible cards that can also complete the straight through different combinations.
A 16-way straight draw occurs when a player has four cards to a straight with two cards yet to be revealed, offering 16 potential cards to complete the straight. This draw combines both open-ended straight draws on both ends of the sequence, doubling the usual number of outs.
3-Bet: A type of re-raise in poker, specifically the first re-raise made after the initial raise. Common in no-limit Texas Hold’em, it signifies strength and can be used as a bluff or value bet.
In poker, a 3bet pot refers to a situation where there have been three raises before the flop during a single betting round, resulting in a larger pot size. It typically starts with an initial raise (open), followed by a re-raise (3bet), often leading to a more aggressive and strategic play dynamic.
In poker, a 4-bet refers to the fourth bet in a betting sequence within a single round. Typically, it follows an initial bet (1-bet), a raise (2-bet), and a re-raise (3-bet). A 4-bet is often used as a strategic play to assert dominance or to extract more value from strong hands.
4bet bluff: A strategic move in poker where a player makes a fourth bet, often with a weak hand, to deceive opponents and force them to fold, aiming to capitalize on the perception of a strong holding.
5-bet: A re-raise of a 4-bet in poker. Occurs when a player raises the stakes for the fifth time in a single betting round, indicating a strong hand or bluff.
In poker, a 7-2 game refers to a fun, informal side game where players bet on the worst starting hand, 7-2 offsuit, winning a round. If a player wins with this hand, others must pay a predetermined bounty.
Baby: In poker, a ‘baby’ refers to a small pair or a low-ranking card, typically ranging from 2 to 5. These cards can be part of a straight or serve as low kickers in a hand.
Back Raise: A play in poker where a player first calls a bet and then re-raises when the action returns to them after another player raises.
A backdoor draw in poker refers to a situation where a player needs two specific cards in consecutive rounds to complete a winning hand. For example, having a chance to make a flush or straight only if the right cards appear on both the turn and the river.
A backdoor flush draw occurs when a player needs two specific suited cards on the turn and river to complete a flush.
A backdoor flush in poker refers to a hand that requires drawing two consecutive cards of the same suit on the turn and river to complete a flush. Initially, only one card of the suited combination is present on the flop, necessitating the turn and river to complete the flush.
Backdoor: In poker, a backdoor draw refers to a hand that needs two consecutive cards to complete a straight or a flush after the flop. It typically implies a less likely chance of improving to a winning hand.
Backdoor Straight: A situation in poker where a player needs two additional running cards on the turn and river to complete a straight.
A backraise occurs when a player initially calls a bet and then re-raises when the action returns to them after another player has raised.
Bad Beat: A situation in poker where a player with a strong hand loses to a weaker hand due to an unlikely outcome.
A Bad Beat Jackpot is a special cash prize awarded in poker rooms when a strong hand loses to an even stronger hand, typically with specific conditions like a full house beaten by four of a kind. This jackpot is funded by a small rake taken from each pot and is distributed among the players involved in the hand, with a portion also going to the rest of the table.
Bad Beat Story: A recount of a poker hand where a player with a strong hand loses to an opponent with a weaker hand that improves unexpectedly, often due to unlikely draws or cards.
Bankroll: The total amount of money a player has set aside for playing poker. It is essential for managing risk and ensuring a player can continue playing without going broke.
Base Deal: In poker, the base deal refers to the initial distribution of cards to players at the start of a hand or round.
A BDSD, or Backdoor Straight Draw, occurs when a player needs two specific cards consecutively on the turn and river to complete a straight.
Beer Hand: In poker, the term ‘Beer Hand’ refers to the starting hand of 7-2 offsuit. It is considered the worst possible hand in Texas Hold’em due to its low chances of winning. The nickname suggests that one might as well fold this hand and enjoy a beer instead.
A Belly Buster or Gutshot Straight Draw refers to a situation in poker where a player has four of the five cards needed to complete a straight, and the missing card is one that would fill a gap in the sequence. For example, holding 5-6-8-9, where the player needs a 7 to complete the straight.
Bet Blind: A wager made without looking at one’s hole cards, often to add unpredictability to the game.
A bet in poker is when a player places chips into the pot. This action signals their intention to compete for the pot. Bets can be made during various stages of a hand to either build the pot, apply pressure on opponents, or as a strategic move to test the strength of others’ hands.
A betting pattern refers to the sequence and style of bets a player makes during a poker game. It can reveal information about their strategy or hand strength, such as aggressive betting indicating a strong hand or bluff, and passive betting suggesting caution or weakness.
Bicycle (also known as a ‘Wheel’): The lowest possible straight in poker, consisting of an Ace, 2, 3, 4, and 5.
A big bet game is a type of poker game where bets are not limited by a fixed amount, allowing players to wager any amount up to the total amount of chips they have in front of them. This style of play typically includes games like No-Limit Hold’em and Pot-Limit Omaha.
In limit poker games, a big bet refers to the larger of the two fixed bet sizes, typically used in the later rounds of betting, such as the turn and river.
Big Blind: A mandatory bet placed by the player two seats to the left of the dealer button in Texas Hold’em and Omaha games. It is typically the larger of the two forced bets, with the other being the small blind. The big blind amount usually matches the minimum bet for the first round of betting.
A ‘Big Pair’ refers to a starting hand in poker where a player is dealt a pair of high-ranking cards, typically Kings or Aces. These are considered strong hands pre-flop due to their high probability of winning against other hands.
Big Stack: Refers to a player who has significantly more chips than the average at the table. This position allows for greater influence in the game through aggressive play and increased betting power.
Big Tiger: A colloquial term used in poker to describe a player known for aggressive betting and large bluffs. They often dominate the table with bold strategies.
A bingo player is a poker player who plays in a loose and passive manner, often calling bets with a wide range of hands. They typically do not raise or bluff, preferring to see many flops and rely on luck rather than strategy. This play style is often seen as unpredictable and can be difficult to counter.
Blaze refers to a poker hand where all the cards are face cards (Jacks, Queens, and Kings).
Blind Battle: A situation in poker where the players in the small blind and big blind positions compete against each other, often leading to strategic play due to their forced bets and positions.
Blind Bet: A mandatory bet placed before players receive their cards, typically used in games like Texas Hold’em and Omaha to stimulate action and ensure there is money in the pot.
Blind Level: The stage in a poker tournament during which the minimum bet amounts, called blinds, increase at regular intervals. This ensures the game progresses and encourages active play by increasing the stakes.
A blind raise is a bet made in poker without looking at one’s own cards. It is often used as a bluffing tactic or to unsettle opponents.
A blind robber is a player who frequently attempts to steal the blinds, usually by making aggressive bets or raises from late position when the action is folded around to them.
Blind Steal: A strategic move where a player raises with a weak hand in the hopes of forcing opponents in the blinds to fold, thus winning the pot uncontested.
A block bet is a small bet made by a player out of position to control the pot size and discourage larger bets from opponents. It is often used on the final betting round to prevent an opponent from making a larger, more aggressive bet.
In poker, a ‘blocker’ is a card in a player’s hand that reduces the number of combinations an opponent can have to make a specific hand. For example, if a player holds an Ace, it blocks the possibility of opponents having pocket Aces.
Bloodbath: A poker hand or session where significant amounts of money are lost by one or more players.
Blue Chip: In poker, a blue chip is typically the highest value chip used in a game, often worth $10 or $25 depending on the casino or home game rules.
Bluff Call: A strategic move in poker where a player calls a bet with a weak hand, intending to misrepresent their strength and potentially induce a fold from an opponent in future hands.
In poker, a ‘bluff catcher’ is a hand that isn’t strong enough to bet or raise but is good enough to call a bet, especially when the opponent might be bluffing. It typically has little value against strong hands but can win against bluffs.
Bluff catching range refers to the set of hands a poker player uses to call an opponent’s bet, anticipating the opponent might be bluffing. This range typically includes hands strong enough to beat bluffs but not necessarily strong enough to beat value bets.
Bluff: A poker strategy where a player bets or raises with a weak or marginal hand to deceive opponents into folding stronger hands.
A Bobtail Straight refers to having four out of the five cards needed for a straight, but not a complete straight. Typically, it’s a sequence like 5-6-7-8, missing either the low or high card to complete the hand.
BOC (Best of it Call): In poker, a BOC occurs when a player makes a call with the best hand or the best odds of winning. It’s typically used to describe a situation where the player has a favorable position or advantage, making the call profitable in the long run.
In a bomb pot, all players agree to put in a set amount of chips into the pot before the hand begins, skipping the pre-flop betting round. This creates a larger pot to compete for from the start, often leading to more aggressive play and larger swings in chip stacks.
Bonus: A reward or incentive offered by poker platforms to players, often as part of promotions or to encourage deposits and gameplay. Examples include welcome bonuses, deposit matches, and loyalty rewards.
A ‘Bot’ in poker is software programmed to play games automatically without human intervention. These programs analyze game data and make decisions based on pre-set algorithms, often designed to exploit weaknesses or patterns in opponents’ play. Bots are controversial, as they can provide an unfair advantage in online poker rooms.
Bottom pair: In poker, the lowest pair made on the flop using one of the player’s hole cards and the lowest community card.
Bottom set: The lowest three-of-a-kind hand on the board, created when a player holds a pocket pair that matches the lowest card of the community cards.
In poker tournaments, a bounty is a prize awarded for eliminating a specific player. Each player may have a bounty on their head, incentivizing others to knock them out of the game. The bounty amount is usually predetermined and can be a cash prize or tournament chips.
In poker, a ‘boxed card’ refers to a card that is turned face up in the deck or appears face up when dealt. This is typically considered an irregularity in the game, and the dealer will follow specific rules to handle the situation, such as removing the card from play or reshuffling the deck.
Break: A pause in a poker tournament that allows players to rest, refresh, and attend to personal needs before resuming play.
Brick: A community card that appears to have little impact on the strength of players’ hands, often because it does not complete any draws or significantly improve the hands in play.
Bring in: In certain poker games, particularly in stud variants, the ‘bring in’ is a forced bet made by the player with the lowest-ranking face-up card after the initial deal. This bet starts the first betting round and is typically smaller than the standard betting amount.
Most Common
