Poker Glossary
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A:
A-B-C, A-B-C-D:
A sequence of the lowest cards in a lowball game. For example, the hand 8-6-3-2-A might be called an eight-six-a-b-c.
Uncreative or predictable play. He's an a-b-c player.
ace-to-five, ace-to-six
Methods of evaluating low hands. See ace-to-five low, ace-to-six low.
Act:
To make a play (bet, call, raise, or fold) at the required time. It is Ted's turn to act. Compare to "in turn".
Action:
A player's turn to act. The action is on you.
A willingness to gamble. I'll give you action or There's plenty of action in this game
A bet, along with all the calls of that bet. For example, if one player makes a $5 bet and three other players call, he is said to have $5 "in action", and to have received $15 worth of action on his bet. Usually this term comes into play when figuring side pots when one or more players is all in. See table stakes.
Action button:
A marker similar to a kill button, on which a player places an extra forced bet. In a seven-card stud high-low game, the action button is awarded to the winner of a scoop pot above a certain size, signifying that in the next pot, that player will be required to post an amount representing a completion of the bring-in to a full bet. For example, in a stud game with $2 and $4 betting limits and a $1 bring-in, a player with the action button must post $2; after the cards are dealt, the player with the low card must still pay the $1 bring-in, then when the betting reaches the player who posted the $2, he is required to leave it in as a raise of the bring-in (and has the option to raise further). Players in between the bring-in and the action button can just call the bring-in, but they know ahead of time that they will be raised by the action button.
Action card:
In Texas Hold'em, a card in which two players hold that comes out on the Flop.
Action only:
In many cardrooms, with respect to an all-in bet, only a full (or half) bet can be reraised. Anything less than a full (or half) bet is considered to be action only, that is, other players can call the bet but not raise it. For example, Alice bets $100. Bob calls. Carol goes all in for $119. When the action returns to Alice and Bob, they may only call the extra $19; they cannot raise it. Carol's raise is called action only. Compare to "full bet rule", "half bet rule".
Add-on:
In a live game, to buy more chips before you have busted. In tournament play, a single rebuy for which all players are eligible regardless of their stack size. This is usually allowed only once, at the end of the rebuy period.
Advertising:
To make an obvious play or expose cards in such a way as to deliberately convey an impression to your opponents about your style of play. For example, to make a bad play or bluff to give the impression that you bluff frequently (hoping opponents will then call your legitimate bets) or to show only good hands to give the impression that you rarely bluff (hoping opponents will then fold when you do).
Aggressive, aggression:
See aggression (poker). Compare to "loose", "tight", "passive".
Air:
In a lowball game, "giving air" is letting an opponent who might otherwise fold know that you intend to draw one or more cards to induce him to call.
All day:
The total current posted bet. Used to indicate that the speaker is referring to the total bet, versus the difference the acting player would need to post. Action is on Alice; twenty all day. Also "altogether" or "straight".
All in:
The act of betting all of your chips against another player. See all in.
Altogether:
The total current posted bet. Used to indicate that the speaker is referring to the total bet, versus the difference the acting player would need to post. Action is on Alice; twenty dollars altogether. Also "all day" or "straight".
Ammo, ammunition:
Chips in play. I'm going to need more ammo for this game. Compare to "fire".
Angle:
A technically legal, but borderline unethical, play. For example, deliberately miscalling one's own hand to induce a fold, or placing odd amounts of chips in the pot to confuse opponents about whether you mean to call or raise. A player employing such tactics is called an "angle shooter".
Ante:
See ante.
Ante off:
In tournament play, to force an absent player to continue paying antes, blinds, bring-ins, or other forced bets so that the contest remains fair to the other players. Go ahead and take that phone call. We'll ante you off until you get back. Also "blind off".
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B:
Baby:
A low-ranked card, usually used in lowball games. Also "spoke" when between ace and five.
Backdoor:
A draw requiring two or more rounds to fill. For example, catching two consecutive cards in two rounds of seven-card stud or Texas hold 'em to fill a straight or flush.
A hand made other than the hand the player intended to make. I started with four hearts hoping for a flush, but I backdoored two more kings and my trips won.
Back in:
To enter a pot by checking and then calling someone else's open on the first betting round. Usually used in games like Jackpots, meaning to enter without openers. To enter a pot cheaply or for free because of having posted a blind.
Back into:
To win a pot with a hand that would have folded to any bet. For example, two players enter a pot of draw poker, both drawing to flushes. Both miss, and check after the draw. The player with the ace-high draw "backs into" winning the pot against the player with only a king-high draw. Also to make a backdoor draw, for example, a player who starts a hand with three of a kind, but makes a runner-runner flush, can be said to back into the flush.
Backraise:
A reraise from a player that previously limped in the same betting round. I decided to backraise with my pocket eights to isolate the all-in player.
Bad beat:
See bad beat.
Bank:
Also called the house, the person responsible for distributing chips, keeping track of the buy-ins, and paying winners at the end of the game.
Bankroll:
The amount of money that a player has to wager for the duration of his or her poker career. A very chip or money rich player.
Behind:
Not (currently) having the best hand. I'm pretty sure my pair of jacks was behind Lou's kings, but I had other outs, so I kept playing.
Describing money in play but not visible as chips in front of a player. For example, a player may announce "I've got $100 behind" while handing money to a casino employee, meaning that he intends those chips to be in play as soon as they are brought to him.
Belly buster:
An inside straight draw. Also "gutshot".
Berry patch:
A game with many unskilled or "live" players; a lucrative opportunity for profit.
Bet:
Any money wagered during the play of a hand. More specifically, the opening bet of a betting round.
In a fixed limit game, the standard betting amount. There were six bets in the pot when I called.
Betting structure:
See betting (poker).
Big bet:
See big bet.
Big bet game:
A game played with a no limit or pot limit betting structure.
Big blind:
See blind (poker).
Big blind special:
A situation in which (assuming no raising) the player in the big blind is dealt weak hole cards, but ends up making the best hand because he or she was able to see the flop for free, often two pair with unusual cards such as 3-9 or 10-2. Compare to "small blind special".
Blank:
A card, frequently a community card, of no apparent value. I suspected Margaret had a good draw, but the river card was a blank, so I bet again. Also "rag". Compare to "brick", "bomb".
Blaze:
A Non-standard poker hand of five face cards that outranks a flush.
Bleed, bleeding chips:
To lose small amounts continually, so as to add up to a large loss. I won that large pot with my kings, but then I bled it all off over the next hour.
Blind:
A type of forced bet. See blind (poker). In the "dark".
Blind stud:
A stud poker game in which all cards are dealt face down. Was popular in California before legal rulings made traditional stud legal there.
Blind off, blinded:
To "ante off". To have one's stack reduced by paying ever increasing blinds in tournaments. Ted had to make a move soon or he would be blinded away in three more rounds.
Blocker:
In community card poker, refers to holding one of the opponent's outs, typically when the board threatens a straight or straight draw. The board was A23 but with my pair of fives I held two blockers to the straight. Compare to "dry ace".
Bluff
See bluff (poker).
Bluff-catcher:
On the last betting round, a hand that cannot win if the opponent is making a legitimate value bet, but that might win if the opponent's bet was a pure bluff. It looked like Jim and I were both drawing for a flush. I missed and he bet, but I figured the pair of nines I caught along the way made a bluff-catcher, so I called.
Board:
The set of community cards in a community card game. If another spade hits the board, I'll have to fold. The set of face-up cards of a particular player in a stud game. Zack's board didn't look too scary, so I bet into him again.
The set of all face-up cards in a stud game. I started with a flush draw, but there were already four other diamonds showing on the board, so I folded.
Boat:
Shorthand for a full boat, which is slang for a full house.
Bomb:
A "brick". Compare to "blank", "rags".
Bone:
A chip, often of small denomination.
Both ways:
Both halves of a split pot, often declared by a player who thinks he or she will win both low and high.
Bottom end:
The lowest of several possible straights, especially in a community card game. For example, in Texas hold'em with the cards 5-6-7 on the board, a player holding 3-4 has the bottom end straight, while a player holding 4-8 or 8-9 has a higher straight. Also "idiot end".
Bottom pair, bottom set:
In a community card game, a pair (or set) made by matching the lowest-ranking board card with one (or two) in one's private hand. Compare second pair, top pair.
Box:
The chip tray in front of a house dealer, and by extension, the house dealer's position at the table. You've been in the box for an hour now; don't you get a break?
Boxed card:
A card encountered face-up in the assembled deck during the deal, as opposed to one overturned in the act of dealing. Most house rules treat a boxed card as if it didn't exist; that is, it is placed aside and not used. Different rules cover cards exposed during the deal.
Break:
In a draw poker game, to discard cards that make a made hand in the hope of making a much better one. For example, a player with J-J-10-9-8 may wish to break his pair of jacks to draw for the straight, and a lowball player may break his 9-high 9-5-4-2-A to draw for the wheel.
To end a session of play. The game broke at about 3:00.
Brick:
A "blank", though more often used in the derogatory sense of a card that is undesirable rather than merely inconsequential, such as a card of high rank or one that makes a pair in a low-hand game. Also "bomb". Compare to "rags".
Brick & mortar:
A brick & mortar or B&M casino is a term referring to a "real" casino based in a building, as opposed to an online casino. This term is used to refer to many real world locations vs. their Internet counterparts. It is not just a poker term.
Bring in:
To open a betting round. Alice brought it in for $4, and Bob raised to $10. Ted posted the bring-in.
A type of forced bet. Rather than (or in addition to) antes or blinds, some games, like seven card stud use a bring-in. The advantage of bring-in games is that the player can look at their hand before betting and can then bet the minimum bring or a full bet (usually 2.5X the bring in amount). Even though it is a forced bet, it is not considered a blind bet because the player may look at their cards before acting.
Broadway:
The Ace high straight. AKQJT (offsuit) is Broadway.
Broomcorn's Uncle:
This is a colorful term for calling a player overly tight.
Mike Sexton used this term on the World Poker Tour Ladies Night 2006 episode. The pop-up defined it as "Losing all your chips by never playing a hand." Broomcorn is an other name for boring common millet. Also see "ante off", "blind off".
Brush:
A casino employee whose job it is to greet players entering the poker room, maintain the list of persons waiting to play, announce open seats, and various other duties (including brushing off tables to prepare them for new games, hence the name).
To recruit players into a game. Dave is brushing up some players for tonight's game.
Bubble:
The last finishing position in a poker tournament before entering the payout structure. He was very frustrated after getting eliminated on the bubble. Also can be applied to other situations like if six players will make a televised final table the player finishing seventh will go out on the "TV bubble". Also used to describe any situation close to the payout structure.
Buck:
See button (poker).
Bug:
See bug (poker). Compare to wild card (poker).
Bullet
An ace.
A chip. Also "ammo".
Bully:
A player who repeatedly makes large bets. This prevents opportunities from getting free or cheap cards that may complete a drawing hand. Also see buy the pot. Compare to "run over".
Bum deal:
A mis-deal
Bump:
To raise. Alice bet $5 and Bob bumped it to $20.
Burn, burn card:
See burn card.
Busted:
Not complete, such as four cards to a straight that never gets the fifth card to complete it.
Out of chips. To "bust out" is to lose all of one's chips.
Button:
See button (poker). Also "buck" or "hat".
Buy-in:
The minimum required amount of chips that must be "bought" to become involved in a game (or tournament). For example, a $4-$8 fixed limit game might require a player to buy at least $40 worth of chips to play. This is typically far less than an average player would expect to play with for any amount of time, but large enough that the player can play a number of hands without buying more, so the game isn't slowed down by constant chip-buying.
Buy short:
To buy into a game for an amount smaller than the normal buy-in. Some casinos allow this under certain circumstances, such as after having lost a full buy-in, or if all players agree to allow it.
Buy the button:
A rule originating in northern California casinos in games played with blinds, in which a new player sitting down with the button to his right (who would normally be required to sit out a hand as the button passed him, then post to come in) may choose to pay the amount of both blinds for this one hand (the amount of the large blind playing as a live blind, and the amount of the small blind as dead money), play this hand, and then receive the button on the next hand as if he had been playing all along. See public cardroom rules (poker).
In games with blinds, usually done by the person sitting to the immediate right of the dealer, who will make a position raise, acting much like the dealer might have done, when only the blinds are still in the hand. Every time he dealt, the dealer let the blinds see the flop, so I started buying the button to force them to fold.
Buy the pot:
Making a bet when no one else is betting so as to force the other players to fold in order to win the pot uncontested.
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C:
Call:
See call.
Call the clock:
A method of discouraging players from taking an excessively long time to act. When someone calls the clock, the player has a set amount of time in which to make up his mind; if he fails to do so, his hand is immediately declared dead. In tournament play, a common rule is that if a player takes too long and no one calls the clock, the dealer or floor personnel will automatically do so.
Calling station:
See calling station.
Cap:
A limit on the number of raises allowed in a betting round. Typically three or four (in addition the opening bet). In most casinos, the cap is removed if there are only two players remaining either (1) at the beginning of the betting round, or (2) at the time that what would have otherwise been the last raise is made.
Also, term for the chip, token, or object placed atop one's cards to show continued involvement with a hand.
Cap game:
Similar to "cap" above, but used to describe a no-limit or pot limit game with a cap on the amount that a player can bet during the course of a hand. Once the cap is reached, all players remaining in the hand are considered all-in. For example, a no limit game could have a betting cap of 30 times the big blind.[1]
Cards speak:
See cards speak (poker).
Case card:
The last available card of a certain description (typically a rank). The only way I can win is to catch the case king., meaning the only king remaining in the deck.
Cash plays:
An announcement, usually by a dealer, that a player requested to buy chips and can bet the cash he has on the table in lieu of chips until he receives his chips.
Catch:
To receive needed cards on a draw. I'm down 300--I can't catch anything today. or Joe caught his flush early, but I caught the boat on seventh street to beat him. Often used with an adjective to further specify, for example "catch perfect", "catch inside", "catch smooth".
Catch up:
To successfully complete a draw, thus defeating a player who previously had a better hand. I was sure I had Alice beat, but she caught up when that spade fell.
Catch perfect:
To catch the only two possible cards that will complete a hand and win the pot, usually those leading to a straight flush. Usually used in Texas Hold 'Em. Compare with "runner-runner".
Center:
Synonym for pot. "Chips in the center..." means the chips that are in the main pot. "I'm going to center your stack" means that a player is going to force all of an opponents chips into the pot. "My stack got centered" means that a player was forced to wager his/her remaining chips.
Center pot:
The main pot in a table stakes game where one or more players are all in.
Chase:
To call a bet to see the next card when holding a drawing hand when the pot odds do not merit it.
To continue to play a drawing hand over multiple betting rounds, especially one unlikely to succeed. Bob knew I made three nines on fourth street, but he chased that flush draw all the way to the river.
To continue playing with a hand that is not likely the best because one has already invested money in the pot. See sunk cost fallacy.
Check:
To bet nothing. See check. A casino chip.
Check out
To fold, in turn, even though there is no bet facing the player. In some games this is considered a breach of etiquette equivalent to folding out of turn. In others it is permitted, but frowned upon.
Check-raise:
See check-raise.
Cheese:
A poor hand. Throw that piece of cheese in the muck and move on to the next hand.
Chip:
See poker chip.
Chip along:
To bet or call the minimum required to stay in, often done with little or no thought.
Chip declare:
A method of declaring intent to play high or low in a split-pot game with declaration. See declaration.
Chip dumping:
A form of collusion that happens during tournaments, especially in the early rounds. Two or more players decide to go all-in early. The winner gets a large amount of chips, which increases the player's chance of cashing. The winnings are then split among the colluders.
Chip race:
See chip race.
Chip up:
To exchange lower-denomination chips for higher-denomination chips. In tournament play, the term means to remove all the small chips from play by rounding up any odd small chips to the nearest large denomination, rather than using a chip race.
Chop:
To split a pot because of a tie, split-pot game, or player agreement.
To play a game for a short time and cash out. Also "hit and run".
A request made by a player to a dealer after taking a large-denomination chip that he wishes the dealer to make change.
To chop blinds.
An agreement by all players remaining in a tournament to distribute the remaining money in the prize pool according to an agreed-upon formula instead of playing the tournament to completion. Usually occurs at the final table of a large tournament.
Chopping the blinds:
See chopping the blinds.
Clean out:
A card that is likely to make your hand the best at the table.
Closed:
See closed (poker).
Cold:
Consecutive. I caught three cold spades for the flush. Unlucky. I've been cold all week.
Cold call:
To call an amount that represents a sum of bets or raises by more than one player. Alice opened for $10, Bob raised another $20, and Carol cold called the $30. Compare to "flat call", "overcall".
Cold deck:
See cold deck. Also "stacked deck", "ice" or "cooler".
Collusion:
A form of cheating involving cooperation among two or more players. See cheating in poker.
Color change, color up:
To exchange small-denomination chips for larger ones.
Combo, combination game:
A casino table at which multiple forms of poker are played in rotation.
Come bet, on the come:
A bet or raise made with a drawing hand, building the pot in anticipation of filling the draw. Usually a weak "gambler's" play, but occasionally correct with a very good draw and large pot or as a semi-bluff.
Come hand:
See drawing hand.
Community card:
See community card poker.
Complete hand:
See made hand.
Completion:
To raise a small bet up to the amount of what would be a normal-sized bet. For example, in a $2/$4 stud game with $1 bring-in, a player after the bring-in may raise it to $2, completing what would otherwise be a sub-minimum bet up to the normal minimum. Also in limit games, if one player raises all in for less than the normally required minimum, a later player might complete the raise to the normal minimum (depending on house rules). See table stakes.
Connectors:
Two or more cards of consecutive rank.
Continuation bet:
A bet made after the flop by the player who took the lead in betting before the flop (Hold 'em and Omaha). Compare to "probe bet".
Cooler:
See cold deck.
Countdown:
Especially in lowball, two hands very nearly tied that must be compared in detail to determine a winner, for example, 8-6-5-3-2 versus 8-6-5-3-A.
The act of counting the cards that remain in the stub after all cards have been dealt, done by a dealer to ensure that a complete deck is being used.
Counterfeit:
See counterfeit (poker). Also "duplicate".
Cow:
A player with whom one is sharing a buy-in, with the intent to split the result after play. To "go cow" is to make such an arrangement.
Crack:
To beat a better hand, mostly heard in reference to the best Hold em hole cards, AA. eg "My aces were cracked again"
Cripple:
In some community card games, to cripple the deck means to have a hand that makes it virtually impossible for anyone else to catch up to. For example, in Texas hold 'em, if your hole cards are A-T and the flop is A-A-T you have "crippled the deck" and it is unlikely you will make much money from it.
Crossfire
When a player is caught in the middle between two raisers and is induced to call each bet because of the pot odds. Compare to "whipsaw".
Crying call
A call made reluctantly on the last betting round with the expectation of losing (but with some remote hope of catching a bluff).
Cut
See cut.
Cutoff
The seat immediately to the right of the dealer button.
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D:
Dark:
Describing an action taken before receiving information to which the player would normally be entitled. I'm drawing three, and I check in the dark. Compare to "blind".
Dead blind:
A blind that is not "live", in that the player posting it does not have the option to raise if other players just call. Usually refers to a small blind posted by a player entering, or returning to, a game (in a position other than the big blind) that is posted in addition to a live blind equal to the big blind.
Dead button:
See dead button rule.
Dead hand:
A player's hand that is not entitled to participate in the deal for some reason, such as having been fouled by touching another player's cards, being found to contain the wrong number of cards, being dealt to a player who did not make the appropriate forced bets, etc.
Dead money:
See dead money (poker).
Deadwood:
The muck.
Deal:
To distribute cards to players in accordance with the rules of the game being played.
A single instance of a game of poker, begun by shuffling the cards and ending with the award of a pot. Also called a "hand" (though both terms are ambiguous).
An agreement to split tournament prize money differently from the announced payouts.
Deal twice:
In a cash game, when two players are involved in a large pot and one is all-in, they might agree to deal the remaining cards twice. If one player wins both times he wins the whole pot, but if both players win one hand they split the pot.
Dealer:
The person dealing the cards. Give Alice the cards, she's dealing.
The person who assumes that role for the purposes of betting order in a game, even though someone else might be physically dealing. Also "button". Compare to "buck".
Dealer's choice:
A version of poker in which the deal passes each game and each dealer can choose, or invent, a new poker game each hand.
Declare:
To verbally indicate an action or intention. See declaration (poker).
Decloak:
To raise after slow playing for a time (making it clear that you were, in fact, slow playing). See "in the bushes".
Deep:
Describing a large amount of money, either in play or having been lost. How deep are you? (meaning "How much money do you have", in anticipation of making a very large bet). I won that large pot, but I'm in much deeper than that.
Defense:
See defense (poker).
Deuce:
A 2-spot card. Also called a duck, quack, or swan.
Any of various related uses of the number two, such as a $2 limit game, a $2 chip, etc.
Deuce-to-seven:
A method of evaluating low hands. See Deuce-to-seven low.
Dirty stack:
A stack of chips that has a chip of the wrong denomination mixed in.
Discard:
To take a previously dealt card out of play. The set of all discards for a deal is called the "muck" or the "deadwood".
Dog:
See underdog.
Dominated hand:
A hand that is extremely unlikely to win against another specific hand, even though it may not be a poor hand in its own right. Most commonly used in Texas hold 'em. A hand like A-Q, for example, is a good hand in general but is dominated by A-K, because whenever the former makes a good hand, the latter is likely to make a better one. A hand like 7-8 is a poor hand in general, but is not dominated by A-K because it makes different kinds of hands. See Dominating hand.
Donation:
A call made by a player who fully expects to lose; made either out of boredom or irrational optimism.
Donk, donkey:
Epithet for an inexperienced, unskilled, or foolish poker player. I played that hand like a donkey.
Donk, donk down (verb):
To play a hand poorly. I donked off 15 bucks on that last hand.
Donk, donkbet:
Betting when one doesn't have the lead.
Door card:
In a stud game, a player's first face-up card. Patty paired her door card on fifth street and raised, so I put her on trips. In Hold'em, the door card is the first visible card of the flop.
Double-ace flush:
Under unconventional rules, a flush with one or more wild cards in which they play as aces, even if an ace is already present.
Double-board, double-flop:
Any of several community card game variants (usually Texas hold 'em) in which two separate boards of community cards are dealt simultaneously, with the pot split between the winning hands using each board.
Double-draw:
Any of several Draw poker games in which the draw phase and subsequent betting round are repeated twice.
Double belly buster, double gut-shot, double inside straight:
See double inside straight draw.
Double suited:
Used to describe an Omaha starting hand where two pairs of suited cards are held. May be abbreviated "ds" in written descriptions. AAJT (ds) is widely considered a premium PLO starting hand.
Double through, double up:
In a big bet game, to bet all of one's chips on one hand against a single opponent (who has an equal or larger stack) and win, thereby doubling your stack. I was losing a bit, but then I doubled through Sarah to put me in good shape.
Downcard:
A card that is dealt facedown.
Down to the felt:
All in, or having lost all of one's money. Refers to the green felt surface of a poker table no longer obscured by chips.
Drag light:
To pull chips away from the pot to indicate that you don't have enough money to cover the bet. If you win, the amount is ignored. If you lose, you must cover the amount from your pocket.
Draw, drawing hand:
See draw (poker).
Drawing dead:
Playing a drawing hand that will lose even if successful (a state of affairs usually only discovered after the fact or in a tounament when two or more players are "all in" and they show their cards). I caught the jack to make my straight, but Rob had a full house all along, so I was drawing dead.
Drawing live:
Not drawing dead; that is, drawing to a hand that will win if successful.
Drawing thin:
Not drawing completely dead, but chasing a draw in the face of poor odds. Example: a player who will only win by catching 1 or 2 specific cards is said to be drawing thin.
Drop:
To fold. Money charged by the casino for providing its services, often dropped through a slot in the table into a strong box. See "rake".
To drop ones cards to the felt to indicate that one is in or out of a game.
Dry ace:
In Omaha or Texas hold 'em, refers to an ace in one's hand without another card of the same suit. Used especially to describe the situation where the board presents a flush possibility, when the player does not in fact have a flush, but holding the ace presents some bluffing or semi-bluffing opportunity. Compare to "blocker".
Dry pot:
A side pot with no money created when a player goes all in and is called by more than one opponent, but not raised.
Dump, dumped:
To lose a large quantity of ones stack to another player on a particular hand or set of hands in short succession. I dumped half my stack to John after he cracked my Kings.
Duplicate:
To counterfeit, especially when the counterfeiting card matches one already present in the one's hand.
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E:
Early position:
See position (poker).
Eight or better:
A common qualifier in High-low split games that use Ace-5 ranking. Only hands where the highest card is an eight can qualify to win the low portion of the pot.
Equity:
One's mathematical expected value from the current deal, calculated by multiplying the amount of money in the pot by one's probability of winning. For example, if the pot currently contains $100, and you estimate that you have a one in four chance of winning it, then your equity in the pot is $25.
expectation, expected value, EV
See expected value. Often used in poker to mean "profitability in the long run".
Exposed card:
A card whose face has been deliberately or accidentally revealed to players normally not entitled to that information during the play of the game. Various games have different rules about how to handle this irregularity. Compare to "boxed card".
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F:
Family pot:
A deal in which every (or almost every) seated player called the first opening bet.
Fast:
Aggressive play. I was afraid of too many chasers, so I played my trips fast. Compare to "speeding".
Feeder:
In a casino setting, a second or third table playing the same game as a "main" table, and from which players move to the main game as players there leave. Also called a "must-move table."
Fence-hopper:
Compare to "hop the fence".
Fifth street:
The last card dealt to the board in community card games. Also "river".
The fifth card dealt to each player in stud poker.
Fill, fill up:
To successfully draw to a hand that needs one card to complete it, by getting the last card of a straight, flush, or full house. Jerry made his flush when I was betting my kings up, but I filled on seventh street to catch up.
Final table:
In a multi-table tournament: to remain in the game long enough as to make it to the last round of players that can fit at one standard tournament table (usually 9 or 10 players).
Fire:
To make the opening bet of a round, following the same analogy by which chips are called "ammo". I called Ken's bet on fourth with a draw, but I bricked, and when he fired again I had to fold. or I think Randy suspected my earlier bet was a bluff, but when I fired a second shot he let it go.
Fish:
An unskilled player who plays loosely and passively, calling a lot of bets.
To risk money on a long-shot bet.
The action of calling bets on the flop and the turn to make a hand on the river.
Five of a kind:
A hand possible only in games with wild cards, defeating all other hands, comprising five cards of equal rank.
Fixed limit, flat limit:
See fixed limits.
Flash:
To show the bottom card of the deck while shuffling.
To show one or more downcards from one's hand. After everyone folded, Ted flashed his bluff to the other players.
Flat call:
A call, in a situation where one might be expected to raise. Normally I raise with jacks, but with three limpers ahead of me I decided to flat call. Also "smooth call". Compare to "cold call", "overcall". See slow play (poker).
Float:
To call a bet with an inferior hand, with the intention of bluffing on a later betting round.
Floorman, floorperson:
A casino employee whose duties include adjudicating player disputes, keeping games filled and balanced, and managing dealers and other personnel. Players may shout "floor!" to call for a floorperson to resolve a dispute, to ask for a table or seat change, or to ask for some other casino service.
Flop:
See flop (poker)
Flop game:
A community card game.
Flush:
A hand comprising five cards of the same suit. See rank of hands (poker).
Fold:
See fold.
Fold equity:
The extra value gained by forcing your opponents to fold, rather than seeing the showdown. See also equity.
Forced bet:
See forced bets.
Forced-move:
In a casino where more than one table is playing the same game with the same betting structure, one of the tables may be designated the "main" table, and will be kept full by requiring a player to move from one of the feeder tables to fill any vacancies. Players will generally be informed that their table is a "forced-move" table to be used in this way before they agree to play there. Also "must-move".
Forward motion:
A house rule of some casinos states that if a player in turn picks up chips from his stack and moves his hand toward the pot ("forward motion with chips in hand"), this constitutes a commitment to bet (or call), and the player may not withdraw his hand to check or fold. Such a player still has the choice of whether to call or raise. Compare to "string bet".
Fouled hand:
A hand that is ruled unplayable because of an irregularity, such as being found with too many or two few cards, having been mixed with cards of other players or the muck, having fallen off the table, etc. Compare to "dead hand".
Four-flush:
Four cards of the same suit. A non-standard poker hand in some games, an incomplete drawing hand in most.
Four of a kind:
A hand containing four cards of equal rank. Also "quads". See rank of hands (poker).
Four-straight:
Four cards in rank sequence; either an open-ender or one-ender. A non-standard poker hand in some games, an incomplete drawing hand in most. Sometimes "four to a straight".
Fourth street:
The fourth card dealt to the board in community card games. Also "turn".
The fourth card dealt to each player in stud.
Fox hunt:
See rabbit hunt.
Free card:
A card dealt to one's hand (or to the board of community cards) after a betting round in which no player opened. One is thereby being given a chance to improve one's hand without having to pay anything. I wasn't sure my hand was good, but I bet so I wouldn't give a free card to Bill's flush draw.
Freeroll:
See freeroll (poker).
Freezeout:
The most common form of tournament. There's no rebuy, play continues until one player has all the chips.
Full, full boat, full hand, full house:
A hand with three cards of one rank and two of a second rank. Also "boat", "tight". See rank of hands (poker).
Full bet rule:
In some casinos, the rule that a player must wager the full amount required in order for his action to constitute a raise. For example, in a game with a $4 fixed limit, a player facing an opening bet of $4 who wagers $7 is deemed to have flat called, because $8 is required to raise. Compare to "half bet rule". See Public cardroom rules (poker) and "All in" betting.
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G:
Gap hand:
In Texas hold 'em, a gap hand is a starting hand with at least one rank separating the two cards. Usually referred to in context of one-gap and two-gap hands.
Garbage:
The "muck". A worthless hand.
Going south:
To sneak a portion of your chips from the table while the game is underway. Normally prohibited in public card rooms. Also "ratholing".
Grinder:
A player who earns a living by making small profits over a long period of consistent, conservative play. Compare to "rock".
Guts, guts to open:
A game with no opening hand requirement; that is, where the only requirement to open the betting is "guts", or courage. Any of several poker variants where pots accumulate over several hands until a single player wins. See guts.
Gutshot:
An inside straight draw. Ted has a gutshot draw. Also "belly buster".
Gypsy:
To enter the pot cheaply by just calling the blind rather than raising. Also "limp".
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