Poker Terms

ACTION: A fold, check, call, bet or raise. In a game someone might say 'the actions on you', meaning it's your turn to act.

ALL-IN: This is when you've put all your available chips into the pot.

ANTE: An agreed amount put into the pot before the start of a hand, by all players.

BET: The act of placing a stake into the pot.

BLINDS: These are the forced bets to start the action off. This is usually in the form of a small blind and a big blind.

BOARD: Cards face up on the table. These are community cards used by each player.

BURN CARD: Before the community cards are dealt a card is burned from the top of the deck. This means placing the top card to one side. The flop is then dealt. Before the turn card, another card is burned, and so on for the river card. You will often hear players say 'burn and turn'.

BUTTON: A player who is sat in the dealer position. They are 'on the button'.

BUY-IN: The initial amount of money required to enter the game.

CALL - When you call you match the current bet on that round. It is the minimum you have to pay to stay in the game.

CHECK: If there is no betting you have the option to check, effectively staying in the game without having to initiate the betting. If someone bets after you check then you have the option to call, raise or fold. You cannot check twice. Checking is sometimes signified by tapping the table.

CHECK-RAISE: This is when you check and then once a bet has been made you raise the original bet.

COMMUNITY CARDS: These are the cards dealt face up in the center of the table which can be used by all players to form their best hand.

CUT: To split the deck into two sections and then place the bottom half on top of the top half, so as to change the order of the cards.

DEAD CARD: A card that is no longer playable.

DEAD HAND: A hand that is no longer playable.

DEALER BUTTON: A flat, circular disk indicates the player who is in the dealing position for that hand.

DISCARDS: In a draw poker game, the discards would be the card thrown out of your hand to make room for replacements.

DRAW: This is where poker players are given the opportunity to replace cards in the hand.

FACECARD: This is a king, queen, or a jack. It is also known as picture cards.

FLOP: The three community cards that are turned over after the first round of betting is complete.

FOLD: When you don't wish to participate any further in the hand and are not willing to call any more bets.

FREEROLL: A free buy-in.

HAND - A single game of poker which starts with the deal and ends when the pot is taken. It can also mean a player's personal cards, or a rank of hand.

HEADS-UP PLAY: Two players only.

HOLE CARDS: The cards which are dealt face down to a player.

KICKER: The highest unpaired card that determines the value of a five-card poker hand.

MISCALL: An incorrect verbal declaration of a hand.

MISDEAL: A mistake when dealing which causes the cards to be re-shuffled and re-dealt.

MUCK: To discard a hand, or the pile of cards which have already been mucked.

NO-LIMIT: Where players have the option to bet any or all of their chips in one go.

OPTION: The choice to raise a bet given to a player in the blind.

POSITION - Your place at the table relative to the dealer button.

POT - The money in the centre of the table which a player can win.

POT-LIMIT: Where players are allowed to bet up to the amount of the pot.

RAISE - This is to increase the size of the bet after the betting round has already been started.

RE-RAISE: To raise a raise.

SIDE POT: A separate pot which is formed when one or more players are all in. The side pot can only be won by the players who are betting in to it.

SHOWDOWN: The final act of showing the cards when all betting is completed.

SPLIT POT: A pot that is divided among players.

STACK: A players chips.

STRADDLE: An additional blind bet placed after the regular blinds.

STRING BET: A bet made in more than one motion, without a verbal declaration of a raise. A string bet is not allowed.

THE NUTS - If you have the highest hand at the table possible you are said to hold 'the Nuts'.

TILT - When a player gets a bad beat and then starts to play hands badly, he/she is said to be 'on tilt'.

TURN CARD: The fourth community card in Hold'em or Omaha .