Poker Dictionary

This poker dictionary is a comprehensive reference guide for players of all levels. It includes definitions and explanations for common poker terms, ranging from basic to advanced. The article is organized alphabetically, making it easy to find the information you need. It is an essential information for anyone looking to improve their knowledge and understanding of the game of poker. Whether you are a beginner looking to learn the basics, or an experienced player looking to deepen your understanding of advanced concepts, this poker dictionary has something for you.

Action — a bet or raise made by a player during a round of betting. The term “action” can also refer to the current state of the game, as in “There’s a lot of action in this hand.”

All-in — a bet that puts all of a player’s remaining chips into the pot. When a player is all-in, they can only win the pot, but cannot win any additional bets made by other players.

Ante — a small forced bet that is placed by all players before the cards are dealt. An ante is different from a blind, because it is a fixed amount that is the same for all players.

Blinds — forced bets that are placed before the cards are dealt. In most poker games, there are two blinds: the small blind, which is placed by the player to the left of the dealer, and the big blind, which is placed by the player to the left of the small blind. The size of the blinds is determined by the stakes of the game.

Bluff — a bet or raise made with a weak hand in an attempt to deceive opponents into thinking that the player has a stronger hand than they actually do. A successful bluff can win the pot without the player having to show their cards.

Board — the community cards that are shared by all players and used to make their hands. In Texas Hold’em, for example, the board consists of the flop, turn, and river cards.

Button / Dealer — a small, round marker that is used to indicate the dealer position. In a poker game with a rotating dealer, the button moves clockwise to the next player after each hand. The player on the button is the last to act in each betting round, and has a positional advantage over the other players.

Buy-in — the minimum amount of chips that a player must have to enter a poker game. The buy-in is determined by the stakes of the game, and is usually a multiple of the small blind. For example, in a $1/2 no-limit game, the buy-in might be $200 or less.

Call — matching the amount of a bet made by another player.

Check — declining to bet, but remaining in the hand. In most poker games, a player has the option to check if no one has bet before them. A check allows the player to see the next card without committing any additional chips to the pot.

Flop — the first three community cards that are dealt face up in a game of Texas Hold’em or other flop games.

Flush — a hand containing five cards of the same suit. A flush ranks higher than a straight, but lower than a full house.

Fold — giving up on a hand and placing your cards face down or face up on the table. When a player folds, they are out of the hand and cannot win the pot.

Full house — a hand containing three cards of one rank and two cards of another rank. A full house ranks higher than a flush and lower than four of a kind.

Heads-up / HU — a poker game between only two players. In a heads-up game, the player on the button has a positional advantage over the other player.

Kicker — the highest unpaired card in a hand. In a situation where two players have the same pair, the kicker is used to determine the winner. For example, if two players have a pair of sevens, and one player has an ace kicker and the other has a king kicker, the player with the ace kicker would win the pot.

Limp — calling the minimum bet to see the next card.

Muck — the pile of discarded cards. The muck is where all folded cards and burned cards are placed.

Overcard — a card that is higher than any card on the board.

Pair — two cards of the same rank. A pair ranks higher than a High card, but lower than Two Pair.

Pocket pair — two hole cards that are of the same rank.

Position — the order in which players act during a round of betting. In general, players who act later in a betting round have a positional advantage over players who act earlier.

Quads / Four of a Kind — a slang term for four cards of the same rank, which is the third-highest hand in most poker games.

Raise — increasing the amount of a bet.

Rake — a small percentage of the pot that is taken by the house as a fee for hosting the game. The rake is typically a few percent of the pot, and is deducted from the pot after each hand.

River — the fifth and final community card that is dealt in a game of Texas Hold’em or other flop games.

Stack — the total number of chips that a player has.

Straight — a hand containing five cards of consecutive ranks. A straight ranks higher than Three of a Kind (Set) and lower than a Flush.

Straight flush — a hand containing five cards of consecutive ranks and the same suit. A Straight Flush is the highest-ranking hand in most poker games. The most powerful Straight flush is a Royal Flush — AKQJT are all the same suit.

Three of a kind — a hand containing three cards of the same rank. It’s made by one card from the player’s hand and two cards from a board. If this combination is made by two cards from the player’s hand and one card from a board, the combination will be named Set. A Three of a Kind and Set ranks higher than Two Pair and lower than a Straight.

Turn — the fourth community card that is dealt in a game of Texas Hold’em or other flop games.

Two Pair — a hand containing two pairs. Two Pair ranks higher than a Pair and lower than Three of a Kind.