Poker Terms

As with any new game, there is a learning curve not only with the rules and strategy, but there is also a learning curve with the terms used. Poker is no exception to this rule. Poker terms can confuse some players and even worse scare some new players away entirely. Each variation of Poker has specific terms for different events and plays in their particular game, however there are some common terms that are used regardless of the variation being played and those are going to be the focus of this article. For a more complete list of Poker terminology we recommend Gambling Dictionary which has an extensive list of gambling terms including Poker.

Ante: This is a sum of money that each player must add to the pot before any cards are dealt. This is used to guarantee that when a player wins, there is something in the pot to actually win. Hold‘em variations of Poker tend not to have an Ante, but instead they use a system of blinds.

All-In: Like the name suggests, this is a term used when a player wagers all the money they have on the table. All-Ins can happen when raising, calling or re-raising another raise. If the remaining player continue to wager, those wager are placed in a side bet which cannot be won by the player that has gone All-In. If the All-In player wins, they claim the main pot to which they placed their wagers; the side pot goes to the next highest hand remaining in the game. If the All-In player looses the winning player claims both pots.

Blind: This is a forced wager made by one or more players at the start of each hand. Like an Ante, games involving a Blind must have this bet in before any cards are dealt. The player directly left of the button must pay the small blind, and the person left of them must pay a big blind. This generates money into the pot and guarantees that there will be some money for the winner of the hand to win.

Buy-In: With some forms of Poker in order to sit at a table there is a buy in fee. For example at a table where $1.00 is the minimum bet allowed the buy in fee may be $10.00. This fee goes to the house and the rest of the money goes to the pot.

Call: This is where a player bets money on the hand and the play comes to you. In order to continue playing you must put in the same amount to the pot that everyone else contributes. By placing the same amount as the last raise the player is calling.

Check: This is a term used when a player wishes not to set an initial bet, but wishes to have the opportunity to call or raise later after everyone else has decided to bet, call, raise or fold. A check can only be done if there has not been a wager made in that round of betting.

Draw: This is when you receive another card from the dealer.

Family Pot: A family pot occurs when most if not all the players call before the flop.

Flop: This is the first 3 cards that are dealt face up in Texas Hold’em and other community card games. These are community cards that everyone can use in their hand.

Kicker: This is a high card that can be used to increase your hand value if another player has the same cards as you. For example if you have a pair of tens and a pair of fives, with an Ace as the fifth card, and your opponent has a pair of tens, a pair of fives with a Jack as the fifth card, you would win because your Ace is higher then your opponents Jack. A kicker is a high card that you are not intending to play initially but it can come in handy later on. This is especially true with Hold‘em variants of Poker.