Poker is not just a game. It’s also a subculture with its own set of terms of phrases, etiquette, and traditions that have evolved over centuries of play. Those who are in the know will use these terms to describe the action at the tables or even to make fun of their opponents!
The ability to understand and use poker terminology correctly isn’t just about fitting in—it’s an essential skill that can impact your game. So, if you’re looking to play poker for real money and want to learn how to speak the lingo, it’s useful to know the following 44 terms:
Poker Terms A-D
Ante – A small compulsory bet, similar to the blinds, that is paid by all players at the table, usually during the latter stages of a poker tournament.
All-In – A bet that is worth all of a player’s chips.
Bad beat – When a player is ahead and expects to win but still loses the hand when their opponent hits an unlikely card.
Big blind – A position at the poker table and a compulsory bet made by that player before they see their cards.
Bluff – A bet that is made with the intention of making another player fold even if you don’t have a good hand.
Bubble – A stage of the poker tournament in which only one or a few players need to be eliminated before the rest make the money.
Button – The dealer position which rotates with every hand of the game. Being on the button is a huge advantage in poker.
Call – When a player matches the current bet, they are calling.
Check – An option not to make a bet or raise, instead playing a free move. If any other player bets, the check is no longer possible and others must match or raise the bet to stay in the hand.
Check-raise – Checking a hand and then raising once an opponent bets.
Community cards – The cards that are dealt on the board that can be used by all players in the hand.
Cooler – When two players have a strong hand that is destined to clash in a big pot.
Donkey – A derogatory term used to describe players who are very bad at the game, the type who would post dumb captions on Instagram without realizing they’re silly.
Draw – If a hand is not yet complete but can become stronger when more community cards are dealt, such as a flush draw or straight draw.
Drawing dead – When players have absolutely no chance, mathematically speaking, to win the hand.
Poker Terms F-P
Flop – The first three community cards that are dealt on the board.
Gutshot – A type of straight draw that can only be completed by hitting one card.
Heads-up – When only two players are competing in a poker game.
Hole cards – The individual cards that players are dealt that are private and can only be used by them.
Kicker – The second-best hole card that the player has in their hand, which often compliments the stronger card. For example, if holding ace-jack and the ace pairs, the jack is the kicker.
Limp – A move that involves calling the minimum one big blind bet before the flop instead of raising. Limping is considered a weak move by pros.
Nit – A word to describe someone who plays very conservatively and doesn’t risk chips.
Nuts – The strongest hand that it is possible to make on the board, players will say they “have the nuts”.
Overpair – When players have a pair in their hand that is stronger than any pair that is possible to make on the board.
Orbit – One full round at the poker table, in which each player has sat in each position once, is known as an orbit.
Outs – When players can hit certain cards to improve, the cards they can hit are known as their outs.
Pocket pair – This is when a player is holding two of the same cards in their hole cards.
Pot – The total amount of chips bet by all players goes into the pot, which is up for grabs for whoever wins the hand.
Poker Terms R-Z
Rainbow – When none of the cards on the board have the same suit, the board is rainbow.
Rake – The money that is taken by the casino or online poker room for hosting the game.
River – The final community card dealt in a hand.
Rock – A term for a player who is very passive and is hard to get chips from.
Raise – A bet that players can make that is at least double the previous bet made.
Semi-bluff – When players have a hand that is currently behind and could improve, such as a strong draw, they may choose to bet. This is known as a semi-bluff.
Showdown – If the hand reaches the final round of betting and two or more players remain, they turn over their cards to see who has the strongest hand.
Slowplay – Taking actions such as checking and calling instead of raising with a very strong hand. The intention is to trap opponents into making a costly move.
Slowrolling – Deliberately stalling in showing a hand, particularly when the hand is very strong, usually to insult or provoke an opponent.
Small blind – A position at the poker table and compulsory bet made before the player looks at their cards. The small blind is half of the big blind in chips.
Split pot – When players have the same hand at showdown, they share the pot.
Tell – When playing live poker, players can attempt to get clues when it comes to each other’s body language and facial expressions, known as finding a tell.
Tilt – An emotional state, normally anger or frustration, that causes a player to make bad moves or actions they wouldn’t usually take.
Turn – The second to last community card that is dealt after the betting round on the flop.
Under the gun – One of the worst positions at the poker table, this refers to the player currently sitting one to the left of the big blind.
Value – Making a bet with the intention of getting other players to pay with a worse hand.
