Poker terms and slang

So you are somewhat new to the game of poker, or you've seen the Worlds Series of Poker on TV and you want know what they are talking about when hear phrases like, "On Tilt", "Fifth Street", "Pot Odds", "The Nuts" and "Dead Man's Hand".

Search

Glossary

ABC Player
An ABC player is a player who is very predictable. This player generally reads a poker book or two and follows them to the word. They always play hands the same way and are generally pretty tight. These types of players are often winners at lower stakes and loose games but are easily crushed by advanced players.
See also: nit.

Ace High
The best hand out there is only composed of the Ace being the high card.

Ace High
A hand with no pairs and an Ace high card. This hand beats all other hands with no high cards, and is a possible winner in a heads-up or very short game.

Ace Rag
Ace with a weak kicker.

Aces Full
A full house with 3 aces and a pair.

Action
Your turn to act in the hand.

Action
When there is a lot of betting and raising. "There's a lot of action in this game”.

Action
Betting, raising, and calling. A game with a lot of action is a game in which a lot of money is changing hands. These are good games to seek, because the more money moves, the more opportunity you have to win money.

Add-on
To purchase more chips in a no limit tournament.

Advertise
When a player advertises, he plays in a different fashion from his usual strategy in order to confuse his opponents. A player will generally alter their strategy so that they play more loose and are more apt to be paid off by their opponents when they hold a strong hand.

Example: He is normally is not a loose player, he is just advertising by showing down those bad hands.
See also: bluff.

Aggressive
A player who bets and raises a lot when he has a good hand.
See also: Passive, Tight, Loose.

Ajax
Also known as: Blackjack.
The hold'em starting hand Ace-Jack (AJ)

All-In
Also known as: Going All-In.
To bet all your chips, or to call with all your chips. If another player bets more chips than you have in a No Limit game, you can go all-in and stake your total stack against an equivalent amount of your opponent's stack.
See also: Sidepot.

Alligator Blood
Used to describe a player who plays fearlessly when short-stacked and wins, or optionally, a player who plays for a long time short-stacked, winning just enough to keep them in the game.

American Airlines
Also known as: Rockets, Pocket Rockets.
A hand with two aces in the hole (AA)

Ante
A small amount of chips placed into the pot before each hand. This acts as a "tax" for playing hands and is usually used in Stud games, whereas Hold'em games usually have blinds.

Aquarium
An aquarium is a poker room or game that has a lot of fish in it.
See also: Fish.

Assassin
During tournament play, a player on a lucky streak who eliminates several/all opponents from play.

Axs
Axs is a poker abbreviation for Ace-X suited. It means to hold an ace and a low card of the same suit. The other card is generally 9 or below. For example, a hand of A6 of clubs would fall into the category of Axs.

Backdoor
To make a hand you didn't expect to make by catching 2 cards that you needed to complete the hand. (Ie. In Texas Holdem, if you have one spade and there are 2 on the flop and there are spades on both the turn and the river, then you have made a flush back door. (Also called Runner Runner)

Bad Beat
A bad beat is a loss in which the losing player had the better odds on the winning player earlier in the hand. In general, the term is used when all the chips go in the pot when the losing player had odds. To take a bad beat means to be on the losing end of a bad beat; to lay a bad beat means to be on the winning end of a bad beat.
See also: Take a Bad Beat, Lay a Bad Beat.

Ballerina
Two two's in your hand

Bankroll
A poker player's money. Most players have a certain amount set aside just for playing poker.

Baseball
A 3 and 9 as your hole cards. Based on the well-known poker game with 3's and 9's wild. Too bad they're not wild in hold'em =).

Baskin Robbins
The Hold'em starting hand Ace-Three.. 31 Flavors :)

BB
Short for big blind or big bet

Beer Hand
Generally a 2-7 offsuit, although some consider the 2-7 suited to be a beer hand as well.

2-7 Time for a beer

Considered the worst stating hand in hold em

Belly Buster
Also known as: Gutshot.
A straight made in the middle. (Ie if you hold J/10, and the flop is 8/7/2 and the turn is a 9).

Bet
To put chips into the pot. Other players must either Call your bet, Raise you, or Fold.
See also: Call, Raise, Fold.

Bet the Pot
Also known as: Pot-Sized Bet.
To bet an amount of chips approximately equal to the amount of chips in the pot. In Pot Limit games, this is the maximum bet; however, the pot size in Pot-Limit games is calculated in an unintuitive way: All the money in the pot, plus (if you have been raised) the amount you would bet if you reraised.

Betting on the come
A drawing hand. To bet on the come means to bet in the hopes that you will make your hand (ie. Betting when you are trying to make a flush but don't have one yet).

Bicycle
Also known as: Wheel.
The poker hand A2345. This is the lowest possible straight.
See also: Small Blind, Blinds.

Big Slick
A hand with an ace and a king in the hole (AK).

Bird on a Stick
The Holdem Starting Hand 72.

Blackjack
The hold'em starting hand Ace-Jack (AJ). Named after the popular casino game.

Blank
A card that means nothing to anyone's hand. For example, in a hold'em game if the board is: As Ks Jd 8h, if a 3c came on the river, the 3c is considered a blank considered a blank.

Blind
A forced bet to create action.

Blind Raise
Raising without looking at your cards.

Blinds
These are the forced bets that take the place of an ante. The person to the left of the dealer must pay the small blind and the person after him must pay the big blind.

Bluff
To bluff means to make a bet that you hope is not called by your opponents. The aim of a bluff is to win a pot because everyone else folds.
See also: Semi-Bluff.

Board Cards
The cards in the middle of the table that are shared by everyone.

Boat
Also known as: Full Boat, Full House.
A Full House.

Bottom Pair
Also known as: Third Pair.
A Pair consisting of the lowest card on the Flop and one of your hole cards.
See also: Top Pair, Middle Pair.

Break
Betting a strong hand very forcefully in order to win a huge pot. Often, this means you will put your opponent all-in.

This also can mean killing another player's spirits by beating him or her into submission. For example, if a player consistently loses over a night and loses a lot of his/her money, that player may be considered 'broken.'
See also: Sell.

Brick and Mortar
This refers to a land-based casino such as the ones on the Vegas strip.
See also: Online Poker.

Broadway
Broadway means a straight from ten to ace. This is the best possible straight.

Buckets
A pocket pair of fours.

Bullets
Also known as: Rockets, American Airlines.
Pocket Aces.

Bump
A Raise.

Burn
1.To place a card down prior to dealing the flop,turn and river.

2. (Verb) - To burn a Card.

The card that is placed down is termed the 'burned/burnt card'.

Button
At most casinos, the players themselves do not deal the cards. Therefore, a button is used to indicate who is in the dealer's seat. Except in the preflop round, the player who is on the button acts last in a round of betting.

Buy-in
The amount of money or chips you initially buy to play.

Call
To place an amount of chips in the pot equal to the previous bet. It is necessary to at least call a bet to stay in the game; the other options are to raise or fold.
See also: Bet, Raise, Fold.

Calling Station
Also known as: Loose-Passive, Policeman.
Type of player who will call a lot. They do not think about other people's hands, but rather just want to see if their hand will win. They do not bluff much and are not aggressive; they just call a lot.

Candy Canes
Another term for pocket sevens in Texas Hold'em.

Canine
The hold'em starting hand King-Nine (K9).

Cap
In Limit, to make the maximum amount of raises allowed in a betting round. A common cap seen in internet games is 4 bets per round (in other words, one bet and three raises).

case
The case (x) refers to the last card available of that rank in the deck. For example, if I hold pocket tens and the board is TAA4 and a ten comes on the river, that final card is considered the case ten.

Cash Game
Also known as: Ring Game.
This is the typical, non-tournament poker game where players buy-in and cash out as they please.

Cash Out
To quit and take the chips you've got and turn them into cash.

Chase
Also known as: Draw.
To call in the hopes of hitting a draw. This word often connotes that someone is a calling station and will call even with bad odds.

Check
To not put any chips into the pot, to decline to bet. If it is your turn to act, and there is no bet to you, you may check instead of betting. However, if there is a bet to you, then you must call, raise, or fold.
See also: Call, Bet, Raise, Fold.

Check-Raise
To check with the intention of raising your opponent's bet. This is a technique used to get more money into the pot (two bets instead of one), and is more effective at Limit Poker than at No Limit
See also: Bet, Raise, Check.

Chop
A chop essentially means to split the pot. It can be used in two situations:

1. If everyone folds to the blinds, the blinds may elect to have the blind money returned to them and proceed to the next hand.

2. A chop can refer to just splitting the pot between the players. Either the players hands are tied or the players agree to simply split the pot in half instead of seeing whose hand wins (this occurs rarely and only if the pot is very large and the players hands are of almost equivalent value).

Cold Call
To call more than 1 bet. (ie. If a player bets, there is a raise and you call both bets. You have cold called the bet).

Cold Call
This means to call a bet and a raise. An example would be if it is preflop and you are in late position, a person in earlier position raises the blinds and you call two bets flat.
See also: Call, Raise.

Cold Cards
A player who is receiving cold cards is usually an experienced rounder who is having bad luck due to a long running string of bad cards. A similar example is a writer who is experiencing "writers block".

Collusion
When players conspire to cheat in a poker game.

Collusion
Collusion is a form of cheating. Players will work in a team to try to gain an advantage over the other players. They will somehow signal to each other what their cards are. They will then use this information to gain an unfair advantage. Collusion is illegal. It is sometimes hard for brick and mortar cardrooms to detect colluders, but online poker rooms can track potential colluders becasue they can review hand histories.

Colt 45
4 and 5 of spades

Come hand
A drawing hand. To bet on the come means to bet in the hopes that you will make your hand (ie. Betting when you are trying to make a flush but don't have one yet).

Community Cards
Also known as: Board Cards.

Computer Hand
A starting hand that, on average, is the median of all other hands. Q 7

Connected
When your hole cards are consecutive, (89, 45, etc. When someone is suited and connected they are holding consecutive cards of the same suit, (QsJs, 2d3d)

Counterfeit
When your hand is less valuable because of a card that comes. (Ie. If you have bottom 2 pair in Holdem and the board pairs the top pair which means you now only have middle pair).

Counterfeit
Sometimes a card will come on the board that will hurt your hand because it makes previously valuable cards in your hand communal property. For example, suppose you hold A9 in a game of Texas Hold'em. The board is 5678. You hold a straight to the 9! However, if the final card on the river comes a 9, your hand is counterfeited. Now, everyone has a straight to the nine. Being counterfeited occurs a lot in Omaha Hi-Lo. Many times people's lows are counterfeited by the board. Suppose you hold AAK2. The board is 367Q. You hold the nut low (A2367). However, if the river comes a 2, you no longer hold the nut low. Your low is A2367 still. However, someone with A4 in their hand will have you beat with a low of A2346.

Cowboys
Pocket Kings.

Cowboys
Reference to holding pocket kings (KK) as a starting hand in Texas Hold'em.

Crabs
To get dealt pocket 3's.

Cracked
To beat a hand or player.

Cutoff
The seat in front of the button, i.e., the last player to act before the button does.

Dead Man's Hand
1. Holding two pair of aces and eights. Legendary lawman and gambler Wild Bill Hickok was shot to death while holding this hand.

2. (Less common) A hand in Texas Hold 'Em consisting of a 2 7 offsuit. This is considered the worst hand in Texas Hold 'Em.

Dead Man's Hand
2 pair. Aces and eights. Wild Bill Hickock was shot in the back while playing this hand.

Dead Money
An inexperienced player who has virtually no shot at winning a tournament. Their chips are said to be "dead money."

Destiny Seat
Also known as: Hot Seat, Lucky Seat.
A position that wins regardless of what [hole cards] the player has. Wins all hands played, even with ridiculously inferior odds. Lays [bad beats] and causes [tilt] in players.

Dime
Gambler slang for $1,000.
See also: Nickel.

Dollar
A dollar is gambling slang for a $100 bet.
See also: Nickel, Dime.

Dolly Parton
A Hold 'Em hand of 9-5 (for her movie of same name).

Dominated
In Hold'em, a hand that is similar to another hand but has a lower kicker. For example, AQ dominates A8 because even if an ace come, AQ still has a better hand. To win, the person with A8 would need to hit an 8 without the other player hitting a queen or would need to hit a weird straight or flush. Someone whose hand is dominated has few outs and thus little chance to win.
See also: outs.

Dominated Hand
A hand which if played has significant odds against it to win if the other player has a likely hand. (Ie if you have Ace/Jack it is considered a dominated hand because it will usually lose to Ace/Queen, Ace/King, Kings, Aces, Jacks).

Door Card
This is a player's first exposed 'up' card in seven card stud.
See also: Down Card.

Double Up
To double the size of your chip stack on a single hand. (This is typically done by going All In against another player and winning the hand.)

Down Card
Also known as: Hole Card.

Doyle Brunson
Ten, 2. Doyle Brunson won the WSOP 2 times in a row with this hand.

Doyle Brunson
The Hold'em Starting Hand Ten-Two (T2). Doyle Brunson won the WSOP two years in a row with this hand.

Draw
Drawing means hoping to improve your hand with the cards that will come on the board. You are on a draw when you want other cards to come out on the board to complete your hand. If you have 10 9 and the flop is QJ2, you are trying to draw an eight or a king on the turn or river.

Drawing Dead
To be drawing to a hand which won't make the best hand. (Ie drawing to a straight when your opponent has a flush). A terrible feeling in poker.

Drawing Dead
Drawing to a hand that will lose even if you hit your draw. For example, if you have a flush draw but your opponent already has a full house, you are drawing dead.

Drawing to the dummy end of a straight
To draw to the bottom end of a straight. (Ie. You hold 6, 7 and the flop is 8, 9, A. Your straight is the dummy end if you make it.

Drawout
Also known as: Bad Beat.
When someone hits a draw against you to win the hand.
See also: Draw.

Ducks
Also known as: "deuces".
A pocket pair of two's, also known as deuces.

Early Position
Position in poker where the player must act before the others. Considered the first 2 people to act.

Early Position
These are the people in the small blind, big blind, and under the gun positions. These players have to act earlier during betting rounds after the flop.
See also: Middle Position, Late Position.

EP
Short for early position.

EV
Short for expected value

Expected Value
This is a mathematical term that is highly relevent to poker. It is how much you expect to win on a hand in the long run.

For example, suppose you have a 50% chance of winning a $12 pot. Sometimes you will win $12 and sometimes you will win $0. However, your expected value is $6.

The way you calculate expected value is (percentage chance of winning * pot size).

For more information, please read this article: http://www.pokertips.org/strategy/expected-value.php

Expected value is central to the concept of pot equity

Family Pot
Also known as: Multi-way Pot.
When more than three players are contending for a pot, the pot is often considered a family pot. These pots often occur when there are many fish at the table, and the game is very loose.

Fast
To try and end a hand quickly by betting aggressively.

Fifth Street
The last card to come in Texas Holdem poker.

Fifth Street
Also known as: River.
Also known as the river

Filipino Big slick
3, 5 suited.

Fish
Bad player.

Fish
A fish is a bad player, who often loses a lot of money.
See also: Live One, Maniac, Calling Station.

Fishhooks
Pocket jacks

Five of a Kind
A poker hand consisting of five cards of the same rank. This is only possible when playing with wild cards.
See also: Four of a Kind, Three of a Kind.

Fixed-Limit
Also known as: Limit Poker.
Fixed-Limit is another way to say Limit Poker. There are set bets. For example, in a $3-$6 game, the bets and raises preflop and on the flop are $3 each, and the bets and raises on the river are $6 each.
See also: No-Limit, Pot-Limit.

Flat Tire
Jack and Four suited or not. As in, "If you have a flat tire, it's what you use the jack "four". Also know to deflate bad player's stacks.
See also: Full Employment.

Float the Boat
When a player catches the miracle card he/she needs to win on the river.

Flop
The first 3 cards to come in Texas Holdem poker.

Flop
The first three board cards in Holdem.

Flush
5 cards of the same suit

Flush
A poker hand consisting of 5 cards of the same suit.
See also: Straight Flush, Royal Flush.

Fold
To not match the bet in the pot and to thus forfeit the hand. The player throws the hand into the muck and is out of the hand. You should fold when you think you will lose the hand.
See also: Muck.

Four of a Kind
Also known as: Quads.
A poker hand consisting of four cards of the same rank and one other card.
See also: Three of a Kind, Pair.

Fourth Street
The card after the flop. Also called the turn.

Fourth Street
Also known as: The Turn.
Also known as the turn

Free Card
When there is no bet in a round and so all players in the hand get to see the next card without calling a bet.

Free Card
A free card refers to seeing the turn or river card without having to make/call a bet.

Example: Suppose you have a T9 of spades, and you are on the button. The flop is AK4; the ace and king are of spades. It is checked to you, and you check as well. The turn comes. The turn card is a free card; you did not have to call a bet to see if you would complete your flush draw on the turn.

Freeroll
Most often, a freeroll refers to a touranment with no entry free. These sorts of tournaments are generally promotions run by poker rooms to attract customers. For example, a $5000 freeroll means that the poker room is putting up $5000 in prize money for a tournament, and there is no entry fee into the tournament.

A freeroll can also be used in reference to a poker game. It occurs when two players with the same hand are against each other. However, one player will have a draw to a stronger hand, and the other player will not. For example, suppose Joe has QJ of spades and Bob has QJ of diamonds. The board is AKT, with the ace and king of spades, and the ten of clubs. This means both Joe and Bob have a straight. However, Joe also has a draw to a flush. This means that either Joe and Bob will tie for the pot or Joe will win. In this case, Joe is considered to have a freeroll.

Full Boat
Also known as: Full House, Boat.

Full Employment
The starting hand Jack 4. Named full employment because if you play Jack 4 you'll always have a day job.

Full House
3 of a kind and a pair.

Full House
Also known as: Boat, Full Boat.
A poker hand consisting of a three-of-a-kind and a pair.

Gambler
A gambler can mean many things:

-It can mean anyone who wagers money.

-It can be synonymous with a maniac. Often, people who enjoy drawing, even with bad odds are called gamblers. These types of gamblers are considered fish.

-It can mean a professional, solid poker player. According to Doyle Brunson, a gambler is the nickname of the highest breed of poker player. They can win significant amounts of money at high stakes games.
See also: Rounder, Grinder, Maniac.

Ghost Dog
Hole cards of 4 7, suited or not.

Golf Bag
a flush of clubs

Grinder
Also known as: Rounder.
A grinder is the same as a rounder. These tend to be semi-professional players that make most of their money playing poker, though they do not make much money. A grinder plays in a similar fashion as a rock. Often, these players can beat lower and mid-stakes games but can not beat or make much money at the higher stakes games.
See also: Gambler.

Gutshot
Also known as: Belly Buster.
An inside straight draw. An example of a gutshot is to have 89JQ, aiming to hit a ten.

Gutshot Straight
Also known as: Belly Buster.
An inside straight draw. An example of a gutshot is to have 89JQ, aiming to hit a ten.

Half-Hacked
When in Hold 'Em poker, during a showdown or after a bluff, the winning player shows only one card to the opposing player and mucks the other.

A perfect example of this was during the Tournament of Champions when Annie Duke had a 2-pair (Kings and Nines) and Phil Hellmuth had top Pair (Kings). After a series of bets, Annie decided to re-raise Phil, after much deliberation, Phil folded. Annie then showed just the nine and mucked the King, therefore making phil believe he folded the winning hand.

Heads up
Only 2 people in the pot or game.

Heads Up
Heads Up refers to when there are only two people in the pot. Example, a one versus one game is a heads up match. Another example of "heads up" is if one person raises preflop and only one person calls. The pot is "heads up" at the flop because there are only two people competing for the pot.

High Card
High Card means to hold a poker hand that does not contain anything special. Someone does not hold any paired cards, a straight, or a flush. Thus, their poker hand is simply referred to their highest ranking card. A person with AKJ75 would have a high card ace, while the rest of the cards are kickers.
See also: Poker Hand, Kicker.

High Society
Gambler slang for $10,000.00 in chips

High – Low
Games where the best and worst poker hands split the pot.

Hilton Sisters
Also known as: Ladies.
To be dealt two queens at the beginning of a hand (Q,Q)

Hit
To help your hand by hitting something you hoped for.

Hit
To leave the game with profit.

hockey sticks
a pair of sevens as your starting hand

Holdem
Texas Holdem Poker. 2 cards are dealt face down to each player and 5 cards are shared for the best hand.

Hole Card
Also known as: Down Card.
A card which is dealt to the player face down so that no other player can see it.
See also: Upcard.

Hooks
A Pair of Jacks

Idiot End
Also known as: Bad End.
This refers to drawing to the lower end of a straight. For example, if you hold a 45 and the flop is 679, you are drawing to a very low straight. If you hit an 8, someone with even just a ten will beat you. Often, fish lose a lot more money than they should when they draw to the idiot end of a straight.
See also: Straight, Gutshot.

Implied Odds
The same as pot odds except it takes into account making bets in the future. Thus, you may call a bet at the flop, but have implied odds of making bigger bets on later rounds if you hit your draw. So, if you have AK of diamonds and the flop comes two diamonds, your implied odds are what you have to call at the flop compared to how large the pot will be at the end of the hand.

Jackson Five
Starting hand of a Jack and a Five

Jacquese
The Texas Hold 'Em starting hand of Jack Queen.

Japanese big slick
9, 7 suited.

Johnny Moss
The hold'em starting hand Ace-Ten. Named after the famous poker player.

Kamikaze
a) A person who is so on tilt that they are literally throwing away their money with no regard.

b) The hold'em starting hand KK
See also: cowboys.

Keep them honest
To call just to ensure a player won't bluff you in the future.

Key Hand
A hand in poker that is important in deciding who wins.

Kicker
The unpaired card used to determine the winner if you both have the same pair. (Ie if I have A/K and the flop is A, 3, 4. I have a king kicker.)

Kicker
A kicker is the highest card that is unrelated to the type of poker hand one has. For example, someone with the hand AKKQ54 has a pair of kings with an ace kicker.

Kickers are used to break ties. For example, if someone else had KKJ65, that person would have a pair of kings with jack kicker. The person with a pair of kings with ace kicker would beat the person with a jack kicker.

If two people have the same type of hand with the same type of kicker, the next highest kicker is used. For example, in a matchup between AKKJ5 versus AKKJ4, the person with AKKJ5 would win.

Kickers are also used to determine who wins if both players hold a flush or straight. The highest ranking card of the flush or straight is considered the kicker. For example, if I hold AKT75 of clubs and John holds K8764 of spades, I would win because my flush is to the ace and his is only to the king. Again, if two people have the same highest kicker, the next highest kicker is used until the tie is broken. If two players hold the a flush with all the same kickers, then the pot is split between the two players.
See also: High Card.

Kill
Kill is when person who wins two pots in a row must post big blind as well.

Kojak
The Hold'em starting hand King-Jack (KJ)

Ladies
Pocket queens.

Ladies
The Hold'em starting hand with two queens (QQ).

Lady
Reference to a queen. A pair of queens is often referred to as 'ladies.'
See also: Ladies.

Late Position
These are players that act later in betting rounds. For example, the button and the player in the cutoff position are in late position.
See also: Early Position, Middle Position.

Limit Poker
A poker game in which you are limited to how much you can bet on each round.

Limit Poker
Poker with fixed bets. In a $2-4 limit game, all bets and raises are two dollars in the first two rounds (preflop and flop), and all bets and raises are four dollars in the last two rounds (turn and river).

Limp in
To just call coming into a pot rather than raise. Used in Texas holdem when a player comes into the pot and just calls the big blind rather than raise.

Limp In
To only call the big blind.
See also: Limp Raise.

Limp Raise
To make a small raise preflop. Usually used when you have a very strong hand like AA and wish to provoke a reraise.

Little Slick
Also known as: Big Chick.
The hold'em starting hand ace-queen (AQ).
See also: Big Slick.

Live Game
A non-tournament game. A non online game.

Live Hand
A hand that can win the pot

Live one
A player who is poor and plays too many hands.

Live One
A fish who will call and raise a lot. A live one is a bad player who is either a calling station or a maniac. They play almost all of their hands and enjoy seeing showdowns.
See also: Maniac.

Live player:
A player who is poor and plays too many hands.

Longhand
This refers to a poker game with seven or more people.

Loose
To play too many hands. Also used to describe a game in which players are playing too many hands and not being patient.

Loose
Someone who plays a lot of hands. A loose player is often either a maniac or a calling station.
See also: Tight, Calling Station, Maniac, Aggressive.

LP
Short for late position.

Maniac
An extremely aggressive player who plays a lot of hands.

Maniac
Nickname for a player who is very aggressive. This type of player plays a lot of hand, raises frequently, and often bluffs. Often, maniacs lose a lot of money at poker.
See also: Loose-aggressive.

Mechanic
A cheater who uses sleight-of-hand to arrange the deck or deal benefit himself or a partner.

Mid-Life Crisis
Pocket 4s (44)

Middle Position
In a poker game, the person to act which is after the early position players but before the last ones. Generally seats 5-7 in Texas holdem.

Middle Position
These are players that tend to act during the middle of a betting round. For example, in a field of 9 players, the players in the 4-6 position are players in middle position.
See also: Early Position, Late Position.

Mommas and Poppas
pair of Queens and Kings

Monster
A very big hand

Motown
jack and fives

MP
Short for middle position.

MTT
Multi Table Tournament

Muck
To fold. Also the pile of folded and unused cards the dealer collects.

Muck
1. (n.) The area on the table where all of the dead cards are placed. Any hand that was folded and all burned cards are placed in the muck.

2. (v.) To throw your hand away into the muck. This term is often used when another hand is shown at the showdown that beats your hand. It can also mean to fold one's hand.

See also: Fold.

Near Nuts
Almost the best hand possible, but there is one or more very unlikely hands that could beat it. For example, if you have AA, and the board is AKK93, you have the near nuts, because someone else may have 4-of-a-kind kings.
See also: Nuts.

Newlyweds
Used in Texas Hold em' meaning a starting hand of King-Queen, offsuit or not.

Nickel
Gambler slang for $500.
See also: Dime.

Nit
Also known as: Rock.
A nit is a tight-passive player that avoids confrontations. Typically, the term nit is used when this type of passive player plays in a pot-limit or no-limit game. Nits tend to avoid big pots and do not like to gamble.
See also: Passive, Tight.

NL
No-Limit

No Limit
A game where you can bet as many chips are you have in front of you.

No Limit
A betting structure in which there is no maximum bet. Players may bet as much as they want at any time.
See also: Pot Limit, Limit.

Nut-Nut
Also known as: Double Nuts.
The best possible low AND high hand in a high-low split game (for example, Omaha Hi-Lo). As an example, you have hole cards of A-2-6-7 and the board is rainbow 3-4-5-9-Q. Your A-2 gives you a wheel (the nut low) and your 6-7 gives you a straight, 3 to the 7 (the best possible high hand given that the rainbow board makes no flush possible). Raise it up, brother!

Nuts
The absolute best hand.

Nuts
Also known as: Lock, Nut Hand.
The best possible hand that is a guaranteed winner.

Octopus
Pocket 8s

Odds
The statistical probability of making a hand.

Offsuit
Cards that are not of the same suit.

Offsuit
Also known as: Unsuited.
A Hold'em starting hand with two cards of different suits. These hands are weaker than suited hands because of fewer flush possibilities. Offsuit hands are sometimes denoted by an 'o'; for example, 64o is pronounced "six-four offsuit" and refers to a hand with a six and a four of different suits.
See also: Suited.

Oldsmobile
The hold'em starting hand nine-eight (98).

Omaha
A poker game where players are dealt 4 cards and there are 5 community cards. Players must use 2 from their hand.

Online Poker
Also known as: Internet Poker.
This refers to playing poker over the internet. Online poker has boomed in recent years and allows players all over the world to compete against each other. Online poker games can be for real money or play money.

Open-End straight
Four consecutive cards where you need 1 more to make a straight.

Open-Ended
A 4-card straight draw that can be completed at either end (such as a 6-7-8-9). As opposed to an inside straight draw (such as 6-7-9-10).

Outs
Cards that can improve your hand. If the flop is QJ2 and you have 10 9, you want a king or an eight to complete your straight. There are 4 kings and 4 eights in the deck, so you have 8 total outs.

Overbet the Pot
In a No Limit game, to make a bet that is larger than the size of the pot.

Overcall
To call after someone else has.

Overpair
An overpair is a pocket pair that is higher than any card on the board. For example, if you hold pocket kings and the flop is Q97, you hold an overpair.
See also: Underpair and Pair,

Pair
A pair is two cards of the same rank. For example, holding the hand AAK54 would be referred to as holding a pair of aces.
See also: Poker Hand, Two Pair, Underpair, Overpair.

Passive
Also known as: Weak.
Someone who does not bet and raise a lot. Someone who is passive is either a rock or a calling station, depending on how much they call with bad hands.
See also: Tight, Loose, Aggressive.

Pay off
To call even when you believe you are beat. Done out of anger or because your opponent could possibly be bluffing.

Pinball Machine
Also known as: Tilt-A-Whirl.
Someone playing overly loose or aggresive after a bad beat.

PL
Pot-Limit

Play back
To bet or raise back at a player who has been betting against you.

Play Money
Also known as: Fake Money.
This refers to playing a poker game where the chips do not represent real money. Nothing of any value is won or lost in this type of game, so it is not considered gambling. All major online poker rooms have play money games.

Playing fast
To try and end a hand quickly by betting aggressively.

Playing the Board
In hold'em, player uses only the cards on the board and none of his/her hole cards.

PLO
Pot Limit Omaha.

PLO8
Pot Limit Omaha high/low split eight or better.

Pocket pair
When you have a pair in the 2 cards you hold that no one can see.

Pocket Pair
In Hold'em, having two hole cards of the same rank. In other words, having a pair face down.
See also: Pair.

Pocket Rockets
Pocket Aces.

Pocket Rockets
Also known as: Rockets, American Airlines.
The Hold'em Starting Hand AA.

Poker Hand
A group of five cards which are ranked according to the hand rankings:

Five of a Kind (when playing with wilds)
Straight Flush
Four of a Kind
Full House
Flush
Straight
Three of a Kind
Two Pair
Pair
High Card
See also: Holdem Starting Hand.

Position
Where you sit at the poker table. The dealer has the best position because he bets last and therefore has a better understanding of what other people have in their hand. The small blind has the worst position because he goes first.

Post Oak Bluff
To make a small bet in relation to the size of the pot to bluff and try to take it down.

Pot
The amount of money available to win.

Pot Equity
Pot equity is your expected value from the pot. Suppose you have a 20% chance to win the pot. There is $100 in the pot. Thus, your pot equity is $20 (.20 *100).

Pot Limit
A poker game where you can bet up to what is currently in the pot.

Pot Limit
A betting structure in which the maximum size bet is the size of the pot. However, the pot size is calculated in an unintuitive way: All the money in the pot, plus (if you have been raised) the amount you would bet if you reraised.

Pot Odds
This is the odds you are getting when you are drawing, without considering future bets. Basically, if you are drawing to hit your hand, you want to make sure there is enough money in the pot to justify drawing. The way you do this is you calculate your expected value of hitting your hand, which is called pot odds.

The simple mathematical formula for pot odds is:

(pot + bet) * (chance of hitting) >= bet

For example, say you have a flush draw of diamonds. You are fairly certain you will win if you hit the flush but will lose otherwise. Thus, there are 9 other diamonds out there (13 - your two, - two on board), so you have a roughly 19% chance of hitting a flush on the next card. If the pot is 90, and the bet is 10, you have odds with your flush draw.

(90 +10) *.19= 19
19>10, so you should call

However, lets say the pot is 10, you're at the turn (one card left) and your opponent bets 40. So the pot is 50 (including his bet) and the bet is 40 to you.

(50 + 40) *.19= 17.1
17.1 < 40, so you should fold.

For more help with pot odds, feel free to use our pot odds calculator: http://simulator.pokertips.org/odds.php

Preflop
The stage of a hold'em game when you have two cards in your hand and there are no cards on the board yet.

Prop
A person hired by the casino to play in order to keep the game going.

Prop
Prop is short for proposition player. This is someone who is paid by the house to play poker. However, the player plays with his own money; the house merely pays him or her an hourly wage to play poker in order to keep the games going. The difference between a prop and a shill is that a shill plays poker with the house money. Props are generally considered okay and a decent way to earn a few extra dollars. However, shills are looked down upon, and it is unheard of for a casino to employ shills.
See also: Shill.

Quads
Also known as: Four of a Kind.
Quads means four of a kind, holding four cards of the same rank.
See also: Trips.

Rabbit Hunt
When a player wins a pot without a showdown, some players want to know if they would have won had they stayed in the hand longer. To "rabit hunt" means to ask the dealer to expose what cards would have come if the player decided to play his hand. Generally, these players want to see if they would have hit their straight, flush,etc. Rabbit hunting is frowned upon when playing poker.

Rack
A tray that holds 100 chips. 5 rows of 20 chips.

Rags
A bad hand or card.

Rags
Useless cards or cards that don't improve your hand. Generally these are cards whose ranks are between 2-9.

Rags to Riches
To be in the big blind with a hand you wouldn't call(ex. 2,3 os), but since you are in the big blind you check. With your rags(2,3 os), the flop comes A45. your rags just became riches.

Railbird
A railbird is someone who watches poker games. They get their name because generally observers of poker games must stand behind a rail. Sometimes, railbirds are poker players who are broke and want to get back into the action.

Rainbow
A flop with all different suits.

Rainbow
This describes a board that is comprised entirely of different suits. For example, a flop of Ace of clubs, King of hearts, and 5 of diamonds could be described as AK5 rainbow.

Raise
To increase the amount of chips required to proceed in the hand.

Raise
To make a bet larger than the previous bet, thus forcing the original bettor to call the difference or fold.
See also: Reraise, Fold, Bet, Call.

Rake
The amount the house takes for commission.

Rake
This is the fee the poker rooms charge players. Most often, it is a percentage of the pot. For example, many poker rooms will take 5% of the pot up to $3 as a fee for hosting the game. Many times, brick and mortar casinos will simply charge players a set fee per half hour in replace of the rake. When considering a poker game to play, keep in mind how much the rake will cost you. Often, the rake may be so high in relation to the limit played that it is impossible to win money at the game in the long run.
See also: Time Pot.

Ram-and-jam
to bet, raise, and re-raise aggressively in order to intimidate opponents (Mike Caro method) or when you have the stone cold
nuts.

Rank
The number or letter on the card. The highest rank is Ace, and the lowest rank is 2. However, the Ace can usually be used as a "1" in a straight. The ranks are sometimes abbreviated as follows:

A - Ace
K - King
Q - Queen
J - Jack
T - Ten
9 - Nine
8 - Eight
...
2 - Two
See also: Suit.

Re-draw
This term is used to describe when a player who has a made hand is drawn out by another player. Then, on the river, the original player with the made hand draws another card to beat the person who drew out on him on the turn.

Example: Joe's starting hand is Qs Qd and Bethany's starting hand is Ah 4h. The flop is Qh Jh 3s.

Joe has a set of queens and Bethany has a flush draw.

Suppose the turn is a 6h. Bethany now is beating Joe with her flush.

If the river comes a 3d, then Joe will hit a full house. Joe will have hit a re-draw.

Ring Game
A live game, not a tournament.

Ring Game
Also known as: Cash Game.
A ring game is a non-tournament poker game. This is the typical type of poker game where players buy-in and cash-out whenever they wish.

The chips used at the table represent money. Thus, if a player buys in for $10 worth of chips and cashes out $50 worth of chips, he or she makes a profit of $40.

In contrast, a tournament game rewards players based on their final rank in the tournament. For example, if 10 people buy in for $10, then there will be $100 in the prize pool. Players would then receive a set amount of chips. These chips can not be cashed out for money; they are used solely for play in the tournament. Play would continue until one person possesed all of the chips.

A typical tournament would then award $50 to first place (person who possessed all of the chips a the end of the tournament), $30 to second place (person who was eliminated last), and $20 to third place (person eliminated just before second place finisher), with fourth and lower receiving nothing.

River
The last card to come followed by the last round of betting.

River
This is the fifth and final card that comes on the board in Holdem, after the turn.

Riverboat
A full house made on the river (5th street).

Rock
Also known as: Tight-Passive.
This is a nickname for a type of player who will fold a lot. These types of players generally break even. They fold most of their losers, but will not aggressively bet their winners and will thus not make much money. They are also easily bullied out of pots.

Rockets
Also known as: American Airlines.
Reference to holding pocket aces (AA) as a starting hand in Texas Hold'em.

Rockies
A Set of Aces

Roger
A Hold 'Em Poker starting hand of T4, referring to a "10-4" response of "Roger"

Rope-a-dope
To slowplay an opponent when you have the stone nuts; usually involves a lot of acting and feigning weakness in order to get your opponent(s) to bet/raise big on a bluff or weaker hand.
See also: slowplay.

Rounder
Also known as: Grinder.
A rounder is synonymous with a grinder. These are players who make their living or a significant amount of their income from playing poker. They tend to play mid or low stakes games and win money bit by bit. Rounding is often considered to be a difficult way to make money because rounders tend to not make much money per hour.
See also: Gambler.

Rounders
Players who make a living player poker. Also the popular movie starring Matt Damon and Edward Norton.

Route 66
Pocket sixes.

Royal Flush
A flush which is also a straight and Ace thru ten.

Royal Flush
The poker hand consisting of AKQJT of the same suit. The royal flush is the highest possible Straight Flush.

Runner
This means a card that was drawn to help someone's hand. It is generally used in conjunction with the hand the person improved to. For example, if someone hits two cards to make a flush (i.e. improves on the turn and river), then the person is said to hit runner, runner flush.

Runner Runner
To make a hand you didn't expect to make by catching 2 cards that you needed to complete the hand. (Ie. In Texas Holdem, if you have one spade and there are 2 on the flop and there are spades on both the turn and the river, then you have caught runner runner or a running flush. (Also called Back Door)

Sailboats
Pocket 4s

Sandbagging
Also known as: Slowplay.
Sandbagging is another term for slowplaying. It means to either check or bet weakly when you have a strong hand.

Sandbagging also can be a synonym for check-raising.

Sausage
A player who plays with no sense. Example (all in with a 2,9)

SB
Short for small blind or small bet

Scare Card
A scare card is a card placed on the board that has the potential to significantly improve someone's hand. For example, if the board is Ah Kh 5d, a Th would be a scare card. That ten would complete both a flush draw or a straight draw.

Scare cards often present excellent bluffing opportunities for players.

Scoop
To scoop a pot is to win the whole pot in a high/low split game. You can do this by holding the best high hand and the best low hand, or by holding the best high hand where there are no hands that qualify for low.

Sell
Betting a very strong hand fairly lightly in order to induce a call. Often, this method is used to milk a calling station out of money, bit by bit.
See also: calling station, Break.

Semi-bluff
To bet or raise when you don't think you have the best hand but have the potential make the best hand if called.

Semi-Bluff
A semi-bluff is when a player makes a bet with a hand that is currently weak but has the potential to become a very strong hand. A common example is when someone has a flush draw and makes a bet into the pot. The bettor hopes that the other players will fold, and he wil win the pot right there. However, even if the other players do not fold, he still has a good chance at improving and winning the pot anyway.
See also: Bluff.

Set
3 of a kind when you have the pair in your hand.

Set
Also known as: Trips, Thee of a Kind.
A set means a three of a kind. Generally, people refer to a set when someone has a three of a kind because they have a pocket pair, with a board matching that rank of the pocket pair in hold'em. For example, if I hold 77 and the flop comes J76, I flopped a set of sevens.
See also: Quads.

Shark
A shark is a good player and typically wins. A shark's goal is often to simply just win money at poker, so they seek out games with a lot of fish. Basically, in the poker ecosystem, sharks feed on fish.
See also: Fish.

Shill
A shill is a poker player who is paid by the house and plays with the house money. He or she essentially tries to win money for the house at the poker game. Employing shills is considered immoral and is sometimes illegal. No poker players want to play at a casino that uses shills because they are afraid the games are not fair. Because of this, it is a very rare occurence for a casino to use shills.

A shill is very different from a prop. Props are players that play poker with their own money. The only difference between a prop and a regular player is that a prop is paid hourly by the house in order to keep games going. Props will generally be forced to play at shorthanded tables or more unpopular games in order to earn their hourly stipend.
See also: Prop.

Short Stack
A Short Stack is a player at the table with a low amount of chips; this player will usually have to go all in to try to double up their stack.

Shorthand
This refers to a poker game with six or fewer people.

Showdown
When there are more than one player at the end of the final betting round. When each player must show his hand.

Showdown
When two or more players play through the river to determine the winning hand.

After the river betting round, players show their hands to each other to determine the winner. This is called the showdown.

Side Pot
If a player goes all in and the other players continue to bet/raise. This is the amount the all in player can not win because he did not have enough chips to call.

Sidepot
In a multi-way pot, a sidepot is created for other players if one player goes all-in. These other players bets and raises will go to the sidepot, and only the players that participated in the sidepot are eligible to win it.
See also: All-in.

Siegfried and Roy
Also known as: ladies.
Pocket Queens.

Sit and Go
Also known as: SNG.
Sit and Go is a type of tournament. This means that there is a pre-selected amount of player spots available. Once enough people have registered to fill these spots, the tournament begins.

Most often, a sit and go tournament is a single-table tournament. This means that once ten people register for the tournament, the tournament commences. Sit and go tournaments are very popular online, but they are somewhat rare in brick and mortar casinos.

Slow play
To not play your strong hand aggressively in hopes that your opponent will bet for you.

Slow Rolling
Having the winning hand (often a massive hand) and taking a long time to show the hand when asked to declare. Considered bad etiquette.

Slowplay
Also known as: Sandbagging.
Slowplaying is a deceptive move. It is the opposite of bluffing. It means to check or bet weakly when one holds a strong hand. The point of the slowplay is so the competition builds a hand that will become the second best hand. Then, when the competition builds this hand, one will jam the pot with bets.

For example, suppose you hold 99 and the flop comes 994. You flopped quads! However, there is little chance you would be called at this point. A good idea is to slowplay and wait for the turn or river cards to come before you start firing. Then you can bet strongly because hopefully the competition will have some sort of hand that merits them calling you down.
See also: Bluff.

Small Bet
The smaller bet in a fixed-limit game. In a $10-$20 hold'em game, the $10 bet is the small bet.

The small bet is used during the pre-flop and flop rounds, and the big bet is used on the turn and river betting rounds.

Small Blind
The smaller of the two forced bets preflop. The person in first position posts the small blind, which is equivalent to half of a small bet.
See also: Big Blind, Blinds.

Snap
Also known as: suckout.
To break a better hand, similar to sucking out. For example, someone holding 2-7 offsuit can snap AA if the board comes out AK222.

SNG
Also known as: Sit and Go.
Short for Sit and Go. It is a type of tournament.

Snowmen
The hold'em starting hand of apair of eights.

Solid
A decent player.

Speed Limit
The Hold'em starting hand with two fives (55). Or, a pair of fives.

Split
The starting hand of 7 10.

Spread limit
Where you can bet between a certain amount but there is a limit.

Stack
Stack can be a noun or a verb.

(n) The amount of chips you have in front of you. The stack is how much money you have in a poker game.

(v) To go all-in. To stack means to bet your whole stack. For example, "he bet and then I stacked. He called and doubled me up."
See also: All-in.

Steel Wheel
Also known as: Bicycle and Wheel.
A steel wheel is the poker hand A2345, the lowest possible straight.

Stone Cold Nuts
The best holding possible in a hand of poker that will win the entire pot (as opposed to possibly winning only half or some fraction). Such an example would be holding a suited ace and making a flush with it on an unpaired board in Hold'Em. This is in contrast to holding an ace high straight, which even though it may not possibly be beaten, could end up in a tie with another one.

Stone Nuts
Also known as: Nuts.
Used to emphasize that a hand is not just the near nuts but is the absolute best hand.
See also: Near Nuts.

Straddle
A straddle is a blind bet made by the person under the gun. A straddle bet is equivalent to two big blinds. The person who posts the straddle gets to bet last in the preflop round. A straddle is very ill-advised in a limit game because you are unnecessarily posting a large blind bet out of position. Straddles are more common for games such as pot limit Omaha, where the straddle acts to increase the stakes of the game.
See also: Big Blind.

Straight
Five consecutive cards.

Straight
A poker hand consisting of 5 cards whose ranks form a sequence. The highest possible straight is AKQJT (Broadway) and the lowest straight is 54321 (the wheel).
See also: Straight Flush.

Straight Flush
A poker hand consisting of 5 cards of the same suit whose ranks form a sequence. Thus, a straight flush is both a Straight and a Flush. The highest possible straight flush is AKQJT of the same suit (also called the Royal Flush). The lowest possible straight flush is 5432A of the same suit.

String Bet
In a live game, someone does a string bet if they act like they are going to call but then make a raise. For example, it is standard etiquette that putting the requisite chips for a call into the pot just means a call. If one wants to raise, he or she needs to announce raise before placing chips into the pot. They cannot say 'I call your bet...and raise you 'x.' They must say "I raise." String bets confuse players as to whether the player is calling or raising, so they are not allowed.

Stuck
When someone is losing in a game.

Sucker Straight
Also known as: Idiot End.
This refers to drawing to the lower end of a straight. One can hit this type of straight but still have a high probability of losing.

Suckout
Also known as: Suckout, Bad Beat.
See Drawout. It means someone hit a draw against you to win the hand.
See also: Draw.

Sugar
The amount you have won in a game.

Suit
Spades, hearts, diamonds, or clubs. Suit is important for determining a flush, but has no other meaning in most poker games. The suits are sometimes abbreviated as follows:

s - spades
h - hearts
d - diamonds
c - clubs

Therefore, AKh would mean Ace and King of hearts. However, sometimes the s only means suited. This usually is made clear by context.
See also: Rank.

Suited
Referring to a Hold'em starting hand with two cards of the same suit. Suited hands are better than unsuited hands because of flush possibilities. A suited hand is sometimes denoted by an 's'; for example, 98s is pronounced "Nine-eight suited" and refers to a 9 and an 8 of the same suit.
See also: Offsuit.

Suited Connector
Two hole cards of the same suit that are consecutive in rank. e.g. 9 and 8 of clubs.

Suited Connectors
Starting hands which are one apart (ie. 9/10 or 5/6). Suited connectors means they are also of the same suit.

Sunset Strip
Also known as: Walking Sticks.
Pocket sevens. Also known as walking sticks

Table Stakes
All poker games are played table stakes. This means one can only bet what one has in front of him on the table on any given hand. Players cannot reach into their pockets and add to their bets. If a player runs out of chips in front of him in the middle of a hand, he or she is considered all-in.
See also: all-in.

Tap
To "tap" someone is to bet enough money for them to go all in in a No limit game.

Tapping the Aquarium
To tell a poor player what he's doing wrong, i.e., waking up a [fish].

Tell
A clue about a player's holdings.

Texas Holdem
Also called Holdem. The poker game where players are dealt 2 cards face down and then there are 5 community cards shared. Currently the most popular poker game.

The Trucker
Known as "The Trucker", Ten-Four is probably one of the worst hands you could recieve in Hold 'Em poker.

Its name derives from the language used by trucking convoys, such as "Roger That", "Breaker Breaker", and of course "10-Four".

The turn
The card after the flop. Also called the fourth street.

Three Bet
To "three bet" means to make the third bet in limit hold'em. For example,
If person A bets, Person B raises, Person C re-raises, Person C would have three bet.

It does not matter who makes the third bet. If this hand was Person A bets, Person B raises, Person A re-raises, then Person A would have three bet.
See also: Cap.

Three of a Kind
Also known as: Trips.
A poker hand consisting of three cards of the same rank, and two unpaired cards.
See also: Pair, Four of a Kind.

Three Wise Men
A hand in Texas Hold 'Em that consists of three Kings.

Three-quarter
You can "three-quarter" someone in a high/low split game. This is where you hold the best high hand and the best low hand, while your opponent only hold one of those hands. On the showdown you win half of the pot with your high and split the other half with your low, or the other way around. This way you win three quarters of the pot and your opponent only one quarter.

Tight
When players are waiting for good cards. Can also be used to describe a game in which players aren't playing many hands.

Tight
Someone who does not play many hands. The opposite of loose.
See also: Loose, Passive, Aggressive, Rock.

Tilt
Playing a hand in a manner that you normally wouldn't due to anger, fear, intimidation or other circumstances.

Tilt
A player goes on tilt when his or her emotions take over. A player on tilt no longer plays rationally and instead plays like a maniac. Often, the player just suffered a bad beat and is very upset. A player on tilt often loses a lot of money, so going on tilt needs to be avoided. However, even the best players can go on tilt at times.
See also: Maniac.

Time Pot
This is a form of rake. For poker rooms that charge players a fee per half-hour or hour, they will allow the players to have that money taken out of two or three pots. Since the 'time' money is taken out of these pots, they are called time pots. These are pots that exceed a certain threshold (they are typically $200 or more).
See also: Rake.

Toke
A toke is a tip to the dealer after a player wins a pot. Generally, players toke the dealer $1 for every pot they win. Dealers at brick and mortar casinos make the majority of their income off of these tips.

Tough
A good player.

Trepasso
To get delt A,J

Trips
Also known as: Set, Three of a Kind.
Trips means three of a kind, holding three cards of the same rank.
See also: Quads.

Turn
This is the fourth board card that comes out in holdem, the card after the flop.

Two Pair
Two pair is exactly as it sounds- holding two pairs. Please note that it is impossible to hold a "three pair." Poker hands only consist of five cards. Even if one is playing a poker game where more than five cards are in consideration (such as Texas hold'em or 7 card stud), you only use your best 5 card poker hand.
See also: Pair, Poker Hand.

Under the Gun
The player first to act after the big blind.

Under the Gun
The position to the left of the big blind which acts first before board cards are dealt.

Underpair
An underpair is a pocket pair that is smaller than any card on the board. For example, if you hold pocket fours and the board is 89Q, you hold an underpair.
See also: Overpair, Pair.

Unsuited
Also known as: Offsuit.

See also: Suited.

Upcard
A card that is dealt to the player face up, so that all players may see it. Upcards are used in Stud games.
See also: Hole Card, Board Cards.

UTG
The player first to act after the big blind.

UTG
UTG is short for under the gun.
See also: Under The Gun.

Value
A bet because you have the best hand. (Ie. A value bet). Can also be done without the best hand but because you are getting the right odds on your hand becoming the best.

Walking Sticks
To be dealt two sevens at the beginning of a hand (7,7)

Wayne Gretzky
To be dealt two nines at the beginning of a hand (9,9)

Wheel
Also known as: Bicycle and Steel Wheel.
A wheel is the poker hand A2345, the lowest possible straight.

Wild
Also known as: Wild Card.

Wild Card
Also known as: Wild.
A card, such as a joker or a designated rank, that can be assigned any rank and suit.

Wired Pair
A Pair in your starting hand.

Woolworth's
The starting hand of 5 10.

WPT
World Poker Tour

WSOP
World Series of Poker

WSOP
World Series of Poker