Poker Terms

Poker is a card game full of jargon. If you hear seasoned poker players talking to each other, as a novice poker player you probably don’t understand much of it. Therefore, we have compiled the following list of poker terms.

List of poker terms

Ante. Mandatory bet that each player must place at the beginning of the round before dealing.

Bet. A player’s bet of a certain amount into the pot. Other players now have the choice to pass, call or raise.

Big blind. Mandatory bet placed by the player 2 positions to the left of the dealer before dealing.

Blinds. The blinds are mandatory bets for the two players immediately to the left of the dealer before dealing. The blinds serve the purpose that some money is already in the pot. The player immediately to the left of the dealer bets the small blind. The player two positions to the left of the dealer bets the big blind. The big blind is usually 2 times the size of the small blind.

Bluff(s). Bet or raise by a player with bad cards for the purpose of getting opponent(s) with better cards to pass.

Bluff catching. Calling with a marginal hand which only beats a bluff.

Bring in. The bring in is a mandatory bet in stud poker variants. Depending on the poker variation, the player with the highest or lowest door card is required to bet the bring in.

Call. When a player calls after another player has bet or reraised. The player who calls puts the same amount in the pot as the player who bet or reraised.

Check. This means a player decides to do nothing. The next player may then perform an action.

Community cards. These are cards which are placed in the middle of the table by the dealer and can be used by any player to form the highest possible combination with their own cards. Community cards are not used in all poker games, but are used in Texas Hold’em and Omaha, for example.

Continuation bet. This is a bet on the flop from the player who has made the last raise preflop. Online the term is often abbreviated to c-bet.

Door card. What is a door card depends on the poker game. In Texas Hold’em, the door card is the first exposed card from the flop. In stud poker, the door card is each player’s first visible card.

Flop. The flop are the 3 cards the dealer puts down after the preflop bidding round in poker variants such as Texas Hold’em. The cards of the flop are community cards that can be used by any player to form the highest possible poker combination.

Flush. 5 cards of the same suit, e.g. 2h, 5h, 6h, 10h, Qh.

Fold. This means to pass. A player who folds gives his or her cards to the dealer and does not participate in that round anymore. Therefore, the player cannot win the round anymore.

Four of a kind (quads). 4 cards of the same value, for example 10h, 10d, 10c, 10s.

Full House. 3 cards of the same rank combined with 2 cards of the same rank, for example 10h, 10d, 10c, 9h, 9c.

Full ring. A full table where 8 or 9 players play poker against each other.

Heads up. This is the situation when players are playing one against one.

High card. The highest card, for example Ah. With a high card, a player with five cards cannot form a (better) card combination.

Hole card. Card that is dealt face down to a player. Only the player can see his or her hole cards.

Merge bet. Applying a wider, more light, value bet range because your opponent might be calling lightly. Read more about this in our article about merge betting.

(One) pair. 2 cards of the same value, for example 10h, 10c.

Out. An out in poker is an unseen card from the deck that will make your hand (potentially) a winner.

Overbet. An overbet is a bet or raise which is bigger than the size of the pot. Read more about overbetting in our poker overbet article.

Pot. The total of bets that go to the winner(s) at the end of the round.

Pot odds. Pot odds represent the ratio between the size of the pot and the size of the bet you have to call to continue the hand. This calculation allows you to assess whether calling a bet offers a favorable return, based on the odds of completing your hand and winning the pot. Read all about this subject in our article about poker pot odds.

Preflop. In poker games played with a flop, preflop means the round of bidding that takes place before the flop is dealt.

Quads. Synonym of 4 of a kind.

Raise. The raising of the pot by a player after another player has already bet. Other players now have the choice to fold, call or reraise.

Reraise. The raising of the pot by one player after another player has already raised. Other players now have the choice to fold, call or reraise (again).

River. The river is the fifth and last of the community cards placed on the table by the dealer. The river is also called fifth street.

Royal flush. Street of 10 through ace of the same suit, for example 10h, Jh, Qh, Kh, Ah.

Seven card stud. Poker variant in which players eventually receive 7 cards. Learn how to play seven card stud poker.

Showdown. Situation at the end of the game in which the players still in the game lay their cards face-up on the table. This reveals the winning hand.

Small blind. Mandatory bet placed by the player directly to the left of the dealer before dealing.

Split pot. Situation in which two or more winners have the same winning card combination. The pot is shared by the winning players.

Straight (street). 5 consecutive cards of non-same suit, for example, 8h, 9c, 10s, Jh, Qc.

Straight flush. 5 consecutive cards of the same suit, for example, 3h, 4h, 5h, 6h, 7h.

Texas Hold’em. The most popular and well-known poker game in the world. Read the rules of Texas Hold’em.

Three of a kind. 3 cards of the same value, for example, 10h, 10d, 10c.

Turn. The turn is the fourth of the community cards the dealer puts on the table. The turn is also called fourth street.

Two pair. Two cards of the same rank combined with two other cards of the same rank, for example 10h, 10c, 9h, 9c.

Under the gun (UTG). This is the position directly to the left of the big blind.