Poker Terms

Below is a collection of some of the most popular terms used in poker games, and are important to learn before playing real money poker, along with a definition of what each of them means:

Ante

An amount put into the pot by each player before the start of a poker hand. In Texas Hold'Em poker a small blind and a big blind is used instead of an ante to seed the pot.

All In

Basically to use the last of your chips in a hand whilst betting or calling. In table games a side pot is created in which this player has no interest, but they still have an interest in the first pot into which they contributed chips.

Big Blind

The bigger of the two blinds used at the start of a Texas Hold'Em hand, usually equal to a full bet according to the table limit.

Blind

A mandatory bet put in at the start of a hand.

Button

A symbol used to designate the nominal dealer.

Call

To put in an amount of money equal to the last bet or raise. Also referred to as "see".

Check

Not placing a bet with the option to call or raise later in the round.

Community Cards

Those cards which are shared in the hands of all players for example the five in the middle of the table in Texas Holdem.

Dealer

The person who is actually or theoretically dealing the cards. It is important to identify a dealer as in games such as Texas Hold'Em blinds are posted by those to the left of the dealer. A dealer button used to identify the dealer moves clockwise around the table at the conclusion of each hand.

Flop

The first three community cards, which are put out face up in the middle of the table.

Fold

To surrender your cards and take no further part in this particular hand of the game.

Hold Cards

The cards which are dealt face-down to the player so that only he or she knows what they are, unlike community cards in the centre of the table which can be seen by all players.

Kicker

An unpaired card that is used as a decider to determine the winner of the pot when two or more players have a similar hand. For example if two players have three-of-a-kind jacks but one has a king whilst the highest unpaired card the other player has is a ten, then the one with the king wins the pot.

No Limit

As the name implies, a hand which does not have a limit on the amount which can be bet or raised. It will usually be restricted to the amount of chips that a player has in front of them at the beginning of the end, although if it is a two person showdown they may agree to put in even more money/objects if things really get carried away!

Post

To put in a blind bet. This will either be when it is your turn to post a blind, when you first sit down at a table or when a player changes seats as this affects the fair order of the small/big blinds.

Quads

Another term for four-of-a-kind.

Raise

Where a player increases the amount of the current bet for that round of betting. Players who wish to stay in the hand will need to put in (call) the same amount of chips to continue, otherwise they will have to fold.

Rake

A small amount of every pot taken by the house (the cardroom) as their income.

River

The final community card of the hand, which can often make or break a player's hand and their chances of winning the pot.

Side Pot

A second pot created as a result of a player running out of chips during the course of a hand. This player can still win the money in the original pot, but cannot win the money in the side pot as they have not put anything into it.

Small Blind

As opposed to the big blind, the small blind is the smaller of the two blinds posted at the start of a hold'em poker hand.

Split Pot

A pot which is shared by two or more players because they have identical hands which could not be separated by a kicker card.

Trips

Another term for three-of-a-kind.

Turn

The fourth community card.