Poker Dictionary, how to play Poker

Poker Players and Card Rooms use a whole host of different terminology. This poker dictionary will help you play poker by covering the most common used words or phrases that you will see or hear when playing in the online Poker Rooms.

Dictionary - Learn some of the common poker terms used.

Ante
A small bet contributed by each player to start the pot at the beginning of a poker hand. Hold 'em games do not have an ante but instead use "Small Blinds" and "Large Blinds" to get initial money into the pot.

All-In
To run out of chips whilst the hand is still in play. If a player runs out of money during a hand then a side pot is created in which he has no interest. The pot which the player put money into can still be won if the player has the best hand. The side pot created after he was all-in would then be won by the player with the winning hand.

Bankroll
Quite simply, this is the amount of money you have to play poker with. Make sure it doesn't include the housekeeping money or the mortgage!

Bet
If it's your turn to start then you will have to place the initial bet. In most online games, this amount will be limited.

Blind
A forced bet put in by one or more players before any cards are dealt. Typically, blinds are put in by players immediately to the left of the "button." See "Large Blind" and "Small Blind."

Board
The board is the name given to all of the community cards. For example, in a Hold 'em game, the board would be the flop, turn and river cards

Burn Card
Prior to dealing, the dealer will discard the card on top of the pack, this is to ensure that no player can recognise the next card to be dealt.

Button
A small round button shape, sometimes marked D, which is used to show who the nominal dealer is.

Call
A call is when you bet enough to match what your opponents have bet since the last time it was your turn.

Check
Using the option not to bet. Can be used as a zero bet unless someone else bets in the round of cards, thereafter the player would have to Call, Raise or Fold.

Check Raise
To check and then raise when a player behind you bets.

Community Cards
These are the cards that are played in the centre of the table and are used by everyone playing to build their hand.

Complete Hand
A hand that uses the full five cards. For example, a straight or a flush.

Fifth Street
The fifth community card dealt onto the table.

Flop
The first three community cards which are dealt into the centre of the table.

Fold
If you decide to Fold, you are pulling out of the current round of cards and forfeiting your hand. You do not have to add any more money to the pot but you are no longer participating in the game and any money you have put on the table is up for grabs by the winning player of the hand.

Forth Street
The forth community card dealt onto the table.

Hole Cards
Cards that are face down and cannot be seen by the other players.

H.O.R.S.E. (HORSE)
A poker game where the kind of poker played in each round changes and includes the following game varieties:
H - Hold'em
O - Omaha
R - Razz
S - Seven-card Stud high
E - Seven-card stud high-low Eight or better, or hi-lo.

Kicker
An unpaired card used to determine the better of two near-equivalent hands. For example, if two players have a pair of Kings but the next unpaired card in one hand is an 8 and the other a 7 then the 8 would be the kicker and give the hand a slightly higher value.

Large Blind
A bet that has to be put up by the player two places to the left of the button. It is usually the same as the minimum bet allowed on the table.

Live (or Forced Blind)
A forced bet put in by one or more players before any cards are dealt. The player will still have the option of raising when it is their turn.

Poker Chips
Poker Chips are the currency used in real poker games. Cash is traded for poker chips, making transactions easier to count and tracking your wins or losses easier. Poker chips are small round discs and each colour has a different value. Online poker chips are purchased and traded for real money, when a game is finished, the poker chips are changed into cash. Casino and poker chips are popular collectors items. Most of the poker rooms available here give away free poker chips as an incentive to play.

Post
To put in a blind bet when you first take a place in the game to show that you now wish to be dealt into the game.

Pot
The amount of money that has been bet on the hand for the winning hand to claim.

Raise
When raising, your are placing enough money on the table to cover the 'call' and also a bit more, which the other players will have to match. Generally this would be done when you are confident you have a good hand, which is a possible winner.

Rake
An amount of money taken out of every pot by the dealer - this is the poker rooms cut of the pot and how they make their money. Typically from $1 to $3 depending on the size of the betting allowed.

River
The fifth and final community card, is dealt after the "Turn". Also known as "Fifth Street".

Rock
A player who plays very precisely and tight is said to be a Rock. This player will not bluff and raises only with the best hands.

Showdown
The point at which all players remaining in the hand turn their cards over and determine who has the best hand.

Small Blind
A bet that has to be put up by the player to the left of the button. It is usually one half of the minimum bet allowed on the table.

Split Pot
When two players have the same winning hands, the pot is divided into two and shared equivalently.

Spread Limit
The limit that the table has set on the amount allowed to be bet. A table spread of $2/$4 would allow a bet to be as little as $2 or as much as $6 to be played.

Short Stacked
When your chips are dwinding and you have less chips than most players at the table.

Turn
The fourth community card on the table. Put out face up, by itself. Can also be known as "Fourth Street."