Poker Glossary

To have a hand that is a large underdog beat a heavily favored hand. It is generally used to imply that the winner of the pot had no business being in the pot at all, and it was the wildest of luck that he/she managed to catch the one card in the deck that would win the pot.

A special bonus paid to the loser of a hand if he gets a very good hand beaten.

Badugi (also known as Badougi or Padooki) is a draw poker variant similar to triple draw, but with differing hand values than traditional poker. The betting structure and overall play of the game is identical to a standard poker game, but unlike traditional poker which involves a minimum of five cards, players' hands contain only four cards at any one time.

The amount of money or chips a player has to gamble with. This is a relative term, and can represent your bankroll for a particular game, for the day, or for any defined time period.

An inside straight draw. An example of a belly buster (also known as a gut shot) is to have 89JQ, aiming to hit a ten.

To place chips into the pot.

When a player bets the amount of the pot.

A straight from A-5.

A designated amount that isplaced by the player sitting in the second position, clockwise from the dealer, before any cards are dealt. (Players joining a game in progress must post a Big Blind, but may do so from any position.)

A term referring to when the big blind wins ahand with a very bad starting hand because he saw the flop for free. When nobody raises the big blind, the big blind is able to see the flop without having to call a bet. For example, the big blind has 7s2h and everyoneelse limps in. The flop is 7d7h2c, giving him a full house, and almost certainly the best hand.

Ace King.

A board card that doesn't seem to affect the standings in the hand.

The bet(s) that must bemade by the two players sitting directly to the dealer's left which will start the action on the first round of betting. The blinds are posted before any cards are dealt. (A 'Blind' bet is one that is made in the dark without looking at your cards.)

When a player raises without looking at his hand.

To make other players believe that one has a better hand than he/she might otherwise have by betting or raising when they do not have the best hand.

The community cards that are dealt face-up in a poker game for all players to see. In flop games, five cards are dealt face up in the center of the table. In Seven Card Stud, four cards are dealt face-up in front of each player.

Also known as Full Boat. A Full House.

The date a bonus expireson.

A bonus whore is someone who takes maximum advantage of the free money that poker sites will offer you for action at their site.

Short for "robot." In a poker context, a program that plays poker online with no (or minimal) human intervention.

A pair made with the lowest card on board.

A prize given to anyone who can knock out a specific player in the tournament - only offered in certain tournaments.

A straight from 10-A

A physical place, as opposed to a computer-generated virtual one. 

The forced bet made on the first round of betting by the player who is dealt the lowest card showing in Seven Card Stud and Stud 8 or Better. In Razz (Lowball) it is the highest card showing.

To start the betting on the first round.

A player who antes himself broke.

The point in a tournament at which only one player must bust outbefore all others win some money.

Pocket 4's.

Pocket Aces.

To raise.

To discard the top card from the deck, face down. This is done between each betting round before putting out the next community card(s). It is security against any player recognizing or glimpsing the next card to be used on the board.

Also known as the dealer button, it is a small round disk that is moved from player to player in a clockwise direction following each hand, to theoretically indicate the dealer of each hand.

(1) As in "buy the pot." To bluff, hoping to "buy" the pot without being called. (2) As in "buy the button." To bet or raise, hoping to make players between you and thebutton fold, thus allowing you to act last on subsequent betting rounds.

The minimum amount of money required by a player to sit down in a particular poker game.