When a player runs out of chips while betting or calling. In table stakes games, a player may not go into his pocket for more money during a hand. If he runs out, a side pot is created in which he has no interest. However, the player may still win the pot for which he had the chips.

When your hand - even though it's a huge underdog - beats a heavily favored hand. This term is widely used to imply that the winner of the pot should never have been in the pot at all, and that it was only the purest luck that he managed to receive the one card in the deck that would win him the pot.

The larger of the two blinds typically used in a hold'em game. The big blind is normally a full first round bet.

A board card that doesn't appear to affect the standings in the hand. If the flop is A♠-J♦-10 ♠, then a turn card of 2♥ would be considered a blank. On the other hand, the 2♠ would not be.

A forced bet (or partial bet) placed by one or more players before any cards are dealt. Normally, blinds are put in by players immediately to the left of the button.

A Board is actually all the community cards in a hold'em game - the flop, turn, and river cards together. Example: "I didn't see a single heart on the board."

A pair with the lowest card on the flop. If you have A♠-6♠, and the flop comes K♦-10♥-6 ♣, you have flopped bottom pair.

This term refers to when one discards the top card from the deck, face down. This move is done between each betting round, before putting out the next community card(s). Burning is also required as security against any player recognizing or accidentally seeing the next card to be dealt onto the board.

This is a white acrylic disk used to indicate the (nominal) dealer. The Button is also used to refer to the player actually on the button. Example: "The button has just raised."

A weak-passive player who calls a lot, but who doesn't raise or fold much. Ideal opponent.

To put in the last raise permitted on a betting round. This is typically the third or fourth raise.

The last card of a certain rank in the deck. Example: "The flop came J-8-3; I've got pocket jacks, he's got pocket 8's, and then the case eight falls on the river, and he beats my full house."

The first pot created during a poker hand, as opposed to one or more "side" pots created if one or more players goes all-in. Also "main pot."

(1) To not bet, with the option to call or raise later in the betting round. Equivalent to betting zero dollars. (2) Another word for chip, as in poker chip.

To check and then raise when a player behind you bets. Occasionally you will hear people say this is not fair or ethical poker. Piffle. Almost all casinos permit check-raising, and it is an important poker tactic. It is particularly useful in low-limit hold'em where you need extra strength to narrow the field if you have the best hand.

To call more than one bet in a single action. For instance, suppose the first player to act after the big blind raises. Now any player acting after that must call two bets "cold." This is different from calling a single bet and then calling a subsequent raise.

A drawing hand for a combination that hasn't been reached yet

Cards that are presented face-up in the middle of the poker table and shared among players in games like Hold'em and Omaha. These are also referred to as "the board".

A hand that is defined by all five cards - a straight, flush, full house or straight flush.

A hold'em starting hand in which the two cards are one apart in rank. Examples: KQs, 76.

To make your hand less valuable because of board cards that duplicate it. Example: you have 87 and the flop comes 9-10-J, so you have a straight.Now an 8 comes on the turn. This has counterfeited your hand and made it almost worthless.

To beat a hand - typically a big hand. You hear this most often applied to pocket aces:

Shortened form of "underdog".

A hand that will almost always lose to a better hand that people usually play. For instance, A5 is "dominated" by AJ. With the exception of strange flops (e.g., 5-5-X, A-5-X), it will always lose to AJ.

To play a hand that is not yet good, but could become so if the right cards come.

(1) The amount you expect to gain on average if you make a certain play. (2) The amount you expect to make at the poker table in a specific time period. Suppose in 100 hours of play, you win $527. Then your expectation is $5.27/hr. Of course, you won't make that exact amount each hour (and some hours you will lose), but it's one measure of your anticipated earnings.

(1) The amount you expect to gain on average if you make a certain play. (2) The amount you expect to make at the poker table in a specific time period. Suppose in 100 hours of play, you win $527. Then your expectation is $5.27/hr. Of course, you won't make that exact amount each hour (and some hours you will lose), but it's one measure of your anticipated earnings.

As in "fast play." To play a hand aggressively, betting and raising as much as possible. Example: "When you flop a set but there's a flush draw possible, you have to play it fast."

A poker hand which is the statistical favorite to win.

The first three community cards, put out face up, altogether.

To forfeit any chance of winning the current pot in poker. To lay down your hand or throw your hand in instead of calling or raising a bet.

A hand that may not be played for one reason or another. A player with a foul hand may not make any claim on any portion of the pot. Example: "He ended up with three cards after the flop, so the dealer declared his hand foul."

A local term, an abbreviation for "Flanders Poker Cup"

A turn or river card on which you don't have to call a bet because of play earlier in the hand. For instance, if you are on the button and raise when you flop a flush draw, your opponents may check to you on the turn. If you make your flush on the turn, you can bet. If you don't get it on the turn, you can check as well, seeing the river card for "free."

Free Roll - One player has a shot at winning an entire pot when he is currently tied with another player. For instance, suppose you have A♣-Q♣ and your opponent has A♦-Q♥. The flop is Q ♠-5♣-10 ♣. You are tied with your opponent right now, but are free rolling, because you can win the whole pot and your opponent can't. If no club comes, you split the pot with him; if it does come, you win the whole thing.

A pot that is being contested by only two players.
Hit - As in "the flop hit me," meaning the flop contains cards that help your hand. If you have KJ, and the flop comes J-4-3, it hit you.

Cards dealt face-down to a player - most commonly used when describing the first two player cards in Hold'em and the first four player cards in Omaha.

Seeking one specific card value to make a straight. For instance, a player holding 9-5 with a board of 2-7-6 can make a straight with any eight. This is also known as a gutshot straight draw.Pot odds that do not exist at the moment, but may be included in your calculations because of bets you expect to win if you hit your hand. For instance, you might call with a flush draw on the turn even though the pot isn't offering you quite 4:1 odds (your chance of making the flush) because you're sure you can win a bet from your opponent on the river if you make your flush.

Seeking one specific card value to make a straight. For instance, a player holding 9-5 with a board of 2-7-6 can make a straight with any eight. This is also known as a gutshot straight draw.

A hold'em starting hand with two cards two apart in rank. Examples: J9, 64.

Seeking one of two card values to make a straight. Also known as an up-and-down straight draw.

A card that will make your hand win. Normally heard in the plural. Example: "Any spade will make my flush, so I have nine outs."

Example: "Jack outran my set when her flush card hit on the river."

To call a bet after one or more others players have already called.

A card higher than any card on the board. For instance, if you have AQ and the flop comes J-7-3, you don't have a pair, but you have two overcards.

To show down a hand in hold'em when your cards don't make a hand any better than is shown on the board. For instance, if you have 22, and the board is 4-4-9-9-A (no flush possible), then you must "play the board" : the best possible hand you can make doesn't use any of your cards. Note that if you play the board, the best you can do is split the pot with all remaining players.

Your unique cards that only you can see. For instance, "He had pocket sixes" (a pair of sixes), or "I had ace-king in the pocket."

A hold'em starting hand with two cards of the same rank, making a pair.

A hold'em starting hand with two cards of the same rank, making a pair.

To put in a blind bet, generally required when you first sit down in a cardroom game. You may also be required to post a blind if you change seats at the table in a way that moves you away from the blinds. Example: a player leaves one seat at a table and takes another in such a way that he moves farther from the blinds. He is required to post an extra blind to receive a hand. See also "extra blind."

A version of poker in which a player may bet up to the amount of money in the pot whenever it is his turn to act.

A version of poker in which a player may bet up to the amount of money in the pot whenever it is his turn to act.

The amount of money in the pot compared to the amount you must put in the pot to continue playing. For example, suppose there is $60 in the pot. Somebody bets $6, so the pot now contains $66. It costs you $6 to call, so your pot odds are 11:1. If your chance of having the best hand is at least 1 out of 12, you should call. Pot odds also apply to draws.

The pot odds you are getting for a draw or call.

A flop that contains three different suits, thus no flush can be made on the turn. Can also mean a complete five card board that has no more than two of any suit, thus no flush is possible.

To increase the amount of the current bet.

An amount of money taken out of every pot by the dealer. This is the cardroom's income.

The numerical value of a card.

To play as if you hold a certain hand. For instance, if you raised before the flop, and then raised again when the flop came ace high, you would be representing at least an ace with a good kicker.

Single table game where all bets are made directly from a player's stack and not put into a prize pool and divided at the end as in a tournament. It's every hand for itself. Players can join and enter these games as they please. Sometimes referred to as a cash game.

The fifth and final community card, put out face up, by itself. Also known as "fifth street."

The fifth and final community card, put out face up, by itself. Also known as "fifth street."

A player who plays very tight, not very creatively. He raises only with the best hands. A real rock is fairly predictable: if he raises you on the end, you can throw away just about anything but the nuts.

A card that may well turn the best hand into trash. If you have 10 ♣-8♣ and the flop comes Q♦-J♦-9 ♠, you almost assuredly have the best hand. However, a turn card of 10 ♦would be very scary because it would almost guar-antee that you are now beaten.

A card that may well turn the best hand into trash. If you have 10 ♣-8♣ and the flop comes Q♦-J♦-9 ♠, you almost assuredly have the best hand. However, a turn card of 10 ♦would be very scary because it would almost guar-antee that you are now beaten.

A card that may well turn the best hand into trash. If you have 10 ♣-8♣ and the flop comes Q♦-J♦-9 ♠, you almost assuredly have the best hand. However, a turn card of 10 ♦would be very scary because it would almost guar-antee that you are now beaten.

A pair with the second highest card on the flop. If you have A ♠-10♠, and the flop comes K♦-10♥-6 ♣, you have flopped second pair.

A pair with the second highest card on the flop. If you have A ♠-10♠, and the flop comes K♦-10♥-6 ♣, you have flopped second pair.

As in "sell a hand." In a spread-limit game, this means betting less than the maximum when you have a very strong hand, hoping players will call whereas they would not have called a maximum bet.

An effective concept. It is a bet or raise that you hope will not be called, but you have some outs if it is. A semi-bluff may be correct when betting for value is not correct, a pure bluff is not correct, but the combination of the two may be a positive expectation play. Example: you have K♠-Q♠, and the flop is 10♥-5 ♠-J♣. If you bet now, it's a semi-bluff. You probably don't have the best hand, and you'd like to see your opponents fold immediately. Nevertheless, if you do get callers, you could still improve to the best hand.

Three of a kind when you have two of the rank in your hand, and there is one on the board.

A number of chips that is not very many compared to the other players at the table.

The point at which all players remaining in the hand turn their cards over and determine who has the best hand. Of course, if a final bet or raise is not called, there is no showdown.

A pot created in which a player has no interest because he has run out of chips. Example: John bets $6, Sam calls the $6, and Jill calls, but he has only $2 left. An $8 side pot is created that either John or Sam can win, but not Jill. Jill, however, can still win all the money in the original or "center" pot.

To play a strong hand weakly so more players will stay in the pot.

The smaller of two blind bets typically used in a hold'em game. Normally, the small blind is one-third to two-thirds of a first round bet.

Smooth call often implies slow playing a strong hand. Example: "I flopped the nut flush but just smooth called when the guy in front of me bet - I didn't want to scare anybody out."

A pot that is shared by two or more players because they have equivalent hands.

A two pair hand in which one of each of your cards' ranks appears on the board as well. Example: you have 10-9, the flop is 10-9-5, you have a split two pair.

An optional extra blind bet, typically made by the player one to the left of the big blind, equal to twice the big blind. This is effectively a raise, and forces any player who wants to play to pay two bets. Furthermore, the straddler acts last before the flop, and may "re-raise."

A bet (more typically a raise) in which a player doesn't get all the chips required for the raise into the pot in one motion. Unless he verbally declared the raise, he can be forced to withdraw it and just call. This prevents the unethical play of putting out enough chips to call, seeing what effect that had, and then possibly raising.

Used to apply to a certain betting structure in poker games. The typical definition of a structured hold'em game is a fixed amount for bets and raises before the flop and on the flop, and then twice that amount on the turn and river. Example: a $2-$4 structured hold'em game: bets and raises of $2 before the flop and on the flop; $4 bets and raises on the turn and river.

A clue or hint that a player unknowingly gives about the strength of his hand, his next action, etc.

To play wildly or recklessly. A player is said to be "on tilt" if he is not playing his best, playing too many hands, trying wild bluffs, raising with bad hands, etc.

(1) A request by a player to suspend play while he decides what he's going to do. If a player doesn't request time and there is a substantial amount of action behind him, the dealer may rule that the player has folded.

A small amount of money (typically $.50 or $1.00) given to the dealer by the winner of a pot. Quite often, tokes represent the great majority of a dealer's income.

Two pair, with your two hole cards pairing the highest and lowest cards on the board.

A pair with the highest card on the flop. If you have A♠-Q♠, and the flop comes Q♦-10♥-6 ♣, you have flopped top pair. See "second pair."

A pair with the highest card on the flop. If you have A♠-Q♠, and the flop comes Q♦-10♥-6 ♣, you have flopped top pair. See "second pair."

A pair with the highest card on the flop. If you have A♠-Q♠, and the flop comes Q♦-10♥-6 ♣, you have flopped top pair. See "second pair."

The highest possible trips. Example: you have 10♣-10♠, and the flop comes 10♦-8♣-9 ♥. You have flopped top set.

Two pair, with your two hole cards pairing the two highest cards on the board.

An elimination contest to define a winner.

Three of a kind.

The position of the player who acts first on a betting round. For instance, if you are one to the left of the big blind, you are under the gun before the flop.

The position of the player who acts first on a betting round. For instance, if you are one to the left of the big blind, you are under the gun before the flop.

The position of the player who acts first on a betting round. For instance, if you are one to the left of the big blind, you are under the gun before the flop.