Aces Full:

A full house consisting of three Aces and another pair.

Ace High:

A hand that contains one Ace and no pairs, straights or flushes.

Aces Up:

Two pair with one pair of Aces.

Action:

• A fold, check, call, bet, or raise.
• Many bets and raises in a round ("lots of action"). For example, if a third club hits the board and there is a lot of action, you may assume that somebody made the flush.

Aggressive Player:

A player who is prone to raise rather than bet.

All-In:

When you put all of your playable money and chips into the pot during the course of a hand, you are said to be all-in.

American Airlines:

Two aces in the hole.

Ante:

A prescribed amount, usually small, posted by all players before the start of a hand. An ante is not part of the player's bet.

Away from the Table:

In a tournament game, you are not allowed to leave or sit-out. Rather you may be "away from the table." When you are away from a tournament table, you will be dealt into every hand and pay blinds and / or antes normally, but you will be immediately folded when there is a raise before the flop or a bet after the flop. If you lose your Internet connection in the middle of a tournament, you will automatically be placed into "Away from the Table" mode.

Back Door:

Using both the turn and river card to complete a drawing hand such as a flush or a straight.

Bad Beat:

To be heavily favored at one point in the hand only to be out drawn by a low probability hit by an opponent.

Belly Buster:

A draw to an inside straight.

Bet:

The act of placing a wager in turn into the pot on any betting round, or the chips put into the pot. A bet is typically used to describe the first wager in a given betting round.

Bet the Pot:

In Pot Limit games this is the maximum bet or raise size allowed. In the case of an opening bet, the maximum is equal to the size of the pot. In the case of a raise, the maximum size of the raise is equal to the size of the pot plus the amount put in by previous bettors, plus the amount of your call.

Bicycle:

A low straight consisting of A-2-3-4-5. This is a "5 high" straight, as the ace is considered low. Also known as a Wheel.

Big Blind:

The largest regular blind bet in a game. In a fixed limit game, the big blind is normally equal in size to the small bet limit.

Big Slick:

A suited or unsuited Ace and King in the hole.

Blank:

A board card that doesn't seem to have helped anyone improve his or her hand.

Blind Bet:

A required bet made before any cards are dealt.

Blind Game:

A game that utilizes a Blind Bet.

Board:

All the community cards in the center of the table which are shared by all players.

Board Card:

A community card in the center of the table that is shared by all the players.

Boat:

Another name for a Full House.

Bot:

A non-human player, typically a program with a form of artificial intelligence to make poker decisions. We prohibit the use of 'bots at Toyota of Bowie , and actively search for accounts suspected of employing them.

Bottom Pair:

In Texas Hold 'em a pair made with one hole card and the lowest card on the board.

Broadway:

An ace high straight. A-K-Q-J-T

Bullets:

A pair of Aces in the hole.

Bump:

Another name for Raise.

Button:

The player who is in the designated dealer position. Also known as the Dealer Button. The button has positional advantage over other players as he or she is normally the last in a given betting round.

Button Games:

Games in which a Dealer Button is used.

Buy-In:

In a ring game, the minimum amount of money required for table stakes at a game. In a tournament, the sum of the Tournament Fee and Entry Fee.

Buying a Free Card:

A common strategy used primarily in limit games where one with a drawing hand in late position and with several players already in the pot will raise in an attempt to cajole everyone to check on the turn where the betting limits are doubled (in the likely case his draw is missed). If successful and the turn is checked, then he gets to see the river card "for free" (even though, actually, it cost him an extra small bet on the flop.)

Buy the Pot:

An aggressive bet that makes all opponents fold.

Call:

The act of matching a prior bet.

Calling Station:

A passive player who frequently calls on mediocre hands (or even good hands) hoping that his may be the best or will improve to become the best.

Cards Speak:

The face value of a hand in a showdown is the true value of the hand, regardless of a verbal announcement.

Capped:

Describes the situation in limit poker in which the maximum number of raises on the betting round has been reached.

Check:

To waive the right to initiate the betting in a round, but to retain the right to act if another player initiates the betting.

Check-Raise:

To waive the right to bet until a bet has been made by an opponent, and then to increase the bet by at least an equal amount when it is your turn to act.

Client:

A term used for the software you load on your computer in order to play in our games.

Collusion:

A form of cheating whereby two or more players attempt to gain an unfair advantage by sharing information and, in it's worst form, by driving up the pot. We have extensive anti-collusion processes to detect collusion. Cheaters will be banned from our site.

Community Cards:

The cards dealt face up in the center of the table that can be used by all players to form their best hand in the games of Texas Hold'em and Omaha.

Complete the Bet:

To increase an incomplete all-in or forced bet to a full bet. See General Poker Rules:[General Poker Rules Offset : Betting and Raising ]

Connector:

In Texas Hold 'em or Omaha, two or more cards in the hole that are of sequential rank are considered connected (for example, 5-4).

Counterfeit:

When the board emulates your hand (typically two pair), and makes it less valuable. For example, if you played Q3 (out of the Big Blind one would hope) and the flop produces Q93 - you have a pretty good hand (two pair) against another strong Q (like A-Q) If the Turn brings the 9, however (Q-9-3-9), your opponent now has the same two pair you do only with a better kicker.

Dead Blind:

If you sit out of a ring game and miss both the big and small blind, you are required to wait until the big blind comes back around, or post both a big and small blind. The small blind in this case is Dead, as it is put into the pot and does not count towards calling a bet.

Dead Hand:

A hand that has no chance of improving to the best hand.

Dead Man's Hand:

Two pair of Aces and eights. This is the hand that Wild Bill Hickock was holding when Jack McCall shot him in the back. No one seems to know if he was holding the best hand.

Dead Money:

Chips that are taken into the center of the pot because they are not considered part of a particular player's bet. Typically a Dead Blind.

Dead Money:

A Bet, Call or Raise with a Dead Hand that has no hope of improving to the best hand.

Dealer Button:

A flat disk that indicates the player who represents the dealer position for that hand. Normally just called "The Button."

Dealer Position:

The best position in Blind games, the dealer position is last to act in all rounds past the flop.

Dominated Hand:

A hand that will usually lose to a better hand that someone else will usually play. For example, a KQ is dominated by AQ.

Double Belly Buster

A double inside straight draw. For example, a player holds a Texas Hold 'em hand of 79 with a flop of 58J draws 8 outs - 6's and T's for a straight.

Down Cards:

Cards that are dealt face down to each player. Also known as Hole Cards.

Drawing Dead:

A player drawing to make a hand that would still be beaten. There is no combination of cards that could be drawn that would beat the opponent.

Drawing Hand:

A hand that needs to improve to win. Typically draws are made to straights or flushes, sometimes to over-cards on the flop.

Early, Early position

A position on a round of betting where most of the players will act behind that position.

Face Card:

A king, queen or jack.

Fifth Street :

In Texas Hold 'em or Omaha, it is the last board card after the Flop and Turn (the fifth board card - also known as the River.) In Seven Card Stud, this is the third up card (the player's fifth card).

Fixed Limit:

A betting structure in which the amount of the bet or raise on each particular round is a fixed value. One can not arbitrarily bet more or less.

Flop:

In Texas Hold 'em or Omaha, the first three community cards that are turned over simultaneously after the first round of betting is complete.

Flush:

A poker hand consisting of five cards of the same suit.

Fold:

To throw a hand away and relinquish all interest in a pot.

Four of a Kind:

Four cards of the same rank.

Fourth Street :

In Texas Hold 'em or Omaha, it is the first board card after the Flop (the fourth board card - also known as the Turn.) In Seven Card Stud this is the second up-card (the player's fourth card).

Freeroll:

A tournament where the house ponies up the tournament pot. There is no cost to the entrants.

Full House:

A hand consisting of three of a kind AND a pair.

Gutshot:

Needing a card of one rank to fill an inside straight.

Hand:

• All of a player's personal, or hole cards.
• The five best cards out of a set that determines the poker ranking.
• A single poker deal, from start to finish.

Heads-Up:

A game consisting of only two players.

Hole Cards:

The personal cards dealt face down to a player.

Implied Odds:

Usually used in context of a drawing hand, the rate of return of the money required to go into the pot. Implied odds require knowledge of the current pot odds, and reasonable guesses as to what opposing players will do later in this round or in subsequent rounds.

Inside Straight:

A term used when only cards of a single rank will complete a straight. A couple of examples are 3-4-6-7, or A-K-Q-J.

Kicker:

The highest unpaired card that helps determine the value of a five-card poker hand.

Late Position:

When it is time for a late position player to act, most of his or her opponents have already acted, giving the late position player additional information and an advantage.

Limper:

Normally associated with pre-flop activity, a caller of a single bet.

Live Blind:

A blind bet that counts as a bet and gives the player the option of raising when it is his or her turn to act.

Live Cards:

Usually referred to in Stud Games, any cards that have not yet been seen are considered Live.

Loose Player:

A player who plays a lot of hands.

Main Pot:

The initial pot of money accumulated during the playing of a hand. If a player goes all-in, additional side pots are created for the remaining action. The all-in player can potentially win money only in the main pot.

Maniac:

A player who is extremely loose and aggressive - betting, raising and bluffing often. A maniac can be dangerous as it is difficult to put him on a hand.

Middle Pair:

In flop games, when a player makes a pair by combining one of his hole cards with the card of middle rank on the flop.

Middle Position:

A position with roughly the same number of players to act both before and after one's position.

Missed Blind:

A required bet that is not posted when it is your turn to do so. In general, to sit back into the game, a missed blind must be paid out of turn or you must wait for the opportunity to pay the big blind in normal position.

Monster:

A hand that is not only great, but also not really vulnerable.

Muck:

To discard a hand.

No-limit:

A betting structure where players are allowed to wager any or all of their chips in one bet. See No-Limit Betting Rules.:[General Poker Rules Offset : No Limit and Pot Limit Rules]

Nuts:

To have the best possible hand at that point in time.

Offsuit:

A Texas Hold 'Em hand where the hole cards suit don't match.

On the Button:

The position represented by the dealer.

Open-Ended Straight

A drawing hand where one has four cards of consecutive rank, requiring a card at either end to complete a straight.

Open Pair:

A pair that is face up for all to see. May be in the community cards or in a player's hand in Stud games.

Over Card:

In Texas Hold 'em and Omaha, a card in the hole that is greater in rank than all the cards on the board.

Over Pair:

In Texas Hold 'em and Omaha, a pair in the hole that is greater than the rank of any card on the board.

Out:

A card that you need in order to improve your hand. The number of outs is the number of Live cards that will make your hand. If you hold a four flush, and all of the remaining flush cards are live, you have 9 outs - one for each flush card remaining to be dealt.

Paint:

Normally refers to the face cards King Queen or Jack.

Pair:

Two cards of the same rank.

Play the Board:

Using all five community cards for your hand in Texas Hold 'em.

Pocket Cards:

A player's hole cards.

Post:

To put in a Blind Bet.

Position:

The relation of a player's seat to the blind or the button which also dictates the order of acting on a betting round or deal.

Pot:

The total amount of chips in play during a hand.

Pot-Limit

The betting structure of a game in which you are allowed to bet up the amount of the pot. See Pot Limit Betting Rules.:[General Poker Rules Offset : No Limit and Pot Limit Rules]

Pot-Odds

The amount of money in the pot compared to the amount of money one must put in to call a bet. If the pot is 10 times bigger than the bet, then the pot odds are 10 to 1. See Implied Pot Odds.

Prop Player:

A player employed by the house to play. Used to start new poker games and keep the action going. A prop player risks his own money during poker play, but typically is paid an hourly rate as well.

Quads:

Four of a Kind. Four cards of the same ranking.

Rags:

Board cards that are low in rank.

Rainbow:

When all three cards of a flop differ in suits.

Raise:

To increase the amount of a previous wager. This increase must meet certain specifications, depending on the game, to reopen the betting and count toward a limit on the number of raises allowed. See our General Poker Rules.[General Poker Rules]

Rake:

A small amount taken out of each pot to pay the house.

Rank:

The numeric value of a card. For example, 2 or Queen.

Rebuy:

To buy additional chips during a tournament.

Reraise:

To raise someone else's raise.

Ring Game:

A normal poker game where players may come and go as they please, and the object is to win chips or money over time.

River:

The fifth community card in Texas Hold 'em and Omaha.

Runner Runner:

A phrase to describe a draw that was made by hitting two needed cards in a row.

Rock:

A tight player who only plays with high quality hands. If a rock bets, he probably has made a hand.

Rush:

A winning streak.

Sand Bagging:

Slow playing a strong hand to disguise the strength of the hand.

Satellite:

A tournament in which the winner(s) win an entry into a main tournament (or into a super-satellite).

Scare Card:

An up card that may have helped an opponent to catch a better hand than yours or that may scare an opponent into thinking that you caught a hand better than his.)

Semi Bluff:

A bluff at the pot with a hand that, if called, still has a chance to win if the player's draw is complete.

Set:

Three of a kind where two of the three are in the hole, thus disguising the strength of oneFs hand.

Side Pot:

A separate pot formed by the chips that are not winnable by a player who went all-in.

Shills:

Similar to prop players in that they are paid by the house. But a shill player plays with house money so is at no personal risk.

Short Handed:

A game with a smaller number of players. In Texas Hold 'em and Omaha short handed is generally considered 6 or fewer players.

Short Stack:

In tournament play, the person with the smallest stake at a table.

Showdown:

The final act of determining the winner of the pot after all betting has been completed.

Side Pot:

When a player goes all-in, he can only win a pot representing his opponent's money up to that point. He is not entitled to money put in by opponents in subsequent action and therefore, that money is put into a side pot. Multiple side pots can be created if multiple players go all-in on the same hand.

Sit & Go Tournament:

A poker tournament that, rather than having a fixed starting time, will have a fixed number of entrants. It starts immediately after this number of entrants has registered.

Slow Play:

The act of not playing aggressively with a strong hand in the hopes of leading more money into the pot, or allowing an additional card to give someone the second best hand.

Small Bet:

In a limit game this is the size of the small bet that is used in the first round(s) of betting. (See Big Bet.)

Small Blind:

In a game with multiple blind bets, the smallest blind. In a limit game, the size of the small blind is typically one-third, one-half or two-thirds the size of the big blind bet.

Split Pot:

A pot that is divided among players because of a tie for the best hand.

Stack:

Chips in front of a player. Also known as a players table stake.

Straight:

Five cards in consecutive rank. An Ace can be used High or Low, but can not be used to connect a King with a Deuce (ie. QKA23)

Straight Flush:

Five cards of the same suit in consecutive rank - the best hand type in poker. A royal straight flush is a straight flush from the ten to the ace and is the best hand in poker.

Street:

Cards dealt in a particular round. In Texas Hold 'em and Omaha, Fourth Street and Fifth Street represent the fourth and fifth community cards. In Seven Card Stud, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Streets represent the respective cards dealt to a player.

Table Stakes:

The amount of money a player has at the table. This is the maximum amount that the player can lose or that anyone can win from that player on any one hand. Players may only buy more chips between hands.

Tight:

A player who doesn't play many hands, and will fold often.

Tilt:

When a player begins to play poorly due to losing a key hand or having a bad session.

Tournament:

A poker competition where a number of players start at the same time, typically with the same number of chips. Players are knocked out when they run out of chips. The betting limits and blinds are periodically and continuously raised. The tournament ends when one player has won all of the chips.

Tournament Buy In:

The cost to enter a tournament.

Tournament Entry Fee: