Poker Glossary - Online Casino School - Onlinecasinoreports.com

Ace Hand

A poker hand that has no pairs can still win the game, depending on the high card it holds. An Ace Hand, which is a hand with no pairs and an Ace, beats all other hands with no high cards.

Active Player

In the game of poker, a player still in the game at a late stage after given the opportunity to fold, is referred to as an active player.

Ante

Some card games, such as poker, require an initial bet or token wager before the cards are dealt, called an ante, from the Latin word for "before".

Big Blind

Blind bets in poker, the forced bets pre-flop, are not all equal. While the person in the first position in the game places a Small Blind, a lesser amount, the player in the second position is forced a Big Blind, larger in size.

Blind Bet

A bet made in poker in which the player does not see any of the cards in his or her hand. It is also called a forced bet, taking place before cards are revealed, like an ante.

Blind bets are not all equal. The person in the first position in the game places a Small Blind, whereas the player in the second position is forced a Big Blind.

Bump

A betting term in Poker, meaning to raise, i.e. betting a sum higher than the previous bet that requires all players to match or raise it even more, or else forfeit the pot.

Buy-In

Poker tables start from certain sums, called Buy-ins, that are minimum amounts for the game's bets.

Also, the purchase of bingo card, according to the admission minimum, is referred to as a buy-in.

Call

A nonzero bet equal to the preceding bet that keeps the player in the race for the pot in a poker game.

Cash Game

A regular poker game, unlike a tournament, in which players play for money and can cash out at any point. Also known as Ring Game.

Check

A betting option in poker. To stay in the game of poker without placing a bet. A bet of zero, which keeps the player in the game.

Community Card Poker

This game includes a combination of personally dealt cards and shared cards, dealt face up, for all participating players to use in forming their hand. Famous variants of this game include Texas Hold'em and Omaha Hold'em.

Community Cards

Hold'em and Omaha Poker versions have shared community cards. The cards, placed face up in the middle of the table, are visible to and shared by all active players in the game.

Complete Hand

If all cards in your Poker hand form one strong combination - a straight, flush, full house, four of a kind or straight flush - it is called a complete hand.

Draw

When a player is missing one card to complete or improve a hand, the player is said to be on a draw. If one has a 9, 10, J, Q and a 5, the player will try to draw an 8 or a K. The draw is a tactic often used in poker games.

Draw Poker

A classic version of poker, with five cards dealt face down to players who have placed ante bets. After one round of bets, players may hold all original cards in the hand or discard 1 to 4 cards and have them replaced by cards from the deck. Then another round of bets takes place until the remaining players compare their hands for the highest ranking combination.

Fifth Street

In 7 card stud poker, the third round of betting in which players have five cards, is called Fifth Street.

Fill

To draw a card in poker that makes a five card hand.

Flop

The three cards dealt face up in the first stage of a poker game, namely in Texas Hold`em, are called the flop.

Fold

To surrender the hand in poker as well as any claim for the pot.

Four of a Kind

The second highest value poker hand, includes four cards of the same rank. This hand ranks by the value of the four cards (JJJJ2 beats a 55558).

Full House

A valuable poker hand that involves all five cards, with three cards of one rank and two of another. The three cards determine the hand's rank (99988 beats a 555AA).

Hand

Five cards held in your hand at one time in a poker game, before or after a mid-game deal, is called a hand.

High Card

In case no other hands are formed at the poker game, the highest value card in the hand is the high card, and the player with the highest High Card wins the pot.

Kicker

In case no straight or flush hand seems to form, the poker player may choose to hold on to an odd high card, perhaps an Ace or a King, for a possible advantage in the end of the game.

Low Poker

Also called lowball, a game of poker in which the lowest hand wins the pot. It is the opposite of High Poker.

Lowball

Also called low poker, a game of poker in which the lowest hand wins the pot.

Pass

When it comes to a player's turn, the player may pass, meaning fold and not place a bet.

Pat

A hand the needs no additional cards in Draw Poker is a Pat, as is a Blackjack hand that is worth 17 or higher, not exceeding 21.

Pocket Cards

The cards dealt face-down in poker.

Poker

A popular type of card game in which two or more players gamble on the value of the card combination they hold (their "hand") by placing bets into a central pot. The player with the highest hand value or the only player remaining wins the pot.

Poker, and online poker as well, have many variations, similar in basic rules, hand value hierarchy, etc.

Pot

The amount of money that accumulates in a poker game, which goes to the winner, is the pot.

Quads

A poker term for a hand of Four of a Kind.

Qualifier

A hand ranking minimum in poker that allows a player to take part in the pot.

Raise

Also called a bet, betting a sum higher than the previous bet that requires all players to match or raise it even more, or else forfeit the pot.

Ring Game

A regular poker game, unlike a tournament, in which players play for money and can cash out at any point. Also known as a Cash Game.

River

The name of the final card dealt to poker players to complete a hand.

Showdown

The conclusion of a poker game when active players show their cards and reveal the winner of the game and the pot.

Small Blind

Blind bets, the forced bets pre-flop, are not all equal. While the person in the first position in the game places a Small Blind, a lesser amount, the player in the second position is forced a Big Blind, larger in size.

Straight Flush

The highest value poker hand that includes five cards of the same suit in sequence. It is a rare hand, but in case two get it, the hand ranks by the top card. An ace through 10 of the same suit cards, an especially high combination, is called a royal flush.

Stud Poker

In this variation of poker, each player is dealt a face up card and a face down card, which only the player may look at. The one with the highest value face up card starts the betting round. Then another card is dealt face up, with a betting round following, and again until each player has four cards showing and one face down. The highest five card hand wins in the end.

Tournament

A multi-player competition for a set duration of time. Tournament rules often vary considerably from regular play.

Poker tournaments, for example, are such a multi-player setting, in which only one player walks away with any chips, though other top finishers may be compensated with prizes. No cashing out is allowed in the middle of the game and the chips are good only for the tournament, not for any other casino games.