Poker Glossary

A-Game

When a player is at the top of his game with skill, he is said to "have his A-game." Can be used as a noun or adjective.

Back Into

Completing a hand by using both of the final two cards that have been dealt.

Alternatively, this is a winning hand even though the player may have had horrible cards, and all of the other players have even worse hands.

Cage

Where the cashier sits in a casino or cardroom. Typically where one buys and sells their chips or cash.

Dead

A hand that is inactive or ineligible to win the pot because it was fouled or folded.

Early Position

Location near the beginning of the turn, among the first 1/3 of the table to take action.

False Cut

A trick where it looks like the deck has been cut but the cards that started off on top of the deck remain there.

Gardena Razz

Type of lowball game where winner of the previous hand must post the blind in the next game.

Half Kill

On a given number of hands, this is a 50% increase in the betting limit once certain requirements have been met.

Ideal Edge Odds

1:1 or 100% of edge odds.

Jackpot

The cash prize that is awarded to a player based on certain criteria. It is also used in 5 card draw games with jacks or better as the opener.

Kansas City

A hand that is not a straight or flush and lowest cards are 5-4-3-2. If playing Ace-to-Five lowball, this is the hand 2-3-4-5-7, with no flush.

Last Position

The final person who can take action in a round.

Main Pot

The pot where all eligible players have contributed to and thus are eligible to win.

No Cash Plays

A rule in table stakes games that requires players convert their cash into chips before play begins and will be accepted. Also known as No Money Plays

Odds Against

Ratio of negative to positive outcomes expected in the long term.

Packet

A portion or group of cards from the deck.

Quads

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

Rack

A tray used in landbased casinos that hold the chips and additional decks of cards. It can also refer to an amount of exactly 100 chips.

Sandbag

A strategy where the player will indicate that their hand is weaker than it really is, in the hopes that it will encourage the other players to bet aggressively.

Table Stakes

A system that limits players to wagering by not allowing any player to wager more chips than they have at the table, and purchase or remove chips in the middle of a hand. This allows a player to go all in rather than being forced to fold by another player who has higher wagers than the entire stack of money or coins a second player has.

Under the Gun

The position that is required to act first.

Verbal Declaration

In a high-low split game, instead of playing chip declare, this is when the player verbally declares which pot(s) they are competing for.

Wash

Also called a 'scramble', this is a technique to mix the deck together by placing them all face down in a pile, and then mixing them all together before stacking them into the deck formation again.

Zip or Zilch - High Value

Used in lowball games, this is the hand where the four lowest cards are the best possible cards that player could hold. Example: In Ace-to-Five lowball, the cards 8-4-3-2-A would be called an 'eight zip" or an 'eight zilch'.

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