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Ante |
A bet contributed by each player before the cards are dealt. Hold’em doesn’t usually have the traditional type of ante. Instead, it uses "blinds" begin a pot. (See Blinds.) The major exception to the no-ante format typically takes place in the late stages of tournaments.
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All-In |
In the old days, when poker flourished in the American West, if a player didn’t have enough money to call a wager, he could be eliminated from the pot with no chance of winning, no matter how good his hand was. (This is the scenario that brought about the phrase, “Bet the farm,” which meant a player who had no more cash could put up the deed to his property in lieu of money.) Today’s poker games allow a player to put all the chips remaining in his stack into the pot while betting or calling. But he can’t go into his vest pocket for a deed or his jacket pocket for more money. Instead, the dealer creates a new pot for the players who still have money and want to bet their hands. If the player who is “all-in” has the best hand at the end, he wins the pot he has invested in.
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Backdoor |
As the name implies, you come into a good hand through the backdoor, not the main door. In other words, you might be holding Ah 3h. On the flop you get one spade and perhaps a card to pair your ace or trey, which gives you a nice draw. And when you make the flush, you’ve made it through the backdoor .
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Bad Beat |
You’d think this term would be self explanatory—you have a good hand and somebody stays in the pot with a hand that has less value and eventually completes his hand to beat you. That’s the true definition, but in poker, people often use the term to describe any episode where they’ve lost a hand, regardless of their own strength.
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Bankroll |
The total amount of money you’re willing to commit to an effort, in this case poker. This may be divided into session bankrolls or the amount of money you’re willing to commit to one particular sitting.
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Bicycle |
A straight from ace to five, also called a wheel.
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Big Blind
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The bigger of the two forced wagers in a hold’em game.
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Blank
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A community card that is no help to your hand. Also called a brick.
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Blind |
A forced wager (put in by one or more players before any cards are dealt. This is supposed to stimulate action. Typically, blinds are put in by players immediately to the left of the button.
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Bluff
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Betting or raising when you have a mediocre or weak hand, hoping everyone else will fold.
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Board
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The five community cards in a hold'em game -- the flop, turn, and river cards.
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Bottom Pair |
Pairing the lowest card on flop. If you have Ah-4h, and the flop comes Jd-Qh-4c, you have flopped bottom pair—the fours.
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Brick |
A community card that is no help to your hand. Also called a blank.
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Button
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 A white disk used to indicate the theoretical dealer in
hold’em. This is the method used to make sure everyone puts in the blinds in a specified rotation. Also used to refer to the player who is on the button. We
sell Dealer buttons.
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Buy (the pot) |
To bluff, hoping to win the pot without being called.
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Buy (the button) |
To bet or raise, hoping players between you and the button will fold, allowing you to act last on subsequent betting rounds.
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Calling Station
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A weak or passive player who calls a lot, but doesn't bet, raise or fold much. This is the kind of player you like to have in your game – as long as his luck doesn’t jump up and bite you. |
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Cap
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Putting the last allowed raise into the pot on a betting round. In most online games this is typically the third or fourth raise.
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Case |
The last card of a certain rank in the deck. For example, you might have a pair of aces and your opponent has an ace. The next ace to come out (the last one unless it’s a crooked deck) is the case ace.
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Check (verb) |
The opposite of bet. Opting to pass on betting. When you check, you can still call (or raise) another player’s wager.
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Check (noun) |
A negotiable icon used in games of chance. Checks are used in blackjack, poker, craps, and other games. They have a set value. Chips, on the other hand, do not have a specific value. More often than not, however, the term chip is being used instead of check.
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Check Raise
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To check and then raise when a later player bets. Check-raising is an important poker poker move. It is useful in low-limit hold'em where you need extra strength to narrow the field when you have the best hand. (Beware of the check raise in games where nobody folds. See Bad Beat.)
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Cold Call |
To call a bet and a raise for your first wager. |
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Community Cards |
The cards in the center of the table that can be used by all players … they are the flop, the turn and the river. (Also known as the Board)>
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Connector |
Two cards consecutive in rank. Connectors can be suited (4H-5H) or unsuited (4H-5C)
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| Crack |
To beat a hand, typically used to emphasize a bad beat. “I had pocket kings, flopped a set and got
cracked!" |
