Poker Dealer Glossary

A

Action

A verbal statement or gesture on intention to make a bet or call or fold

All-In

A player puts all of their money in the pot thus becoming "all-in"

Ante

The amount put in by each player before the cards for the hand are dealt

B

Back Door

When the player completes a hand on the last two cards of the board

Bad Beat

A player with a superior hand loses to a player who draws to a hand with poor odds

Bet

When you put cheques into the pot as a wager

Bet Blind

The player wagers without seeing the cards or prior to the next card distribution

Big Blind

The second or larger blind wager in a board game such as Hold'em

Blind

A required bet made before any cards are dealt

Blind Game

A game which utilizes a blind

Board

The community cards in a flop game

Box

N - The place the dealer sits

V - The procedure of stripping the deck between shuffles

Boxed Card

A face up card in the deck

Bring In

First low card dealt in stud that starts the betting action

Broadway

Ace high straight or; ten, jack, queen, king, ace.

Brush

An employee that acts as a greeter to the poker room, assists in seating players, keeps the room clean and maintains the wait list

Button Games

Games in which a dealer button is used

Buy-In

The minimum amount of money required to enter any game

C

Call

When a player calls it means to match the bet of another player

Capped

Maximum dollar amount or the maximum number raises have been met

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

Cheque

A poker chip with a fixed monetary value

Chip

Also referred to as a cheque

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

Collection (Time)

The fee charged in a game (taken either out of the pot or from each player)

Color Change / Color Up

A request to change the chips from one denomination to another

Common Card

A card dealt face-up to be used by all players at the showdown in the games of stud poker whenever there are insufficient cards left in the deck to deal each player a card individually

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 holdem and Omaha

Completing the bet

To increase an all-in bet or forced bet to a full bet in limit poker

Cut

The act of separating the deck of cards in two equal halves

Cut Card

Another term for the card used to shield the bottom of the deck

D

Dead Card

A card that is not legally playable

Dead Hand

This is when something is not proper and no pot may be won

Dead Man's Hand

This is named for the hand held by Wild Bill Hickock when he was shot to death. The hand was two pairs: Aces and Eights

Dead Money

Chips that are taken into the center of the pot because they are not considered part of a particular players bet

Dead Spread

The dealer is sitting at a game ready table that is empty

Deal

To give each player cards, or put cards on the board. As used in these rules, each deal refers to the entire process from the shuffling and dealing of cards until the pot is awarded to the winner

Dealer Button

A flat disk that indicates the player who would be in the dealing position for that hand (if there were not a house dealer). Normally just called the button

Deal Twice

When there is no more betting, agreeing to have the rest of the cards to come determine only half the pot, removing those cards, and dealing again for the other half of the pot

Deuce

A playing card that is a two is also called a deuce

Discard

The cards surrendered and placed in the muck when a player folds the hand

Door Card

The third card dealt in a stud game

Down Cards

Cards that are dealt face-down in a stud game

Drop Box

The locked box under the table that holds the house cut

E

Eight or Better

A qualifier requiring a low hand to have five cards that are eight or lower without a pair

Eighty-Six

To remove a player from the casino for something improper

F

Face Card

A king, queen, or jack

Fifth Street

The fifth card dealt in Seven Card Stud

Fixed Limit

In limit poker, any betting structure in which the amount of the bet on each particular round is pre-set

Flashed Card

A card that is partially exposed

Floor Person

A casino employee who seats players and makes decisions

Flop

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

Flush

A poker hand consisting of five cards of the same suit

Fold

To concede or surrender a hand

Fourth Street

The second up-card in seven-card stud or the first boardcard after the flop in holdem (also called the turn card)

Fouled Hand

A dead hand

Forced Bet

A required wager to start the action on the first betting round (the normal way action begins in a stud game)

Free-Roll

A chance to win something at no risk or cost

Free Card/Ride

When all the players have checked in the current round of betting

Freeze Out

A table stakes game where all of the buy ins are equal. This is usually used in tournament play

Full Buy

A buy-in of at least the minimum amount required to participate in the game

Full House

A hand consisting of three of a kind and a pair

H

Hand

• All a players personal cards
• The five cards determining the poker ranking
• A single poker deal

Heads Up

When there are only two players left that are in contention for the pot

High/Low Poker

A poker game in which the pot is split between the best high hand and the best low hand. In most games the low hand must qualify with eight or better

Hole

The cards dealt down to a player and not exposed until the showdown

House Cut

The percentage taken for the house from each pot. The amount is regulated by the gaming commission (Also known as the Rake)

House Rules

Regulations set by each gaming establishment and according to the gaming commission

I

Impress Bank

A table bank or poker room bank where an exact amount is constant

Inside Straight (Draw)

A possible straight needing a card in the middle of the sequence rather than on either end

Insurance

A side agreement when someone is all-in for a player in a pot to put up money that guarantees a payoff of a set amount in case the opponent wins the pot

J

Jam the Pot

Bets or raises are made that create action in a dead game

Joker

A card used in some games to represent the best card not already in the hand

K

Kicker

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

Kill Button

A button placed into a pot, when certain conditions are met, to raise the limit of the next hand

Kill Pot

A pot with a forced kill by the winner of the two previous pots, or the winner of an entire pot of sufficient size in a high-low split game (Some pots can be voluntarily killed)

Knock

The player knocks, using a "rapping" gesture to express a "check"

L

Lammer

Colored discs used as a receipt when there is an exchange of currency needed to replenish the dealer's bank

Lay Down

The player concedes, surrenders, folds a hand

Leg Up

Being in a situation equivalent to having won the previous pot, and thus liable to have to kill the following pot if you win the current pot

Limit Stakes

The amount a player is allowed to wager in a game

Limp (In)

A player with a strong hand makes small bets or calls to hide the strength of the hand

Lineup

The players in a poker game

Little Blind

The smaller blind posted by the first player after the dealer button in games such as Hold'em

Live Blind

When the blind is given the option to raise after all other players have acted but not raised

Live Hand

A hand that is still in contention for the pot

List

The ordered roster of players waiting for a game

Lock

The best possible hand (The Nuts)

Lock Up

A chip marker that holds a seat for a player

Lowball

A draw game where the lowest hand wins

Lowcard

At seven-card stud, the lowest door-card, which is required to bet

M

Main Pot

The pot formed from the initial betting round

Maximum Bet

The most a player is allowed to bet for each betting round

Minimum Bet

The least a player is allowed to bet for each betting round

Miscall

An incorrect verbal declaration of the ranking of a hand

Misdeal

A situation that requires all of the cards be returned to the dealer for a redeal

Missed Blind

A blind that must be made up upon a players return to the game

Muck

• The pile of cards that have been discarded or folded
• Once a player's cards touch the muck that hand is dead
• To discard a hand

Must-Move Table

In order to protect the main game, a situation where the players of a second game must move into the first game as openings occur

N

No-Limit

A game with no maximum bet

Nuts

The best possible hand

Nut Player

A player who only plays strong hands

O

One to Five Game

A game in which the minimum bet is one dollar and the maximum bet is five dollars "Spread Limit"

Open

To start the action in a game; to make the initial bet

Openers

The player who begins the round of betting

Open Card

A card dealt face up

Open Pair

In Stud games, a pair that is exposed

Option

A word used in Hold'em games when a player posting a blind gets the opportunity to raise after all player have acted but not raised

Out

N - A card that a player can catch to make the winning hand; V - Surrendering or folding a hand

Over Pair

Two cards of the same rank, in the hole, which are higher than the exposed pair

P

Paint

Face cards: Jacks, Queens, Kings

Pass

Used the same as check, most commonly when a player folds

Pat

Not drawing any cards in a draw game

Payoff

Calling a player at the end of a hand knowing their hand is beaten

Perfect

In low poker games a hand consisting of ace, deuce, three four and another card.

Play Behind

Have chips in play that are not in front of you (allowed only when waiting for chips that are already purchased). This differs from table stakes

Play the Board

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

Play Over

To play in a seat when the occupant is absent

Playover Box

A clear plastic box used to cover and protect the chips of an absent player when someone plays over that seat

Position

• The relation of a players seat to the blinds or the button
• The order of acting on a betting round or deal

Pot-Limit

The betting structure of a game in which you are allowed to bet up to the amount of the pot

Pot

An area in the center of the table where bets are placed the pot

Pot Odds

The odds offered by the pot in return for a bet the pot

Potting Out

Agreeing with another player to take money out of a pot

Power

The highest exposed hand in Stud

Press

To increase the size of the last wager or to push a mediocre hand in an attempt to win the pot

Protected Hand

A hand of cards that the player is physically holding, or has topped with a chip or some other object to prevent a fouled hand

Pump

To raise the bet

Push

When a new dealer replaces an existing dealer at a particular table

Q

Quadruplets (Quads)

Four of a kind

R

Rack

• A container in which chips are stored while being transported
• A tray in front of the dealer, used to hold the poker table bank

Raise

To increase the size of the previous bet

Rake

The amount of money taken in as the house percentage

Rank

The face value or the number of an individual card. Each suit has 13 ranks consisting of 10 numerals (running from Ace (1) to 10) and three face cards (Jack, Queen and King). 5, 7, K are examples of a rank. A Jack of Clubs "ranks" higher than a 10 of Clubs

Re-raise

To raise someones raise

Ringer

A player who poses as a novice but who is actually an expert

River

The last card dealt in Stud or turned on the board in Hold'em

Roll the Deck

When the dealer turns the hand holding the deck over

Rolled Up

When the first three cards dealt to a player in Stud are of the same rank

S

Scoop

To win both the high and the low portions of a pot in a split-pot game

Scramble

Mixing or washing the cards face down on the table

Seat Position

The position of a player in clockwise order from the left of the dealer

Set

When a board card matches a players pair giving the player three of a kind

Set Over Set

When two players in Holdem match the paired hole cards with the board cards

Setup

Two new decks, each with different colored backs, to replace the current decks

Short Buy

A buy-in that is less than the required minimum buy-in

Show

expose the hole cards at the showdown

Showdown

When the winning hand is determined after the final betting round is completed

Shuffle

The four step process of mixing the cards. Shuffle = Scramble, Riffle, Riffle, Strip, Riffle and Cut

Side Pot

A pot that is created when one or more players have gone "all in"

Sixth Street

The sixth card dealt in Seven Card Stud

Small Blind

In a game with multiple blind bets, the smallest blind

Slow Play

A poker strategy of making small bets in order to trap opponents

Snap Off

In Hold'em when a player with a superior hand is beaten, usually on the river

Soft Game

A game with weak players and good action, normally easy money for a skilled player

Split Pot

A pot that is divided among players, either because of a tie for the best hand or by agreement prior to the showdown

Splitting Blinds

When no one else has entered the pot, an agreement between the big blind and small blind to each take back their blind bets instead of playing the deal (chopping)

Stack

Chips in front of a player

Stake

The amount of cash and cheques in view that a player may use on a poker table

Stay

To remain in contention for the pot by matching a bet or check

Steal (The Pot)

To win the pot by bluffing while holding a weak hand

Straddle

An optional blind bet directly after the big blind and usually twice the size of the big blind. A straddle is a live blind

Straight

Five cards in consecutive rank

Straight Flush

Five cards in consecutive rank of the same suit

Street

A single round of dealing or betting

String Raise

A wager made in more than one motion, without announcing a raise before going back to your stack for more chips (not allowed)

Stub

The portion of the deck which has not been dealt

Supervisor

A card room employee qualified to make rulings, such as a floorperson, shift supervisor, or the cardroom manager

Suit

There are four suits: Spades, Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs. Hearts and Diamonds are red suits. Clubs and Spades are black suits

T

Table Bank

The predetermined amount of money (cash and cheques) assigned to a table

Table Stakes

The maximum amount that can be wagered during a hand

Time Out

An expression used to stop the action on a hand. Equivalent to Hold it

Tell

A habit or repeated gesture a player has when holding certain hands

Third Street (Door Card)

In Stud the first upcard dealt to each player

Tight Player

A player who only plays strong hands

Time Collection

A method of taking the rake or house cut

Top Kicker

The highest ranking side card used in a five card hand

Top Pair

In Hold'em when a players hole card is paired with the highest ranking card on the board

Trey

Another name for a three

Trips

Three of a Kind

Turn Card

The fourth community card in hold'em or Omaha

Two Way Hand

In high low games a hand that could be played both high and low

U

Up Card

Cards that are dealt faceup for opponents to see in stud games

W

Wager

• To bet or raise
• The cheques used for betting or raising

Wash

To scramble the deck on the table

Wheel

A straight from ace to five. Also called a bicycle

Winning Hand

The best hand at the showdown