DrPhysic
09-23-2005, 06:52 PM
A (semi) Comprehensive Dictionary of Online Poker Terms and Abbreviations
There are several categories of words and abbreviations in this document:
Poker terms, eg:
Aces full
Freeze Out
Poker terms unique to or more used in online poker, eg:
TAG
Bonus whoring
Online communication terms and abbreviations from e-mail, IM, etc, eg:
TY
IMHO
Abbreviations of names of poker books listed with author (Note not all books are commonly referred to by abbreviations), eg:
TOP
SS/SS2
Names of 2 card starting hands, eg:
Dolly Parton
Route 66
Mathematical terms used in poker (very limited. this is not a math book), eg:
Std Dev
VP$IP
Poker term definitions intended only as humor.
Plagiarism
Toke, def 2
Names and descriptions of cardgames (kitchen table cardgames are largely ignored), eg:
California lowball
Omaha8
Poker Terms unique to B&M cardrooms (very limited, there are extensive B&M cardroom dictionaries online), eg:
Color up
String bet
I believe these are the most often used definitions of the words, terms, and abbreviations commonly used in the forums and in online poker. I make no apology for the political correctness of poker players or the poker vernacular. I also make no claim that the list of about 800 words is complete or that every one is 100% accurate, although most are. The members of the forum can correct, and add to this list as appropriate.
~$7
Approximately $7. [/b]
“Time”
An expression used to stop the action on a hand. Equivalent to “Hold it”, or “Time Out.”
+EV
Positive expected value.
2+2’er
Those that actively take part in the discussions on the 2+2 forums.
21C 7S
Seven Card Stud For Advanced Players 21st Century Edition, David Sklansky, Mason Malmuth, and Ray Zee.
21CHE
Hold'em For Advanced Players 21st Century Edition, David Sklansky and Mason Malmuth.
3-bet
The first reraise (putting 3 bets in).
7CSFAP
Seven Card Stud for Advanced Players, Ray Zee.
8-or-better
The requirement in high-low split games that the low half of the pot be awarded only to a hand that is 8-high or lower.
9To
Nine Ten offsuit.
A-B-C
Playing predictably, or by the book.
Absolute nuts
The best possible hand, based on the board cards. Sometimes simply called the nuts.
AC
Atlantic City.
According to Hoyle
With respect to the rules of poker: proper, that is, following the rules. Ref: The Rules of Games, Edmond Hoyle.
Ace high
In high poker a hand whose highest card is an ace, having no pair or higher hand.
Ace in the hole
In a stud game, having an ace as one's downcard or one of one's downcards.
Ace magnets
KK
Ace-high flush
A hand of 5 cards of one suit, one of which is the ace of that suit.
Ace-high straight
A hand of 5 consecutive values the highest of which is an ace.
Aces full
A full house consisting of three aces and a smaller pair.
Act
Make a poker play at the required time; bet, call, raise, or fold, as appropriate, in turn.
Action
A fold, check, call, bet, or raise.
The relative liveliness of a game, often measured by the frequency and quantity of bets and raises.
Active Player
A player still involved in a hand.
Add on
A last buy-in optionally permitted in a rebuy tournament, usually with no minimum chip requirement.
Advantage
See edge.
Advantage player
A thief or cheater, that is, someone who wins by taking an advantage.
Advertise
To show a hand for the purpose of misleading other players regarding your standards of play.
AFAICT
As far as I can tell.
AFAIK
As far as I know.
A-game
One's best game, in terms of the quality of one's play.
Aggie slick
23
Aggression factor
(bets made + raises made) / calls made may or may not include pre-flop action.
Aggressive action
A wager that could enable a player to win a pot without a showdown; a bet or raise.
Ainsworth
62
Ajax
AJ
AKQJT
Ace, King, Queen, Jack, Ten
Alabama night riders
KKK
All black
Having a spade or club flush. Also, all blue, all purple.
All blue
A flush containing either clubs or spades.
All blue (or all pink)
A flush.
All pink
A flush containing either diamonds or hearts.
All-In
To push all of your remaining chips into the pot.
American Airlines
AA
Angle
A maneuver, usually on the border between legality and illegality (but usually clearly unethical), to take unfair advantage of another player.
Angle shooter
A poker player who uses various underhanded, unfair methods to take advantage of inexperienced opponents.
Angling
Taking action or talking when it is not your turn in order to mislead your opponent. Some consider this to be cheating, others consider these tactics to be a part of the game.
Animal
Nickname for a player that is highly loose-aggressive. See Maniac.
Ante
A prescribed amount posted before the start of a hand by all players.
Aquarium
Place to find fish, as part of the phrase Don't tap on the aquarium (possibly attributable to Phil Gordon).
Arkansas flush
Four flush.
Assault rifle
Having A-K-4-7 as your hole cards in Omaha.
Ax
An ace with any second card.
Axs
An ace with a second card of the same suit.
AZ
Arizona.
B&M
Brick & Mortar ie: casino or card room, not online.
B/C
Bet and call a raise.
B/F
Bet and fold to a raise.
Baby
A low-ranked card, usually 2 through 5, in games other than lowball.
Bachelor hand
JKo
Back
Finance another player.
Back into
To make a hand that is different than the hand you were originally trying for.
Backdoor
A hand that requires help from both the turn and river in order to win. See: runner-runner.
Backer
Someone who finances another player.
Bad beat
To have a hand that is the clear mathematical favorite lose to a heavy underdog (especially if that hand should not have been involved in the pot).
Bad-beat story
A story told by someone who lost a pot, often a big one, in a bad beat. Usually no one but the teller is interested in hearing the story.
Bait
A small bet made to encourage a raise.
Bankroll
Money that is earmarked for poker.
Baskin-Robbins
3A
BB
Big blind or big bet depending on how it is used in context.
BB/100
# of big blinds won per 100 hands played.
BBL
Be back later.
Beatles reunion
AAA
Beer hand
72
Belly buster
Inside straight draw.
BET
The act of placing a wager in turn into the pot on any betting round.
The chips put into the pot.
BG
Backgammon.
Bicycle
In ace-to-five lowball, a 5-high straight. See: Wheel.
Big
$1000. "I lost six big" means "I lost $6000."
Big chick
In texas hold’em, an ace and a queen (suited or unsuited) as your hole cards.
Big Fritz
K2s
Big lick
69
Big slick
AK in texas hold'em.
Bitch
Q
Bite
Vigorish.
BJ
Black Jack (the game, not the cards).
Black
$100 chip.
Black maria
The queen of spades; sometimes called just Maria.
The ace of spades, particularly when associated with the game of high spade in the hole.
Blank
Any card that doesn't look like it's going to help anyone. See Rag.
Bleed
Win or lose a lot of money a little at a time.
Bleeding chips
Losing.
Blind game
A game which utilizes a blind.
Blind off
In a tournament, when a player pays the blinds, but is not playing.
Blocky
63
Bluff
A bet with a weak hand (typically a busted hand), usually intended to get other players to fold.
Board
A community card in the center of the table, as in hold’em or Omaha.
Boat
Full house.
BOHICA
An abbreviation for “Bend over, here it comes again.”
Bonus whoring
Taking advantage of deposit bonus offered by various poker sites.
Bookends
AT
Bottom pair
If there are three cards of different ranks on the flop in hold'em, and you pair the lowest one, you have middle pair.
Bounty
A reward given in a tournament to someone who meets certain criteria. often: knocking a certain person out of the tournament or winning with a certain hand.
Bowling hand
7T
BR
Bank roll, funds available for poker.
Brick
A blank card, especially in stud games.
Bring In
Forced bet by the lowest card on third street in 7 card stud.
Broadway
An ace-high straight.
Broderick Crawford
T4
Broken game
A game no longer in action.
Bubble
Finishing a tournament 1 position out of the money.
Bug
A joker, usually in five card draw or draw lowball.
Bullets
AA
Bully Johnson
35
Bump
To raise.
Bump It
To raise.
Buried
A buried pair is a pair in the hole in seven card stud.
Burn
Placing the top card of the deck into a separate pile, ensuring that it is not used. This is to help prevent cheating.
Burn card
The card removed from the deck on a burn. See burn.
Bust
To run out of money, especially in a tournament.
Bust out
To lose your buy in. See Bust.
Busted hand
A hand in poker without so much as a pair.
Button
The disk, position, or person that represents the dealer in a given hand, the last player to act preflop.
Buy in
The amount of money that is necessary to play a particular game.
Buy the button
Betting or raising in order to make any players between you and the button fold.
Buy the pot
To bluff bet or raise in order to win the pot.
BWDIK
But what do I know.
C/C
Check and call any bet.
C/F
Check and fold to any bet.
C/R
Check and raise after any bet.
Calamity Jane
Qs
California lowball
Ace-to-five lowball with a joker.
Calling station
A player who often checks or calls, but rarely bets or raises.
Cambodian slick
74o
Cap
The final raise in a given round allowed by the rules.
Capped
Describes the situation in limit poker in which the maximum number of raises on the betting round have been reached.
Cards speak
The face value of a hand in a showdown is the true value of the hand, regardless of a verbal announcement.
Case
The last card of a specific rank.
Catch
When the cards are treating you well, you are said to be catching cards.
CB Hand
T4
CC
Cha-Ching.
Change gears
Alter the pace of one's playing, usually as a deceptive move against the other players, as, for example, change from fast, aggressive play to a more conservative style.
Chase
To play a hand that is most likely worse than at least one other player. eg: to chase a flush.
Check
To pass without betting, retaining the right to act if another player bets.
Check behind
To check when it's been checked to you.
Check-raise
Checking when the action is originally to you, then raising once someone after you bets.
Chop
Splitting the pot.
CK
Check.
CO
Cut off, player one seat to the right of button.
Coffeehouse
To talk about a hand one is involved in, usually with the intent of misleading or manipulating other players, is coffeehousing. Marginally ethical.
Cold call
To call more than one bet at a time ie: calling a bet and a raise. Not the same as calling a bet, then calling a subsequent raise.
Collection
The fee charged in a game (taken either out of the pot or from each player). See vigorish.
Color change
A request (by the house) to change the chips from one denomination to another.
Color down
Exchanging chips for those of a lower denomination.
Color up
Exchanging chips for those of a higher denomination.
Columbia River
K7
Come hand
A drawing hand. Example: An open-ended straight is a come hand.
Complete the bet
When the small blind chooses to call by putting in the chips necessary to match the big blind.
Computer hand
Q7
Connectors
In hold 'em, two cards in sequence suited or unsuited, usually with reference to hole cards.
Cooler
Cold deck.
Counterfeit
When your hand loses value because a board card duplicates it, a board card gives others the same hand, or gives all a higher hand.
Covered
Having more chips than your opponent in a tournament.
Cowboys
KK
CP
Card Player.
Crabs
33
Crack
To beat a big hand.
Cripple (an opponent)
To win a critical hand in a tournament, leaving your opponent very short-stacked.
Cripple the deck
Your hand contains most or all of the beneficial cards that could be used in conjunction with the board.
Crying call
To call with no cards to come, while expecting to lose.
Curse of Scotland
9d
Cut
To divide the deck into two sections in such a manner as to change the order of the cards.
Cut-card
Another term for the bottom card.
Cutoff
The person to the right of the button.
Dames
QQ
Dark
Taking action, such as checking or betting, without seeing your hole cards.
Darth Vader
4s-4c 'the dark fours'.
Dead card
A card that is not legally playable.
Dead money
Money that has been put in the pot by people who are no longer in contention to win the pot.
Chips that are taken into the center of the pot because they are not considered part of a particular player’s bet.
Deal
To give each player cards, or put cards on the board.
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.”
Deck
A set of playing-cards. The deck consists of either 52 cards in 7 stud, hold'em, and Omaha, or 53 cards including the joker in ace-to-five lowball and draw high.
Declare
Declare games are games in which you must declare the value of your hand in order to claim the pot. A typical example is a high-low split game in which you must declare before showdown whether you are claiming the high, low, or both pots.
Deuce
2
Deuce to seven
In a game played for low, deuce to seven means that the best low hand is simply the worst poker hand. 75432 with no flush is the worst possible hand.
Devil
6666
Dinner for four
Pair of 6's & 9's.
Dinner for two
69
Discard
In a draw game, to throw cards out of your hand to make room for replacements.
Discards
In a draw game the card(s) thrown away; the muck.
Divorce
KQ
Dog
Underdog.
Dog balls
88
Dolly Parton
95
Dominated hand
A hand that contains 3 or fewer outs against another hand. AQ vs AK.
Donk
Loosely, a poor player. Often a "table coach".
Donkbet
Min raise, esp a minimum bet into a reasonable size pot.
Door card
The first card dealt face up to each player in seven card stud is the door card.
Double belly buster
Double inside straight draw 7,9,T,J,K.
Double through
In no-limit, double a small stack by beating someone with a large stack heads up.
Double up
In no-limit, double a small stack by beating someone with a large stack heads up.
Downcards
Cards that are dealt facedown in a stud game.
Doyle Brunson
Having T2 as your hole cards in hold'em (also known as a "Doyle Brunson"). Doyle Brunson won the WSOP on two occasions with these hole cards.
DP
Draw Poker.
Drag
Winning a pot.
Draw
The poker form where players are given the opportunity to replace cards in the hand. In some places like California, the word “draw” is used referring to draw high, and draw low is called “lowball.”
Drawing dead
To be involved in a hand that, even if you draw the cards necessary to make your hand, you will still lose.
Drawing hand
A hand which must be improved to win is a drawing hand. eg: 4 straight or 4 flush.
Drop
Fold.
Lose a given amount of money.
Ducks
22
Dump
To fold a hand.
Dykes
QQ
Edge
The advantage a good player has in a poker game.
eg
example.
EMP
Early middle position.
EP
Early position.
Equity
Your mathematical share of a pot, based on the amount in the pot and your chances of winning it.
EV
Expected value.
-EV
Negative expected value.
Face card
Any jack, queen, or king. Also called court card, paint, picture, picture card.
Family pot
A pot in which many players are involved in the hand.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions.
Fast
Used to describe playing a hand aggressively in order to try to win a pot without allowing others to draw out on you.
Favorite
The hand that is expected to win most often in a particular situation.
FE
Fold equity.
Felt
The surface of most poker tables is made of some sort of felt, or is in any case referred to as such.
FH
Full house
Fill up
To draw to and make a full house either from trips or two pair.
Fire
To bet or raise.
Fish
A poor poker player, relative to their competition, Live one, A very loose player.
Fishhooks
JJ
Five and dime
5T
Flash
To show one or more of your cards, usually when it is not required.
Flat call
To call one or more bets without raising, when you are quite sure that you have the best hand. See also smooth call.
Flat tire
J4
Floor
Shortened form of “Floor Person”; a casino employee who helps to seat players and makes rules decisions when a dispute arises.
Flop
In hold’em or Omaha, the three community cards that are turned simultaneously after the first round of betting is complete.
Flush
A hand in which all five cards share the same suit.
Forced bet
A mandatory bet. eg: the blinds in hold'em, forced bring-in bet by the low hand on third street in 7 card stud.
Also: a bet required by logic rather than rules.
Forest
3333
Four of a kind
Four cards of the same rank. Also called quads.
Fourflush
A hand with four cards of the same suit.
Fourth street
The second upcard in seven-card stud or the first boardcard after the flop in hold’em (also called the turn card).
FPP
Frequent Player Points. Points that are credited to your account when playing at Poker Stars.
FPS
Fancy Play Syndrome said to be attributable to B. Greenstein.
Fred & Ethel
JQ
Free card
Whenever you get to see an additional card without having to call a bet, it's a free card.
Free card play
Betting or raising in late position on the flop in the hopes that the other players will check to you on the turn, give you the option of seeing the river card for free.
Free ride
A street on which no one bets.
Free roll
Having a lock on half the pot, but also having a chance to win the whole pot.
A tournament which requires no cash entry fee.
A chance to win something at no risk or cost.
Freeze Out
A tournament that only ends when one person has won all of the tournament chips.
FT
Final table.
Full Tilt Poker.
FTOP
Fundamental Theorem Of Poker. From TOP, David Sklansky.
Full house
A hand consisting of three of a kind and a pair.
FW
Foxwoods Casino.
FWIW
For what it's worth.
FYP
Fixed your post.
Gay waiter
Q3 (a queen with a trey)
GC
Good call.
German virgin
99
GG
Good game.
GH
Good hand.
GJ
Good job.
GL
Good luck.
Gleek
Three of a kind.
Golf bag
Club flush.
Good buddy
T4
Goolsby
QT
Goot
Good.
Gorillas
KK
Gorillas in the Mist
KK
Grand jury
444
GrannyMae
A nickname for having Qs5s as your hole cards. This is credited to long-time 2+2 forum poster GrannyMae.
Green
$25 chip.
GSIH
Getting Started In Hold'em, Ed Miller.
GSSD
Gut shot straight draw.
GTBOI
Getting the Best of It, David Sklansky.
GTD
Guaranteed: $1m GTD would be a tournament where prize money of over $1m was guaranteed.
Gutshot
Inside straight draw.
Half kill (or half kill game)
A hand that is played for 1 1/2 times stakes based on the previous hand meeting certain criteria. Also see Kill.
Half kill button
A button that is placed in front of the player who is responsible for a Half Kill game.
Hand
All of a player’s personal cards.
The five cards determining the poker ranking.
A single poker deal.
Heads-up play
Only two players involved in play.
Heinz
57
Help
Someone who says they need help means they need their hand to improve in order to have a chance at the pot.
HEP
Hold'em Poker, David Sklansky.
Hero
When telling a poker story, the person who's point of view you are trying to represent.
HH
Hand history.
High-low split
In high-low split games, half the pot goes to the best hand (the high), half to the worst (the low).
Hilton sisters
QQ
Hit
When the flop cards are helpful to your hand.
Hit and run
A player who leaves the table shortly after scooping a big pot.
HJ
Hijack, player two seats to the right of button.
HL
High limit game.
HOH
Harrington on Hold'em, Dan Harrington.
HOHII
Harrington on Hold'em Vol II, Dan Harrington.
Hold up
When a hand that is leading manages to win the pot at showdown.
Hole
Your unique cards that are hidden from everyone else. See pocket.
Hooks
JJ
HORSE
A game that rotates through H - Holdem, O - Omaha hi/lo 8-or-better, R - Razz, S - Stud (hi only), E - Eight-or-better Stud hi/lo (all limit).
Hot
Doing well; catching good cards.
Hot deck
A deck that has recently produced a series of good hands.
House
The cardroom (management, owners, etc.) is the house.
HP
Hollywood Park.
HPFAP/HEPFAP
Hold'em Poker for Advanced Players, David Sklansky and Mason Malmuth.
HTH
Head To head, See Heads up.
HTML
High To middle limits.
HU
Heads up.
Huey, Dewey and Louie
222
Hunting season
A2
IANAL
I am not a lawyer.
Ice
A cold deck.
Idiot end
In hold 'em, the low end of a straight, or a straight that can lose to a higher straight.
IFYW
If you wish.
IGHN
I go home now.
Ignorant end
In hold 'em, the low end of a straight, or a straight that can lose to a higher straight.
IIRC
If I recall correctly.
Image
The perception that other people have of your playing style.
IMHO
In my humble opinion.
IMO
In my opinion.
Implied odds
Implied odds are similar to pot odds, but based on expectation of bets on future streets.
In the air
"Get the cards in the air": To begin dealing.
Inside straight
A straight that requires an one card to complete, as opposed to an open-ended straight. ie: TJKA.
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.
Isolate
To raise in the hopes of getting the hand heads up.
ITM
In the money.
IWTSTH
Abbreviation for "I want to see that hand", a rule that was designed to help prevent collusion amongst players. This rule is often abused by players who are simply looking for more information than they paid for.
Jack ass
JA
Jack Benny
39
Jackpot
An amount offered by a cardroom for a bad beat.
Jackson five
J5
Jam
Lots of action, especially raising.
JAT
Just a thought.
Jessie James
45
Jesus (Chris Ferguson)
A9o
Jimmy Summerfield
63o
Joe Bernstein
69
Joe Louis
AsAc
Johnny Moss
AT
Joker
The joker is a “partially wild card” in high draw poker and ace-to-five lowball. In high, it is used for aces, straights, and flushes. In lowball, the joker is the lowest unmatched rank in a hand.
Kansas City lowball
A form of draw poker low also known as deuce-to-seven, in which the best hand is 7-5-4-3-2 and straights and flushes count against you.
Katie
KT
Kicker
The highest unpaired card that helps determine the value of a five-card poker hand.
Kicks
66
Kill (or kill game)
A hand that is played for double-stakes based on the previous hand meeting certain criteria. Also see Half Kill.
Kill button
A button that is placed in front of the player who is responsible for a kill game.
King crab
K3
KJs
King Jack suited.
Knuckle
To check (as in knocking on the table).
Kojak
KJ
Kokomo
K8
Kotch
666
KOTZ
King of the Zoo - a 2+2 tournament series.
Ku Klux Klan
KKK
LA
Los Angeles.
Ladies
QQ
LAG
Loose aggressive.
LAP
Loose passive.
Lay down
To fold a hand.
LC
Low content.
Lead
Making the first bet in a round of betting.
Leak
A weakness in ones game which causes a usually consistent loss of money.
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. See Kill.
Limit (limit poker)
Limit poker is any game in which there is a fixed limit on how much you can bet or raise in any round.
Limp
To call pre-flop.
Liner
Any face card.
Little Oldsmobile
88
Live blind
A blind bet is considered a live blind if the player is allowed to raise even if no one else raises first. The big blind in Hold’em is a live blind.
Live game
A game that is played for actual stakes, as opposed to a tournament game. See ring game.
Live hand
A live hand is a hand that is still eligible to win the pot.
Live one
A very loose player, usually implying one who loses; a rich sucker. See Fish.
Live straddle
See Straddle.
LL
Low limit game.
LMAO
Laugh my a** off (available with numerous variations).
Lock
A lock is a hand guaranteed to win at least part of the pot.
LOL
Lots of luck, Laughing out loud, etc.
Long odds
A low probability of a certain thing happening.
Loose
Playing loose means playing more hands and holding on to them longer than statistical odds would recommend.
Low card
The lowest upcard at seven-card stud, which is required to bet.
Lowball
A draw game where the lowest hand wins.
Lowball (or draw lowball)
Five card draw played for low only (i.e., where the low hand wins the entire pot).
LP
Late position.
Loose passive player.
Lucifer
6666
Lucy & Ricky
KQ
Lumber yard
K8
Lumberman's hand
24
Machine gun
AK47
Mad Genius of Poker
Mike Caro
Magnum
44
Main pot
When there is a side pot, that part of the pot all of the players have action in.
Make
To complete a hand that has a shot at winning the pot.
Maniac
Nickname for a player that is loose-aggressive. See Animal.
Marry
To become too attached to a hand, usually seeing a showdown when it was clear that you should have folded earlier.
Maverick
QJ
Meh
like "eh"... not so great, but not terrible. Meant to display some level of indifference. Helps if you speak Yiddish.
MHIG
My hand is good.
MHING
My hand is no good.
Mid life crisis
44
Middle pair
If there are three cards of different ranks on the flop in hold'em, and you pair the middle one, you have middle pair.
Miscall
An incorrect verbal declaration of the ranking of a hand.
Misdeal
A mistake on the dealing of a hand which causes the cards to be reshuffled and a new hand to be dealt.
Miss
When the board cards are not helpful to your hand.
Missed blind
A required bet that is not posted when it is your turn to do so.
ML
Middle limit game.
MM
Mason Malmuth.
Mongrel
K9o
Monotone
A flop of all the same suit.
Monster
A superior hand that is unlikely to lose.
Montana banana
92
Mop squeezers
QQ
Moran
Moron
Mossback
Rock
Motown
J5
MP
Middle position.
MS
Mohegan Sun.
MTT
Multi table tournament.
Muck
The discard pile, the act of discarding your cards.
There are several categories of words and abbreviations in this document:
Poker terms, eg:
Aces full
Freeze Out
Poker terms unique to or more used in online poker, eg:
TAG
Bonus whoring
Online communication terms and abbreviations from e-mail, IM, etc, eg:
TY
IMHO
Abbreviations of names of poker books listed with author (Note not all books are commonly referred to by abbreviations), eg:
TOP
SS/SS2
Names of 2 card starting hands, eg:
Dolly Parton
Route 66
Mathematical terms used in poker (very limited. this is not a math book), eg:
Std Dev
VP$IP
Poker term definitions intended only as humor.
Plagiarism
Toke, def 2
Names and descriptions of cardgames (kitchen table cardgames are largely ignored), eg:
California lowball
Omaha8
Poker Terms unique to B&M cardrooms (very limited, there are extensive B&M cardroom dictionaries online), eg:
Color up
String bet
I believe these are the most often used definitions of the words, terms, and abbreviations commonly used in the forums and in online poker. I make no apology for the political correctness of poker players or the poker vernacular. I also make no claim that the list of about 800 words is complete or that every one is 100% accurate, although most are. The members of the forum can correct, and add to this list as appropriate.
~$7
Approximately $7. [/b]
“Time”
An expression used to stop the action on a hand. Equivalent to “Hold it”, or “Time Out.”
+EV
Positive expected value.
2+2’er
Those that actively take part in the discussions on the 2+2 forums.
21C 7S
Seven Card Stud For Advanced Players 21st Century Edition, David Sklansky, Mason Malmuth, and Ray Zee.
21CHE
Hold'em For Advanced Players 21st Century Edition, David Sklansky and Mason Malmuth.
3-bet
The first reraise (putting 3 bets in).
7CSFAP
Seven Card Stud for Advanced Players, Ray Zee.
8-or-better
The requirement in high-low split games that the low half of the pot be awarded only to a hand that is 8-high or lower.
9To
Nine Ten offsuit.
A-B-C
Playing predictably, or by the book.
Absolute nuts
The best possible hand, based on the board cards. Sometimes simply called the nuts.
AC
Atlantic City.
According to Hoyle
With respect to the rules of poker: proper, that is, following the rules. Ref: The Rules of Games, Edmond Hoyle.
Ace high
In high poker a hand whose highest card is an ace, having no pair or higher hand.
Ace in the hole
In a stud game, having an ace as one's downcard or one of one's downcards.
Ace magnets
KK
Ace-high flush
A hand of 5 cards of one suit, one of which is the ace of that suit.
Ace-high straight
A hand of 5 consecutive values the highest of which is an ace.
Aces full
A full house consisting of three aces and a smaller pair.
Act
Make a poker play at the required time; bet, call, raise, or fold, as appropriate, in turn.
Action
A fold, check, call, bet, or raise.
The relative liveliness of a game, often measured by the frequency and quantity of bets and raises.
Active Player
A player still involved in a hand.
Add on
A last buy-in optionally permitted in a rebuy tournament, usually with no minimum chip requirement.
Advantage
See edge.
Advantage player
A thief or cheater, that is, someone who wins by taking an advantage.
Advertise
To show a hand for the purpose of misleading other players regarding your standards of play.
AFAICT
As far as I can tell.
AFAIK
As far as I know.
A-game
One's best game, in terms of the quality of one's play.
Aggie slick
23
Aggression factor
(bets made + raises made) / calls made may or may not include pre-flop action.
Aggressive action
A wager that could enable a player to win a pot without a showdown; a bet or raise.
Ainsworth
62
Ajax
AJ
AKQJT
Ace, King, Queen, Jack, Ten
Alabama night riders
KKK
All black
Having a spade or club flush. Also, all blue, all purple.
All blue
A flush containing either clubs or spades.
All blue (or all pink)
A flush.
All pink
A flush containing either diamonds or hearts.
All-In
To push all of your remaining chips into the pot.
American Airlines
AA
Angle
A maneuver, usually on the border between legality and illegality (but usually clearly unethical), to take unfair advantage of another player.
Angle shooter
A poker player who uses various underhanded, unfair methods to take advantage of inexperienced opponents.
Angling
Taking action or talking when it is not your turn in order to mislead your opponent. Some consider this to be cheating, others consider these tactics to be a part of the game.
Animal
Nickname for a player that is highly loose-aggressive. See Maniac.
Ante
A prescribed amount posted before the start of a hand by all players.
Aquarium
Place to find fish, as part of the phrase Don't tap on the aquarium (possibly attributable to Phil Gordon).
Arkansas flush
Four flush.
Assault rifle
Having A-K-4-7 as your hole cards in Omaha.
Ax
An ace with any second card.
Axs
An ace with a second card of the same suit.
AZ
Arizona.
B&M
Brick & Mortar ie: casino or card room, not online.
B/C
Bet and call a raise.
B/F
Bet and fold to a raise.
Baby
A low-ranked card, usually 2 through 5, in games other than lowball.
Bachelor hand
JKo
Back
Finance another player.
Back into
To make a hand that is different than the hand you were originally trying for.
Backdoor
A hand that requires help from both the turn and river in order to win. See: runner-runner.
Backer
Someone who finances another player.
Bad beat
To have a hand that is the clear mathematical favorite lose to a heavy underdog (especially if that hand should not have been involved in the pot).
Bad-beat story
A story told by someone who lost a pot, often a big one, in a bad beat. Usually no one but the teller is interested in hearing the story.
Bait
A small bet made to encourage a raise.
Bankroll
Money that is earmarked for poker.
Baskin-Robbins
3A
BB
Big blind or big bet depending on how it is used in context.
BB/100
# of big blinds won per 100 hands played.
BBL
Be back later.
Beatles reunion
AAA
Beer hand
72
Belly buster
Inside straight draw.
BET
The act of placing a wager in turn into the pot on any betting round.
The chips put into the pot.
BG
Backgammon.
Bicycle
In ace-to-five lowball, a 5-high straight. See: Wheel.
Big
$1000. "I lost six big" means "I lost $6000."
Big chick
In texas hold’em, an ace and a queen (suited or unsuited) as your hole cards.
Big Fritz
K2s
Big lick
69
Big slick
AK in texas hold'em.
Bitch
Q
Bite
Vigorish.
BJ
Black Jack (the game, not the cards).
Black
$100 chip.
Black maria
The queen of spades; sometimes called just Maria.
The ace of spades, particularly when associated with the game of high spade in the hole.
Blank
Any card that doesn't look like it's going to help anyone. See Rag.
Bleed
Win or lose a lot of money a little at a time.
Bleeding chips
Losing.
Blind game
A game which utilizes a blind.
Blind off
In a tournament, when a player pays the blinds, but is not playing.
Blocky
63
Bluff
A bet with a weak hand (typically a busted hand), usually intended to get other players to fold.
Board
A community card in the center of the table, as in hold’em or Omaha.
Boat
Full house.
BOHICA
An abbreviation for “Bend over, here it comes again.”
Bonus whoring
Taking advantage of deposit bonus offered by various poker sites.
Bookends
AT
Bottom pair
If there are three cards of different ranks on the flop in hold'em, and you pair the lowest one, you have middle pair.
Bounty
A reward given in a tournament to someone who meets certain criteria. often: knocking a certain person out of the tournament or winning with a certain hand.
Bowling hand
7T
BR
Bank roll, funds available for poker.
Brick
A blank card, especially in stud games.
Bring In
Forced bet by the lowest card on third street in 7 card stud.
Broadway
An ace-high straight.
Broderick Crawford
T4
Broken game
A game no longer in action.
Bubble
Finishing a tournament 1 position out of the money.
Bug
A joker, usually in five card draw or draw lowball.
Bullets
AA
Bully Johnson
35
Bump
To raise.
Bump It
To raise.
Buried
A buried pair is a pair in the hole in seven card stud.
Burn
Placing the top card of the deck into a separate pile, ensuring that it is not used. This is to help prevent cheating.
Burn card
The card removed from the deck on a burn. See burn.
Bust
To run out of money, especially in a tournament.
Bust out
To lose your buy in. See Bust.
Busted hand
A hand in poker without so much as a pair.
Button
The disk, position, or person that represents the dealer in a given hand, the last player to act preflop.
Buy in
The amount of money that is necessary to play a particular game.
Buy the button
Betting or raising in order to make any players between you and the button fold.
Buy the pot
To bluff bet or raise in order to win the pot.
BWDIK
But what do I know.
C/C
Check and call any bet.
C/F
Check and fold to any bet.
C/R
Check and raise after any bet.
Calamity Jane
Qs
California lowball
Ace-to-five lowball with a joker.
Calling station
A player who often checks or calls, but rarely bets or raises.
Cambodian slick
74o
Cap
The final raise in a given round allowed by the rules.
Capped
Describes the situation in limit poker in which the maximum number of raises on the betting round have been reached.
Cards speak
The face value of a hand in a showdown is the true value of the hand, regardless of a verbal announcement.
Case
The last card of a specific rank.
Catch
When the cards are treating you well, you are said to be catching cards.
CB Hand
T4
CC
Cha-Ching.
Change gears
Alter the pace of one's playing, usually as a deceptive move against the other players, as, for example, change from fast, aggressive play to a more conservative style.
Chase
To play a hand that is most likely worse than at least one other player. eg: to chase a flush.
Check
To pass without betting, retaining the right to act if another player bets.
Check behind
To check when it's been checked to you.
Check-raise
Checking when the action is originally to you, then raising once someone after you bets.
Chop
Splitting the pot.
CK
Check.
CO
Cut off, player one seat to the right of button.
Coffeehouse
To talk about a hand one is involved in, usually with the intent of misleading or manipulating other players, is coffeehousing. Marginally ethical.
Cold call
To call more than one bet at a time ie: calling a bet and a raise. Not the same as calling a bet, then calling a subsequent raise.
Collection
The fee charged in a game (taken either out of the pot or from each player). See vigorish.
Color change
A request (by the house) to change the chips from one denomination to another.
Color down
Exchanging chips for those of a lower denomination.
Color up
Exchanging chips for those of a higher denomination.
Columbia River
K7
Come hand
A drawing hand. Example: An open-ended straight is a come hand.
Complete the bet
When the small blind chooses to call by putting in the chips necessary to match the big blind.
Computer hand
Q7
Connectors
In hold 'em, two cards in sequence suited or unsuited, usually with reference to hole cards.
Cooler
Cold deck.
Counterfeit
When your hand loses value because a board card duplicates it, a board card gives others the same hand, or gives all a higher hand.
Covered
Having more chips than your opponent in a tournament.
Cowboys
KK
CP
Card Player.
Crabs
33
Crack
To beat a big hand.
Cripple (an opponent)
To win a critical hand in a tournament, leaving your opponent very short-stacked.
Cripple the deck
Your hand contains most or all of the beneficial cards that could be used in conjunction with the board.
Crying call
To call with no cards to come, while expecting to lose.
Curse of Scotland
9d
Cut
To divide the deck into two sections in such a manner as to change the order of the cards.
Cut-card
Another term for the bottom card.
Cutoff
The person to the right of the button.
Dames
Dark
Taking action, such as checking or betting, without seeing your hole cards.
Darth Vader
4s-4c 'the dark fours'.
Dead card
A card that is not legally playable.
Dead money
Money that has been put in the pot by people who are no longer in contention to win the pot.
Chips that are taken into the center of the pot because they are not considered part of a particular player’s bet.
Deal
To give each player cards, or put cards on the board.
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.”
Deck
A set of playing-cards. The deck consists of either 52 cards in 7 stud, hold'em, and Omaha, or 53 cards including the joker in ace-to-five lowball and draw high.
Declare
Declare games are games in which you must declare the value of your hand in order to claim the pot. A typical example is a high-low split game in which you must declare before showdown whether you are claiming the high, low, or both pots.
Deuce
2
Deuce to seven
In a game played for low, deuce to seven means that the best low hand is simply the worst poker hand. 75432 with no flush is the worst possible hand.
Devil
6666
Dinner for four
Pair of 6's & 9's.
Dinner for two
69
Discard
In a draw game, to throw cards out of your hand to make room for replacements.
Discards
In a draw game the card(s) thrown away; the muck.
Divorce
KQ
Dog
Underdog.
Dog balls
88
Dolly Parton
95
Dominated hand
A hand that contains 3 or fewer outs against another hand. AQ vs AK.
Donk
Loosely, a poor player. Often a "table coach".
Donkbet
Min raise, esp a minimum bet into a reasonable size pot.
Door card
The first card dealt face up to each player in seven card stud is the door card.
Double belly buster
Double inside straight draw 7,9,T,J,K.
Double through
In no-limit, double a small stack by beating someone with a large stack heads up.
Double up
In no-limit, double a small stack by beating someone with a large stack heads up.
Downcards
Cards that are dealt facedown in a stud game.
Doyle Brunson
Having T2 as your hole cards in hold'em (also known as a "Doyle Brunson"). Doyle Brunson won the WSOP on two occasions with these hole cards.
DP
Draw Poker.
Drag
Winning a pot.
Draw
The poker form where players are given the opportunity to replace cards in the hand. In some places like California, the word “draw” is used referring to draw high, and draw low is called “lowball.”
Drawing dead
To be involved in a hand that, even if you draw the cards necessary to make your hand, you will still lose.
Drawing hand
A hand which must be improved to win is a drawing hand. eg: 4 straight or 4 flush.
Drop
Fold.
Lose a given amount of money.
Ducks
22
Dump
To fold a hand.
Dykes
Edge
The advantage a good player has in a poker game.
eg
example.
EMP
Early middle position.
EP
Early position.
Equity
Your mathematical share of a pot, based on the amount in the pot and your chances of winning it.
EV
Expected value.
-EV
Negative expected value.
Face card
Any jack, queen, or king. Also called court card, paint, picture, picture card.
Family pot
A pot in which many players are involved in the hand.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions.
Fast
Used to describe playing a hand aggressively in order to try to win a pot without allowing others to draw out on you.
Favorite
The hand that is expected to win most often in a particular situation.
FE
Fold equity.
Felt
The surface of most poker tables is made of some sort of felt, or is in any case referred to as such.
FH
Full house
Fill up
To draw to and make a full house either from trips or two pair.
Fire
To bet or raise.
Fish
A poor poker player, relative to their competition, Live one, A very loose player.
Fishhooks
JJ
Five and dime
5T
Flash
To show one or more of your cards, usually when it is not required.
Flat call
To call one or more bets without raising, when you are quite sure that you have the best hand. See also smooth call.
Flat tire
J4
Floor
Shortened form of “Floor Person”; a casino employee who helps to seat players and makes rules decisions when a dispute arises.
Flop
In hold’em or Omaha, the three community cards that are turned simultaneously after the first round of betting is complete.
Flush
A hand in which all five cards share the same suit.
Forced bet
A mandatory bet. eg: the blinds in hold'em, forced bring-in bet by the low hand on third street in 7 card stud.
Also: a bet required by logic rather than rules.
Forest
3333
Four of a kind
Four cards of the same rank. Also called quads.
Fourflush
A hand with four cards of the same suit.
Fourth street
The second upcard in seven-card stud or the first boardcard after the flop in hold’em (also called the turn card).
FPP
Frequent Player Points. Points that are credited to your account when playing at Poker Stars.
FPS
Fancy Play Syndrome said to be attributable to B. Greenstein.
Fred & Ethel
JQ
Free card
Whenever you get to see an additional card without having to call a bet, it's a free card.
Free card play
Betting or raising in late position on the flop in the hopes that the other players will check to you on the turn, give you the option of seeing the river card for free.
Free ride
A street on which no one bets.
Free roll
Having a lock on half the pot, but also having a chance to win the whole pot.
A tournament which requires no cash entry fee.
A chance to win something at no risk or cost.
Freeze Out
A tournament that only ends when one person has won all of the tournament chips.
FT
Final table.
Full Tilt Poker.
FTOP
Fundamental Theorem Of Poker. From TOP, David Sklansky.
Full house
A hand consisting of three of a kind and a pair.
FW
Foxwoods Casino.
FWIW
For what it's worth.
FYP
Fixed your post.
Gay waiter
Q3 (a queen with a trey)
GC
Good call.
German virgin
99
GG
Good game.
GH
Good hand.
GJ
Good job.
GL
Good luck.
Gleek
Three of a kind.
Golf bag
Club flush.
Good buddy
T4
Goolsby
QT
Goot
Good.
Gorillas
KK
Gorillas in the Mist
KK
Grand jury
444
GrannyMae
A nickname for having Qs5s as your hole cards. This is credited to long-time 2+2 forum poster GrannyMae.
Green
$25 chip.
GSIH
Getting Started In Hold'em, Ed Miller.
GSSD
Gut shot straight draw.
GTBOI
Getting the Best of It, David Sklansky.
GTD
Guaranteed: $1m GTD would be a tournament where prize money of over $1m was guaranteed.
Gutshot
Inside straight draw.
Half kill (or half kill game)
A hand that is played for 1 1/2 times stakes based on the previous hand meeting certain criteria. Also see Kill.
Half kill button
A button that is placed in front of the player who is responsible for a Half Kill game.
Hand
All of a player’s personal cards.
The five cards determining the poker ranking.
A single poker deal.
Heads-up play
Only two players involved in play.
Heinz
57
Help
Someone who says they need help means they need their hand to improve in order to have a chance at the pot.
HEP
Hold'em Poker, David Sklansky.
Hero
When telling a poker story, the person who's point of view you are trying to represent.
HH
Hand history.
High-low split
In high-low split games, half the pot goes to the best hand (the high), half to the worst (the low).
Hilton sisters
Hit
When the flop cards are helpful to your hand.
Hit and run
A player who leaves the table shortly after scooping a big pot.
HJ
Hijack, player two seats to the right of button.
HL
High limit game.
HOH
Harrington on Hold'em, Dan Harrington.
HOHII
Harrington on Hold'em Vol II, Dan Harrington.
Hold up
When a hand that is leading manages to win the pot at showdown.
Hole
Your unique cards that are hidden from everyone else. See pocket.
Hooks
JJ
HORSE
A game that rotates through H - Holdem, O - Omaha hi/lo 8-or-better, R - Razz, S - Stud (hi only), E - Eight-or-better Stud hi/lo (all limit).
Hot
Doing well; catching good cards.
Hot deck
A deck that has recently produced a series of good hands.
House
The cardroom (management, owners, etc.) is the house.
HP
Hollywood Park.
HPFAP/HEPFAP
Hold'em Poker for Advanced Players, David Sklansky and Mason Malmuth.
HTH
Head To head, See Heads up.
HTML
High To middle limits.
HU
Heads up.
Huey, Dewey and Louie
222
Hunting season
A2
IANAL
I am not a lawyer.
Ice
A cold deck.
Idiot end
In hold 'em, the low end of a straight, or a straight that can lose to a higher straight.
IFYW
If you wish.
IGHN
I go home now.
Ignorant end
In hold 'em, the low end of a straight, or a straight that can lose to a higher straight.
IIRC
If I recall correctly.
Image
The perception that other people have of your playing style.
IMHO
In my humble opinion.
IMO
In my opinion.
Implied odds
Implied odds are similar to pot odds, but based on expectation of bets on future streets.
In the air
"Get the cards in the air": To begin dealing.
Inside straight
A straight that requires an one card to complete, as opposed to an open-ended straight. ie: TJKA.
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.
Isolate
To raise in the hopes of getting the hand heads up.
ITM
In the money.
IWTSTH
Abbreviation for "I want to see that hand", a rule that was designed to help prevent collusion amongst players. This rule is often abused by players who are simply looking for more information than they paid for.
Jack ass
JA
Jack Benny
39
Jackpot
An amount offered by a cardroom for a bad beat.
Jackson five
J5
Jam
Lots of action, especially raising.
JAT
Just a thought.
Jessie James
45
Jesus (Chris Ferguson)
A9o
Jimmy Summerfield
63o
Joe Bernstein
69
Joe Louis
AsAc
Johnny Moss
AT
Joker
The joker is a “partially wild card” in high draw poker and ace-to-five lowball. In high, it is used for aces, straights, and flushes. In lowball, the joker is the lowest unmatched rank in a hand.
Kansas City lowball
A form of draw poker low also known as deuce-to-seven, in which the best hand is 7-5-4-3-2 and straights and flushes count against you.
Katie
KT
Kicker
The highest unpaired card that helps determine the value of a five-card poker hand.
Kicks
66
Kill (or kill game)
A hand that is played for double-stakes based on the previous hand meeting certain criteria. Also see Half Kill.
Kill button
A button that is placed in front of the player who is responsible for a kill game.
King crab
K3
KJs
King Jack suited.
Knuckle
To check (as in knocking on the table).
Kojak
KJ
Kokomo
K8
Kotch
666
KOTZ
King of the Zoo - a 2+2 tournament series.
Ku Klux Klan
KKK
LA
Los Angeles.
Ladies
LAG
Loose aggressive.
LAP
Loose passive.
Lay down
To fold a hand.
LC
Low content.
Lead
Making the first bet in a round of betting.
Leak
A weakness in ones game which causes a usually consistent loss of money.
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. See Kill.
Limit (limit poker)
Limit poker is any game in which there is a fixed limit on how much you can bet or raise in any round.
Limp
To call pre-flop.
Liner
Any face card.
Little Oldsmobile
88
Live blind
A blind bet is considered a live blind if the player is allowed to raise even if no one else raises first. The big blind in Hold’em is a live blind.
Live game
A game that is played for actual stakes, as opposed to a tournament game. See ring game.
Live hand
A live hand is a hand that is still eligible to win the pot.
Live one
A very loose player, usually implying one who loses; a rich sucker. See Fish.
Live straddle
See Straddle.
LL
Low limit game.
LMAO
Laugh my a** off (available with numerous variations).
Lock
A lock is a hand guaranteed to win at least part of the pot.
LOL
Lots of luck, Laughing out loud, etc.
Long odds
A low probability of a certain thing happening.
Loose
Playing loose means playing more hands and holding on to them longer than statistical odds would recommend.
Low card
The lowest upcard at seven-card stud, which is required to bet.
Lowball
A draw game where the lowest hand wins.
Lowball (or draw lowball)
Five card draw played for low only (i.e., where the low hand wins the entire pot).
LP
Late position.
Loose passive player.
Lucifer
6666
Lucy & Ricky
KQ
Lumber yard
K8
Lumberman's hand
24
Machine gun
AK47
Mad Genius of Poker
Mike Caro
Magnum
44
Main pot
When there is a side pot, that part of the pot all of the players have action in.
Make
To complete a hand that has a shot at winning the pot.
Maniac
Nickname for a player that is loose-aggressive. See Animal.
Marry
To become too attached to a hand, usually seeing a showdown when it was clear that you should have folded earlier.
Maverick
QJ
Meh
like "eh"... not so great, but not terrible. Meant to display some level of indifference. Helps if you speak Yiddish.
MHIG
My hand is good.
MHING
My hand is no good.
Mid life crisis
44
Middle pair
If there are three cards of different ranks on the flop in hold'em, and you pair the middle one, you have middle pair.
Miscall
An incorrect verbal declaration of the ranking of a hand.
Misdeal
A mistake on the dealing of a hand which causes the cards to be reshuffled and a new hand to be dealt.
Miss
When the board cards are not helpful to your hand.
Missed blind
A required bet that is not posted when it is your turn to do so.
ML
Middle limit game.
MM
Mason Malmuth.
Mongrel
K9o
Monotone
A flop of all the same suit.
Monster
A superior hand that is unlikely to lose.
Montana banana
92
Mop squeezers
Moran
Moron
Mossback
Rock
Motown
J5
MP
Middle position.
MS
Mohegan Sun.
MTT
Multi table tournament.
Muck
The discard pile, the act of discarding your cards.