Poker Terms

Learn the Poker Terms from MansonPoker.com! The 'lingo; used in Texas Holdem is:

Action Spot - This is the table area where the betting is occurring.

Active Player - It is a player who is competing for a pot.

Big slick - It is when, in Texas Hold'em, hole cards of A-K, suited or not.

Bluff - Means to make a bet or raise with a poor hand, in hope that the remaining active player(s) will fold.

Board - The opened cards in Hold'em and Stud

Cap - To take the last of the maximum sum of raises allowed per round of betting.

Cardroom - The room or place in a casino where poker is played.

Discard pile - It is also known as deadwood. A stack of discarded cards, usually those, folded or discarded by players.

Draw - In draw poker, cards dealt from the stock after termination of the first round of betting.

Edge - It is either a specific or subjective advantage over an opponent.

End Bets - Final-round wagers.

End Strippers - Cards tapered along the ends for fooling.

Farm System - A few poker games at different stakes under control of a good player.

Filling - It means to draw and then to catch a full house, flush, or straight.

Fin - It draws five dollars.

Good Player - A player who gets maximum money from the game.

Grand - It draws a thousand dollars.

Gravy - Player's winnings.

Hole Cards - In Stud and Hold'em, these are the face-down cards dealt to each player.

Hook - It is named a Jack because the "J" resembles a hook.

Lead - The first player who makes a bet into a pot.

Live One - A not so bright player who plays a lot of hands.

Long Shot - When making a hand despite having few outs and/or poor probabilities.

Open Card - This is when a card is faced up.

Open Pair - Two cards of the same cost that are dealt face-up.

Packet - A share of the pack.

Paint - A card that is faced in a lowball hand.

Pair - Two cards of the same cost.

Rake - In casino poker this is the sum the house keeps from a pot.

Royalties - It is also known as a Bonus and means an extra payment for having a strong hand such as a straight flush or royal flush.

Showdown - After the last round of betting, the players cards are turned face-up to see who won.

Small Blind - The forced wager that is made by the person sitting one seat to the left of the button. Such a bet is half the size of the big blind.

Talon - The rest of the deck after the deal.

Tap - To wager all one's money in table stakes.

Wild card - It is usually the joker in a pack, or two. This card can have any value that a player wants it to have.