Mini Poker Dictionary

Online poker has been conquering the gaming industry with incredible speed. Its greatest advantage lies in the fact that it has a lot to offer to a player. Not only it provides punters with a titillating gaming experience but also offers food for thought. In the recent years, poker has become such an enormous phenomenon that it even has its own language. Some say that learning poker terminology is the first requirement on the way to becoming a poker pro...

Here goes a list of the most basic poker terms:

A

Action- The term refers to the activeness of the game participants, whether they check, bet or raise.

Aggressive- A player who constantly raises and reraises.

All in- To invest all gaming funds in the pot.

B

Blind- In Texas Hold 'em, a mandatory wager placed before a player gets to see his pocket cards.

Bluff- A cheating method designed to mislead opponents. An attempt to project the false value of a player's hand.

Button- In online poker games, indicates the Dealer.

C

Call- Make a matching bet.

Check- Not betting but still remain in the game.

Collusion- An oral agreement between accomplices designed to cheat non-suspecting players.

D

Dead money- Funds put in the pot by a player who ultimately folded.

Deuces wild- A poker variant in which the deuces can replace any other card.

Draw dead- Draw to hand that has virtually no chance of winning.

E

Early position- The first three seats to the left of the Dealer. Typically considered as the least favorable position for a player to sit at.

Easy money- A jackpot collected in a game against fishes.

Exposed card- A card placed on the board face up.

F

Family pot- A pot that three or more players are eligible for.

Fatten- Invest more money in the pot.

Fold- Quit the game.

G

Gap- A free seat at the poker table.

Garbage- A worthless hand.

Greek- A cheating game participant.

H

Heads up- A game with only two participants.

Hit- Receive a card that improves one's hand.

Hole- In Texas Hold 'em and Stud games, a player's private cards dealt face down.

I

Implied odds- The amount you can possibly win on a certain hand combination divided by the amount you are required to invest to keep playing.

Improve- To strengthen a player's hand.

In the money- To nab a position in a poker tournament in which a player is guaranteed payout.

J

Jack it- Raise a bet.

Jackpot- The amount of money invested by all participating players. The jackpot goes to the winner.

Joker wild- A card (a Joker) that can substitute any other card, both in rank and in suit.

K

Kick- Raise a bet.

Kicker- In Texas Hold 'em, when none of the participating players are successful in making a hand, the winner is a player with the highest ranking card.

KKK- Ku Klux Klan: King three-of-a-kind.

L

Late position- Typically, three seats to the right of the dealer.

Limit poker- A game in which players can place wagers only in accordance a predetermined betting limit structure.

Loose player- A player who stays in the game despite his weak hand.

M

Maniac- A player who produces a lot of action regardless the value of his hand.

Money management- Keeping careful tabs on your gaming money.

Muck- To fold at showdown time.

N

N/L- Reference to 'No Limit.'

Nose picker- Jack.

Nuts- In Texas Hold 'em, the strongest hand in the game.

O

Odds- The likelihood of a certain situation to occur.

On tilt- Extremely emotional state of mind causing players to make reckless moves.

Outs- Cards that are likely to improve a player's hand.

P

Pocket- In Texas Hold 'em, a player's private cards. Dealt face down on the board.

Position- A players location at the table in relation to the dealer.

Pot- The money that all participating players are competing for.

Q

Quit- Fold

R

Raise- To make a bet larger than the previous player.

Rake- A commission poker rooms collect in exchange for hosting services.

Reload bonus- A bonus offered to already registered poker room customers.

S

Satellite tournament- Tournaments hosted by online poker rooms with seats to prestigious land-based events as prizes awarded to winners.

Sharp- A poker player who applies cheating maneuvers during play.

Showdown- A phase towards the end of the game where players are exposing their cards to determine the winner.

T

Tell- A poker player's behavior indicating his hand's strength.

Tight- A player with a very conservative plying style.

Tournament- A structures series of poker games held either by an online poker resource or a land-based poker room.

U

Uncalled bet- During a betting round, an unmatched bet. In such a case, the pot is collected by a player who made the bet.

Under the gun- A player to the immediate left of the button.

Unlimited re-buy tournament- A poker tournament in which players can rebuy as much as they wish.

V

Value bet- A bet made in hope to be called, so that the player could nab additional funds from the call.

Video poker- Poker games played over a gaming machine. Closely resembles slot machines.

Village people- Four Queens.

W

Weak- A hand of vary poor strength.

Winning hand- A hand boasting the highest value at showdown time.

World Series of Poker (WSOP)- A highly important prestigious live poker contest.

X

-

Y

Yeast- Raise.

Z

Zombie- A player who has mastered the perfect poker face technique.