Poker Terms


Learning poker terms can be helpful if you are interested in playing or learning about the game of poker. Knowing the specific terminology used in poker can improve your understanding of the game, enhance your ability to communicate with other players, and make you a more informed and confident player.

Basic Poker Terms

  1. Ante: A small bet required of all players before the start of a hand.
  2. Blind: A forced bet, usually placed by the two players to the left of the dealer.
  3. Call: To match the current highest bet in order to stay in the game.
  4. Check: To decline to bet, but remain in the game.
  5. Chip: A token used to represent money in a poker game.
  6. Community Cards: Cards that are dealt face up in the center of the table and can be used by all poker players in combination with their hole cards to make the best possible hand.
  7. Deal: The act of distributing cards to the players.
  8. Flop: The first three community cards that are dealt after the first betting round.
  9. Fold: To give up your hand and forfeit your chance to win the pot.
  10. Full House: A hand that consists of three of a kind and a pair.
  11. Hand: The five cards that a player holds in a game of poker.
  12. Hole Cards: The two cards that are dealt face down to each player.
  13. Kicker: The highest unpaired card used to break ties between players with similar hands.
  14. Limit: The maximum or minimum bet allowed in a particular round of betting.
  15. Raise: To increase the current highest bet.
  16. The Rake: A fee taken by the house from each pot as compensation for hosting the game.
  17. River: The fifth and final community card that is dealt after the fourth betting round.
  18. Showdown: The point at the end of a hand when all remaining players reveal their hands to determine the winner.
  19. Small Blind: The smaller of the two blinds, usually placed by the player to the immediate left of the dealer.
  20. Straight: A hand that consists of five consecutive cards of any suit.
  21. Straight Flush: A hand that consists of five consecutive cards of the same suit.
  22. Suit: One of the four categories of cards (hearts, diamonds, spades, clubs).
  23. Three of a Kind: A hand that consists of three cards of the same rank.
  24. Turn: The fourth community card that is dealt after the third betting round.
  25. Two Pair: A hand that consists of two pairs of cards of different ranks.
  26. Wild Card: A card that can be used to represent any card of a particular rank or suit.
  27. All-in: To bet all of one's chips in a single move.
  28. Pot: The sum of all bets made in a particular hand.
  29. Pot Limit: A type of betting structure in which the maximum bet is equal to the current size of the pot.
  30. No Limit: A type of betting structure in which there is no maximum bet, and players can bet any amount of chips they have in front of them.

There they all are. Please learn them all.


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