Definition
A comprehensive A-Z glossary of essential poker terms every player should know.
Common Poker Terms
A-C
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Action | A player's turn to act; also refers to betting/gambling |
| All-In | Betting all remaining chips |
| Backdoor | Making a hand using both turn and river cards |
| Bad Beat | Losing with a strong hand to an unlikely draw |
| Blank | A card that doesn't help anyone's hand |
| Blinds | Forced bets posted before cards are dealt |
| Boat | Slang for full house |
| Broadway | A-K-Q-J-T straight (ace-high) |
| Burn | Discarding the top card before dealing community cards |
| Button | The dealer position; best position at the table |
| Call | Matching the current bet |
| Check | Passing when no bet is required |
| Connectors | Cards in sequence (e.g., 8-9) |
| Cooler | When two strong hands collide unavoidably |
D-L
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Donk Bet | Leading into the preflop aggressor |
| Draw | An incomplete hand needing more cards |
| Equity | Your share of the pot based on winning probability |
| Fish | A weak, losing player |
| Float | Calling with the intent to bluff later |
| Fold | Discarding your hand; surrendering the pot |
| Gutshot | Inside straight draw needing one specific card |
| Heads-Up | Playing against a single opponent |
| Implied Odds | Potential future winnings if you hit your draw |
| Kicker | Side card used to break ties |
| Limp | Calling the big blind preflop (no raise) |
M-R
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Muck | To fold and discard without showing |
| Nit | An extremely tight player |
| Nuts | The best possible hand |
| Outs | Cards that will improve your hand |
| Overbet | Betting more than the pot size |
| Overpair | A pocket pair higher than any board card |
| Pot Odds | Ratio of pot size to call amount |
| Rainbow | A flop with three different suits |
| Rake | The house's fee taken from each pot |
| Range | All possible hands a player could hold |
| River | The fifth and final community card |
S-Z
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Set | Three of a kind using a pocket pair |
| Shove | Going all-in |
| Slowplay | Playing a strong hand passively |
| Squeeze | Re-raising after a raise and one or more callers |
| Stack | A player's total chips |
| Street | A betting round (flop, turn, river) |
| Suited | Two cards of the same suit |
| Tilt | Playing emotionally after a bad beat |
| Trips | Three of a kind using one hole card |
| Turn | The fourth community card |
| Value Bet | Betting with a hand expecting to be called by worse |
| Wheel | A-2-3-4-5 straight (lowest) |
💡 Key Takeaway: Mastering poker vocabulary is essential for understanding strategy discussions, training content, and table talk.