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With Texas Holdem Poker’s popularity over the last few years, and growing numbers on FullTilt, I thought a list of common terms would make for a good post. These are pretty common but funny thing is in my live games at a real casino, I often find that people either misuse them or just plain don’t know what they are. So let’s take a look at a few:
Ante: An initial bet made before the flop to induce betting. There are some games that do this instead of a blind structure. Also, antes are used late in some tournament play.
All In: This term is used mostly in NL Holdem games and is when a player decides to put all his chips in as a bet on a hand. You can go all in at any time that it is your turn to bet. You can be all in during a limit game when you have bet all he chips you have in front of you.
Backdoor: Making a hand other than the one intended. For example, get cards on the turn and river to make a straight or flush when you started with top pair.
Bad Beat: A Bad Beat is when a player has a large statistical advantage over the other and the underdog beats the big advantage.
Blind: The blinds are forced bets to start each hand with some money in the pot. Players sitting to the left of the dealer are considered “in the blind” and pay the forced bet. The amount depends on the limit of the game being played.
Bottom Pair: Matching the lowest card on the board to make a pair.
Check: An option given to all players if no one has bet. When a player announces a check, he bets an amount equal to 0.
Check Raise: When a player checks with a strong hand to try induce a bet from another player then re-raises when it is there turn again.
Drawing Dead: When you have a draw but hitting that draw will not allow you to win the pot.
Flop: Sometimes called community cards. It is the first three cards displayed face up.
Heads Up Play: The last two players in a tournament are considered heads up. Also if only two players are in a pot if in a cash game.
Muck: A pile of unused cards usually in front of the dealer. You “much your cards” by tossing them in the muck pile.
The Nuts: Represents a hand that is unbeatable with the cards that are showing on the table.
Offsuit: When the two cards dealt first are not the same suit.
Pocket: The two cards dealt first in Texas Holdem.
Rake: The amount of money that the poker rooms take out of every pot during game play.
The River: Sometimes referred to as 5th street, it is the last card to come out on the board.
Short Stack: The player with the least amount of chips in front of him at the table.
The Turn: Sometimes referred to as 4th street, it is the first card to come out after the flop.
These are just a few of the most common terms and here is a more extensive Poker Dictionary
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