Every poker player should learn the poker glossary. This is the first step on the way to becoming a pro and improving your poker play. BonusPirates prepared 15 most useful poker terms, definitions, and other popular words.
Learning the most common casino terms is essential to improving your game. Among all popular casino games, poker alone holds many specific terms and phrases to memorize. If you are a beginner poker player, you should learn at least the most popular glossary terms to help you on your way to the top. This would also help to understand the gameplay much better.
15 most useful poker terms
For this list, we have prepared fifteen most common and popular poker terms you can meet at poker sites and in different gambling establishments. Below you will find the 15 words and phrases with explanations and examples.
Ante
The term “ante” means a minimum amount of money required to be paid before the hand begins. It is usually established before the start of the game.
All-In
To go “all-in” means to bet all your chips on a single hand. This is a risk you willingly take if you are confident about your hand.
Blind
Like ante, blinds are forced bets players can’t skip. However, they are made throughout the game to encourage players to play hands. There are big and small blinds in most poker games.
Call
One of the most useful poker terms, the call is a bet which is made in order to raise or match someone else’s bet.
Community cards
These are cards that have been dealt by the dealer. They are placed face-up in the middle of the table and can be used by every player for making up their hands.
Draw
By drawing, poker players try to improve their hands if they have a hand that is incomplete or less valuable than players want them to be.
Fold
To fold means to give up all your cards and stop participating in the ongoing poker game. You will lose your initial stake but can always compensate it with online poker bonuses.
Flop
The process of drawing and betting on the first three community cards is called the flop. It is followed by a turn and river but we will talk about them later.
Hand
Hands are cards each player possesses during the game. Each hand has its rank. The higher the rank, the better chances of winning players have.
Hole cards
Hole cards are dealt face-down and are seen only by players holding them. In combination with community cards, they are used to form hands.
Pot
Pot is one of the most useful poker terms for players as it means all bets players make during the game. The winner of the game takes the whole pot.
River
The river is the final (fifth) card dealt in a poker game and the final betting round that takes place after the flop and turn.
Showdown
If more than one player is left after the final betting round, players show their hands to determine the winner. This process is called the showdown.
Turn
Turn is a betting round that takes place after dealing the fourth card out of 5. It is the next betting round after the flop and precedes the final round called the river.
Wild card
In some poker variations and other card games, wild cards can be used to replace any other playing card to complete a hand.
