There are many key poker terms that it useful to be familiar with before playing. Some key poker terms are shown below:
| All-in |
When all a players remaining chips are put into the pot. |
| Bet |
A bet at the level of the small blind. |
| Big blind |
The name given to an enforced bet that the player following the small blind (2 places after the dealer) has to make. The big blind is twice the amount of the small blind and is the level at which other players need to bet to stay in the hand. The level of blinds increases during poker tournament play. |
| Blinds |
The name given to the 2 enforced bets (big blind and small blind) that the 2 players following the button (dealer) have to make. Level of blinds increase during poker tournament play. |
| Bluffing |
Betting on hands that you know have no chance of winning in an attempt to steal the pot. |
| Button |
In online poker this is the name given to the place marker (button) that is placed in front of one of the players. It marks who is 'dealing' the cards - the computer deals, but the placing of the Button determines the order of play. |
| Check |
An action which Inserts zero chips into the pot during a players turn. Generally this action is carried out on poor hands, but it can also be used as a bluff when a player does actually have a good hand. |
| Check/Raise |
A series of actions from a player where at the first opportunity they checked and, after another round of betting, they raised. |
| Dealer |
In online poker this is the name given to the computer that deals the cards. The dealers position is marked by a Button on the table. The button will be placed in front of one of the players. |
| Draw |
This term is used when a player needs further cards to make their hand good after the first card(s) have been laid down by the dealer. |
| Fold |
The action in a hand when a player throws his cards in without placing any further bets. When a player folds, they take no further part in the hand. |
| Freeroll Tournament |
A free to enter tournament which sometimes require you to have played a specified number of hands, at certain tables, to gain entry. |
| Heads up |
Play 1 on 1 against another player. This term is often used at the end of tournament when only 2 players are left. |
| Limit betting |
players have predefined limits on the levels of bets and raises. |
| Multi-table tournament (MTT) |
The tournaments with big prizes in relation to stake. Generally prizes are awarded to at least the top 10% of players with the top 5% getting the biggest share of the pot. If you want to win a big tournament, be prepared to play for a long time! |
| No-limit |
there is no limit on the level of bets that players can bet. The starting bet level is known, but players can bet or raise to any level including going 'All-in' where a player wagers all of his chips in one go. No-limit betting is evry popular in online poker tournaments. |
| Pot |
The name given to the accumulation of chips that players bet with. The winning hand wins the pot. |
| Pot-limit betting |
the maximum bet cannot exceed the level of the pot. Betting levels can rise significantly if all players are betting aggressively. |
| Raise |
A increase in betting level which other players have to match in order to stay in the hand. |
| Re-Raise |
A increase in betting level, directly following a Raise, which other players have to match in order to stay in the hand. |
| Rounders Tournament |
Poker tournament with a fixed number of rounds. Each round costs progressively more to enter but poker players can join in at any level - if they win level 1, they gain free entry into level 2. |
| Satellite Tournament |
Satellite tournaments are a less expensive way of gaining entry into larger tournaments, such as the World Series of Poker (WSOP). By participating in a Satellite tournament, you have a chance of winning entries into poker tournaments with larger buy-ins. |
| Side Pot |
If a player has gone all-in, there is often an additional pot created when other players keep betting. This is known as the Side Pot. |
| Single-table tournament (STT) |
Quick multi-player tournaments consisting of just 1 table - generally under 2 hours. A poker table usually has a maximum of 10 players. |
| Sit and go |
Join a table of up to 10 players and play for as little, or as long, as you like. |
| Small blind |
The name given to an enforced bet that the player following the button (dealer) has to make. The small blind is half the amount of the Big Blind. The level of blinds increases during poker tournament play. |
| Texas Holdem |
The most popular online variation of poker. 5 community cards and 2 cards for each player - winning hand is the best 5 card hand that can be made out of the 7 cards in view. |
| The Flop |
The Flop is the name given to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd cards to be drawn in Texas Holdem and Omaha. These cards are dealt in one round. The Flop is followed by The Turn and The River. |
| The Turn |
The Turn is the name given to the 4th card to be drawn in Texas Holdem and Omaha. The Turn is preceeded by The Flop and followed by The River. |
| The River |
The River is the name given to the 5th (last) card to be drawn in Texas Holdem and Omaha. The River is preceeded by The Turn and The Flop. |
| World Series of Poker (WSOP) |
The most prestigious worldwide poker tournament there is. The WSOP has huge prize money with the winner taking over $5 million. |
