In every sport or game, a rookie or a newbie must learn the terms or language used when studying how to play poker. The same can be said with poker. There are a lot of poker terms that may sound gibberish to a first-timer but are very important in the game. Here are 25 poker terms every newbie has to learn:
1. All-in – This term is used when a player bets all of his chips in one turn. For example, “I’m all-in!”
2. Ante – This is a small amount of money that all players must put into the pot before a hand begins. In free poker online games, players still use this term.
3. Bad beat – A bad beat is when a player with a strong hand loses to a player with a weaker hand. For example, “I can’t believe I lost; I had such a bad beat.”
4. Bankroll – This poker term refers to the total amount of money a player has to use for poker. The term is used even in online poker.
5. Betting limit – In poker, different betting limits dictate how much players can bet on each turn. The three most common betting limits in poker rules are no limit, pot limit, and fixed limit.
6. Blind – In poker, there are two types of blinds: the big blind and the small blind. The big blind is the larger of the two bets, and the small blind is the smaller of the two bets. The players must make these bets before any cards are dealt.
7. Bluff – A bluff is when a player tries to make other players believe that he has a better hand than he does by betting or raising. Bluffing is still used even in free poker games.
8. Board – The board refers to the community cards dealt in the middle of the poker table and shared by all players.
9. Button – The button is a marker that indicates which player is currently in the dealer position. The dealer position rotates clockwise after each hand.
10. Buy-in – The buy-in is the minimum amount of money a player must have to join a poker game.
11. Call – A call is when a player matches the current bet to stay in hand.
12. Cash out – A cash out is when a player decides to leave a poker game and receive his winnings in cash.
13. Check – A check is when a player passes on his turn without betting, typically because he doesn’t think he has a good enough hand to win.
14. Chip stack – The chip stack refers to the total number of chips that a player has in front of him.
15. Flop – The flop is the first three community cards that are dealt in a hand of poker.
16. Fold – A fold is when a player decides to give up his hand and not continue betting.
17. Hand – A poker hand refers to the five cards a player has in his possession, whether they are hole cards or community cards.
18. Heads-up – Heads-up poker is when only two players remain in hand.
19. Raise – A raise is when a player increases the current bet to make other players call or fold.
20. River – The river is the final community card dealt in a poker hand.
21. Showdown – The showdown is the point in the hand where all players reveal their cards, and the best hand is determined.
22. Straight – A straight is a poker hand with five cards of sequential ranks, such as 4-5-6-7-8.
23. Straight flush – A straight flush is a poker hand with five cards of sequential ranks that are all of the same suit, such as 5-6-7-8-9 of spades.
24. Turn – The turn is the fourth community card dealt in a poker hand.
25. Value bet – A value bet is when a player bets an amount he thinks his hand is worth to try and extract more money from his opponents.
There are many other poker terms not included in this list that you may encounter while playing poker. Learning these poker terms is a significant first step in understanding the game of poker. While poker may seem daunting at first, with a bit of practice and patience, you’ll play like a pro in no time. GGPoker, the world’s largest poker room, offers a fun and safe place to learn new poker terms and practice your poker game to enhance your skills. Sign up now and grab that exciting opportunity to play with different types of players around the world. By following these tips on how to play poker, you can improve your chances of success on the poker table.
