Ace-High
A hand that only has one ace as its best possible combination and is ranked lower than a pair.

Aces Up
A hand that contains two pairs: one of which must be aces and another pair of any other value.

Action
The process of checking, betting, calling, folding or raising.

Active Player
Any player who is competing for the pot.

All-In
Going All-In is when a player bets all his or her chips.

Back Door
To Backdoor into a hand is to create a hand other than the one intended such as making a straight instead of the intended flush.

Bad Beat
When a strong hand that appears to be a winning hand is beaten by a lucky draw.

Bankroll
The amount of a player's money.

Bet
When a player puts money into the pot.

Bet the Pot
Making a bet that is equal to the size of the pot.

Big Blind
This is the forced bet that is made by the person sitting two seats to the left of the dealer button.

Big Slick
Poker slang for a hand that contains an Ace, King.

Blank
A card that does not improve the value of the player's hand.

Blinds (Small and Big)
The two mandatory bets that must be placed by the two players who are sitting immediately to the left of the dealer button. These bets are used to start the action and are placed before any cards are dealt. Placing a "blind" bet means making a bet before seeing any cards.

Bluff
Attempting to win a pot by making other players believe that one's hand is better than it really is by raising and betting.

Bust Out
To "bust out" is when a player loses all their chips and is eliminated from the game or tournament.

Button
Otherwise known as the dealer button, this is a small white plastic disc that moves from player to player in a clockwise direction after each hand. The object is to identify the theoretical dealer of each new hand. The idea is to have the button change positions after each hand so that each player can have the advantage of being in the last betting position.

Buy-In
This is the minimum amount of money that a player must pay in order for them to be able to participate in a tournament and/or live games. It is very often represented as two separate numbers such as $100+$9, which means that it will cost the player a total of $109 to enter that particular tournament. Of the total, $100 will go toward the prize pool and $9 will be kept by the House.

Call
Putting money in the pot that will equal the most recent bet or raise.

Cap
The maximum number of raises allowed in a game, usually 3 or 4, only if that particular game has a cap on the maximum number of raises. For example, in no limit Texas Hold Em there is no limit on the number of permitted raises.

Check
When it is a player's turn to bet and they choose to NOT make a bet but rather to "check". This also gives the player the option to call or raise later in the betting round.

Community Cards
The 5 shared cards that are played face up in the middle of the table. All players are allowed to use these cards.

Dead Man's Hand
This hand contains a pair of aces and a pair of eights. It was made famous because Wild Bill Hickock was holding this hand when he was shot and killed in the back during a poker game.

Double Up
To "double up" is to bet all one's chips and win the bet, thus doubling the amount of chips.

Down Cards
Cards that are dealt face down. In Hold Em these would be the first 2 dealt cards that a player receives, which are also known as hole cards or pocket cards.

Drawing Dead
To "draw dead" is drawing a card for a hand that even if it improves has no chance of winning.

Early Position
An "early position" is a position where the player must act before most of the other players at the table. It is generally considered a poor position.

Fifth Street
This is the fifth and final community card on the table that appears during the final round of betting, otherwise known as the "river card".

Fish
Poker term for an easy or poor player who generally loses money easily.

Flop
The first three community cards that are dealt face up in the center of the table. In Hold Em, this is also the start of the second round of betting.

Fold
To stop betting and give up your cards, to withdraw from the game.

Four of a Kind
Four cards with the same number or face value.

Fourth Street
This is the fourth community card on the table that appears during the third round of betting, otherwise known as "the turn".

Full House
A hand that contains three-of-a-kind and a pair.

Gut Shot Straight Draw
To draw and complete a straight with one of the middle cards missing. Ex: If you have a 10 and a 6 as your down cards and the flop contains a 7 and a 9, then you need an 8 in the turn or river card to complete the straight.

Key Hand
During a tournament, this is the hand that proves to be a turning point for a player, either for better or for worse.

Kicker
The highest card in a player's hand that does not have a pair or is not being used to create any other type of hand. Ex: say a player has a pair of queens with a King, 8, and 5. The "kicker' card would be the King since this is the next highest card in the player's hand.

Late Position
A "late position" is a position where the player must act usually after most of the other players at the table. It is generally considered a good position.

Lay Down
Folding a strong hand in a critical situation.

Limp In
When a player enters the pot by calling, rather than raising the bet.

Live Hand
A hand that still has potential to win the pot.

Main Pot
This is the main, center pot that is apart from any side pots. Side pots can be created when a player goes all-in.

Monster
A very strong hand that has a high probability of winning.

Muck
To discard a hand without showing one's card to the rest of the players at the table. It is also the pile of folded and burned cards.

No Limit Hold Em
A version of poker where a player can bet any or all of their chips at any time.

Nuts
A hand that cannot be beat no matter what comes.

Odds
The probability of making versus not making a poker hand.

On the Button
In Hold Em, the player who acts last in a round, generally considered the best position.

Open Card
A card dealt face up.

Open Pair
A pair of cards that is dealt face-up.

Out
A card which is still in the deck that could improve your hand.

Out of Position
Having to act before your opponent, generally considered a disadvantage.

Outdraw
When a player beats their opponent by drawing a better hand.

Over the Top
Making a large raise.

Pair
Two cards that have the same value ex: Queen, Queen

Pass
When a player folds their hand.

Playing the Board
In a flop game, when your best five-card hand is the five cards on the board.

Position
Where a player is seated in relation to the dealer, which determines his or her betting order.

Pot
The chips that have been bet in the center of the table, which the players are attempting to win.

Protect a Hand
To make bets in an attempt to convince other players to fold, and reduce the risk of having them outdraw you.

Quads
Four of a kind.

Raise
To bet more chips than the previous better, forcing the other players to either match your bet or fold.

Rank
The value of the card or hand.

Re-Raise
To make a raise on top of a previous raise within the same hand.

River
The fifth card or final community card that is dealt.

Rock
A passive and conservative player.

Round of Betting
The period in which each active player has the opportunity to check, bet or raise and only ends when the last bet or raise has been called.

Rounder
A professional player who frequents high-stakes tournaments.

Royal Flush
A hand containing: A, K, Q, J, 10 in the same suit. This is the best possible hand in poker.

See
To call a bet.

Short Stack
When a player has very few chips in comparison to the stacks of the other players.

Showdown
After the final round of betting when all the active players turn over their cards to see who won.

Side Pot
This is a separate pot that is contested by other players when one player is all-in.

Small Blind
This is the forced bet that is made by the person sitting one seat to the left of the dealer button. The amount is half the size of the big blind.

Steaming
Playing recklessly due to frustration.

Straight
Five consecutive cards that can be any suit ex: 4H, 5S, 6D, 7C, 8H

Straight Flush
Five consecutive cards of the same suit.

Suit
All the playing cards belong to one of four different suits: Clubs, Diamonds, Hearts, or Spades.

Texas Hold'em
This is the most popular form of poker.

Three of a Kind
Three cards that are of the same number or face value, also called "trips".

Turn
This is the fourth community card that is dealt in flop games and signifies the third round of betting.

Two Pair
A hand which contains two different pairs of cards ex: 4, 4, J, J, 8