Poker terms: glossary from A to Z

The poker world has its own language. This glossary will help you master it. Here you'll find all the key terms you'll encounter at the table or in training materials. Use the table of contents for quick navigation or Ctrl+F (Cmd+F on Mac) to search for a specific word.

Aggressor

The player who made the last aggressive action (a bet or raise) in the current betting round.

• Example usage: "I was the aggressor on the flop, so I decided to make a c-bet."

Outs

Cards still left in the deck that can improve your hand into a winning one.

• Example usage: "I had a flush draw, which meant 9 outs to improve."

Button

The dealer chip that indicates the player in the most advantageous, late position at the table.

• Example usage: "On the button we can open a fairly wide range."

Buy-in

The amount of money you need to pay to enter a tournament.

• Example usage: "The buy-in for this tournament is $100."

Pot

The total number of chips bet by players in a single hand.

• Example usage: "There were already 35 bb (3500 chips) in the pot, and I decided to go all-in."

Bankroll

The total sum of money a player has set aside exclusively for playing poker.

• Example usage: "It's important to play within your bankroll and not risk all your money."

Bet

The first wager in any betting round.

• Example usage: "Everyone checked to me on the flop, and I made a half-pot bet."

Blind

A mandatory bet made by the two players to the left of the button (the small and big blind) before the cards are dealt.

• Example usage: "The blinds go up every 15 minutes, you need to play more actively."

Bluff

A bet with a weak hand in the hope that an opponent with a stronger hand will fold.

• Example usage: "My flush didn't come in on the river, so I decided to pull off a bluff."

Broadway

A straight from Ten to Ace (T-J-Q-K-A). Cards from ten to ace are also called "broadway" cards.

• Example usage: "I had two broadway cards in my hand, so I called the raise."

Bad beat

A situation where a player is the favorite of the hand on any street, but the worse hand makes a stronger combination. In a bad beat the opponent wins with minimal chances to improve. This usually happens after players go all-in.

• Example usage: "The session was going well, but then I took a bad beat."

Value

The profit you expect to get from your bet when you believe you have the best hand. A value bet is a bet made to get paid off by worse hands.

• Example usage: "With my full house I bet on the river for value."

WTSD (Went To Showdown)

A statistical metric in the HUD that shows how often a player goes to showdown after seeing the flop.

• Example usage: "This player has a high WTSD, which means he doesn't like to fold."

Gutshot

An inside straight draw, which needs one card in the middle to complete. For example, you have 8-9 and the board is 6-T-A. You only need a seven. You have 4 outs.

• Example usage: "I hit my gutshot on the river and won a huge pot."

Downswing

A long losing streak in poker caused by variance. During a downswing, bad luck hits a player more often than it should mathematically. Losses from tilt and poor play should not be equated with a downswing. Alongside "downstreak," the term "downswing" is used in poker.

• Example usage: "In November I established myself at a new stake, but in December I had to move down due to a downswing."

Range

The entire spectrum of possible hands a player can have in a given situation. Strong players think not in terms of specific hands, but in ranges.

• Example usage: "Judging by his raise from early position, his range is very strong."

Donk Bet

A bet made by a player out of position into the player who was the aggressor on the previous street.

• Example usage: "I raised preflop, but on the flop my opponent unexpectedly made a donk bet."

Draw

An unmade hand that needs one or more cards to improve into a strong combination (a straight or a flush).

• Example usage: "On the flop I had a combo draw: to both a straight and a flush."

Quads (Four of a Kind)

A combination of four cards of the same rank.

• Example usage: "My opponent had a full house, but my pocket aces gave me quads on an A-A-5 flop."

Cut-Off (CO)

The position at the table to the right of the button. One of the most profitable positions.

• Example usage: "Everyone folded to me, and I opened with a raise from the cut-off."

Kicker

A card that isn't part of the main combination but is used to determine the winner when combinations are tied.

• Example usage: "We both had a pair of aces, but my King kicker was higher than his Queen."

Call

Matching an opponent's bet.

• Example usage: "I made the call on the river because the pot odds were too good."

Connectors

Two hole cards in sequence, for example 7-8 or T-J. If they are of the same suit, they are "suited connectors."

• Example usage: "Suited connectors are well suited for playing in late position."

Continuation Bet (C-bet)

A bet on the flop from the player who was the preflop aggressor.

• Example usage: "I raised with A-K, missed the flop, but still made a c-bet."

Cooler

A situation where a player gets a very strong hand, plays it correctly, but loses to a stronger combination. 

• Example usage: "When I was dealt kings, I was thrilled. The opponent with aces was even more thrilled. Because of the cooler, the main tournament ended for me 30 minutes after the start."

Nuts

The strongest possible combination in a given situation on the board.

• Example usage: "On a 7-8-9 flop I had T-J, which was the nuts."

Overbet

A bet whose size exceeds the current size of the pot.

• Example usage: "To push out a possible flush draw, I made an overbet on the turn."

All-in

Betting all of your chips.

• Example usage: "With pocket aces I was happy to go all-in preflop."

Position

Your place at the table relative to the button, determining the order of action.

• Example usage: "Playing in position is the key to winning poker."

Postflop

All the betting rounds that happen after the flop (the flop, turn, and river).

• Example usage: "My preflop play is good, but I need to improve my postflop."

Preflop

The first betting round, which happens after the hole cards are dealt but before the flop comes out.

• Example usage: "Beginners make most of their mistakes precisely on the preflop."

Raise

Increasing the previous bet.

• Example usage: "My opponent bet, but I raised to show strength."

River

The fifth and final community card on the board, after which the final betting round takes place.

• Example usage: "I bet on the flop and turn, but on the river he hit a straight."

ROI (Return on Investment)

A profitability metric for a tournament player, expressed as a percentage. It shows how much profit a player gets from their buy-ins.

• Example usage: "A good tournament player should have an ROI of at least 20-30%."

Set

Three of a kind made up of your pocket pair and one card on the board. Considered a very strong and hidden hand.

• Example usage: "I had pocket sevens, and on the flop I hit a set."

Squeeze

A 3-bet preflop after a raise from one player and a call from one or more others.

• Example usage: "I saw a raise and a call, and decided to squeeze with my A-Q."

Stack

The total number of chips a player has at a given moment.

• Example usage: "I'm left with a short stack, it's time to look for a spot to go all-in."

Straight

A combination of five cards in sequence of any suits.

• Example usage: "On the turn I made a straight and beat my opponent's two pair."

Tight

A playing style in which a player plays a very narrow and strong range of hands.

• Example usage: "The player to my right is very tight; if he raises, he definitely has a monster."

Turn

The fourth community card on the board.

• Example usage: "The flush draw didn't complete on the turn, only the river was left."

Tilt

A state where a player, due to strong emotions (usually after a loss), starts making suboptimal, aggressive decisions.

• Example usage: "After that bad beat I went on tilt and lost two more stacks."

Trips

Three of a kind made up of one of your hole cards and two cards on the board. A less hidden hand than a set.

• Example usage: "I had an ace, and on an A-A-5 flop I made trips."

Flop

The first three community cards, which are placed on the table after the first betting round.

• Example usage: "This flop didn't suit me at all, and I folded to a c-bet."

Flush

A combination of five cards of the same suit.

• Example usage: "The third spade came on the river, and I made my flush."

Fold

Discarding your cards, declining further participation in the hand.

• Example usage: "On his raise on the river I didn't have the nerve to call, so I folded."

Freeroll

A tournament with free entry but with real cash prizes.

• Example usage: "I won my first 10 dollars in a poker freeroll."

Full House

A combination of three of a kind and a pair.

• Example usage: "I thought my flush was the best hand, but he turned out to have a full house."

HUD (Heads-Up Display)

A program (for example, PokerTracker, Hand2Note) that displays statistical information about opponents directly on the table in real time.

• Example usage: "My HUD showed that this player was very aggressive."

Heads-Up

One-on-one play.

• Example usage: "We were down to two players, and the heads-up stage began."

Pot Odds

The ratio between the current size of the pot and the size of the bet you need to call. Used to decide whether it's profitable to call with a drawing hand.

• Example usage: "The pot odds were 3 to 1, but my odds of completing the flush were 4 to 1, so the call was unprofitable."

Showdown

The revealing of cards at the end of a hand to determine the winner.

• Example usage: "After his call on the river we went to showdown."

Equity

Your share of the pot corresponding to your chances of winning at the given moment.

• Example usage: "With a pair of aces against a random hand preflop, your equity is about 85%."

Exploit

A playing strategy aimed at taking advantage of specific mistakes and weaknesses in your opponents' play.

• Example usage: "This player folds to c-bets too often, my strategy is to exploit that weakness of his."

Conclusions and next step

This glossary is your reliable helper in the world of poker. Come back to it every time you encounter an unfamiliar word, and very soon you'll start speaking the same language as experienced players.

And for those who want to move from words to action and build a winning system, we've prepared the FF Start course.

FAQ

Why are there so many English words in poker?

Poker in its modern form originated and gained enormous popularity in the USA. With the arrival of online poker, English-language terminology became an international standard that's understood by players all over the world.

What's the difference between a "set" and "trips"?

Both terms mean three of a kind. The difference is in how it's made. A set is a pocket pair + one card on the board (for example, you have 7-7, the board is A-K-7). Trips is one card in your hand + two on the board (you have A-7, the board is A-A-K). A set is considered a stronger and more disguised hand.

Do you need to know all these terms to start playing?

No. To start playing it's enough to know 10-15 basic terms (pot, bet, raise, fold, flop, etc.). However, the deeper you study strategy, the more terms you'll encounter. This glossary is your reliable helper along that path.