Essential poker terminology for tournament and cash game play
The first position to act preflop, immediately left of the big blind. The worst position at the table.
Second position to act preflop, immediately left of UTG.
Positions between early and late position. Better than early position but not as good as late position.
Position immediately right of the button. Second-best position at the table.
The dealer position. Best position at the table as you act last on every postflop street.
Position that posts half a big blind before cards are dealt. Acts first postflop.
Position that posts a full big blind before cards are dealt. Last to act preflop.
Acting after your opponent(s) on a betting round, giving you more information.
Acting before your opponent(s) on a betting round, giving you less information.
To discard your hand and forfeit any claim to the pot.
To pass the action to the next player without betting when no bet has been made.
To match the current bet amount.
To put chips into the pot when no previous bet has been made in that betting round.
To increase the size of an existing bet in the same betting round.
The third bet in a sequence. Usually refers to a re-raise before the flop.
The fourth bet in a sequence. A re-raise of a 3-bet.
The fifth bet in a sequence. A re-raise of a 4-bet, usually indicates a very strong hand.
To bet all of your remaining chips.
To check with the intention of raising after an opponent bets.
To bet into the preflop aggressor from out of position. Generally considered a weak play.
A bet made by the preflop aggressor on the flop, continuing the aggression.
To call a bet with a weak hand, planning to take the pot away on a later street.
To 3-bet after there has been a raise and one or more calls.
To raise a limper with the intention of playing heads-up.
To 3-bet someone you suspect is stealing blinds with a weak range.
To continue betting on multiple streets. Double barrel = flop + turn, Triple barrel = flop + turn + river.
The best possible hand given the current board cards.
To bet or raise with a weak hand, hoping opponents will fold better hands.
A mediocre hand that can only beat bluffs, typically used when calling river bets.
A bet made with a strong hand, hoping weaker hands will call.
A value bet with a hand that's only slightly better than your opponent's calling range.
A situation where you have a very strong hand but your opponent has an even stronger hand.
Losing with a strong hand to a weaker hand that got lucky.
Two cards of the same rank as your hole cards (e.g., AA, KK, 22).
Three of a kind using a pocket pair and one board card.
Three of a kind using one hole card and two board cards.
Slang for a full house.
Four of a kind.
Four cards to a straight, needing one more card to complete it.
Four cards of the same suit, needing one more for a flush.
An inside straight draw (needing one specific rank to complete the straight).
A straight draw that can be completed by cards of two different ranks.
A hand with multiple draws (e.g., straight draw + flush draw).
A flop with few drawing possibilities and limited connectivity (e.g., A♠7♥2♦).
A flop with many possible draws and high connectivity (e.g., 9♠8♥7♦).
Three different suits on the flop, making a flush impossible until the turn.
All three flop cards are the same suit.
Two cards of one suit and one of another on the flop.
A board containing a pair (e.g., K♠K♥3♦).
A board where the cards work well together, creating many possible draws.
A turn or river card that doesn't help anyone's hand or change the relative strength.
Tournament structure where only the big blind posts an ante for the entire table.
The period just before players reach the money positions.
A mathematical model used to calculate the monetary value of tournament chips based on payout structure.
A tournament where the prize is entry into a larger tournament rather than cash.
The option to purchase more chips during specified periods of a tournament.
An optional purchase of additional chips at the end of the rebuy period.
A tournament format with no rebuys - once you're eliminated, you're out.
Tournament with faster blind level increases (typically 10-15 minutes instead of 20-30).
Tournament with very fast blind increases (typically 3-5 minutes per level).
Standard unit for measuring stack sizes (e.g., 50 BBs = 50 times the big blind).
The smaller stack size between you and your opponent in a hand.
Generally considered 20 BBs or fewer. Limited post-flop play options.
Generally 100+ BBs. Allows for complex post-flop play.
Strategy used with short stacks where you either shove all-in or fold preflop.
The ratio of the current pot size to the cost of a call.
The potential future winnings you might gain if you hit your draw.
The potential future losses if you make your hand but it's still beaten.
The value gained from the chance that your opponent will fold to your bet.
The average amount you expect to win or lose from a play over the long run.
A player who plays few hands but plays them aggressively. Generally considered good play.
A player who plays many hands aggressively. Can be very effective when done well.
An extremely tight player who only plays premium hands. Predictable and easy to exploit.
A weak, losing player who makes many mistakes. The target for profit.
A strong, winning player who preys on weaker opponents.
A casual player who plays for fun rather than profit. Often makes suboptimal decisions.
A player who plays frequently and seriously, usually with solid fundamental skills.
An extremely loose and aggressive player who bets and raises with weak hands.
Playing poorly due to emotional frustration, usually after bad beats or losses.
The natural ups and downs in poker results due to the element of luck.
Managing your poker funds to withstand downswings and ensure long-term play.
A physical or behavioral cue that gives away information about a player's hand.
How other players perceive your playing style (tight, loose, aggressive, passive).
The impression you've created at the table based on your recent play.
Thinking about what your opponent thinks you have, and what they think you think they have, etc.
The game beyond the cards - psychology, image, history between players.
Playing against only one opponent, either in a tournament final or cash game.
A pot with three or more players.
A separate pot created when a player is all-in but others continue betting.
When two or more players have the same hand strength and divide the pot equally.
To split a pot, or to divide tournament prize pools equally among remaining players.
An illegal betting action where chips are pushed forward in multiple motions.
Using unethical but technically legal tactics to gain an advantage.
Deliberately taking a long time to call or show a winning hand. Considered poor etiquette.