The old School poker style

By Nick S

GIossary :

BLUFF:to bet big with a poor hand to fool opponents

ACES UP: a hand with two pairs in which the high pair , into folding.
is Aces. You can use this expression for other cards.
For example, if you had a pair of Kings and a pair of BOARD, ON THE: The cards that are exposed to all play 4s you could say, “Two pair, King high” or ‘Two pair, ers. The center cards in community games such as
Kings over 4” Omaha and Hold ‘ em or the up cards in a stud game.

ADVERTISE: to deliberately bluff and expose yourself BOAT, OR FULL BOAT: a full house.
as a loose player.
BULLET: an ace.
ALL-IN: to bet all your remaining chips. A more com mo
occurrence in high-stakes poker, particularly in BUMP: to raise. “I’ll see your $10 and bump you
tournaments, another $10.”

ANTE: an amount, decided before playing begins, that BUST: a hand that failed to materialize into
each player puts in the pot before the game begins. anything good.

BAD BEAT: when you play the correct odds but lose to BUY-IN: the minimum money needed to sit in on a game. a lucky hand. It happens.

BET INTO: to bet before someone whose hand appears better or who made a high bet the previous round.

BIG BLIND: a compulsory ante made by the person sitting two away from the dealer’s left. Commonly used in Hold ‘em. See Blind.

BLIND: compulsory ante made by the player on the dealer’s left. Again, common in Hold em. Also, a bet made before looking at the cards. See Big Blind.

CALL: to match a previous bet. FOUR-FLUSH OR

FOUR-STRAIGHT: a hand with either
four cards of the same suit or four cards in sequence.

CHASE: to look for one specific card, or cards, in the Until these hands are “filled” with a fifth card, they
hopes of improving your hand. are worthless.

CHECK-RAISE: to check with a strong hand in the

FOURTH STREET: in community poker, the fourth card hopes of raising when the betting comes back around. to be exposed. In stud games, the fourth card dealt.
A controversial strategy. Also known as “sandbagging.” See Turn.

CINCH: a hand that cannot lose. Also known as a

FOUR TITS: a pair of Queens. Also known as a
“lock” or “nuts.” “Siegfried and Roy.”

COMMUNITY GAMES: games such as Hold ‘em, HI-

LOW: in Hi-low games, the highest and lowest
Omaha, or Cincinnati, where players share a number hands split the pot.
of cards from the board.

HOLE CARDS: concealed cards in stud or community

CONNECTED CARDS: cards that are in consecutive games such as Hold ‘em or Omaha.
order, for instance 4-5 or Q-K.
IN: if you call all bets, you’re still “in” a hand.

DEALER’S CHOICE: playing with a rotating dealer who
chooses the game. INSIDE STRAIGHT: a four-straight where you need one
specific card to fill a straight. For instance, 9-1O-Q-K.

FIFTH STREET: in Hold ‘em or Omaha, the fifth and Chasing an inside straight can be risky. See Open-
final card to be turned over. In seven-card stud, the ended straight.
fifth card dealt. See River.

KICKER: another card, usually high, that strengthens

FLOP: in Hold ‘em or Omaha, the first three cards on your hand but does not contribute to a pair or better.
the board to be exposed. A hand of 1O-1O-A-6-4 would be a “pair of lOs with
an Ace kicker.”

FOLD: to quit a hand.

LIMIT POKER: a game in which maximum bet limits

RIVER: the final card exposed in a community game.
are established. I See Fifth Street.

LDCK: see Cinch. SANDBAGGING: see Check-raise.

LOOSE: a loose player is someone who bets recklessly SEE: to see a bet means to call or match the previous.
in defiance of the odds. See Tight.

SHOWDDWN: the point at which players expose

MAKE: to make the deck means to shuffle. their hands to determine the winner.

MUCK: where discarded or folded cards go.

SIEGFRIED AND ROY: see Four Tits.

NUTS: see Cinch. STAND PAT: to not take any cards from the deck in a
draw game.

OPEN: to make the first bet in a game.

STEAL: taking the pot with a poor hand by bluffing

OPEN-ENDED STRAIGHT: four cards in sequence that your opponents into folding.
can become a straight with two different cards on
either end. For instance, 8-9-1O-J (a 7 or Q would fill STREAK: a run of good or bad cards.
the straight). See Inside straight.

STUD: a game in which each player is dealt a card or

POT ODDS: the ratio of money in the pot to the cards facedown followed by up cards.
money you must put in to stay in the hand.
Calculating pot odds is a good way to figure if it SUITED: cards of the same suit. if you are dealt the
is worth staying in a hand. Ace and King of spades you have “Ace-King” suited.

RAISE: to increase the amount of the previous bet. TELL: a mannerism that gives away a player’s hand.
“Ill see your $5 and raise you another $10.”
See Bump. TIGHT: a conservative player who usually only bets
when his hand is strong. See Loose.

TRIPS: three of a kind.

TURN: in a community game, the tourth card turned over. See Fourth Street.

UNSUITED: cards at different suits.

UP CARD: a card exposed to the table.

WIRED: a pair in the hole. For example, in a sevencard stud game, it your two down cards are Kings, you’ve got “Kings wired.”