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Texas Hold'em No Limit Beginner

Key Poker Terms for Beginners

8,891 Views on 10/3/15

What are the key poker terms every beginner should know?

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When it comes to poker, the game has become so popular and widespread, that people playing could easily print their own vocabulary. There are countless of poker words and terms that are known to poker players, but some of them have also worked their way into the mainstream conversation. 

One of the most commonly used poker words is the term “bluff” and you can safely say everyone uses it. Lady Gaga even made a hit song “Poker face”, referring to the face expression poker players make. 

Even though there are many poker terms that almost every individual on the Earth knows, there are also certain words that beginners are unaware of. We will try to explain the most frequently used ones.

Flop

One of the most common terms in poker, “flop” is the phase following the first round of bets. The name marks the phase where three community cards are dealt on board. The three cards are dealt face up. The term is used for games like Texas Hold Em. 

An example of the usage of the term flop is the following “the bets are in, time to deal the flop”. The flop cannot be dealt until the players place their initial bet.

Turn

After the flop is played, the fourth community card is dealt. This card is known as the turn. It is often called the “fourth street” as well. The turn is dealt face up, and it marks the phase between the flop and the river. 

Example of usage: “Michael found a good flop, but everything can change if Jackson improves on the turn”.

River

The final community card dealt in Texas Hold’Em is known as the river. This fifth card is also dealt face up. A common phrase one can hear amongst poker players is “he rivered it”. The phase means that the player beat his opponent with the fifth and final card. The player was waiting for the card, and the “river” delivered. 

Example of usage “Peter is waiting for a spade on the river”.

Blinds

Blinds are mandatory bets made by the first two players positioned to the left of the dealer. The blinds are bets made before any cards are dealt, and they can be an addition to the ante, or placed instead of the ante. Blinds are common in the community card games. 

The difference between blinds and ante is that blinds count towards the total amount one of the players contributes to the pot in the given hand. Another key difference is that blinds are required just by certain players (the two left of the dealer). 

Blinds are called big and small. The big blind is a full first round bet.

All In

When you hear the words “All in”, it normally means the player betting has huge confidence in his cards. “All in” is a term used when players put all of their chips in the pot. The player going can no longer contribute to the pot. He cannot participate in bets that are above his “all in” amount. 

When an “all in” happens, a side pot is created for the players that go above the amount, and the player who has placed an “all in” bet can win only the main pot. 

There are two usages of “all in”. Player can move in with the bluff to scare other players from the pot or with a very strong hand to try and win the maximum. If called, player is at risk to lose everything.

Another usage is when players go “all in” in a hand they would not be able to play otherwise as they are lacking chips. In that case, they go all in, and a side pot is created for players that go above the amount of all in.

Hole cards

The term marks the cards that are dealt to players with their face down. No other player except for the individual who has gotten the cards is entitled to see the cards.

Pocket pairs

The term is used in flop games, and it represents a situation in which a player holds two cards of the same value in his hand. 

The cards can be used only by that player, and no other players get to see them. The player holds the pair in his pocket. 

The term applies to both land based and online casinos. Example of usage “John had a pocket pair and made a set on the flop”.

Author

w34z3l

I am of British nationality and go by the online alias w34z3l. I am considered one of the top consultants in the field for technical analysis (i.e. database work) and application of game theory concepts to various card games. I make a ... Read More

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