What this glossary covers
This page is a Texas Hold'em glossary (mainly No-Limit) that summarizes frequently used poker terms in plain English. Definitions are based on official rules and terminology guides from major poker sites.
Details can vary by room, tournament format, or cash-game structure.
(Sources: WSOP Poker Terms, Texas Holdem Rules / PokerStars Poker Terms & Definitions, Poker Terms Glossary)
Abbreviations used in this guide
- SB: Small Blind
- BB: Big Blind
- BTN: Button (Dealer Button)
- CO: Cut-off
- UTG: Under the Gun
- IP / OOP: In Position / Out of Position
Cards and the board (community cards)
(Sources: WSOP Poker Terms / PokerStars Poker Terms & Definitions, Poker Terms Glossary)
| Term | Meaning (summary) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hole cards | Face-down cards dealt to each player. In Hold'em, usually two. | Sometimes called pocket cards. |
| Pocket cards | Your private cards (hole cards). | WSOP notes hole cards are also called pocket cards. |
| Community cards | Face-up shared cards everyone can use. | Flop, turn, and river add up to five. |
| Board | The full set of community cards (flop + turn + river). | PokerStars defines the board as all community cards. |
| Flop | The first three community cards dealt face up. | |
| Turn (Fourth Street) | The fourth community card. | |
| River (Fifth Street) | The fifth and final community card. | |
| Burn (Burn card) | Discarding the top card of the deck before each street. | Done to reduce cheating risk. |
| Hand | (1) One deal from cards to showdown, or (2) the best five-card combination you play. | Meaning depends on context. |
| Showdown | Remaining players reveal cards to determine the winner. | Reached when the last bet is called, players are all-in, etc. |
| Muck | The pile of folded or discarded cards. | "To muck" can also mean folding without showing. |
Table setup and position
(Sources: WSOP Poker Terms, Texas Holdem Rules / PokerStars Poker Terms & Definitions, Poker Terms Glossary)
| Term | Meaning (summary) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Button | Marker showing the nominal dealer seat. | Usually the most favorable position (acts last postflop). |
| Dealer button | Same as the button. | In live games, often a plastic disk. |
| Dealer | (Live) the person dealing cards / (Online) the nominal dealer seat. | Sets blind placement and action order. |
| Blind | Forced bet posted before cards are dealt. | Collective term for SB and BB. |
| Small blind (SB) | Smaller forced blind posted by the seat left of the button. | Often about half the big blind. |
| Big blind (BB) | Larger forced blind posted by the seat left of the small blind. | Preflop, often treated as the first bet to match. |
| Ante | Small forced contribution from every player before a hand. | Common in later tournament stages and some formats. |
| Buy-in | (Tournament) entry fee / (Cash) chips required to sit. | WSOP often cites around 20 big blinds as a rough cash example. |
| Stack | Chips in front of a player. | Often discussed in big-blind units ("50 BB deep"). |
| Position | Where you sit relative to the dealer and action order. | Acting later is generally described as more favorable. |
| Cut-off (CO) | Seat one to the right of the button. | A classic late position. |
| UTG (Under the Gun) | First seat to act preflop. | Seat to the left of the big blind. |
| Orbit | Hands until the button moves all the way around the table. | "Wait one orbit" is a common phrase. |
Common 6-max position names (example)
In 6-max, seats are often labeled UTG → MP → CO → BTN → SB → BB. With fewer players, early/middle position labels can shift.
For full position names and action order, see Poker Position Names Explained.
Basic betting actions
(Sources: WSOP Poker Terms, Texas Holdem Rules / PokerStars Poker Terms & Definitions, Poker Terms Glossary)
| Term | Meaning (summary) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Action | Your turn to act / a pot with lots of betting. | WSOP and PokerStars use both meanings. |
| Check | Pass when no bet is facing you. | You can check only when there is nothing to call. |
| Bet | The first chips put in on that street. | PokerStars notes the small blind is often counted as the first preflop bet. |
| Call | Match the current bet or raise. | You add only what is required to continue. |
| Raise | Increase the current bet or raise. | WSOP describes raising at least the previous bet/raise in the same round (with all-in exceptions). |
| Fold | Give up the hand and forfeit further action. | Folded cards go to the muck. |
| All-in | Put all remaining chips in the pot. | You cannot add more bets later in that hand. |
| Check-raise | Check, then raise after an opponent bets. | A classic tactic described by WSOP and PokerStars. |
| Cold call | Call after one or more bets and raises before you. | Described as calling multiple prior bets at once. |
| Limp (slang) | Enter the pot by calling rather than raising. | PokerStars describes limping as calling the big blind to enter. |
| Straddle | (Mainly cash) optional extra blind-like bet before cards. | WSOP describes common live habits such as 2x BB from UTG+1. |
| String bet | Trying to bet or raise by putting chips out in multiple motions. | Often not allowed in live games (WSOP/PokerStars). |
For who acts first on each street, see Texas Hold'em Action Order.
Pot, equity, and expected value
(Sources: WSOP Poker Terms / PokerStars Poker Terms & Definitions, Poker Terms Glossary)
| Term | Meaning (summary) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Pot | Chips wagered in the center during a hand. | Winner takes it (split if tied). |
| Side pot | Extra pot when not all players can contest the full amount (e.g. all-in). | All-in players only win pots they helped create. |
| Split pot | Tie at showdown; pot is divided. | Also called a chop. |
| Outs | Cards that improve your hand toward winning. | Example: nine outs on a flush draw. |
| Pot odds | Ratio of pot size to the cost of a call. | Used to judge whether a call is profitable. See pot odds basics. |
| Implied odds | Pot odds plus extra chips you expect to win if you hit. | Includes future bets—not guaranteed. |
| Equity | (Roughly) your share of the pot based on win probability. | PokerStars describes it as win rate × pot size. |
| Expectation (EV) | Average long-run result of a decision if repeated. | Positive EV (+EV) is profitable over time. |
| Variance | Swing in short-term results (runs good / bad)—even a winning player can lose for weeks due to variance. | Explains why skill and short-term results diverge over small samples. |
Hand strength and made hands
(Sources: WSOP Poker Terms, Poker Hands Chart / PokerStars Poker Terms & Definitions, Poker Terms Glossary)
| Term | Meaning (summary) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hand rankings | Order of poker hands from royal flush down to high card. | See our hand rankings chart. |
| Kicker | Side cards that break ties between equal hand categories. | Explained with examples by WSOP and PokerStars. |
| Nuts | The strongest possible hand on the current board. | Changes as new community cards appear. |
| Draw | An incomplete hand that can improve with specific cards. | Flush draw, straight draw, etc. |
| Flush draw | One card away from a flush. | Defined in PokerStars Glossary. |
| Straight draw | One card away from a straight. | |
| Gutshot | Straight draw needing one specific rank in the middle. | Fewer outs than open-ended. |
| Open-ended straight draw | Straight draw that completes with two different ranks on either end. | Often described as stronger than a gutshot. |
| Backdoor | Needs two consecutive future cards to complete (turn + river). | Similar idea to "runner-runner." |
| Set | Three of a kind when you hold a pocket pair and hit the board. | Distinguished from trips: e.g. 7♠7♦ on 7♣-K♦-2♠ is a set. |
| Trips | Three of a kind made with one hole card and a paired board (not from a pocket pair). | e.g. K♠7♦ on K♣-K♦-5♠—one hole card matches a paired board. Contrast with a set above. |
| Play the board | Your hole cards do not improve the best five; the board alone is best. | PokerStars Poker Terms & Definitions. |
| Counterfeit | Board cards reduce the relative strength of your hand. | Example: your two pair becomes weaker vs the board. |
Strategy terms you hear often
(Sources: PokerStars Poker Terms Glossary / WSOP Poker Terms)
| Term | Meaning (summary) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Bluff | Betting or raising with a hand you believe is behind, hoping opponents fold. | Core concept in both WSOP and PokerStars guides. |
| Semi-bluff | Bluffing with a hand that can improve if called. | WSOP: a bluff that can still win if it improves. |
| Slow play | Playing a strong hand passively to induce more action. | Also called trapping in casual speech. |
| Continuation bet (C-bet) | The preflop aggressor bets again on the flop. | Defined in PokerStars Glossary. See C-bet basics. |
| Three-bet (3-bet) | A re-raise preflop (raise vs a raise). | Counting: bet → raise (2-bet) → re-raise (3-bet). |
| Four-bet (4-bet) | Re-raise against a 3-bet. | |
| Barrel | Continuing to bet on later streets. | 2nd barrel = turn, 3rd barrel = river. |
| Donk bet | Leading into the previous street's aggressor instead of checking. | PokerStars Glossary. |
| Range | The set of hands a player can hold in a given spot. | PokerStars Glossary. |
| Fold equity | Extra value from opponents folding to your bet or raise. | PokerStars Glossary. |
| Out of position (OOP) | Acting before your opponent(s) on that street. | Opposite of in position (IP). |
References (accessed 2026-05-27)
- WSOP: Poker Terms
- WSOP: How To Play | Texas Holdem Rules
- WSOP: Poker Hands Chart
- PokerStars: Poker Terms & Definitions
- PokerStars: Poker Terms Glossary
