{"id":17806,"date":"2022-11-14T02:30:51","date_gmt":"2022-11-14T08:30:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/blog\/?p=17806"},"modified":"2024-05-23T08:27:48","modified_gmt":"2024-05-23T13:27:48","slug":"poker-slang","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/blog\/poker-slang\/","title":{"rendered":"57 Poker Terms And Slang Phrases You Need To Know"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If you’re a beginner poker player then it’s worth getting to grips with some slang and common phrases to feel like an insider.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Knowing it won’t make you a better player but at least you’ll be able to understand what others are talking about and will enjoy the game more as a result. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

ABC Poker <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A basic and predictable strategy where you only play and bet strong hands, and fold everything else. Also known as playing by the book.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Airball<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAirball\u201d or \u201cairballing\u201d is when a player is bluffing with complete \u201cair,\u201d meaning no actual hand and no realistic chance of improving. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

American Airlines<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A common name for pocket aces that comes from the hand\u2019s abbreviation of \u201cAA.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"American<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Being the strongest hand<\/a> in Texas Hold\u2019em, pocket aces have several other nicknames, another common one being \u201cpocket rockets.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ammo (Ammunition)<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Refers to a player\u2019s chip stack. When you\u2019re out of ammo, it means you no longer have chips. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ll find that a number of poker slang terms\nhave been borrowed from the military.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Angle Shooting<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When a player intentionally tries to take advantage of others using tactics that aren’t against the rules but are considered unethical. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ll usually find this term in the phrase \u201cshooting an angle.\u201d An example would be a player who hides their big chip denominations or falsely announces their hand at a showdown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

? How To Avoid Angle Shooters In Poker <\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Arsenal<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Describes a player’s skills<\/a> and plays. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Someone with a big arsenal is capable of pulling different plays at different times to throw their opponents off and take maximum advantage of a situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The better you know and understand all strategy nuances and various moves, the more arsenal you have at the table.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

B<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Belly Buster<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A common term for a gunshot, also known as “inside straight draw.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Refers to thee kind of straight draw where only four cards in the deck can be used to fill the gap and give the player a made straight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, if you have 98 on A65, you have a\nbelly buster because only one out of four 7s can make your straight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Big Blind Special<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When the player in the big blind wins the pot or makes a strong hand, usually because they were able to see the flop for free. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re a fan of poker shows, you\u2019ll probably have heard this phrase quite often. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Big Slick<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Refers to Ace-King of any suit – the hand you definitely want to play.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

AK also has tons of popular names starting with the initials, such as Anna Kournikova, Korean Airlines, or AK-47 to name a few. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Big<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Bloodbath<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes used by poker commentators<\/a> to describe a situation where two or more players are about to get involved in a huge pot. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is usually a scenario where all involved\nplayers have a big hand or a big draw, so it\u2019s quite likely all chips will go\ninto the middle, resulting in several players being eliminated from the\ntournament or having their stacks decimated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Brick<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Used to describe a card that doesn’t complete any possible draws and is of no relevance to a current hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Busted<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Busting refers to losing all of your chips or\nmoney. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It can be used in a couple of different\nsituations, for example, you can be busted from the tournament because you lost\nall of your chips. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The same could be said about cash games if you\nlose all the money and you can\u2019t reload anymore. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It can also refer to a situation where a player loses their entire bankroll and has no money to play poker anymore, so they are busted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"busted<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

C<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Cambodia<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Describes the hole cards 74o, with the suited version sometimes referred to as \u201cCambodian Slick\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The term originates from New York City cardrooms, but there\u2019s no real explanation for where it got its name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cardrack<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Used to describe a player who\u2019s been getting dealt good hands for the entire session or a tournament. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A \u201ccardrack\u201d will often go on a heater, getting big pocket pairs<\/a>, hitting all of their draws, and stacking many players in the process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chip Dumping<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A practice that’s only found in poker tournaments and is when one player intentionally loses to another player to transfer chips from one stack to another. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Players can chip dump for a variety of reasons,\nbut the most common scenario is when two players are colluding in a tournament\nand one of them accumulates a big stack, allowing them to \u201cshare\u201d some of their\nwealth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chip dumping is against the rules and can lead to a tournament suspension or even money confiscation if players get caught doing it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

? The Most Common Poker Cheats And How To Avoid Them<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Clicking Buttons<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Used to describe actions that don\u2019t make sense and are done just for the sake of doing something, mostly referring to players who don\u2019t understand what they\u2019re doing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The term originated from online poker<\/a>, but it\u2019s also used in live games these days. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Computer Hand<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A nickname for the starting hand Q7o.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Modern-day poker relies heavily on math and\nnumbers. People have come up with all sorts of calculations, especially for the\nstarting hands. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Someone worked out that the hand Q7o was the worst profitable starting hand with slightly positive equity against a random hand, which got dubbed \u201ccomputer hand.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cooler <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Describes a situation where both players have a very strong hand and no matter how they play it, all of their money is likely to end up in the middle of the pot. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A cooler is\na situation that can\u2019t be avoided and ends up costing one of the players a lot\nof money. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cowboys<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A nickname for pocket kings (KK) that’s used by both players and poker commentators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Cowboys<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Crabs<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When you\u2019re dealt any combination of pocket\nthrees, you\u2019re dealt crabs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The nickname likely originates from the fact the number three on the cards looks a bit like a sideways crab.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Credit Card Roulette<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A practice used by players to determine who\u2019ll pay the check (dinner, drinks, etc.). Everyone throws their credit card into a hat or a box, and the lucky winner gets to pay for everyone. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although this isn\u2019t strictly a poker term, you\u2019ve\nprobably heard it a few times, especially if you like to tune in for streams\nand podcasts of highs stakes players. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes you\u2019ll even hear individual players complaining about running on the wrong side of variance<\/a> playing credit card roulette.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

D<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Dolly Parton<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Nickname for any starting hand combo containing a 9 and a 5.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The name originates from the famous song \u201c9 to 5\u201d performed by Dolly Parton. You might also hear it being called a \u201cfull-time job\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s less common these days and tends to be used by more seasoned players. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"9<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Donkey<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Refers to someone who doesn\u2019t know how to play well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although there\u2019s no steadfast definition of a \u201cpoker donkey\u201d you\u2019ll probably know it when you see it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Doomswitch<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A term used to describe a player running poorly and on the wrong side of variance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It originates from online poker and the theory that poker sites have a certain \u201cswitch\u201d they can turn to make particular players win or lose more often. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although most players take this as a joke, some genuinely do believe sites operate this way to stop you winning too much money.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s only a myth, so don\u2019t worry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ducks<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Pocket deuces (twos) are often referred to as ducks, thanks to the number 2’s slight resemblance to a duck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dirty Stack<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Describes a chip stack that contains a random number of different denomination chips, all mixed together.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s good etiquette (and often a rule) to organize your chips properly in piles, with the larger denominations at the front for other players to see.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

F<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Fist Pump<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A motion used to celebrate winning a pot or another positive outcome at a table. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s become quite common to refer to other situations as well, such as \u201cfist-pump shove\u201d – being thrilled to move all-in<\/a> after your opponent bets into your monster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

G<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Gappers<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The term \u201cgapper\u201d is used to describe hole\ncards that have the potential to make straights (connectors). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The number of cards needed in the middle is the \u201cgap\u201d so if you have a hand like 5-7, you have a one-gapper (the 6 is missing). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A hand like 7-10 is a two-gapper, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gears<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Describes a player\u2019s ability to adjust to different situations and find the best play available to them on the spot. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Such a player is capable of shifting gears as\nrequired, just as if they were driving a car.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GG <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

An abbreviation of a good game, often used online to express gratitude for a good match. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It can also be used ironically to make fun of weaker players or when someone makes a very bad play.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Going South<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When a player \u201cgoes south\u201d in a poker game, it means they removed a portion of their chips from the table in order to reduce their stake. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is against the rules in most games and can even be called an angle shoot. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

All the money you win has to remain in play until you decide to get up and leave, so be sure to avoid \u201cgoing south\u201d – no matter what.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

H<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Hero<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you watch poker training videos or hand reviews, you\u2019ll often come across the term \u201chero.\u201d This is refers to the player whose hand is being reviewed or the one you are focusing on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

High Society<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A stack of \u201chigh society\u201d refers to the stack of the highest denomination chips available in the casino.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although the term is used by gamblers in general, it was made famous in poker circles thanks to the cult movie Rounders<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"Rounders
Image: imdb.com<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Hit And Run <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This is when\nyou decide to leave the game very soon after winning a huge pot or several\nbanks in a row. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some\nplayers use this to protect their winnings but it\u2019s considered unethical\nbehavior and shouldn\u2019t be something you practice a lot. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Horse<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A player who is being backed by someone else to play in a certain tournament or a cash game. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The \u201chorse\u201d provides their skills and the backer provides part of or the full buy-in. Any profits are shared as agreed between both parties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Idiot End<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Refers to a straight (draw). When a player has a draw to a straight where they can only make the lowest straight possible, with one or more options for bigger straights, they are said to be drawing to the idiot end of the straight. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

J<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Jam <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Another name for raising all-in, \u201cjam\u201d describes a situation where you put all your money in the middle of the pot. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

L<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Live One<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Similar to a donkey, poker players use the term \u201clive one\u201d to describe a player who\u2019s not very good at poker and is therefore an easy target at the table. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A \u201clive one\u201d usually plays a lot of hands, has\na reasonably big bankroll, and doesn\u2019t mind losing as long as they\u2019re having\nfun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lodden Thinks<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The game of \u201cLodden Thinks\u201d was popularized by high stakes players such as Antonio Esfandiari and Phil Laak. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although it has nothing to do with poker, it\u2019s often used as an activity between hands. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Players will bet on what another player thinks\nabout a certain topic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The player who plays the part of \u201cLodden\u201d will write down their answer, and other players will place their bets. What makes the game fun is that the answer doesn\u2019t have to be at all true. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s about what other players may think, so it\ninvolves a certain degree of psychology and reading abilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
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