Poker terms can sound strange to a beginner, but the vocabulary is small and repeats everywhere. This glossary explains the most common words briefly, from the stages of a hand to hand names and casino poker's own terms.
It covers over 50 terms: table and bet words, player actions, community cards, hand names, and the paytables and side bets of casino poker played against the dealer. The explanations are general game knowledge, not a promise of winning.
Poker terms by stage of the hand
Poker vocabulary is almost all English, and the same words repeat at every table. Once you know the basics, following a hand is easy. The terms below are grouped by theme, each with a short explanation.
Table and bets
Pot – the total of all bets gathered in the middle, paid to the winner of the hand.
Bet – the first amount of money put into the pot during a betting round.
Ante – a small compulsory stake every player pays before the cards are dealt.
Blind – a forced bet paid by two players before they see their cards. The small blind and big blind rotate around the table.
Button – the dealer marker. The player on the button acts last, which is an advantage.
Dealer – the person or software that deals the cards and runs the table.
Hand – one round played from start to finish, or the cards a player holds.
All-in – putting your whole stack into the pot at once.
Player actions
Check – passing the action without betting when nobody has bet.
Call – matching the previous bet.
Raise – increasing the bet. Others must call the raise or give up.
Fold – throwing the hand away and giving up the pot.
Bluff – betting so that opponents believe your hand is better than it is.
Showdown – the final stage, where the remaining players reveal their cards.
Cards and board stages
Hole cards – a player's own face-down cards.
Community cards – the shared face-up cards that everyone can use.
Flop – the first three community cards, turned together.
Turn – the fourth community card.
River – the fifth and last community card.
Preflop – the stage before the flop, when only hole cards are dealt.
Kicker – an extra card outside the combination that decides between two equal hands.
Hand names
Hand names are part of the vocabulary and are the same in every poker variant. From weakest to strongest:
High card – no combination, the highest card counts.
Pair – two cards of the same rank.
Two pair – two different pairs.
Three of a kind – three cards of the same rank.
Straight – five consecutive cards of mixed suits.
Flush – five cards of one suit.
Full house – three of a kind plus a pair.
Four of a kind – four cards of the same rank.
Straight flush – five consecutive cards of one suit.
Royal flush – a straight flush from ten to ace, the strongest possible hand.
One more word is worth knowing: the nuts, which means the strongest possible hand with the cards currently on the board.
Strength, draws and playing styles
Nuts – the strongest possible hand given the board.
Draw – an unfinished hand that needs one or two more cards, such as four cards of one suit.
Outs – the cards left in the deck that would complete a draw.
Pot odds – the ratio of the pot to the bet you must call, used to judge whether calling is mathematically sound.
Value bet – a bet meant to be called by a weaker hand.
Tilt – emotional play where decisions get worse, often after a loss.
Tell – a habit in an opponent's behaviour that hints at their hand.
Heads-up – a game between two players.
Casino poker terms
In casino poker you play against the dealer, not other players. There is no bluffing, but the vocabulary is its own.
Ante – the mandatory opening stake that gets you into the round.
Play bet – the additional stake you make to continue after seeing your cards. In Casino Hold'em it is usually double the ante, in Three Card Poker equal to it.
Pair Plus – a Three Card Poker side bet that pays on the strength of your own hand only, regardless of the dealer's.
Dealer qualifies – the dealer's hand must reach a minimum value, such as a pair of fours in hold'em or queen high in Three Card Poker, for the play bet to compete.
Paytable – the list showing what each hand pays. A game can have several, and the paytable changes the RTP.
Hold – in video poker, a card you choose to keep.
Draw – in video poker, replacing the cards you did not hold with new ones.
Progressive jackpot – a side-bet prize that grows with the stakes played.
RTP, return to player, is the long-term average share of stakes paid back as winnings. Casino poker RTPs in the catalogue run high, between 97 and 99.7 per cent, but assume correct play and a particular paytable.
For example, Oasis Poker Classic (Evoplay) is listed at 99.7 per cent, Casino Hold'em (Mascot Gaming) at 99.3 per cent and Three Card Poker (Habanero) at 97.99 per cent. The figure promises nothing about a single session. The house edge always exists and no strategy removes it.
Game names
Texas Hold'em – the most popular variant: two hole cards and five community cards.
Casino Hold'em – Texas Hold'em played against the dealer.
Caribbean Stud – five-card casino poker with one dealer card face up.
Three Card Poker – fast three-card casino poker.
Oasis Poker – a five-card game where you can exchange cards during the round.
Video poker – slot-style poker played against a paytable.
For game rules, see our guide to Three Card Poker. Our video poker guide covers its vocabulary.
Knowing the terms helps you follow the game but does not change the odds of a round. Poker is a card and skill game, yet in casino poker luck weighs heavily. Set a stake limit beforehand and stay within it.
Frequently asked questions
What do poker terms mean?
Poker terms are the words used in poker to describe bets, player actions, stages of the hand and card combinations. Most are English, such as call, raise, fold, flop, turn and river.
What does all-in mean in poker?
All-in means putting your whole stack into the pot. A player who goes all-in competes for the pot to the end of the hand.
What is the difference between check and call?
Check means passing without betting when nobody has bet. Call means matching a bet that has already been made.
What are the flop, turn and river?
They are the stages of community cards in Texas Hold'em. The flop is the first three cards, the turn the fourth and the river the fifth and last card on the board.
What is a kicker?
A kicker is an extra card outside the combination that decides which hand wins when two players hold equal combinations.
What does dealer qualifies mean in casino poker?
It means the dealer's hand must meet a minimum before the play bet competes against it. The requirement depends on the game.
What are the nuts in poker?
The nuts are the strongest possible hand with the cards on the board at that moment. It can change as new cards arrive.