Archive for August, 2007

Tournaments and Cash Games

Tournaments and Cash Games Explained

Poker can be played in two forms: cash games and tournaments.

In a cash game you choose how much to buy-in for, and can always buy more chips at any time. However, tournaments are different.

Types Of Tournaments

There are two basic types of tournaments : Multi Table Tournaments (often referred to as MTT’s) and Sit and Go Tournaments (SNG”s). Both tournaments are basically identical, the only difference being that MTT’s are scheduled tournaments and have an advertised start time and SNG’s are tournaments that start when the required number of players are registered.

Because of their definite start times MTT’s often have much larger fields than SNG’s for one reason. You know when it will start - it could take anything from a few hours to a few days to get enough players to play a 300 player SNG. Often SNG’s will be single table tournements and only two or three table tournements where you are only playing against a relatively small number of players.

Every player in a tournament pays the same entry fee and receives the same number of chips in exchange. Thus if it is a $2 tournament every player might receive 1500 chips in exchange for their $20. In fact the entry fee is more likely to be $2+$2where ‘+$2 represents the registration fee, a $2charge for the cardroom.

Styles Of Tournemnet

There are two main types of tournaments: freeze-out and re-buy events.

In a freeze-outyou only receive your initial chips, 1500 in our example, and there is no option to buy any more. Once you lose these chips you are completely eliminated from the competition.

In a re-buy event, however, players who have lost their chips are allowed to re-enter for a certain amount of time, usually one hour. They can choose to purchase replacement chips for an additional $20 and keep playing. Even if they lose these chips as well, they can still re-buy, as long as they are still in the designated re-buy period.

At the end of the re-buy period every player remaining in the competition is usually entitled to purchase one add-on, i.e. to buy an additional 1500 chips for $20 in our example. Once the re-buy period is over the tournament reverts to a freeze-out format. Anyone who loses their chips is eliminated and cannot buy any more chips.

Table Balancing

As players are eliminated in the freeze-out period tables are consolidated in such a way that the number of players on each table is balanced. Eventually enough players will have been knocked out to consolidate the remaining nine or ten players onto a single table, the final table.

Winning

The winner is the player who ultimately ends up with all the chips in play. However, usually the prizes are structured in such a way that several players receive a prize. For example, first place might be 50% of the prize fund, second place 30% and third place 20%. In large tournaments with 40 or more runners often everyone at the final table will receive a prize, and the winner’s share of the prize fund may go down to 30-35%.

Blind Structures

The other key difference between tournaments and cash games relates to the blinds. In a cash game the blind levels do not change during a game. However, in tournaments the blinds are always raised periodically in order to speed up the action. For example, the blinds might be 25-50 for the first 20 minutes, 50-100 for the next 20 minutes, 75-150 for the next 20 minutes, then 100-200, then 150-300, then 200-300 etc. This blind structure accelerates the game because there is always pressure on the low stacks to take a stand or risk simply being ‘blinded away’.

How To Check, Bet, Fold and Raise


Beginners Guide To Checking, Betting, Folding, Calling and Raising

In poker there are only five different betting actions to remember, depending on whether or not anyone has already made a bet on this round. Let’s start with your options when someone has already placed a bet (known as opening the betting).

If you do not like your hand you can fold, relinquishing your cards and taking no further part in the hand. Any money that you have already contributed to the pot is lost. Once you have folded your hand it is placed in a pile of other discarded hands (known as the muck) by the dealer. Having touched the muck, your hand is now dead. It cannot be retrieved even if you were to realise that your hand had been discarded by accident.

However, let’s assume that you do want to continue in the hand after someone else has bet. In that case you may either call or raise. A call involves matching the amount already bet in order to see the next card (or to see the showdown, if the last card dealt was the river card). However, if you particularly like your hand you may also raise, forcing the original bettor to match your raise if he wants to continue in the hand.

Of course, whenever you raise, the original bettor has the option to reraise, putting the onus back on you to match his bet to stay in the hand. Most cardrooms have a limit on the number of bets and raises allowed. Usually only a bet and three raises (or four raises) are allowed on each round of betting. However, when there are only two players left in the hand some cardrooms allow unlimited bets and raises.

When there has not yet been any betting on this round, you have the option of either betting or checking. If you like your hand (or choose to bluff) and decide to bet out, you simply place your bet in front of you towards the centre of the table. The other players must now at least match your bet if they want to remain in the hand.

If you instead decide to check, you are deferring your betting rights for the time being. Another player may now bet, in which case you may fold your hand, call the bet or raise (the action of first checking and then raising when an opponent bets is known as a check-raise). If no-one bets on that round then the next card is dealt and again the first player has a choice whether to bet or check.

Poker can at times sound a lot more complicated than it really is. As you advance your knowledge and your ability many more factors come in to play in your decision making at the table, but at the heart of it, the basics don’t change regardless of the game you are playing.

At any one time you only ever have three of four options available to you - you may Check, Fold, Call or Bet (Raise).

If there are no bets to you (It is checked to you)

You have the option too :

    Bet : You can put a bet into the pot. Now all the players must call that bet by also putting in the same amount of money, or they can raise your bet (re-raise). If they do not call or raise they must fold.

    Check :
    You can choose not to put in any money into the pot. If no one bets, then the game continues and everyone is still in the hand. If someone else bets, then you will have another decision to make.

    Fold :
    You can choose to fold your hand at any time although as it is not costing you anything to continue playing at this stage, this is not recomended.

If there is a bet to you

You have the option too :

    Fold : You don’t put in any more money, but you are out of the hand and cannot win any money. Any money you have put into the pot up to this point is lost.

    Call :
    You put in money equal to the amount bet so far. You can stay in the hand. Play continues and the next card is dealt, unless someone else raises. If there are no more cards, such as when you have called a bet on the river in texas hold’em, then there is a “showdown”.

    Raise :
    You put more money into the pot equal to the amount bet so far, plus your raise. The amount of your raise will vary depending on whether you are playing limit, pot-limit or no-limit. Now, all the other players must call your raise or fold. They may also reraise you.

Showdown

If there is more than one player left after all the cards have been dealt, and everyone has called on the last round of betting after that card is dealt, then those players showdown their hands. Whoever is holding the best poker hand wins all the money in the pot. If there is a tie, then all tying hands split the pot in equal amounts.

Win by default

If everyone except one player folds, then that player gets all the money in the pot. He does not have to show his hand to the other players.

Poker Betting Techniques

Now let’s look and how those combinations work in practice and how we can form a strategy to use two of these actions to outplay our opponents and either maximise our winnings or minimise our losses.

The Re-Raise

Someone else raises you, but you feel that you have a better hand, and you want to make your opponent pay to stay in the hand. Then you can reraise him and force him to put in another bet to stay in. This is a very effective tactic and an “aggressive” move, just be sure you really do have the best hand or you think you can make your opponent fold in a later round of betting.

The Check-Raise

You hold a strong hand and you want your opponent to put money in the pot by feigning weakness in your hand. So you check, your opponent bets, and you now re-raise him. Now if he calls, and if your hand is as good as you think it is, you just won more from him than you otherwise would. Of course he may chose to fold outright at this stage in which case you win the hand without a showdown. Check-raising is a powerful tool, but it can be dangerous, because your opponent might also check behind you. You have effectively given your opponent a free card or if you have checked the river, you have a showdown you may have otherwise avoided.

The Check-Call

If you have a decent hand, but you think there is a good chance your opponent might have a better one, you may wish to avoid a raise. In this case, you can check-and-call which entails checking your hand and then calling your opponents bet. This is an effective way too play a draw or to keep a pot small when playing limit hold’em but is strongly not advised in no-limit games. You could find yourself in an unenviable position of having to call a very large bet or folding.

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Australia Open Satellite Series


Australia Open / PokerNews Cup

In just under 2 months Melbourne, Australia will play host to the inaugural PokerNews Cup. This series also known as the Australia Open. From October 20-29, 2007 some of the best aussie poker players and players from around the world will descend upon Crown Casino to compete against each other over 14 events and ultimately play off in the $3000 buy in PokerNews Cup Main Event starting Saturday October 27th.

Australia Open / PokerNews Cup Satellite Series

Nuts Poker is giving all its players a senstaional chance to be there amongst the action Down Under at Crown Casino with the Australia Open Super Satellite Series. Nuts Poker players are being offered a unique chance to snatch a $6,000 Prize Package and represent Nuts Poker at the Australian Open Main Event.

Win A $6000 Prize Package

The Australia Open Super Satellites winners will win a prize package which includes :

  • Six Night hotel accommodation in the Crown Promenade Hotel
  • An entry into a $3,000 Main Event, on Saturday October 27th.
  • An entry into a $550 event on Wednesday, October 24th
  • A Thursday tour for the whole group to Yarra Valley, including lunch at a winery and Healesville Sanctuary
  • A cocktail party/ dinner on Thursday evening.
  • A free roll on the Crown Poker Room
  • A Melbourne Boat Cruise in the city, including lunch.
  • plus $1500 for travel

Australia Open Super Satellite Series Tournament Schedule

All Nuts Poker Players can buy in directly to one of the Australian Open Super Satellites for $200 +$15 or they can play their way in through a series Sit-N-Go’s or Multi Table Tournament Qualifiers. The Super Satellite comprises 9 weekly events and the MTT and Sit-N-Go qualifiers are running every day, so everyone has an opportunity to join Australia’s and the world’s best poker players Down Under in October.

    Super Satellite on: August 12th, 12:00
    Super Satellite on: August 19th, 19:00
    Super Satellite on: August 26th, 12:00
    Super Satellite on: September 2nd, 19:00
    Super Satellite on: September 9th, 12:00
    Super Satellite on: September 16th, 19:00
    Super Satellite on: September 23rd, 12:00
    Super Satellite on: September 30th, 19:00
    Super Satellite on: October 7th, 12:00

Starting Hands

There will always be great debate about starting hands on when and where to play them from. A lot depends on the situation, your skill level, your opponents skill level and the comparative chip stacks at the table.

Tight Play

As a new or learning player it is best to adopt a fairly tight strategy. This means playing less hands, only playing premium hands in position and only entering posts when you’re likely to be holding the best hand.

Easy Decision

The major benefit of playing a tight game is that you will be mostly putting yourself in situations where you have easy decision to make during the play. If you play too many hands you’ll find yourself in situations where your cards will make it very difficult for you to know where you stand in a hand compared to your opponent. For instance if you play a hand like K2 and hit your K to make a pair on the flop, you have a situation where you have made probably the best hand you could have hoped for, but if one of your opponents also has a K, then you are probably going to lose a lot of chips becuase your kicker is weak.

Win More Often

How much better off would you have been if you’d played AK in this situation? Playing premium hands makes all your decisions easier and improves your chances of profiting from your play. You’ll play less hands, which can be frustrating for a new player; but you’ll be winning more often. Leave to 92 offsuit to the professional players for now - there’ll be planty of opportunity to investigate that style of play later as your own skill levels improve.

Starting Hand Strategy

To help you develop this “tight” style of play, we’ve developed a fairly simple table which you can use as a guide to better play until your skill levels increase and your own playing style develops. We recommend printing this out and leaving it near your computer so you can refer to it during your poker play.

Remember though that poker is as much about playing your opponent’s hand as it is your own. Always try to get a read on your opponent’s hand.

Nuts Poker Online Starting Hands

Early Postion

The three seats to the left of the big blind

Raise with : AA, KK, QQ, AK
Call with : JJ, AQ, KQs
Fold : everything else

Middle Position

The three seats to the left of early position
Raise with : early position raising hands plus JJ, AQ, KQs
Call with : TT, 99, 88, 77, AJ, ATs, KJs, QJs, KQo, KTs
Fold with : everything else

Late Position

The button and the cutoff (one seat to the right of the button)
Raise with : middle position raising hands plus TT, 99, AJ, ATs
Call with : 88, 77, 66, 55, 44, AT, A9, Axs (where x is any small card), KJ, KT, K9, K8s, QJ, QT, Q9s, JT, J9s, T9, T8, 98, 97s, 87s
Fold with : everything else

(The small s stands for suited, the small o stands for offsuit).

The $2000 Dirty Dozen Jackpot


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$15000 Maui Sit’N’Go Jackpot


Maui $15,000 Progressive Jackpot

Maui Jackpot
This sit’n'go jackpot pays $15,000 to the winner of five consecutive Maui Jackpot Sit-N-Go tournaments.

This prize is progressive, and it grows by $10,000 each week when there is no winner. This is an amazing prize - join the exclusive circle of winners!

Consolation Prize

Nuts Poker will also award a $200 prize to a player who finished in either 1st or 2nd place in five consecutive –“Maui Jackpot Sit -N-Go” tournaments.

$25000 Rio Sit’N'Go Jackpot


Rio $25,000 Progressive Jackpot

Rio Jackpot
This sit’n'go jackpot pays $25,000 to the winner of six consecutive, 6-player Rio Jackpot Sit -N-Go tournaments.

This prize is progressive, and it grows by $10,000 each week when there is no winner. This is an amazing prize - join the exclusive circle of winners!

Consolation Prize

Nuts Poker will also award a $300 prize to a player who finished in either 1st or 2nd place in six consecutive –“Rio Jackpot Sit -N-Go” tournaments.

$50000 Fort Knox Sit’N'Go Jackpot


Fort Knox $50,000 Progressive Jackpot

Fort Knox Jackpot
This sit-n-go jackpot pays $50,000 to the winner of six consecutive, 6-player Fort Knox Jackpot Sit -N-Go tournaments.

This prize is progressive, and it grows by $10,000 each week when there is no winner. This is an amazing prize - join the exclusive circle of winners!

Consolation Prize

Nuts Poker will also award a $750 prize to a player who finished in either 1st or 2nd place in six consecutive –“Fort Knox Jackpot Sit -N- Go” tournaments.

Poker Terminology

Poker has its own unique terms and phrases that are foreign to most poker newbies. The ability to pick up on these quickly helps you understand most of your poker-related reading and eventually helps you improve your game. This extensive guide includes many of the poker terms and words you’ll come up against, including many of the words that are unique to the world of online poker.


A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

A

Aces Full
A full house with three aces and any pair.
Ace-High
A five card hand that contains one Ace, with no straight or flush or a hand with no pair in it.
Aces Up
A hand that contains two pairs, one of which is Aces.
Act Out Of Turn
A player attempting to bet or raise before his turn to act.
Action
Checking/Betting/Raising. A game in which players are playing a lot of pots is considered an “action” game.
Active Player
Any player who is still in the hand.
Add-on
A purchase of more chips (optional) at the end of the re-buy period in a tournament.
Advertise
To bluff and then show the hand to other players in the hope that they will later call when they have a decent hand.
All-in
If you bet all your chips at any point, you are considered as having gone “All-in.” This can happen either when you don’t have enough chips to make a required or elective bet, or when you bet all your chips as a strategic move in No Limit games. Having gone All-in gives you the potential to win a share of the pot up to and including your last contribution to that pot. You cannot share in any bets added above and beyond that point. These bets form a side-pot. The all-in is also used for situations where a player in a hand loses connection to the server.
All-In Over the Top
Raising with all of your chips after an opponents bet.
American Airlines
Two Aces.
Ante
Money placed in the pot before the hand is begun.
Avatar
A term from computer gaming for an image or figure used to represent a person.
Away
In tournaments, you may not “sit out”. Rather, you may be “away” from the table which means you are dealt into every hand, posting blinds when it’s your turn, and then folded when there is a raise before the flop, or a bet after the flop. When you are in a tournament and need to leave, time-out, or lose your connection, you are automatically marked as “away”.

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B

Back-Door Flush
When you have three cards that would support a flush, but you need the turn and river to make a flush.
Back-Door Straight
When you have three cards that would support a straight, but you need the turn and river to make a straight.
Bad Beat
This term refers to a heavy favorite in a hand who loses to an opponent who was a severe underdog statistically speaking.
Bankroll
The amount of money that a player has to wager for the duration of his or her poker career.
Battle of the Blinds
When everyone folds to the players who have forced bets.
Behind
When your hand is not the best hand before all the cards have been dealt.
Belly Buster
A draw and/or catch to an Inside Straight.
Bet
To place chips into the pot.
Bet Into
To make a bet looking at what seems to be a superior hand.
Bet the Pot
This term is used in pot limit games. It means your bet matches the current amount in the pot. If, when your turn to bet, the pot was at $217, and you bet the pot, your bet is $217.
Bicycle
A straight that is A-2-3-4-5.
Big Blind
A designated amount that is placed by the player sitting in the second position, clockwise from the dealer, before any cards are dealt. (Players joining a game in progress must post a Big Blind, but may do so from any position.)
Big Dog
An underdog. The person who has a very low chance of winning.
Big Slick
A hand that contains an A-K.
Blind
The bet(s) that must be made by the two players sitting directly to the dealer’s left which will start the action on the first round of betting. The blinds are posted before any cards are dealt. (A “Blind” bet is one that is made in the dark without looking at your cards.)
Blind Raise
When a player raises without looking at his hand.
Blank
A card that doesn’t look like it’s improved anyone’s hand.
Bluff
To make other players believe that one has a better hand than he/she might otherwise have by betting or raising when they do not have the best hand.
Board
The community cards in Hold’em are collectively known as the board.
Bottom Pair
When a player uses the lowest card on the flop to make a pair with one of his own cards.
Brick
A card that doesn’t look like it’s improved anyone’s hand.
Bring-In
The forced bet made on the first round of betting by the player who is dealt the lowest card showing in Seven Card Stud and Stud 8 or Better. In Razz (Lowball) it is the highest card showing
Bring It In
To start the betting on the first round.
Broadway
An Ace high straight (A-K-Q-J-10).
Broomcorn’s Uncle
A player who antes himself broke.
Bullets
A pair of Aces.
Bump
To raise.
Burn
In physical poker rooms, the top card of the deck is discarded prior to each round of dealing. The intent is to minimize the risk of cheating by knowing the next card. There is no possibility of this happening in our poker room, therefore we do not burn cards.
Bust a Player
To eliminate a player from the game by taking all of his or her chips.
Bust Out
To lose all your chips and thus be eliminated from a tournament.
Button
A marker, usually disk-shaped, to indicate which player is the virtual dealer. The button is used in games where position relative to the dealer is important.
Buy-in
The amount of money required to sit down at a poker game. Tournament entry fees are considered the “buy-in.” At a ring game, there is a minimum and a maximum buy-in, defining how much money you can bring to the table.

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C

Call
When a player matches the prior bet on the table, that action is termed the call.
Call Cold
Calling Station
A derogatory term for a player who consistently calls and connot be bluffed.
To call both a bet and raise(s).
Cap
The last permitted raise in a betting round is called the cap. We allow three raises beyond the initial bet in limit games. The third raise is the cap.
Cardroom
The room or space in a casino where poker is played.
Case Chips
A player’s last chips.
Cash Out
To leave a game and convert your chips to cash.
Change Gears
To strategically alternate your play between conservative and aggressive.
Check
If there is no bet on the table and you do not wish to place a bet, that action is termed a check. You may only check when there are no prior bets.
Check-Raise
When a player first checks and then raises in a betting round.
Chop
To return the blinds to the players who posted them and move on to the next hand if no other players call. It also means to “split the pot”.
Client
The term for the software that you download to your computer, allowing you to interact with the poker room’s servers.
Collusion
A form of cheating where two or more players attempt to gain an unfair advantage by sharing information. We do not tolerate cheating.
Community Cards
Face up cards on the table that are shared by all players are termed community cards. Texas Hold’em and Omaha always have community cards.
Connectors
Consecutive cards which could help make a straight.
Cowboys
Two Kings.
Cutoff
A position on the table that is one player to the right of the player “on the button”.

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D

Dead Blind
In a situation where you have missed your blinds and wish to re-enter the game before your turn to post the big blind. You must post both blinds and the small blind is termed a dead blind, meaning it does not count towards calling a bet.
Dead Hand
A hand no longer in the game.
Dead Man’s Hand
Two pair - Aces and Eights (Wild Bill Hickock was shot in the back while playing this hand).
Dealer’s Choice
Literally a game where the type of card game to be played is the “dealer’s choice”. Usually there is a defined number of choices to chose from such as Hold’em, Omaha, Omaha Hi-Lo, Seven Card Stud, Seven Card Stud Hi-Lo and Razz. The game choice can change every time the dealer does.
Deuces
A pair of Twos
Dog
The worst or underdog hand.
Door Card
This is the first exposed card, or “up” card, in a player’s hand in Stud games.
Down Cards
The face-down cards dealt to a player, also termed hole cards.
Doyle Brunson
It’s a Holdem hand consisting of a 10-2 (Brunson won the world championship two years in a row on the final hand with these cards).
Draw Lowball
Form of poker where each player is dealt five cards with the option of discarding one or more and replacing them with new ones and the low hand wins.
Draw Poker
Form of poker where each player is dealt five cards down with the option of discarding one or more and replacing them with new ones to attempt to make a better hand.
Drawing Dead
This describes the situation when a player is trying to draw a card to complete a hand when there is already a hand that will beat it, even if made.
Drawing Hand
A potentially strong hand which needs a particular card(s) to make it.
Drop
To drop your hand when you decide not to go further with your hand; to return your cards to the muck. Same as fold.
Ducks
A pair of Twos.

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E

Early Position
Position on a round of betting where the player must act before most of the other players at the table (It’s considered the two positions located to the left of the Blinds).
EPT
European Poker Tour

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F

Face Down
Dealt cards that are not visible to other players.
Face Up
Dealt cards that are visible to all players.
Family Pot
Feeler Bet
A minimum bet made to test the strength of other players hands.
A pot in which most if not all of the players are involved.
Fifth Street
Also known as the “river” card. In flop games, this represents the fifth community card on the table and the final round of betting. In Stud games, this is the fifth card dealt to each player and represents the third round of betting.
Fill up
To hit your draws and make your hand.
Fish
A weak player, also known as the “sucker”
Five-card Draw
A poker game in which the player is dealt five cards down. They have one draw to replace them and the best high hand wins the pot.
Five-card Stud
A poker game in which each player is dealt five cards, one down and four up, with betting after 2, 3, 4, & 5 cards.
Flat Call
Calling a bet without raising.
Flop
In Texas Hold’em, the set of 3 face-up community cards or the first three cards on the board, all dealt at the same time.
Flop Games
Poker games (Hold ‘em and Omaha) that are played using community cards that are dealt face up in the center of the table.
Floorman
An employee of the cardroom who makes rulings and decisions.
Flush
Any 5 cards in one hand that are all the same suit.
Flush Draw
When a player has four cards in his hand of the same suit and is hoping to draw a fifth to make a flush.
Fold
Withdraw from further participation in the current hand.
Fold out of turn
To fold early or out of turn.
Forced Bet
A mandatory bet. In certain games, a player is required to bet, having sat-in the game.
Four of a Kind
A great hand … all 4 of one rank. For example, 4 Tens.
Fourth Street
In flop games, it is the fourth community card dealt (also known as “the turn”) and represents the third round of betting. In Stud games, it is the fourth card dealt to each player and represents the second round of betting.
Free Card
When all players check, the next card is seen for free.
Freeroll
This term applies to poker tournaments where the entry fee, the stakes, or both the entry fee and stakes are waived. In some non-freeroll tournaments, the house may guarantee a minimum prize pool.
Freezeout
A game or tournament where all players start with the same amount and play until one player has won all the chips. Players who have busted are not allowed to re-enter and are “frozen” out of the game.
Full House
A hand in which you have a combination of 3 of a kind, and a pair.

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G

Graphics
The term for the artwork used to present you with the images of a poker room, including the table, chairs, avatars, cards, and chips.
Gut Shot
To draw to and/or hit an inside straight.

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H

Hand
A set of cards used by a player during a single round. Another word for a single round of shuffling, dealing, and betting.
Heads Up
A game where only two players remain in contention for the pot.
Head to Head
A game where only two players may participate.
High Card
The card with the highest rank.
High Roller
A high stakes player.
High/Low
A variation of a game where the pot is split between the best hand and the worst hand. The worst hand is comprised of the 5 lowest cards. Most poker rooms, including this one, consider 5, 4, 3, 2, A (the wheel) as the lowest possible hand, despite it also being a straight.
Hold’em
Also called Texas Hold’em. One of the most popular poker games. Each player gets 2 down cards and can use 3,4, or 5 of the community cards.
Hole Cards
The down cards in a player’s hand.
House

The casino or cardroom that is hosting the poker game.

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I

In
A term for being an active player; one who has not folded.
Inside Straight
The term applied when a player has 4 of 5 cards needed for a straight with the missing card being inside the sequence rather than at either end, and gets the missing card. For example, a player holding 3, 4, 5, 7 needs a 6 to complete the straight. Getting that 6 is termed “making the inside straight.”

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J

Jackpot
A bonus opportunity to win under specific circumstances set by the poker room.
Jackpot Poker
A form of poker in which the cardroom or casino offers a jackpot to a player who has lost with a really big hand (usually Aces full or better).
Jacks-or- Better
A form of poker in which a player needs to have at least a pair of jacks to open the betting

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K

Kansas City Lowball
Form of lowball poker in which the worst poker hand (2, 3, 4, 5, 7 of different suits) is the best hand. It’s also known as Deuce to Seven.
Keep Them Honest
To call at the end of a hand to prevent someone from bluffing.
Key Card
A card that gives you a big draw or makes your hand.
Key Hand
In a session or tournament, the one hand that ends up being a turning point for the player, either for better or worse.
Kicker
The term for the card used to break ties between two of a kind or between Two Pair.
Kick It Up
To raise.
Kicker Trouble
When you have a low second card which will cause problems if another player turns over the same hand but with a likely higher kicker.
Kill Pot
A method to stimulate action. It is a forced bet by someone who has just won a pot(s).
Knock
To Check.
Kojak
K-J / King Jack.

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L

Ladies
Two Queens.
Late Position
Position on a round of betting where the player must act after most of the other players have acted (usually considered to be the two positions next to the button).
Lay Down
When a player folds.
Lead
The first player to bet into a pot.
Limit Poker
A game that has fixed minimum and maximum betting intervals along with a prescribed number of raises.
Limp In
To enter the pot by calling rather than raising. (The usual concept of “Limp In” is when the first person to speak just calls the Big Blind.)
Limper
The first player who calls a bet.
Live Blind
A forced bet put in by one or more players before any cards are dealt. The “live” means those players still have the option of raising when the action gets back around to them.
Live Card(s)
In Stud Games, cards that have not yet been seen and are presumed to still be in play.
Live Hand
A hand that could still win the pot.
Live One
An inexperienced player who plays too many hands.
Lock
Unbeatable hand.
Look
When a player calls the final bet before the showdown.
Loose
Is a player who plays a lot hands.
Lowball
Is a form of draw poker in which the lowest hand wins the pot

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M

Main Pot
The initial pot of money. When one or more players go all-in, a side pot is created for each all-in player.
Make
To make the deck is to shuffle the deck.
Maniac
A very aggressive player who plays a lot of hands.
Middle Pair
In flop games, when a player makes a pair with one of his/her down cards and the middle card on the flop.
Middle Position
Somewhere between the early and late positions on a round of betting (the fifth, sixth and seventh seats to the left of the button).
Minimum Buy-In
The least amount you can start a game with.
Monster
A very big hand. In a tournament, a player who begins to accumulate chips after having a small stack is considered to be a monster
Muck
As a noun, this refers to the pile of folded cards and discarded cards. As a verb, at showdown time, the act of returning a losing hand to the dealer facedown.
Multi-Table Tournament (MTT)
A tournament where players at more than one table compete, starting with equal numbers of chips, until one player has won all the chips. Prize payouts are a function of the number of entrants, and are posted on the tournaments page. Multi-table tournaments have a posted start time, and require registration in advance.

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N

NB
Nice Bluff/ Nice Buy.
NH
Nice hand.
No Limit
A variation of the betting rules in which each bet is unlimited up to the number of chips a player has on the table (NL).
Nuts
The best possible hand at any point of the game. A hand that cannot be beat.

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O

Odds
The probability of making a hand vs. the probability of not making a hand.
Offsuit
Cards of a different suit.
Omaha
A game in which each player receives 4 facedown cards and shares 5 community cards. The winning hand must use exactly 2 down cards and 3 community cards. This game also has a High/Low variant.
Omaha High/Low
This game allows players to compete for a pot split between the highest and the lowest hands using 2 down cards and 3 community cards. A player may use different sets of cards to make up the best high and the best low hands.
On Tilt
When a player reacts badly or wildly as a result of a bad beat or a bad run of cards.
On The Button
This term means you are in the dealer position in Texas Hold’em and Omaha games.A “button” marks the dealer position with a “D” in the center.
One on One
See head to head.
Open
To make the first bet.
Open Ended Straight
Four consecutive cards whereby one additional (consecutive) card is needed at either end to make a straight.
Open Card
A card that is dealt face-up.
Open Pair
A pair that has been dealt face-up.
Option
An option is a Live Blind made in the dark before the cards are dealt. If no one raises, the “option” player may raise the pot.
Out Button
A disc placed in front of a player who wishes to sit out a hand(s) but remain in the game.
Outs
Possible cards which could improve a hand and turn a loser into a winner.
Outdrawn
To geet beaten by a player drawing cards to make a worse hand win.
Overpair
A pair higher than any card on the board

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P

Paint
Face or picture cards (Jack, Queen and King).
Pair
This is a hand where the player’s best hand is made up of 2 cards of the same rank.
Pass
Can be used in place of either check or fold depending on the context.
Pay Off
To call on the final round of betting when you may or may not think you have the best hand.
Picture Cards
Face cards (Jack, Queen and King).
Play Back
To raise or re-raise another player’s bet.
Play Chips
The chips used for play money games. Play chips have no monetary value.
Playing the Board
Using all the community cards in Hold’em as your best hand.
Pocket Cards
The term for the two down cards at the start of the hand.
Pocket Rockets
A pair of Aces in the pocket or hole.
Position
Where a player is seated in relation to the dealer, therefore establishing that player’s place in the betting order.
Post
When you post a bet, you place your chips in the pot. (You must post the Blinds.)
Pot
The chips available to be won in any given hand.
Pot Limit
A variation on betting where each player may bet up to the current amount in the pot (PL).
Pot Odds
The amount of money in the pot divided by the amount of money it will cost you to continue in the hand.
Profile
A term describing the information a player may enter about himself/herself that may be available, at the player’s option, to other players in the poker room. Your profile may include your favourite hobby, favourite web site, favourite quote, and more.
Prop
A person hired by the cardroom to work as a shill.
Protecting Your Hand
Either placing a chip or token on top of your cards to make sure they’re not accidently folded. Or to bet money to protect the money you’ve already invested in the pot regardless of the strength of your hand.
Push
When the dealer pushes the chips to the winning player at the end of a hand. It’s also when dealers rotate to other tables.
Put Down
To fold a hand.

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Q

Quads
Four of a kind.
Qualifier
In High-Low games, it is a requirement the Low hand must meet to win the pot.

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R

Rack
A tray that holds 100 poker chips in five stacks of twenty chips each.
Rag(s)
A card or cards that are of no use to anyones hand or the board cards.
Rag Flop
A flop with cards that are seemingly of no use to any player.
Rainbow (Flop)
A flop with three different suites.
Rail
The rim of a poker table or a barrier outside a poker area.
Railbird
Someone who hangs around a poker room who watches the games and/or is looking to get into action.
Raise
The act of increasing the amount bet by a prior bettor.
Rake
The amount of money, in chips, taken by the house as the service fee in a ring game when the pot reaches a minimal amount.
Raked Hand
A Raked Hand is where any player is dealt cards in ring game play, in a hand which generates rake. This constitutes one Raked Hand even where the player folds before the flop. Please note that some Titan Poker network tournaments with raked hand requirements refer to Raked Hands where a player has contributed to the pot in a hand which generates rake.
Rank
The value of a card. The rank of the 2 of Spades is 2. The rank of the Queen of Hearts is Queen. Rank value increases from 2 through 10, followed in order by Jack, Queen, King, and Ace. In High/Low games, the Ace may be used both for its high rank and as the lowest rank card.
Rap
When a player knocks on the table indicating that he/she has checked.
Razz
Seven Card Stud where the lowest five cards win the pot.
Re-buy
To get more chips during a game but not during a hand that you are in. This applies to real money and tournament play.
Re-raise
To raise a raise.
Read
To try and work out what another players cards either from his betting or from logical deduction.
Reducing
The act of removing chips from a table and returning immediately with fewer chips. Reducing is considered poor etiquette.
Registration
Poker sites ask you to select a screen name to serve as your poker room identity, a password, and to provide a location and email address to create an account. This is your registration.
Represent
To bet or act in a way that suggests to the other players you are holding a strong or specific hand.
Ring Game
A “live” game that is not a tournament.
River
The fifth and final community card. This card is also known as Fifth Street.
Rock
A player who only plays solid hands, only raising when they have a brilliant hand and never bluffs.
Roll
A winning streak.
Round
This refers to the dealing of a set of cards and associated betting. For example, the dealing of the river and the bets that follow are a round.
Round Of Betting
This is when players have the opportunity to bet, check or raise. Each round of betting ends when the last bet or raise has been called.
Rounders
Guys who hustle for a living. This is also the name of a popular poker movie starring Matt Damon and Ed Norton.
Royal Flush
This is an Ace high straight (A-K-Q-J-10) of the same suit. It is the best possible hand in poker.
Rush
A winning streak.

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S

Satellite
A preliminary poker tournament awarding seat(s) to a larger, more important tournament.
Scare Card
A card which could make your hand or your opponents hand a losser.
Scoop
To win the entire pot.
Screen Name
The identity you select by which you are known in the poker room. We only allow one player per screen name so please understand if the one you have selected is already taken.
Seating List
A waiting list. A player would put his or her name on this list if there were no seats at the table at which they wish to play.
Second Pair
In flop games, when you pair the second highest card on the board.
See
To call.
Self-install
The term used to describe how the file you download from our web site is automatically installed and configured on your computer when you double-click on the file.
Sell Your Hand
To make a small bet with a big hand in the hope that someone will call.
Semi-Bluff
First used by poker genius David Sklansky, to bet or raise on a hand which isn’t the best hand but has a reasonable chance of improving.
Server
The computer, or set of computers, providing a service to client computers. In this case the service is the poker room.
Set
Three of a kind, trips.
Seven Card Stud
A well-known poker game in which players get three down cards and four up cards. You play the best five of those seven cards. Click here for information on Seven-card Stud.
Seventh Street
This is the final round of betting in Seven Card Stud and Stud 8 or Better.
Shills
Shills are paid props who help start and maintain poker games.
Showdown
At the end of the final betting round, it’s when all active players turn their cards face-up to see who has won the pot.
Side Pot
This is a pot created when a player goes all-in. The side pot is the pot available to those players not all-in at that point. There can, on occasion, be more than one side pot.
Single Table Tournament (STT)
A poker table at which you may buy-in to a seat. All buy-in money goes to the prize pool. The prize pool is returned to the top finishers per the payout table on the tournaments page. A fee is normally required to play at this table. Players are staked to equal numbers of chips and play until one player has won all the chips. Single table tournaments begin as soon as the table has filled.
Sit ‘N’ Go
A tournament which starts as soon as the required number of poker players sit down at the table.
Sit Out
Poker sites permit you to hold your seat at a table while not participating in some hands. Under most conditions, they limit the time you may sit out. In blind games, you may be asked to post the equivalent of the blind if you return to your seat prior to the blind reaching you. To sit out you click a check box on the table screen. To return, you unclick the “sit out” check box.
Sixth Street
In Seven-card Stud, this is the fourth “up” card dealt to the player (their 6th card). It is also the 4th round of betting.
Slow Play
When a player with a strong hand checks to give other players a free card and a chance to improve their hand.
Solid
A fairly tight player (and reasonably good).
Small Blind
The amount put in the pot by the person immediately to the left of the dealer “button” prior to the cards being dealt.
Speed Limit
A pair of fives.
Snake Eyes
A pair of Aces.
Speeding Around
Playing loose for a while then tightening right up for a while with no definable pattern. Also known as “changing gears”
Splash The Pot
When a player throws their chips in obscuring the amount of the pot. Considered bad etiquet.
Split Pot
A tie.
Stack
A pile of chips.
Stakes
In Limit games, Stakes are the fixed amount for bets and raises.
Stay
When a player remains in the game by calling rather than raising.
Steal
A type of bluff usually made in late position to steal the pot.
Steaming
Going on tilt.
Steel Wheel
A five high straight (A-2-3-4-5) of the same suit.
Straddle
A straddle is a Blind bet which is usually double the size of the Big Blind (and that player may raise when the action gets to him).
Straight
A hand in which the player has five cards in rank order. Suit does not matter. For example, 8, 9, 10, Jack, Queen.
Straight Flush
A straight all of the same suit.
String Bet
An illegal bet where a player puts some chips into the pot and then reaches back to his stack for more without stating the size of the bet.
Structure
The limits put on the blinds/ante, bets, and raises in any particular game.
Stud
The generic term for poker games where players receive the first card(s) down followed by some up cards where those up cards are exclusively for the use of that player. There may be a further down card as in 7 Card Stud.
Stud Games
Games in which players get down cards and up cards.
Stuck
A player who is losing in a game.
Suit
Any of the four sets (Clubs, Diamonds, Hearts, and Spades) in a deck of cards.
Suited Connectors
Two cards that are consecutive in rank and of the same suit.

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T

Tell
Giving away the strength of your hand, generally a physical tell but can also be in the amount bet.
Texas Hold’em
The poker game where each player gets two down cards followed by five community cards face-up.
Third Street
In Seven Card Stud and Seven Card Stud 8 or Better, this is the first betting round on the first three cards.
Thirty Miles
Three tens.
Three of a kind
A hand consisting three cards of the same rank.
Tight
A player who doesn’t play many pots. A tight game is one that doesn’t have much action.
Tilt
Going on tilt means loosing control of your emotions and playing badly, worse than normal or uncharacteristically.
Top Pair
In flop games, when the player pairs one of his down cards with the highest card on board.
Tournament Buy-In
The cost to enter a tournament. All buy-in money is returned to the players via the prize pool.
Tournament Entry-Fee
A small fee the house charges to enter a tournament.
TOC
Tournament of Champions.
Treys
A pair of threes.
Trips
A nickname for three of a kind.
Turbo
A form of poker play with minimal time to make decisions.
Turn
The nickname for the fourth community card in Hold’em and Omaha.
Two Pair
A hand in which the player has two pairs of cards.

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U

Under Raise
This occurs when a player raises a prior bet but has to go all-in to do so with an amount less than the full raise.
Under the Gun
The first player to act in any bettin round.
Up Card

A card dealt face up, so that all players may see it.

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V

Value Bet
Betting with the hope that a player will call with a worse hand.

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W

Walking Sticks
A pair of sevens.
Wheel
A nickname for the best low hand 5, 4, 3, 2, A.
Wild Card
A card that can be played as any value.
Wire
To giveaway the value of your hand.
Wired Pair
A Pair in the first two cards of any poker game.
Worst Hand
A losing hand.
WPT
World Poker Tour.
WSOP
World Series of Poker.

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Z



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