Glossary

Poker, like so many other pastimes and professions, has developed its own terminology. This guide includes not just common poker terms, but also those specifically related to online Poker.

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Bad Beat
This term refers to a heavy favorite in a hand who loses to an opponent who was a severe underdog statistically speaking.

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.

Big Blind (limit poker)
In games using a blind to put money in play, the big blind is generally equal to the lower amount of the stakes for that game. In a $5/$10 game, the big blind is $5. The big blind follows the small blind, which is put up by the first player to the left of the dealer.

Blind
This term refers to the required bets, called the small blind and the big blind used to put money into play. The blinds are mandatory bets and rotate around the table.

Board
The community cards in Hold'em are collectively known as the board.

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.

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 minimim and a maximum buy-in, defining how much money you can bring to the table.