Poker Terminologies Newbies Need To Know
All the jargon and technical terms can be overwhelming when you’re a new poker player. But don’t worry – we’re here to help! This blog post will give you a quick rundown of some essential poker terminology that every newbie should know before sitting at a poker table.
Hand
A hand refers to the cards that you are currently holding. Your hand is your two-hole cards plus any community cards that have been dealt. Hands determine whether you win or lose, as cards have rankings and specific combinations. They are as follows:
Flush
A flush is a hand with five cards of the same suit. For example, if you have the following cards: Ace of Spades, Nine of Spades, Five of Spades, Three of Spades, and Two of Spades, your hand would be a flush.
Full House
A full house is a hand with three cards of the same rank and two other cards of the same rank. For example, if you have the following cards: Ace of Spades, Ace of Hearts, Ace of Diamonds, Nine of Hearts, and Nine of Spades, your hand would be a full house.
Four of a Kind
Four of a kind is a hand that contains four cards of the same rank. For example, if you have the following cards: Ace of Spades, Ace of Hearts, Ace of Diamonds, and Ace of Clubs, your hand would be four of a kind.
Three of a Kind
Three of a kind is a hand that contains three cards of the same rank. For example, if you have the following cards: Ace of Spades, Ace of Hearts and Ace of Clubs, your hand would be three of a kind.
Pair
A pair is a hand that contains two cards of the same rank. For example, an Ace of Spades and Ace of Hearts are considered a pair. There’s also the two-pair, a hand with two pairs of different ranks.
High Card
If you don’t have a specific combination of poker hands, your high card is the highest ranking card that you have in your hand. For example, if you have the following cards: Ace of Hearts, King of Spades, Nine of Diamonds, Five of Hearts, and Three of Clubs, then you have a high card.
Blinds
In most poker games, two “blind” bets must be made before any cards are dealt. These are typically made by the two players sitting to the dealer’s left, and they help incentivize betting by giving everyone something to start with.
There is the big blind, the larger of the two blind bets, which is usually double the amount of the small blind. Then there’s the small blind, the smaller of the two blind bets. It’s typically half the amount of the big blind, and it’s the minimum amount that players can bet each round.
Button
The “button” is a physical marker that indicates who among the players is the dealer for that particular hand. In most games, the button moves clockwise around the table after each hand, so everyone gets a turn at being the dealer. The player sitting in the dealer position is said to be “on the button.”
Bankroll
A bankroll is the total amount of money you have set aside specifically for poker. It’s essential to manage your bankroll carefully, as it can be easy to lose track of how much you’re spending if you’re not careful. It’s crucial to ensure that you only play with money you can afford to lose, as there’s always a risk of losing your money in poker.
Betting Terminologies
Now that we’ve defined what a bankroll is, it’s only proper that we define betting terms next:
Buy-In
The buy-in is the minimum amount of money you need to join a poker game.
Pot
The pot is the total amount of money that has been bet on a particular hand. At the end of the hand, the pot will be won by the player with the best hand.
Call
When you call, you are matching the current bet that has been made. For example, if the current bet is $10 and you call, you are also betting $10.
Check
When you check, you choose not to bet but also show interest in the hand and would like to stay in the game.
Limp In
Limping in is when you are simply calling the current bet instead of raising it. It’s generally seen as a weak move, as it doesn’t put additional pressure on your opponents.
Fold
Folding means choosing to give up your hand and not continue betting. Although you will lose any money you have already bet on that hand, you won’t have to bet any more money. It’s not an ideal move, but it’s necessary if you have a losing hand.
Raise
Raising means increasing the current bet. For example, if the current bet is $10 and you raise it to $20, you are now betting $20. Doing this puts more pressure on your opponents, as they will have to decide whether or not to match your bet.
Re-Raise
By re-raising, you raise the current bet after someone has already raised it. If the current bet is $10 and someone raises it to $20, you could re-raise it to $30. If raising already puts pressure on your opponents, imagine how much more if you re-raise.
All-In
Going all-in means betting all of the chips that you have left. It is a risky move, as you can only win the pot if you have the best hand. If you don’t have the best hand, you will lose everything you have bet.
Side Pot
A side pot is a pot that is created when one or more players go all-in. It happens when the all-in player(s) can only win the amount of money they have bet, while the other player(s) can still win the entire pot.
Showdown
A fitting end for this list is the showdown. It is the moment at the end of a hand when all players reveal their cards. The player with the best hand will win the pot.
Time To Play Poker In Your Own Terms
So there, you have a few basic terms you need to know in poker. As you continue playing, you will still have more jargon to learn, and they will be a part of your regular poker lingo. Soon, you might even be using poker terms in everyday life.
Now that you finally understand a handful of poker terms, you can sign up at GGPoker, the world’s largest online poker room. You’re sure to find the matching poker games for your skill level there.
