Basic Poker Terminology

Poker players should have an understanding of basic poker terminology. From "ante" to "wash," here's a list of useful poker words and their meanings.

Act: Making a play (betting, raising, folding, etc.). "It's John's turn to act."

All in: Betting all of your chips on the current hand. "He had great cards, so he was all in."

Ante: A bet that all players are required to make at the beginning of the game in order to start the betting pool.

Bank: The person responsible for distributing chips and paying the winners. The bank is also known as the house.

Calling the clock: A way to keep players from taking too long to act. When a player calls the clock on another player, they must make a decision in a set amount of time, or his hand is dead.

Check: To bet nothing on your turn.

Chips: Tokens used as currency in place of cash and coins.

Dealer: The person dealing the cards. In three card poker, the dealer plays against the other players, one on one.

Flash: To show other players the bottom card when shuffling.

Juice: Another word for the money collected by the house.

Live game: a game with a lot of action, usually with beginners.

Match the pot: To put the same amount of chips in the pot in on your turn.

Offsuit: Cards not of the same suit. A king of hearts and queen of spades are called a king-queen offsuit.

Open the pot: To start the betting.

Railbird: A non-playing spectator of the poker game.

Represent: To play as though you have a certain hand, regardless of if you actually do or if you're bluffing.

Shark: Slang for a professional poker player.

Wash: Spreading the deck face down across the table to mix it up.