You only need to listen for a few minutes to what’s happening at any poker table in France to hear the same terms come up again and again. These terms come up at every stage of a hand, from the first mandatory bet all the way to the showdown. They’re used in both poker clubs and online. This glossary compiles the most common terms, organized by the stage of the hand to which they refer.
Before the deal
The blinds. Mandatory bets placed before the cards are dealt. The small blind is posted by the player to the left of the button, and the big blind by the next player. They contribute to the pot from the start of each hand. During the first round of betting, the player in the big blind usually acts last, unless there has been a raise.
Ante. A mandatory bet that each player contributes before the cards are dealt. The ante is commonly used in tournaments and is added to the pot at the start of each hand.
Button. The disc that marks the dealer’s position. In a club, it is placed on the table, and on the online tables where PokerStars poker is played, it appears on the screen. It moves one seat to the left after each hand, so that everyone takes turns occupying all positions. After the flop, the player on the button usually acts last. This position is advantageous because it allows the player to observe the actions of other players before making a decision.
The phases of a hand
Preflop. The betting round that follows the dealing of the hole cards and precedes the flop.
Flop. The first three community cards, revealed simultaneously in the center of the table.
Turn. The fourth community card, revealed after the betting round following the flop. It is followed by another betting round.
River. The fifth and final community card, revealed after the betting round following the turn. It is followed by the final betting round.
Showdown. The remaining players reveal their cards, and the best five-card hand wins the pot.
Player actions
Check. Do not bet when no one has bet yet during the betting round. In a live game, a hand gesture or a tap on the table can signal this action.
Bet. Place chips into the pot when no bets have been made yet during the betting round.
Call. Match the amount of the last bet to stay in the hand.
Raise. Increase the amount of the current bet. Other players can then call, raise in turn, or fold. A player who checks and then raises after an opponent has bet is performing a “check-raise.”
Fold (fold). Give up the hand and the pot. Chips already bet remain in the pot.
All-in. Put all of one’s chips into the pot. A player who is all-in cannot commit any additional chips. If the other players continue to bet beyond the player’s stack, a side pot is created. The all-in player can only win the portion of the pot corresponding to the chips they have committed, including the main pot to which they are entitled.
Poker terms
Kicker. The card that breaks a tie between two hands with the same combination when their main cards are identical. If two players each have a pair of kings, the one with the strongest kicker wins the pot.
Nuts. The best possible hand at any given moment, based on the community cards. It can change with each new community card, which may create new combinations.
Draw. A hand that is not yet complete but could still improve. For example, four cards of the same suit can complete a flush, while four consecutive cards can form a straight.
Outs. The remaining cards that would complete a draw. With four cards needed to form a straight flush after the flop, there are nine outs left in the deck.
Around the table
Pot. The total amount of chips bet during a hand, won by the winner.
Stack. The number of chips a player has at the table. In tournaments, stack size is often expressed in terms of the number of big blinds. This measure allows players to assess the stack relative to the blind levels.
Bluff. Betting or raising with a hand that is unlikely to be the best, with the aim of inducing opponents to fold.
Tilt. A state of frustration or loss of control that causes a player to make impulsive decisions, often after an unfortunate hand. To avoid making the situation worse, it may be best to take a break and step away from the table when possible.
A common vocabulary for players around the world: the poker glossary
Poker relies on a relatively limited vocabulary. You’ll hear the same handful of terms at a final table in Paris, during a club game in Marseille, and in the chat room of an online tournament and they rarely need to be explained twice. Being familiar with these terms allows you to follow the progression of a hand, from the blinds to the river.
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