Bad beat

A bad beat occurs when you have the best hand to start with but eventually lose to a worse hand that gets lucky and draws to a better hand.

Bankroll

Your bankroll is the total amount of money you have in your account, which you can take to the tables with you.

Blind

The blinds are forced bets which are used in place of antes so that there’s a pot to play for. The player to the left of the button posts a small blind and the player two seats to the left of the button posts a big blind. The small blind is half the amount of the big blind. The amount of the blinds depends on the limit played.

Bluffing

If you bet or raise with a hand you believe isn’t the best, you’re bluffing. Your goal is to trick your opponent into believing that you have a strong hand, causing them to fold.

Board

The board is the five community cards that are shared by all players.

Bust

If a player loses their entire bankroll, they’ve gone “bust”.

Button

The button moves in a clockwise direction after each hand, with the player on the button acting last. The button is used to represent who would be dealing, if players dealt, and is used to ensure that every player at the table has the advantage of acting last in the hand.

Community cards

The five cards on the board shared by all players.

Drawing dead

A player is drawing dead if they’re hopelessly behind and can’t win, no matter what card comes on later rounds.

Fish

Fish are losing players that aren’t very good at poker.

Freeroll

Freerolls are tournaments that are completely free to enter, sometimes with real prize money at stake.

Hole cards

Hole cards are the first two cards every player is dealt, also called pocket cards.

Gut shot

A gut shot is a draw to an inside straight, in which only one card will help you. You usually want to avoid drawing to gut shots. Bad beat

Kicker

If two players tie for the best hand, such as a pair of aces, then the highest unpaired card of each player determines the winner. This card is called the “kicker”.

Limping

If you just call the big blind during pre-flop betting, this is called “limping”.

Nuts

If you have “the nuts”, you’re holding the absolute best hand possible that no one else can beat, regardless of what their two hole cards might be.

Open-ended straight

An open-ended straight draw is one that can be completed in two ways, as opposed to a gutshot or inside straight draw that can be completed in only one way. If you have 8-9-10-J, you have an open-ended draw as either a Q or a 7 will give you the straight.

Outs

Outs are the number of cards left in the deck that will likely give you the best hand. If you have QQ but another player has KK, you have 2 outs, as you’ll need to catch one of the two remaining queens in the deck to win the hand.

Pocket pair

A pocket pair is when you’re dealt a pair for your two hole cards, such as JJ, 88, or 44.

Set

If you start with a pocket pair and improve to three of a kind when the community cards are dealt, you’re holding a “set”.

Showdown

Showdown occurs when the final round of betting on the river is completed. All players remaining turn over their hands at showdown and the person with the best hand wins the pot.

Starting hand

Your starting hand is the two cards you’re dealt face down to begin each hand.

Suckout

If a player outdraws you and beats you with a worse starting hand, you’ve just experienced a “suckout”.

Tilt

If a player is angry and steaming, they’re often said to be “tilting” or “on tilt”.