Here are some common poker terms which
you will need to understand before we go through how you play poker. Of
course to fully understand the terms you will need to see a run through
of a game of poker (Texas Hold’em).
Some of the terms can only be explained
using other terms in the list. These are highlighted in Bold.
So first of read the following terms and try to get a brief understanding
of them, then go through the Texas Hold’em interactive tutorial
at the end of this lesson. You can then go through the terms again afterwards.
Ante: In some forms
of Poker each player is required to put an amount of money into the
pot before any cards are
dealt. This is called the Ante.
Bet: The first player
to act in each betting interval has the option to Bet or Call.
Bet simply means putting money into the pot. The following players will
then have to match the increase in the pot Check,
Raise or Fold
their Hand.
Betting Intervals: These
are the periods in the game that betting takes place. In Texas Hold’em
there are four betting intervals. Each interval ends when all players
who remain in the hand have placed an equal amount of money into the
pot.
Betting Limits: Many
games only allow you to bet or raise a specified amount. So for example
in a game that is $1/$2, each player can only bet or raise in increments
of $1 before the Turn and only by $2 after the Turn.
Betting Rounds: these
occur during each betting interval, all players have the opportunity
to bet at least once. The number of rounds will depend on how long it
is until each player has put in an equal amount into the pot. When this
has happened the betting interval is over.
Blind Bets: Sometimes
referred to as the ‘Blinds’ are a form
of ante. However only two players have to pay before each hand is dealt.
The blinds rotate around the table (clockwise) so that everyone takes
turns in pay the ‘ante’. The two blinds are called the Big
and the Small. Generally the Big Blind is double the
Small Blind.
Button: (see Dealer’s
Disc)
Call: To put into the
pot an equal amount to that of the last bet made.
Check: Checking is when
a player does not put money into the pot to stay in. This can only happen
if no player has bet previously. Checking means you do not wish to bet
but still want to continue.
Chips: Chips are tokens
that represent the amount of money being bet.
Community Cards: Five
cards available to all players. These are dealt face-up in the centre
of the table.
Deal:
This is another word for a hand (a round of poker).
But can also be the action ‘to deal’.
Dealer: When playing
at home with friends somebody has to deal. The dealer’s responsibilities
move around the table clockwise with each Hand (deal). In Casinos a
dealer is provided and with online poker the software performs the tasks
of the dealer. However, the software needs to keep track of who would
have been the dealer in a real life game. The following definition will
make this clear as to why this is important.
Dealer’s Disc (Button):
In Texas Hold’em the betting starts with the player to the dealers
left. Because the position of the player in the betting sequence is
a very important part of the game, it would not be unfair that the same
player always had to bet first. So with online poker where the cards
are dealt by software for the players, the game is played as if the
players were taking it in turns to deal. This is represented by a dealer’s
disc, which is also known as the button. On each deal the disc moves
one place clockwise around the table. Therefor the betting sequence
will always start from a different position with each deal. As a result
all players are treated equally. We will see the importance of betting
position later on!
Fold: When a player
does not wish to continue with their hand they fold there cards.
Flop: The first three
of the community cards. They are dealt out together i.e. between betting
intervals.
Hand: The cards that
each player is dealt. ‘Hand’ is also used to describe each
deal (round of poker).
Hole-Cards (aka Pocket-Cards):
The first two cards each player is dealt face down. Only you know what
your Hole-cards are unlike the community cards, which everyone sees.
Pot: The aggregate amount
of money bet on each hand.
Raise: To put a greater
amount of money into the pot than the previous bet.
Re-raise: This name
is given when the next player to the player that has raised the puts
in even more money than the raise.
River: The fifth and
last of the community cards.
Showdown: This is where
players who remain to the end of the hand compare their hands.
Stake: The total amount
of money each player bets into a hand.
Turn: The forth
card of the five community cards.
These are the terms you will come across
in our first interactive tutorial. We will come across new terms later
on and a full list of poker terms can be found in our dictionary.
You are now ready to take the interactive
tutorial for the first time.
