Poker 101: Essential Terms and Slang Every Beginner Should Know

One of the more popular casino games is poker. It’s simple and exciting – the best combo. It is a game that suits both professionals and rookies. Yet, if you’re new to the world of poker, there are a few things that you need to learn first. Poker is a game of broad masses. As such it is filled with both professional terminology and slang alike. Learning both is essential if you want to have a good time playing it.

Trust us, it is not all that complicated, and you only need to go through this short guide to learn the basics. When you’re a beginner in any sphere of operations the wisest thing you can do is to start from the bottom and climb your way up to the top. This article should be of great aid in helping you to wrap your head around the basics of professional poker terms and poker slang terms. Let’s start by explaining what hands are.

The Basics of Poker Terminology – Hand

A hand is the essence of poker. It refers to the pair of cards you’re holding at the start of dealing. Not every hand is the same. They are divided through the ranking of strength. To win the pot, you need to have the strongest hand when paired with cards on the table between all the players. Hand rankings are quite simple and you have them below ranked from top to bottom:

• Royal Flush – A hand to rule them all. To get the Royal Flush you need a combo of strongest cards starting from 10 to A with J, Q, and K in between. Also, they need to be in the same suit for Royal Flush.

• Straight Flush – An interesting combo. Weaker than the Royal Flush. It needs to contain cards of the same suit but they can be five consecutive cards regardless if they start from 2, 5, 7, or any other number for that matter.

• Four of a Kind – This is the popular poker as it is called among the players. Four of a kind is usually a game-winning hand and it comes when you collect four cards of the same rank.

• Full House – This is a hand combination in its fullest form. It is a combo of three of a kind and a pair.

• Flush – To have a flush one needs five cards that are of the same suit but without a need to be in sequence.

• Straight – Regardless of the suit you get a straight when you have five cards in a sequence regardless of where it starts.

• Three of a Kind – A combo weaker than four of a kind by one card. Any three cards of the same rank give you three of a kind.

• Two Pairs – A pair and another one – a combo of two pairs.

• One pair – Simple, two cards of a kind without additional help.

• High Card – If there are no other hands it is the highest card in your hand.

Blinds

There are more than a few variations of poker. If you want to play Texas Hold’em or Omaha you need to learn about blinds. We are talking about a kind of bet that is forced. Blinds are what ensure that every hand contains action. When it comes to Texas Hold’em or Omaha there are two types of blinds:

The small blind is when the game is engaged by the initial smaller bet.

The big blind is the hand that is bigger than the initial bet and it’s usually double of what’s initially on the table.

To ensure all players have the same treatment, blinds start from the first spot on the right and move one spot to the left after each hand.

Community Cards

When you play poker, the final outcome is not decided only by the cards in your cards. Community cards are what help you make the best hand. We are talking about three cards that are initially dealt on the table face up in Texas Hold’em and Omaha versions. Community cards stretch up to five if no player is deemed to have the best hand before that.

The first three cards on the table are dealt at once and they are called Flop. The fourth card on the table is called Turn while the fifth one is called River. You may have your best hand before the final card is drawn and if you believe so, you raise the bet. If no one bets you win, if a player bets the rest of the cards get drawn.

Bet, Call, Raise, Fold

Let us get to the main part of the game of poker. When you play you will meet with every of these terms. None is too complicated. The bet is the initial move and with a bet you put your chips in the pot.

When there is a bet already made and you’re the next player to make a move you can follow it by making a call and matching the current bet. When you want to push the boundaries of the game further and increase the current bet when you play poker online you hit the raise button. The last, and the most unpopular move in poker is fold, and when you have a weak hand and do not want to bet, call or raise your only option is to fold and wait for another round.

Popular Poker Slang

In the few sections above we have covered the terminology every poker player should know. Depending on the circles where you play poker those terms might be the only ones you’ll ever need. But, the more you play, the more new players you’ll meet and some of them will be true characters of the game.

Poker circles are diverse considering that the game is played in all corners of the world. What this means is that there’s plenty of slang used depending on where you play. To help you prepare for what awaits you in many online and land-based casinos we are going to share the top slang poker terms with you.

Nuts

It’s not what you think. Nuts are nuts – mind-blowing. It is the best possible hand you can have. When in the game, and you feel like that’s the one, this one is winning me the pot you know that you have nuts. So, the next time you have Royal Flush feel free to scream nuts regardless of whom you’re playing.

Bluff

Please, tell us that you know this one and its meaning. While it’s slang it is also incorporated into the essence of poker culture. You are bluffing when your hand is not all that good but you still decide to hit, bet or raise and stick to that decision until the round ends in hopes everyone else will fold or that another player bluffs too with a weaker hand. It is a viable poker strategy but it needs to be executed to perfection.

Fish

Don’t worry, it is not a derogatory term. It only refers to a completely new player of the game of poker or one who is straight-out bad at it. When you have someone making unreasonable bets and poor in-game decisions know that you’re dealing with a fish. If someone calls you you need to reconsider your poker strategy.

Tilt

Tilt is a condition that happens to players in-game all the time. You need to be aware of it. When you play for a long time, and get close to winning that big pot and the luck turns its back to you in that moment you’ll get an urge to get it all back. This irrational need will make you bet higher and raise when your hand is bad. So, when your decision-making ability is impaired you need to focus and understand that you’re having a tilt.

All-In

A powerful move! But, also one that can be deemed reckless. To go all in, you need to put all of your chips into the pot and rely on the strength of the hand to come. When playing with high stakes this is the ultimate power move. The good part is that if you win you win big. On the downside, if you miss you exit the game ashamed and with no chips.

Check-Raise

A double move, a cheeky one. It requires you to check when initially dealt your hand but to raise immediately as soon as another player makes a move. This is an amazing move if you want to make players feel good about your hand, have them fill the pot only for you to raise the stakes even further. With cards in your hand, you can use this move to shift the tides to your advantage and wing big pots in the process.

Kicker

There will come a time when you’ll have a strong card in your hands that is not forming your hand. This card is called a kicker. So, let’s say you have a pair of Queens. The third card that is not either of the ladies but is the next strongest card is the kicker.

Chip Stack

There’s not any philosophy present here. Chip Stack is the number of chips you have in front of you, on the table, and available for playing. When you start playing regularly, you must manage your stack wisely to give yourself a better chance of winning.

Raise the Stakes

This is a tactic of applying pressure on other participants in the game. It can be done with both the blinds and during the game when it’s your turn to bet. It is done by raising the bet. It is often spoken by players who want to take the game to another level.

Pocket Cards

Pocket cards or as they are also known hole cards are those cards that you first receive face down. They are dealt at the start of the game and it’s where your fortunes start.

Tips for Using Poker Terms and Slang

When you’re new to poker you will not recognize either terms or slang. But, the more time you spend the more you’ll hear. To get the best grasp on them, you need to listen and observe. Others, more experienced players, will use them all the time. So, you only need to pay attention to what you hear and see. When playing poker, both online and live, there will be plenty of conversation and interaction between the players. Lay back, and play your game, but don’t forget to listen and observe. It is the easiest way to learn.

To take things a few notches forward you will also have to dedicate time to practicing the game. The language is present on all levels of the game. But, the best way to learn it safely is to first engage with low-stakes games. Practice at low levels to be able to excel when you climb higher. At first, talking like a professional poker player will not come naturally. With time, you will accept the terms and the slang and you’ll be a part of the gang.

Lastly, while it’s better to learn in silence, poker is just not that type of game. It is a party for the loudest. So, when others are talking, and make noise, but it’s hard to understand them, it is up to you to ask questions. Don’t be shy, and when in doubt ask. Poker players are a lively bunch and most players will be eager to help and provide a valuable lesson. In the end, the goal is to understand the game better and talking to other players will do that for you.

Summary

Poker terms and slang are not hard to understand and learn. But, you need time and dedication paired with a desire to learn. If you love the game, knowing this stuff is essential for success. In the end as a game played for money success is what you’re looking for so don’t shy from learning it a bit.

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