… because I’m not just a slots fan, here a few terms you must know if you want to start playing poker

Online Poker Terminology

If you are a novice poker player you may get overwhelmed with all the terms that are associated with poker. These poker terms may be intimidating, however once you learn the meaning you can use it to intimidate other players into thinking you are a very advanced player. Here is a list of the most common online poker terms:

Bet: To wager an amount of money at the start of a hand. Betting is really the cornerstone to playing poker. Betting makes the game more interesting. It builds the pot and keeps those who are not very good bluffers honest. It is also used to weed out those who may not currently have a good hand, but their hand could get better as the game progresses. For example let’s say John has a 2, 4 unsuited and you have A, J unsuited. Currently you have the better hand and therefore should have the confidence to make a pretty sizeable bet. John thinks that the likelihood of making a good hand out of his 2, 4 is slim and therefore does not want to wager the money. However, let’s say that you did not bet. Then John decides to check because he can stay in the game for free. Then two 4’s and a 2 flop out. Now John has a full house! If you had bet in the beginning it would have forced John to fold and you would have had a better chance to win.

Flop: The first three cards that are dealt to the community in the poker games Omaha Poker or Texas Hold’em.

Ante: A bet that is mandatory at the start of the poker game. In the game of Texas Hold’em (most popular poker game) all players except those with blinds can see their cards and choose to pay the ante or fold their hands. Seven and Five card pokers require antes before cards are dealt.

Draw: A hand that requires additional cards in order for the hand to be successful. For example a flush draw is a hand that needs one more card in order for that hand to make a flush.

Call: When a player wants to match the bet of another player.

Board: the five community cards that used in the poker games Texas Hold’em and Omaha Poker. The board consists of the three flop cards, the turn, and the river. All five cards can be used by all players to make their hands.

Bluff: When a player has a weak hand, or a hand that has yet to be made, and bets in a way to make other players believe their hand are strong.

Tournament: A competition in which the players pay a certain fee to enter and all players start with the same number of chips. Blinds continually increase at set intervals of time and each player plays until they are out of money or until every other player has lost. Typically the top three to ten players are paid out.

Check: When a player passes the betting action onto the next player. Checking is staying in the game for free. Once a player has bet in a hand checking is no longer an option.

River: The last card dealt in the community cards in Texas Hold’em or Omaha Poker.

Fish: an inexperienced player. Typically you can catch signs of a fish if they play too passively or bet too much.