Casino Hold’em Glossary

Regardless of whether you are in the process of getting to know with a game like Casino Hold’em or poker in general, or you are a somewhat experienced poker player, it is always great to learn the terminology too. That way when you are playing at a casino on a Casino Hold’em or poker table you will know what the dealer refers to when he says “all-in” or “four of a kind”.

Casino Hold’em is nothing complicated, although it is quite a new game compared to the already established casino games like slots, roulette, blackjack etc. This Texas Hold’em poker variation was invented in 2000, and years later it got accepted to casinos.

Below are displayed some of the most important Casino Hold’em terms in alphabetical order that you need to know in order to be able to understand the game more properly. Also we have included brief explanations for every term.

A

Action: the money that is being wagered in the game. ‘To get some action’ is the common phrase that refers to the gambling time and money of players.

All-In: the moment when you put your entire chip stack into play. The correct phrase used at poker tables would be ‘going all-in’ when the player decides to wager everything he has got. If it is done in defense it is usually said ‘calling all-in’.

Ante: the chips that are put by the players into the pot before each card dealing. This is not related to the bet that the player makes after his cards are dealt.

B

Bad Beat: this is when a really strong poker hand gets beaten by a weak hand. Today, however, the term has a bit different meaning, and is used in cases when a strong hand gets beaten by an even stronger hand.

Bankroll: the amount of money that the player brings with himself to wager in the game.

Blank Card: a card that doesn’t help a player combine a good hand at all.

Blind: this is a forced bet that is also placed before the players get their cards, and helps to ensure that there is money in the pot. Without the blind bet a player with a single chip can fold the game as much as he wants, thus the game won’t have an end.

Buy-In: Casino Hold’em poker has a minimum amount that players need to meet in order to be able to join the poker game just like in any poker game.

Burn: ‘burn’ or ‘burning’ is taking the top card of the deck and removing it from play. It is then placed face down in the tray with discarded cards.

C

Call: when a player wants to continue playing he needs to ‘call’ by wagering the necessary minimum.

Check: if a player wants to stay in the game and continue with another round he needs to ‘check’. ‘Checking’ doesn’t mean wagering your money.

Check Raise: to ‘check’ and then ‘raise’ the bet amount.

Community Cards: in Casino Hold’em face up cards are dealt on the table that the players can use to form their hands just like in Texas Hold’em. These cards are placed at the center of the table, and are also called ‘board’.

Cold Call: this is when a player ‘calls’ and ‘raises’ the bet at the same time, instead of raising the bet after he has called it.

Cowboys: a pair of kings is called ‘cowboys’.

D

Dead Money: this is money wagered by players that have previously folded.

Deal: distributing cards to each of the players.

Deep: a term used to refer to the amount of money that a player has left. It usually goes as an idiom in question form, something like: How deep are you.

Draw Out: receiving a card with which you hand significantly improves and transforms into a winning hand in a case when you were sure to lose.

Drawing Dead: an attempt to improve a hand into one supposed to win but ends up being weaker after all.

Drop: poker rooms take a fixed amount out of each pot, and this is called ‘drop’.

E

Even Money: a bet with which you are paid out the same amount that you have wagered. This is expressed as 1 to 1 payout.

F

Fish: a player on the table that continuously loses his bets.

Flop: the first thee community cards that are placed at the center of the table are called ‘flop’.

Flat Call: calling a bet without raising the amount.

Flush: a hand comprised of 5 cards all coming from one suit.

Four of a Kind: a poker hand comprised of 4 cards all coming from the same rank.

Freeze Out: a poker game in which only a couple of players or at least one lasts long enough to take all the money wagered. This is commonly seen at major poker tournament games like the World Series of Poker tournament.

Full House: a poker hand comprised of three of a kind and an additional different pair.

G

Giving Away: this is a situation in which a player accidentally reveals his hand by the way he plays.

H

High Card: a hand consisted of random cards that don’t form a legitimate poker hand. The only potential in such a hand is the highest hand, with which you can bet another High Card hand with a smaller high card than yours.

Hold’em: a class of poker games like Texas Hold’em and Casino Hold’em. In these games the players receive two to four hole cards and five community cards after which betting rounds ensue.

Hole Cards: these are the face down cards that are dealt to the players. The terms is mostly used in Hold’em and Stud poker games.

House: the establishment that enables the playing of the game.

K

Kicker: this is the additional card in Hold’em poker that is used to accompany the primary value of the hand.

Kicker Trouble: a situation in Hold’em poker games when a small and a high card are played in a hand which has caused for the hand to depend on the same high card and a bigger kicker.

L

Late Blind: in some poker games a player is allowed to make a blind in order to get into the game and immediately be able to bet. The house determines the amount of the late blind.

M

Main Pot: a ‘main pot’ is used in case of side pots.

Muck: all the cards that were burned, folded or discarded in any way near the dealer are called ‘muck’.

N

No Limit Poker: a poker game where a maximum bet has not been set. These are intended mainly for high rollers.

Nut: usually present in Hold’em poker games. This is the best hand in its class. A ‘nut flush’ can be highest ranking flush hand, although it can lose if the opponent has a full house.

O

On the Come: in a ‘on the come’ situation a player waits for a card that will hopefully complete his hand.

Over Pair: a pair among the player’s hole cards bigger in value than the community cards.

P

Pair: a poker hand comprised of 2 cards that are of one rank, for example, two 4s.

Pass: Not betting; to fold.

Pocket Cards: these are the ‘hole cards’ in Hold’em poker.

Pocket Rockets: when the player has hole cards with a pair of aces in Hold’em poker.

Pocket Pair: a term for 2 hole cards of one rank.

R

Rainbow: a flop where all cards are of different suite.

Raise: to place the same bet and more. By raising you force the players to wager more.

Rake: poker rooms take a certain amount of money in return for other services that come with the joining of the room. The rake is expressed as a percentage of the pots or can be charged by the time spent in the room.

Royal Flush: a hand comprised of jack, ten, king, queen and an ace. This is the best possible poker hand.

Rush: a streak of wins.

S

Short-Stacked: a player that has small bankroll.

Stand Off: to respond to a raise by calling.

Straight: a poker hand comprised of five cards that are arranged in sequence according to their value, but the suit is not the same.

Straight Flush: a poker hand comprised of five cards that are arranged in sequence according to their value and suit is same.

T

Table Stakes: this is the money that you have brought with yourself to the table.

Three of a Kind: a poker hand comprised of 3 cards that are all of one rank, for example, three 10s.

Turn: the 4th community card in Hold’em poker games is called ‘turn’.

Two Flush: two cards of the same suit.

U

Under the Gun: the player that is placed on a position at the table where he is required to react first with a bet is called ‘under the gun’.