All-In: In a no limit game, like no limit Texas Hold’em, to place a bet for all of the chips you have on the table. "I move all in."
Bad Beat: When a hand that is a large favourite to win a pot is beaten.
Big Blind: The larger of two forced bets that are placed before any cards are dealt in Texas Hold’em. The big blind is two players to the left of the button, which signifies the acting dealer for the hand. It is usually twice the size of the small blind and is also the minimum bet in a No Limit Hold’em game.
Blinds: See “Small Blind” and “Big Blind”
Board: The board is all of the cards in the middle of the table that can be used by all of the players in the hand, often called community cards.
Button: The token or disc that moves one space to the left after every hand to signify the player acting as the dealer for the hand. In games with an actual dealer, like at a casino, the button shows the player who has the advantage of acting last. In home games, the player with the button also often deals.
Burn: The top card of the deck is always discarded before the flop, turn or river is dealt. This is a precautionary measure in-case someone has cheated by marking the cards. The card is simply removed from the deck and placed to the side, face down.
Call: The act of matching the last bet or raise without raising the pot. For example, "I call" or "I call your bet." See is also used at times with the same meaning.
Check: When you are still involved in a hand of poker and it is your turn to act while there haven't been any prior bets, you may pass or "check" to the next player without placing a bet. By checking, you reserve the right to call or raise any future bets on the same round of betting.
Check Raise: When a player checks their first option to bet on a round and then raises after an opponent has placed a bet. Though check raising is widely accepted and legal in most poker rooms, there are a few rooms where it is against the house rules. It is always a good idea to check the house rules before playing in any poker game. The check raise is also a powerful play, showing a great deal of strength at the poker table.
Community Cards: Cards placed face up in the centre of the table, which are shared by all of the players remaining in the hand in order to form their best possible hand when used in conjunction with their hole cards. In Texas Hold’em, and Omaha, the community cards consist of the flop, turn and river. Community cards are also called board cards or the board.
Connector: Usually used when discussing a starting hand in Texas Hold’em, a connector is a hand where the two cards are one apart in rank, such as a Jack and ten or a three and four. When the term "suited" connector is used, the two cards are also of the same suit. Can also be used in the terms of a one-gap or two-gap connector. These simply mean that there are one or two cards, or gaps, separating the two cards. For example, a six and eight is a one-gap connector while a six and nine is a two-gap connector. Many poker purists will not recognize any hand with a gap being a connector, but the terms are used often.
Dealer: The person that is actually dealing the cards as well as the person who has the button, who acts last on every round of betting with the exception of the first round.
Favourite: The player who has a statistical advantage in a hand is the favourite to win. For example, a player with a pair of Queens is a favourite over a player with a pair of jacks.
Flop: The first three “community cards” in a Texas Hold’em game. The flop is taken from the top of the deck after the first card is burned, then all three cards are placed face up at the same time in the centre of the table.
Fold: To place your cards in the muck or exit a hand. When facing a bet, if you don't call it, you fold. The dealer can also fold your hand if you are not at the table when it is your turn to act.
Heads Up: When a hand or tournament gets down to two players or when two players decide to play one on one.
Hole Cards: Also called pocket cards; your hole cards are the cards you have in your hand which you combine with the community cards to make your best five card hand.
Kicker: The second card in your hand when you use one card to form a hand with the board. Your kicker will be compared to your opponent's kicker when you tie for a pot, with the pot going to the highest kicker, unless the players have identical five-card hands. For example, if you and your opponent both have an Ace in your hand and there is an Ace on the board, the player with the higher second card, or kicker, in their hand will be awarded the pot. However, if one player has Ace two and the other has Ace three and the board is Ace Queen, ten, eight and six, the players will split the pot as they both have identical five-card hands so neither of their kickers comes into play.
Muck: To throw your hand away or the area where the discarded hands are kept. "I mucked my hand after the second King hit"
Nuts: A term referring to the best possible hand. For example, an Ace high flush on an unpaired board with no possibility of a straight flush would be the nuts, or the nut flush. "I had the nuts on the turn, but the river gave my opponent the nuts."
Offsuit: Two cards that are not the same suit are called offsuit. Usually referring to a players hole cards, for example a seven and a two that are not the same suit are called a seven two offsuit.
Pocket Pair: Two cards of the same rank in your hand, such as two Aces or two Queens. "I had a pocket pair, but after that flop I had to fold."
Quads: Four of a kind or four cards of the same rank, for example four Queens or four sevens.
Raise: To place a bet after an opponent or opponents has bet. The bet must be at least equal to the previous bet. For example, in a no limit Texas Hold’em game, your opponent bets 100, you must raise at least 100.
River: The last community card in Texas Hold’em, also called Fifth Street. After the “Turn” has been dealt, and the round of betting is complete, the “River” is added to the community board. This is a single card dealt face up, after a card has been “burnt”.
Short Stack: To have the smallest, or one of the smallest, stacks of chips at the table. Usually used in tournament play to describe players in danger of being eliminated by the rising blinds.
Small Blind: The smallest of the forced bets that are placed before the cards are dealt. It is placed by the first person to the left of the dealer, or "button", and is usually equal to half of the big blind.
Tell: Any action or hint that a player gives that gives away the strength or weakness of his or her hand. Some tells are obvious while others are very difficult to detect. Also, some of the best players are experienced enough to give false tells.
Tilt: When a player alters their normal play, often caused by losing a hand they were fevered to win, but also at times brought on by the actions of another player. Tilt can be very costly and it is important to be able to control your emotions at the poker table to avoid playing poorly.
Trips: Three of a kind where there are two cards of the same rank on the board and you have the third one in your hand. When you have two in your hand and one on the board, it is called a set.
Turn: The fourth of five community cards. After the “flop” has been dealt, and the round of betting is complete, the “Turn” is added to the community board. This is a single card dealt face up, after a card has been “burnt”.
Glossary courtesy of "Winning Low Limit Hold'em" by Lee Jones
