By
Gary Steele
Poker has its own set of unique terms and jargon, and more are being added every week as its popularity continues to expand. There are names for particular starting hands, such as pocket rockets and big slick. There are terms describing poker scenarios, such as a bad beat. It would take a week to write them all, but I think the following list will give you a good idea of the terms you will hear used on a regular basis as you play.
- Grinder
- A person who plays poker for a living by winning small bets over a long period of time.
- Gutshot
- An inside straight draw – See Belly Buster.
- Hammer
- To bet aggressively as in “the player in seat 1 hammered the pot.”
- Hand for Hand
- Hand for hand play happens near the end of a poker tournament as tables are about to be consolidated and people from multiple tables are still in the game. Each table plays each hand until all tables have completed the hand. Then, the next hand starts. This type of play assures there will be no disputes over which players finish in the money.
- Heads Up
- When only two players are at a table playing against each other they are said to be playing “heads up.”
- High-Low
- A poker variation where the player with the highest ranking hand splits the pot with the player holding the lowest ranking hand. Low ranking hands typically are required to have no pairs and all cards eight and below to qualify.
- High Society
- Playing with large denominations. In the movie Rounders, three stacks of High Society was worth $30,000.
- Hole Card
- Face down cards. Cards dealt to each player that only they know the value of.
- Hooks
- A pair of Jacks in the Hole (face down).
