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.
- Scare Card
- A card which is dealt face up which makes you not feel as confident in your hand. Ex. You hold a pair of Kings in Hold'em and an Ace shows up on the River.
- Second Pair
- The second highest pair which can be made from the community cards face up on the board. Ex. Flop is Ace/King/Ten in Hold'em. A player with a King holds the Second Pair.
- Semi-bluff
- Bet or raise with a hand (draw) that is probably not the best hand but could improve to the best hand.
- Set
- Three of a Kind when you have a pair in your hand and one on the board.
- Shark
- An extremely good poker is known as a “Shark,” as opposed to an inexperienced poker player known simply as a “Fish.”
- Short Stack
- A player with a very small number of chips compared to the rest of the players.
- Showdown
- When all of the betting is done and all of the cards are dealt, the players left in the hand reveal their cards in a “showdown.”
- Side Pot
- A pot which does not involve all of the players still in the game due to one or more players having all of their money already in the pot. The side pot is the money in the pot which involves the players still in the hand with cash.
- Sit Out
- When a player does not give up his or her seat, but does not participate in the play he or she “sits out.”
- Sixth Street
- In Stud the sixth card dealt to each player is called “Sixth Street.”
- Slow Play
- To check or smooth call when you have a good hand in anticipation that a player behind you will bet, thus hiding the strength of your hand.
- Small Blind
- The smaller of two forced bets in Hold'em or Omaha placed in the pot by the person to the left of the dealer. The amount is usually one half or one third of the big blind.
- Snowmen
- A pair of 8’s in the hold (face down)
- Speed Limit
- A pair of 5’s in the hole (face down).
- Split Pot
- A pot that is shared by two or more players due to a tie or poker variation such as High-Low.
- Stake
- The amount of money a player enters a game with or currently has available at any given time.
- Stand Pat
- In Draw poker when a player chooses not to draw any additional cards he “stands pat.”
- Straight Flush
- The highest hand on the Hand Ranking chart consisting of five cards in consecutive sequence of the same suit.
- Stud
- A poker variation where players receive a set number of cards. No community cards or drawing are involved.
- Suited
- Cards in the hole of the same suit, such as having two spades in Hold'em.
- Suited Connectors
- Cards in the hole in sequence and of the same suit, such as 7/8 of spades in Hold'em.
