Online Poker Terminology: A Guide for New Players

By Jane Shaw Senior Editor Updated: 04/01/2024

Jane Shaw Senior Editor See Full Bio

We count on Jane to inform our readers about the latest slot games in the US market. With her passion for video games and a degree in engineering, she’s our gambling tech expert. Jane’s also active in our blog section, where she tackles the curiosities and changes in the industry.

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Online Poker Terminology

• Poker Terminology 101
• Bankroll Management Terms
• Insurance in Poker Explained
• Pre-Flop Pocket Pairs: A Terminology Guide
• Understanding Flop Terminology
• Betting: Key Terminology

Poker has a language all its own, with many unique terms that may seem like a foreign language to new players. To help you understand online poker terminology, this guide will show you all the words and phrases you need to know before even thinking about sitting down at the tables!

Poker Terminology 101

Poker has developed a rich vocabulary of specialized words and phrases over its long history. This poker terminology allows players to communicate important information about the game quickly and accurately. Learning common poker terms is key for any player looking to get better at the game.

Some important examples of online poker terminology include words for different hands like “trips” and “quads”, terms for betting actions like “raise” and “re-raise”, position names like “under the gun” and “button”, and slang words like “tilt” and “on a heater”. Additionally, there are many words used to describe aspects of strategy like “bluff”, “value bet”, “slowplay”, and “semi-bluff”.

When you play at online poker sites you will see many of these terms used all the time, so it’s really important that you have a good understanding of them before you play.

Bankroll Management Poker Terms

Bankroll management in poker is crucial to success. Your bankroll is the total amount of money you have set aside to play poker. Here are some key bankroll management poker terms you should know before playing different poker games:

• Buy-in: The amount you initially bring to the table to exchange for chips. Typical buy-ins range from 100-500 big blinds.
• Stakes: The betting limits and scale of a game, generally based on the size of the big blind. Common stakes include micro stakes ($0.01/$0.02 blinds), low stakes ($0.05/$0.10), mid stakes ($0.50/$1), and high stakes ($5/$10+).
• Variance: Variance refers to the ups and downs in your bankroll due to the random nature of poker. Even the best players can experience significant swings in their bankroll.
• Win Rate: Your win rate is a measure of your average profit over a set number of hands or tournaments. It is usually expressed in terms of big blinds per 100 hands (BB/100) for cash games or return on investment (ROI) for tournaments. A positive win rate indicates a player’s profitability over time.
• Stop Loss Limit: A stop loss limit is a predetermined amount of money that you are willing to lose in a session or over a period before you stop playing. Setting a stop loss limit can help prevent you from chasing losses and protect your bankroll from significant damage.
• Bankroll Requirements: Bankroll requirements vary depending on game type and stakes. Generally, it is recommended to have at least 20-30 buy-ins for cash games.

Insurance in Poker Explained

Insurance in poker is a concept that has gained traction among players seeking to mitigate their risks during high-stakes moments in the game. Essentially, poker insurance is a side agreement between players, or between a player and a third party, that offers compensation to the insured player if a specific unfavorable outcome occurs in a hand.

This practice is most common in games with larger pots, where the stakes and potential for significant loss are higher. It’s particularly common when one player is all-in. By taking insurance, a player can protect a portion of their investment in a pot, ensuring that they receive some return even if they end up losing the hand.

The mechanics of insurance in poker can vary, but the principle remains consistent: a player pays a fee, which is a fraction of the pot, to insure against the possibility of losing a hand under certain conditions. For example, if a player is holding a strong hand but is wary of potential draws that could beat them, they might seek insurance from another player or an external party willing to take the bet.

The cost of the fee and the payout of the insurance are usually determined by the odds of the opposing hand winning, making it a calculated risk management strategy.

Pre-Flop Pocket Pairs: A Terminology Guide

One of the best starting hand combinations in poker is a pair, or exactly two cards of the same value as your hole cards. The strength of each pair depends on the actual value of the cards.

The terminology used refers to them as pocket pairs since they are in a player’s private hold cards, unseen by others. Starting with pocket Aces in poker means you’re starting with the best possible hand. Here’s a breakdown of the different pocket pairs and their nickname(s):

Understanding Flop Terminology

Once all players have either bet equal amounts or folded, the action pauses momentarily as the flop is dealt.

The dealer burns a card, then places three community cards face up in the middle—this is formally referred to as “the flop.” Before getting involved, however, it’s important to understand some vital vocabulary.

First, it’s essential to recognize what type of flop has been dealt in order to apply the optimal approach. Key types include rainbow, double-suited, monotone, dry, wet, and coordinated flops. A rainbow flop contains three cards of different suits, lacking any potential flush draws. A double-suited flop features two cards of the same suit. On the other hand, a monotone flop has three cards of the same suit—presenting a flush draw possibility.

In addition, the actual cards on a flop can make it dry or wet. Dry flops tend to contain low cards that are unlikely to connect strongly with most hands. Wet flops contain more high cards, draws, and connected cards that align with players’ opening ranges. Also, a coordinated flop connects straight draw-type hands.

The texture of a flop also influences decisions around continuation betting, checking, pot controlling, or aggression. Against certain players, polarized flops with both high and low cards may require more caution, whereas aggressively triple-barrel bluffing on monotone boards is usually regarded as optimal play.

Likewise, realizing how ranges interact after the flop involves specialized vocabulary. Top pair refers to pairing one hole card with the highest card on the board. Middle pair means matching one card with the middle-ranked card. Bottom pair means connecting the lowest flop card with one of your hole cards. Finally, you have an over pair if you hold a pocket pair that’s higher than the highest board card.

Betting: Key Terminology

Whether you’re playing on the best online poker apps or simply at home with your friends, it’s always vital to have a solid grasp of the terminology surrounding betting. After all, it’s by placing bets that you’ll actually be able to win! Below, we’ll examine some of the most prominent betting words and phrases you’ll need to know before playing poker!

A “bet” is the initial wager made in a round of play, either pre-flop or any subsequent streets. (A street refers to the cards that are dealt on a later turn. For instance, the “flop” is a street – as is the “turn” and the “river.”)

Next is “raise.” After a player bets, a raise involves increasing the size of the existing bet by adding chips, trying to get others to match your larger stake to stay involved. If other players at the table don’t want to match your raise, they can fold; they can, however, also raise again!

Then we have “re-raise.” If a player raises, a re-raise means raising again. This dramatically escalates pots – although some games have limits on the amount a player can re-raise.

Next is “3-Bet/4-Bet.” Specifically quantifying the number of raises indicates how aggressive players generally play at the poker table. In tournament settings, it’s also possible to see five, six, and even seven-bets!

A “continuation bet” (c-bet) is a standard bet after the flop by the player who originally initially started the preflop betting action. If you raised preflop, c-betting postflop continues to display that you have a strong hand – or, if bluffing, shows that you’re serious about your hand!

A float bet is a flop bet with a speculative hand hoping the turn or river improves your hand. If you hit on the next street, you could get a big hand and make a sizeable bet on the river.

A protection bet is a bet on a later street primarily aimed at protecting your hand against draws completing, especially when you indicate weakness by checking earlier. A protection bet can be useful, but they can also be quite easy to spot.

A probe bet is a small bet made with the intention of gathering an idea of what an opponent holds. The idea of a probe bet is, usually, to fold your hand if another player involved in the pot re-raises.

Next is a donk bet. This is a bet made before the player who raised in the previous round. It’s usually a weak play, as it shows the player is inexperienced. Of course, better poker players can use it strategically.

Then there’s the check-raise. Firstly, a player chooses to check. However, after a raise, the player who checked then decides to put in a raise – massively throwing off the entire table.

An overbet is a bet exceeding the size of the pot, meant to apply maximum pressure. Overbets often represent total missed draws – but some players will overbet with a very strong hand too, hoping that other players at the table think they’re over-betting a weak hand.