Unusual Poker Terms and Definitions

We all know the basic terminology of poker, words as a freeroll, bad beat, bankroll, tilt and fish. These poker terms are particularly well known to poker crying dudes. Complex terminology as implied odds, equity, angle shooting, check-raise or edge is also well-known to all poker regular players and online grinders. But there are words that are less known or less used, but they´re  still customary poker phrases while playing.

I chose the most interesting poker terms and definitions, that describes poker activities, or individual elements of the game itself. Did you know that?

The word ADVERTISE is used for deliberate bluffing. The player wants to deliberately create an image of weak player who mindlessly bets. The purpose is to provoke other opponents to bet and have plenty of betting action at the table. Another interesting word in poker is the word CRIPPLE. This time, it is not associated with physical health and nobody´s trying to hurt you either. As in “to cripple the deck.” Meaning that you have most or all of the cards that somebody would want to have with the current board. If you have pocket queens, and the other two queens flop, you have crippled the deck.

COUNTERFEIT – To make your hand less valuable because of board cards that duplicate it. Example: you have 65 and the flop comes 7-8-9, so you have a straight. Now an 6 comes on the turn. This has counterfeited your hand and made it almost worthless.

DOUBLE BELLY BUSTER or double gutshot, A five-card combination that forms two different inside straight draws; a hand including three consecutive cards, the card two ranks higher than the top card of those three, and the card two ranks lower than the bottom card of those three.

FOUL – A hand that may not be played for one reason or another. A player with a foul hand may not make any claim on any portion of the pot. Example: “He ended up with three cards after the flop, so the dealer declared his hand foul.” DRILLER  or loose player. Player, that often bets and raises. Word FLINGER (maniac) means the player, who plays crazy and wild poker.

ONE GAP – A hold’em starting hand with two cards two apart in rank. Examples: J9s, 64. LEGITIMATE HAND – a strong combination, that is not a bluff. BLIVIT, RUBISH,TRASH – Worthless combination of cards. (I´d add my favourite irish slang word shite cards).

APPLE – the biggest game, that is available in the poker club. ATC or Any two cards. COLD CALL – To call more than one bet in a single action. For instance, suppose the first player to act after the big blind raises. Now any player acting after that must call two bets “cold.” This is different from calling a single bet and then calling a subsequent raise.

OVERCALL – To call a bet after one or more others players have already called. PAY OFF – To call a bet when the bettor is representing a hand that you can’t beat, but the pot is sufficiently large to justify a call anyway. Example: “He played it exactly like he made the flush, but I had top set so I paid

The same combination that the player will receive in the next game due to poor shuffle of cards calls THE GHOST HAND. Combination of cards with very low probability is LONG SHOT. Game for a small “Mickey Mouse” money – NICKEL DIME. The player, who´s playing for the house to keep the game going on is the PROPOSITION PLAYER.

A flop (or board) that doesn’t appear to help anybody very much. A flop that came down J -5-2  would look RAGGED.

SMOOTH CALL – Smooth call often implies slow playing a strong hand. Example: “I flopped the nut flush but just smooth called when the guy in front of me bet – I didn’t want to scare anybody out.”

The last poker term of this article will be TOKE, a small amount of money given to the dealers by the winner of a pot. Quite often, tokes represent the great majority of a dealer’s income. So did you toke today, sir?