10 May 2010
Learning Poker
Posted at 5/10/2010 02:25:00 PM
1 comments (+)
Last weekend, I got invited by friends to play poker with them but I declined because I'm not as good as them. I still have a lot to learn as far as my poker skills is concerned and I don't want to go home a sore loser. Although I already know the basics, but as my friend told me, I still need to work on my card reading and bluffing strategies if I wanted to increase my chances of winning. And she's right. I am very much aware that I lack in these departments. That's why I am browsing Online Video Poker websites right now to get some ideas on how the "masters" do it. And while viewing some of the videos, I noticed that the players used terms that I am not familiar with. It seems like they have created their own lingo. So I searched the web for Online Poker websites with a list of the common poker terms and here's what I found:Action: The betting within a poker hand. If you bet first, you are starting the action. Games described as having a lot of action have a lot of betting.
All-In: To place all of the chips you have on the table into the pot.
Back Door: A draw that requires two cards to complete a straight, flush, or full house. For example, to complete a flush the correct suit must hit on the turn and the river.
Bad Beat: Losing a hand in which you were a decisive favorite to win before the river card.
Bankroll: The amount of money you have available with which to play poker over a particular period of time.
Best of It: To be a favorite to win.
Bet: To place money into the pot.
Blind: Forced bet that must be made before the cards are dealt.
Bluff: To bet with an inferior hand in the hope that your opponents will fold.
Board: Community cards.
Bottom Pair: Having a pair containing the lowest card on the board.
Button: A token that represents the dealer position (the last to act in most games after the first round).
Call: To place an amount of money equal to a previous opponent's bet.
Check: To decline to bet or to pass when it is your turn to act.
Check-Raise: To check and then raise if an opponent bets.
Community Cards: Cards placed in the middle of the table and shared by all players.
Drawing Dead: Drawing to a hand that, even if it hits, will lose to a hand that is already better.
Expected Value (EV): The average amount you will win when betting in the same situation numerous times.
Favorite: To have the best chance to win.
Flop: The first three community cards in Texas Hold'em and Omaha.
Gutshot: A straight draw that requires a card in the middle to hit to complete the straight. It is also called a "belly buster" and an "inside straight draw."
Hand: The cards in a player's hand or one game of poker in which a pot is won. When you hear or read this term, understand it in its context so you won't be confused.
Heads-Up: Playing against a single opponent.
Hole Cards: The first cards dealt to you that your opponents cannot see.
Implied Odds: Bets that you can reasonably expect to collect in addition to the bets already in the pot if you hit your hand.
Kicker: A card used to break ties. In Hold'em, if you have A-5 with an ace on the board, your 5 is your kicker. If an opponent also has an ace and their kicker is higher, you lose.
Limit: The set amount or amounts that may be bet, often expressed as 5/10 ($5 bets on the first two rounds and $10 bets thereafter).
Limp-In: To enter a hand with a call before the flop.
Loose: To play more hands than should be played.
Middle Pair: To have a pair containing the second highest card on the board.
Muck: To discard a hand.
Outs: Cards that can come that will improve your hand.
Overcard: A card that is higher than other cards, usually in reference to community cards that are higher than your hole cards.
Pair: Two cards that are the same rank (such as two kings).
Position: Your place in the order of betting action. If you act first, you are in first position.
Pot: All money that has been bet in a hand.
Pot Odds: The mathematical computation of the odds of your hand improving, the amount of money in the pot, and the size of the bet you must call.
Quads: Four of a kind (such as four aces).
Raise: To place a higher bet than an opponent has already placed.
Rake: The amount a card room takes from each pot, usually a percentage that has a set upper limit.
Reraise: To raise after an opponent has raised.
Seat Charge: The amount of money some card rooms charge per hour to play in addition to, or in place of, a rake.
Semibluff: To bet with a hand that may not be the best but has a good chance to improve to the best hand.
Set: Three of a kind (such as three jacks).
Short Stacked: To have the smallest stack of chips at the table.
Side Pot: An additional pot created when one player is all in and two or more other players are still betting.
Steal: To force an opponent to fold when you don't have the best hand.
Suited: Cards of the same suit (such as 4 and 7).
Tell: An action that a player makes that gives away the strength of their hand.
Tight: To play fewer hands than normal.
Tilt: When a player is emotionally upset and starts making poor decisions.
Trips: Three of a kind (such as three queens).
Under the Gun: The first person who must act on the first round of betting.
Wired Pair: When your hole cards contain a pair.
All-In: To place all of the chips you have on the table into the pot.
Back Door: A draw that requires two cards to complete a straight, flush, or full house. For example, to complete a flush the correct suit must hit on the turn and the river.
Bad Beat: Losing a hand in which you were a decisive favorite to win before the river card.
Bankroll: The amount of money you have available with which to play poker over a particular period of time.
Best of It: To be a favorite to win.
Bet: To place money into the pot.
Blind: Forced bet that must be made before the cards are dealt.
Bluff: To bet with an inferior hand in the hope that your opponents will fold.
Board: Community cards.
Bottom Pair: Having a pair containing the lowest card on the board.
Button: A token that represents the dealer position (the last to act in most games after the first round).
Call: To place an amount of money equal to a previous opponent's bet.
Check: To decline to bet or to pass when it is your turn to act.
Check-Raise: To check and then raise if an opponent bets.
Community Cards: Cards placed in the middle of the table and shared by all players.
Drawing Dead: Drawing to a hand that, even if it hits, will lose to a hand that is already better.
Expected Value (EV): The average amount you will win when betting in the same situation numerous times.
Favorite: To have the best chance to win.
Flop: The first three community cards in Texas Hold'em and Omaha.
Gutshot: A straight draw that requires a card in the middle to hit to complete the straight. It is also called a "belly buster" and an "inside straight draw."
Hand: The cards in a player's hand or one game of poker in which a pot is won. When you hear or read this term, understand it in its context so you won't be confused.
Heads-Up: Playing against a single opponent.
Hole Cards: The first cards dealt to you that your opponents cannot see.
Implied Odds: Bets that you can reasonably expect to collect in addition to the bets already in the pot if you hit your hand.
Kicker: A card used to break ties. In Hold'em, if you have A-5 with an ace on the board, your 5 is your kicker. If an opponent also has an ace and their kicker is higher, you lose.
Limit: The set amount or amounts that may be bet, often expressed as 5/10 ($5 bets on the first two rounds and $10 bets thereafter).
Limp-In: To enter a hand with a call before the flop.
Loose: To play more hands than should be played.
Middle Pair: To have a pair containing the second highest card on the board.
Muck: To discard a hand.
Outs: Cards that can come that will improve your hand.
Overcard: A card that is higher than other cards, usually in reference to community cards that are higher than your hole cards.
Pair: Two cards that are the same rank (such as two kings).
Position: Your place in the order of betting action. If you act first, you are in first position.
Pot: All money that has been bet in a hand.
Pot Odds: The mathematical computation of the odds of your hand improving, the amount of money in the pot, and the size of the bet you must call.
Quads: Four of a kind (such as four aces).
Raise: To place a higher bet than an opponent has already placed.
Rake: The amount a card room takes from each pot, usually a percentage that has a set upper limit.
Reraise: To raise after an opponent has raised.
Seat Charge: The amount of money some card rooms charge per hour to play in addition to, or in place of, a rake.
Semibluff: To bet with a hand that may not be the best but has a good chance to improve to the best hand.
Set: Three of a kind (such as three jacks).
Short Stacked: To have the smallest stack of chips at the table.
Side Pot: An additional pot created when one player is all in and two or more other players are still betting.
Steal: To force an opponent to fold when you don't have the best hand.
Suited: Cards of the same suit (such as 4 and 7).
Tell: An action that a player makes that gives away the strength of their hand.
Tight: To play fewer hands than normal.
Tilt: When a player is emotionally upset and starts making poor decisions.
Trips: Three of a kind (such as three queens).
Under the Gun: The first person who must act on the first round of betting.
Wired Pair: When your hole cards contain a pair.
I know there's a lot to take in but I'm taking it one poker game at a time. There's no need to rush. And besides my friends can wait. It's not like they would stop playing poker just because I declined their invitation. Life will go on. LOL! But on a serious note, I'm going to work on my poker skills so I can be a better match for them. I can't win all the time but I am going to try no matter what. So friends, watch out for me! A poker master is in the making! ;)
