Betting Actions

3-bet: A re-raise after an initial raise. The blinds count as the first bet.
4-bet: A re-raise after a 3-bet. Shows extreme strength or a bluff.
5-bet: A re-raise after a 4-bet. Usually means all-in with premium hands.
C-bet: Continuation bet. A bet made by the preflop aggressor on the flop, regardless of whether they improved.
Semi-bluff: Betting with a drawing hand that's not yet made. You can win by making opponents fold or by hitting your draw.
Bluff: Betting with a weak hand to make opponents fold better hands.
Value bet: Betting with a strong hand to get called by worse hands and win more money.
Isolate: Raising to get heads-up against a weaker player (usually a limper) and play the pot with position.
Limp: Calling the big blind preflop instead of raising. Generally considered passive play.
Limpers: Players who just call the big blind preflop. Often indicates weaker hands or passive strategy.
Steals: Raises from late position attempting to win the blinds without a fight.
All-in: Betting all remaining chips. You cannot be forced out of the pot once all-in.

Hand Categories

Premium hands: The best starting hands: AA, KK, QQ, and AK. Top 3% of hands.
Premium: The best starting hands: AA, KK, QQ, and AK. Top 3% of hands.
Set mine: Calling with a pocket pair hoping to hit three of a kind (a set) on the flop.
Set mining: Calling with a pocket pair hoping to hit three of a kind (a set) on the flop.
Set: Three of a kind when you have a pocket pair and one matches the board. Very well-disguised strong hand.
Trips: Three of a kind when you have one card that matches a pair on the board. More obvious than a set.
Overpair: A pocket pair higher than any card on the board. Example: QQ on a J-7-3 board.
Underpair: A pocket pair lower than board cards. Example: 77 on a K-9-4 board. Usually weak.
Top pair: A pair made with the highest card on the board. Strength depends on your kicker (side card).
Kicker: The side card that breaks ties when two players have the same pair or hand type.
Dominated: When your hand shares a card with opponent but they have a better kicker. Example: A5 vs AK.
Outs: Cards remaining in the deck that will improve your hand. Also called raw outs. See also: clean outs.
Raw outs: All cards that improve your hand, regardless of whether the resulting board is threatening. Some raw outs may be "dirty" if opponents could have a better hand.
Clean outs: Outs that improve your hand without creating a board where opponents could easily have a stronger hand. More reliable than raw outs for decision-making.

Drawing Terms

Flush draw: Four cards of the same suit, needing one more to complete a flush.
Nut flush: The best possible flush (ace-high). Cannot be beaten by another flush.
Nut flush draw: Drawing to the best possible flush with the ace of that suit in your hand.
Nuts: The best possible hand given the board. Cannot be beaten.
Draw: An incomplete hand that needs another card to become a made hand like a straight or flush.
Straight draw: Four cards in sequence, needing one more to complete a straight.
OESD: Open-ended straight draw. Four consecutive cards that can complete a straight on either end (8 outs).
Gutshot: An inside straight draw needing one specific rank to fill a gap in the middle (4 outs). Also called a belly buster.
Backdoor draw: A draw that requires hitting on both the turn and river to complete. For example, having three cards to a flush after the flop. Worth approximately 1 equivalent out (~4% additional equity). Also called a runner-runner draw.
Runner-runner: Completing a draw by hitting the needed cards on both turn and river. See backdoor draw.

Board Texture

Wet board: A coordinated board with many draw possibilities (straights, flushes). Action-heavy texture.
Dry board: An uncoordinated board with few draws. Example: K-7-2 rainbow. Favors made hands.
Rainbow: A board where all cards are different suits. No flush possible with one card.
Paired board: A board with two cards of the same rank. Full house is possible.
Overcards: Cards higher than your pair. Example: you have TT and the flop comes with a King.
Monotone: A board where all cards are the same suit. Flush already possible with one suited card.
Two-tone: A board with two cards of one suit. One card away from a flush.
Connected: Board cards close in rank, creating many straight possibilities. Example: 8-9-T.
Semi-connected: Board with some straight potential but gaps between cards. Example: 7-9-J.
Disconnected: Board cards far apart in rank with few straight possibilities. Example: 2-7-K.

Odds & Equity

Equity: Your percentage chance of winning the pot based on your cards versus opponents.
Pot odds: The ratio of the pot size to the bet you must call. Used to determine if calls are profitable.
Implied odds: Expected future winnings if you hit your draw. Makes calls profitable even when pot odds alone are not.
+EV: Positive expected value. A profitable play in the long run.
-EV: Negative expected value. An unprofitable play that loses money over time.
Fold equity: The chance your opponent will fold to your bet. Makes bluffs profitable.
Showdown value: A hand strong enough to win by checking down rather than betting.
ICM: Independent Chip Model — converts tournament chip stacks into prize pool equity. Chips are worth less the more you have.
Bubble factor: How much more a lost chip hurts compared to a won chip. Higher bubble factor means you should play tighter.
Expected Value: The average profit or loss of a play over many repetitions. Positive EV (+EV) means profitable long-term.

Position

In position: Acting last postflop. A major advantage as you see what opponents do first.
Out of position: Acting first postflop. A disadvantage as you must act without information.
OOP: Out of position. Acting first postflop, which is a disadvantage.
EP: Early position (UTG, MP). First to act preflop — play tighter as many players act after you.
Early position: First positions to act (UTG, MP). Play tighter as many players act after you.
LP: Late position (CO, BTN). Last to act — play looser as fewer players remain and you often have position.
Late position: Last positions to act (CO, BTN). Play looser as fewer players remain and you often have position.
UTG: Under the Gun. First position to act preflop, right after the big blind.
MP: Middle Position. Between early and late positions.
CO: Cutoff. Second to last position. Great stealing position.
BTN: Button. Best position, always acts last postflop.
SB: Small Blind. Forced bet, acts second-to-last preflop but first postflop.
BB: Big Blind. Largest forced bet. Acts last preflop but early postflop.

Pot Management

Pot control: Keeping the pot small with medium-strength hands to avoid losing big if behind.
Build the pot: Betting and raising to grow the pot when you have a strong hand.
Slowplay: Playing a strong hand passively (checking/calling) to trap opponents.

Other Concepts

Multiway: A pot with three or more players. Hands need to be stronger to win.
Bluff catch: Calling with a marginal hand specifically to beat bluffs.
Check-raise: Checking, then raising after an opponent bets. Shows strength or a bluff.

Poker Glossary

Betting Actions

Hand Categories

Drawing Terms

Board Texture

Odds & Equity

Position

Pot Management

Other Concepts