Texas Hold'Em Terms

Action Card (Texas Hold'Em)

This is a card that is on the board that helps two or more players in a hand and causes significant betting in a round.

Backdoor Runner

In draw or community card poker this is when a player hits on the last two draws to complete a hand.

Big Blind (Texas Hold'Em)

This is the seat position of the player who must make an involuntary bet before any cards are dealt. The big blind bet is typically at least the minimum allowed to bet in the first round, and the big blind position is two seats to the left of the dealer button.

Blank (Texas Hold'Em)

A card on the board and doesn't apparently improve any of the players' hands.

Blocker (Texas Hold'Em)

This is when a player holds a card that is another player's out card, common in community card poker when there are consecutively ranked cards close to a straight.

Bottom Pair (Texas Hold'Em)

This is a pair made using the lowest ranked card on the board of community cards.

Community Cards(Texas Hold'Em)

Community Cards in Poker are the cards dealt face up which are used by every player to make their hand. There are five cards in total; the flop which is 3 cards dealt all at the same time, the run card, and the river card. Also known as board cards.

Cripple the Deck (Texas Hold'Em)

This refers to a hand which is almost impossible for anyone to beat on the draw. For instance if a player creates a full house on the flop it will cripple the deck.

Fifth Street

This is another name for the fifth and final card dealt on the board of community cards. Also commonly called the River. It also refers to the fifth card dealt in stud poker.

Free Roll

There are two different meanings for free roll. 1.) An instance when a player is guaranteed, prior to the last card being drawn, to at least split the pot with the hand they have if not win the whole thing. 2.) This also refers to online poker tournaments which have no entry fee.

Live Card

They are pocket or hole cards in Texas Hold'Em that are used to match cards on the board to make poker hands. 3.) Also in Texas Hold'Em they are the cards that no one but you have to make a hand with.

Overcard(s) (Texas Hold'Em)

An overcard is one which outranks all of the community cards.

Overpair (Texas Hold'Em)

This is a pair of hole or pocket cards which outrank all of the community cards.

Pat (Texas Hold'Em)

A pat in Texas Hold'Em is when a hand that is made on the flop using the two hole cards and the three community cards of the flop. In draw poker it is when a hand is made off the original five or seven cards dealt.

Play the Board (Texas Hold'Em)

When a player's best possible hand is comprised of the cards on the board and not their hole cards going into a show down the player is playing the board. Doing so the best a player can do is split the pot.

Ragged (Texas Hold'Em)

This is when the flop or the board produce cards that don't seem to help any player that much. This happens when there are cards of various suits, and or cards that aren't consecutive.

Rainbow (Texas Hold'Em)

A hand with three or four different suits. In Texas Hold'Em it refers to when three different suits show up in the flop.

River

The fifth and final community card in Texas Hold'Em.

Runner (Texas Hold'Em)

Also commonly called runner-runner, this is a hand which will only be made by catching needed cards on the turn and the river.

Trips

A trip is three of a kind. In Texas Hold'Em it refers to making three of a kind using one hole card and 2 from the board.

Turn (Texas Hold'Em)

In community card poker like Texas Hold'Em the fourth community card shown face up is called the turn, and also known as the fourth street card.

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