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Hand Ranks – Learn
all about the different Poker
Hand Ranks
· Glossary
– A list of all the different Poker terms
A
B
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D E F
G H
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J K L
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V W X Y Z
Ace-High:
Any hand
in which the Ace is the highest-ranking
card, such as an Ace-high flush.
Act:
To do something when it's your
turn, one of: check,
call,
fold,
opening
bet,
and raise
(see action).
Action:
Someone's turn to act.
Add-Ons:
The opportunity at a certain
point to buy additional chips.
This is different from a rebuy,
because usually anyone still
in the tournament
can add on, and the opportunity
to add-on usually marks the
end of the rebuy period. Also
see Buy-In.
All-In:
To run out of chips
while betting
or calling.
In table
stakes games, a player may
only bet the chips he/she has
on the table. If he/she runs
out, a side
pot is created in which
the player has no interest.
However, the player can still
win the pot for which he/she
had the chips.
Ante:
Chips
put into the pot
before the deal to build up
the pot (see Blind).
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Bet:
To bet is to put chips
into the pot,
usually by opening
as later action
in a round
is a raise
or a re-raise. As a noun, a
bet can be the chips added to
the pot by a player on one turn,
or the amount required in order
to call.
It can also be used to mean
"turn to act," and
lastly, especially when used
in the plural, it can be used
to mean the number of bets and
raises.
Big Bet:
In limit
games in which the size of the
maximum bet
increases in later rounds,
a big bet is the largest bet
size. A small
bet is the smallest bet
size. So in a $5/$10 hold'em
game, small bets are $5 and
big bets are $10. Also see structure
and limit.
Blind (or
Blind Bet): A blind bet,
or blind, is a forced bet
that must be posted
before you see any cards. Blinds
are an alternative to antes
for getting money in the pot
initially. Typically in hold'em
the two players to the left
of the button
are forced to place blind bets.
In limit
play, the small
blind (to the dealer's left)
is typically half the size of
a small
bet, and the big
blind (to the small blind's
left) is a full small bet. Betting
then starts with the player
to the left of the big blind
(who is considered under
the gun), who must at least
call
the big blind to stay in. When
you sit down at a new table,
it's good to wait until it's
your turn to blind before playing
a hand. Also see live
blind and structure.
Big
blind and small blind
are also used to refer to
the players who posted these
bets.
Big
Blind: The largest of the
blinds in a game (see Blind
and Small
Blind), typically seated
immediately to the left of the
small blind.
Bluff: Forcing
out a player with a hand inferior
to yours using various techniques.
Board: Cards
that are open or face-up and
can be seen by all the participants
and observers. Also known
as Community Cards.
Button:
A marker put in front of
a player's seat to signify he/she
is the theoretical dealer.
Also known as Puck.
Buy-In:
The minimum amount of chips
or money a player needs to get
a seat at a game. In a tournament,
your buy-in is the amount it
costs you to get your initial
bunch of tournament chips. As
a verb, to buy in is to make
your initial purchase of chips.
Also see Add-Ons
and Rebuys.
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Call:
To make a bet
equal to a previous player's
bet.
Call
To Seats: Immediately after
the random seating
generation, the computer will
call all players to their seats.
Once a player agrees to be taken
to his/her seat he/she is officially
part of the tournament
and cannot unregister
for a refund. A player may also
claim his/her seat in Post
& Fold mode.
If new players register during
the Call To Seat, or
registered players decide not
to play, the computer may rearrange
players and tables just before
the tournament starts to achieve
the optimum seating.
Center
Pot: The first pot
created during a poker hand.
This is as opposed to one or
more side
pots that are created if
one or more players goes all-in.
Also known as main pot.
Check:
To forgo a bet
on any round
of play when it is your turn
to act.
Chips:
Poker chips are small round
discs used instead of money
at the poker table.
Chop: A
slang term for splitting the
pot.
Community
Cards: Another term used
for Board.
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Fifth
Street: The last card exposed
on the board.
Flop:
The first three exposed
cards dealt at the same time.
Flush: A
hand
in which all five cards are
of the same suit,
such as five hearts.
Fold: To
get rid of your cards and no
longer get involved in trying
to win the pot.
If you fold then you are out
of the game. Also known
as "mucking your cards".
Four
of a Kind: Four cards of
the same rank
which make up a player's hand,
such as 9-9-9-9. Also
known as Quads.
Fourth
Street: The fourth card
exposed on the board.
Also known as The Turn.
Freeroll:
Tournaments
with no entry fee or initial
buy-in.
Freeze-out:
Any tournament
format in which you cannot rebuy.
Full
House: A hand
consisting of three cards of
the same rank
along with one
pair, such as 9-9-9-7-7.
Also known as Full Boat.
[Top]
Hand:
The cards a poker player
bets
on in order to win the pot.
Also known as Holding.
Hand
Synchronization: If hand
synchronization is on, and the
final number of tables condition
is met, the remaining tables
will start each deal of the
cards at the same time. This
is usually important and used
in big tournaments
with large prize
money. Why is this important?
Many players realize that the
faster a table plays the quicker
players will be eliminated from
a tournament. If their table
plays fast, they will be at
a disadvantage to the other
table. When synchronization
is on, each deal starts at the
same time, and no advantage
is given to the slower table.
Heads
Up: Playing against only
one opponent, head-to-head.
High-Low:
Poker games where the pot
is split between the holders
of the best high hand
and the best low hand.
Hold'em:
A poker game in which each
player gets two pocket
cards, while five community
cards are dealt face-up
on the table. The strength of
a player's hand is the best
hand that can be made with these
seven cards. There is a round
of betting after the pocket
cards are dealt, after the first
three community cards (the flop),
after the fourth, or turn card,
and after the final, or river
card.
Holding:
Another term for hand.
Hole
Cards: The cards a player
holds that are not seen by other
players during the course of
play. Also known as Pocket
Cards.
Host:
Person responsible for hosting
tournaments
and real
money side
games.
House:
The establishment running the
game.
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I'm
Here Button: To speed up
tournament
play, when the server detects
any of the Post
& Fold mode conditions
it will display the " I’m
Here" button. The player
will continue to get cards,
post
blinds
and antes
if required; however, he/she
will have his/her hand
folded
automatically each time it becomes
his/her turn to act.
All other tournament players
at the table will know too that
a player is absent because of
a caption under the player’s
name reading Post & Fold.
When a player returns to his/her
computer, he/she may click the
" I’m Here"
button and return to normal
tournament play.
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Limit
(Limit Poker): Limit poker
is any game in which there is
a fixed limit on how much you
can bet
or raise
in any round.
Limit games usually offer either
fixed-sized bets for different
betting rounds or spread limits,
in which there is a minimum
and maximum bet for each round.
For example, a $5/$10 hold'em
game usually requires $5 bets
and raises on the first two
rounds and $10 bets and raises
on the last two.
Live
Blind: A blind
bet is considered a live
blind if the player is allowed
to raise
even if no one else raises first.
Low:
In most poker games, the best
hand
wins. In a number of games,
the worst hand wins all or some
of the pot.
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Main
Pot: Another term for center
pot.
Muck
your cards: Another term
for fold.
[Top]
No
Limit: A version of poker
in which a player may bet
any amount of chips
(up to the number in front of
him/her) whenever it is his/her
turn to act.
[Top]
One
Pair: A hand
containing two cards of the
same rank
such as 9-9.
Open
or Opening: To open, or
open betting, is simply to make
the first bet
in a round.
[Top]
Pit
Boss: Person responsible
for managing real
money side
games.
Play:
To play a hand
in poker means to make it past
the initial round
of betting.
Pocket
Cards: Another term for
hole
cards.
Poker: Poker
is not just a card game, but
many card games. The majority
of poker games share some common
features, especially betting
in rounds
and the ranking
of hands. Some common
card room games include
Hold'em,
Seven Card Stud, Omaha, Razz,
Lowball, and Pineapple.
Position:
Position refers to your place
at the table, especially with
respect to the order of betting
within a particular betting
round.
The first few players to act
are said to be in early position,
the next few in middle position,
and the last few in late position.
Late position is almost always
best, since you have the advantage
of knowing what your opponents
have done. In some games, position
is fixed from one round of betting
to the next, and the dealer
(or the player on the button)
is always in last position.
More
generally, to have position
on someone is to be in a position
to bet after them, either during
a particular hand
or in general. You have position
on anyone sitting immediately
to your right, since you will
far more often than not be able
to act
after them.
Post:
To post a bet
is to place your chips
in the pot
(or, commonly, out in front
of you, so that your bet can
be counted). In poker, posting
usually means a forced bet,
such as a blind.
Post
& Fold Mode: In tournaments
indicates that a player is missing
and can no longer make decisions
such as check,
bet,
call,
fold,
or raise
for the current hand
being played. Cards will be
dealt to missing players, and
blinds
will be automatically posted
and forfeited for as long as
the player is away. He/she may
be moved to another table just
like any other tournament player,
and may even finish in the prize
money if his/her chips
last that long. When a player
does arrive, he/she need only
click the I’m
Here button at his/her table
to indicate to the dealer that
he/she is here and ready to
play his cards.
Currently, any player in Post
& Fold mode and not connected
to the iPoker.net web site,
will have 1 hour to return to
play. After 1 hour (if not eliminated),
he/she will remain in Post
& Fold, but will not be
able to rejoin the game. Players
connected to the iPoker.net
web site however, are not subject
to this 1 hour restriction,
and have unlimited time to rejoin
the game.
A player will be put into Post
& Fold mode under the
following conditions:
- Player
chooses Post & Fold
mode when being called
to seat
- Player
selects Post & Fold
mode while at a table
- Player
chooses to Leave Table
- Player
takes too much time to make
a decision and runs out of
time
- Player
loses connection with the
server
Pot:
The total amount already
bet
by all the players after any
particular round
of play. Also the total amount
bet by all the players after
all betting rounds are over.
Pot
Limit: A version of poker
in which a player may bet
up to the amount of money in
the pot
whenever it is his/her turn
to act.
Private/Custom
Tournament: A private tournament
is a tournament
where you specify the structure,
start
time and invited players
that are allowed to play.
Puck: Another
term for button.
[Top]
Quads:
Another term for Four of
a Kind.
[Top]
Raise:
To increase a previous player's
bet
by putting more chips
into the pot.
Rake:
The fee for running the
game removed from each pot.
Rank: The
numerical value of a card (as
opposed to its suit).
For example, an Ace of hearts
and an Ace of clubs are of the
same rank, but are of different
suits.
Real
Money: Use of real money
in a poker game as opposed to
play money (in free games).
Rebuys:
When you first sit down
at a game, you buy in with a
certain amount of money. Rebuying
is what you do when you buy
more chips
before you leave.
Rebuys
are also allowed in some tournaments
to players who fall below a
certain point - usually only
up until a certain point and
often limited to a fixed number
of rebuys. The time during which
one may rebuy, usually lasting
from the start through the early
stages of the tournament, is
called the rebuy period. Tournaments
with rebuys are called, generically,
rebuy tournaments (also see
Add-Ons
and Buy-In).
Registration:
When a player registers for
a tournament,
funds or tournament
points for the buy-in
or entry free are automatically
debited from his/her account.
A player may unregister for
a tournament until such time
as he/she is seated, and receive
full credit for his/her buy-in.
A player who is registered and
does not connect in time to
play in a tournament will be
automatically unregistered and
receive a full credit for his/her
buy-in. For instructions on
how to register or unregister,
click
here.
River, the
River: The last card or
betting round. The fifth and
final community card, put out
face up. Also known as Fifth
Street.
Round: A
round can refer either to a
round of betting
or a round of hands.
A betting round usually begins
after a card or several cards
are dealt. Each player is given
a chance to act,
and the round ends when everyone
has either folded
to or called
the last bet or raise.
Each round of betting is followed
either by further dealing or
by a showdown.
A round
of hands consists of one hand
dealt by each player at the
table (or, when there's a house
dealer, one hand with the dealer
button
at each position).
In a round of hold'em
you're in each position once.
Round
Synchronization: At the
end of each round
there will be a pause for all
remaining tables to finish their
current hand.
When this is complete, all tables
will simultaneously start dealing
cards for the new round.
Royal
Flush: The best possible
hand in high poker (without
a joker). It is an Ace-High
straight
flush, Ace-King-Queen-Jack-10,
all of the same suit.
[Top]
Seating:
At a specified time before
the start of the tournament
the computer will randomly assign
seats to all players. Additional
phantom tables may also be created
to allow players to register
after the initial random assignment
of seats. The number of players
at each table at the start of
the tournament may only differ
by 1 between tables. The difference
in players will never be greater
than 1.
Set:
Another term for Three
of a Kind but with two of
the three cards in the hole.
Showdown:
Cards displayed openly by the
players to determine who has
won the pot
or a portion of the pot.
Side
Games: Playing poker games
such as Hold'em
in a non-tournament
format.
Side
Pot: A pot
created in which a player has
no interest because he has run
out of chips.
Small
Bet: See Big
Bet.
Small
Blind: Name for the player
putting in the smallest forced
bet
prior to the dealing of the
cards, typically seated immediately
to the left of the player with
the button.
Split
Pot: A pot
shared by more than player.
Stakes:
The stakes being played
at the table (e.g. $5/$10).
The smaller number represents
the Big
Blind and the larger number
represents the maximum bet for
the table. Also see Big
Bet.
Start
Time: The start time of
each tournament
is listed in the iPoker.net
lobby. The start times you see
on the screen should correspond
to your local time. Players
must ensure that they are at
their seats by the start time
in order to play all tournament
hands.
Straight:
A hand
of five cards in consecutive
order, but not of the same suit.
Straight
Flush: A hand
of five cards in consecutive
order (i.e. straight), all of
the same suit
(i.e. flush).
Streets:
Name for the individual betting
rounds
in a poker game.
Structure:
The structure of a game refers
to the details about the betting,
including antes,
blinds,
and the amount that may be bet
on any round.
For example, $5/$10 hold'em
is usually a fixed limit
game, played with $5 bets and
raises
pre-flop (i.e. before the flop)
and on the flop, and $10 bets
and raises on the turn
and the river.
This usually generalizes to
any game where the structure
is X/2X. In connection with
tournaments,
structure can also mean anything
having to do with the amount
of tournament chips
players can get and at what
cost (i.e. the buy-in),
the rebuy
and add-on
rules, and the way in which
the blinds increase.
Suit:
Clubs, diamonds, hearts,
and spades. For example, an
Ace of hearts and an Ace of
clubs are of the same rank,
but are of different suits.
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Table
Stakes: A player is limited
to betting
only what he or she has on the
table in chips
in a poker game with table stakes.
Chips may be added to the table
between hands.
Texas
Hold'em: See Hold'em.
Three
of a kind: Three cards of
the same rank
which make up a player's hand,
such as 9-9-9. Also known as
Set or Trips.
Timed
Out All-Ins: When a player
has:
a) not yet folded
and
b) has put money in the pot
and
c) still has chips
remaining and
d) does not respond to the dealer
to either bet,
check,
call,
or fold, and
e) does not respond in a certain
amount of time, (whether it
may be a connection problem,
computer problem, or personal
one) he/she should consider
himself/herself to have earned
a Timed Out All-In. A
player will typically have up
to 25 seconds, sometimes more,
when players at his/her table
are waiting for him/her to make
a move. If he/she reconnects
and gets back to the table before
his/her time has elapsed, he/she
can avoid earning a Timed
Out All-In. The player may
still be in contention for the
portion of the pot towards which
he/she has contributed money,
as long as he/she has not
gone over the number of allowed
Timed Out All-Ins. If
the player is over the
allowable limit of Timed
Out All-Ins then his/her
hand
will automatically be folded
and any chips he/she has contributed
to the pot forfeited.
In
tournaments
you will be granted a set number
of Timed Out All Ins
per tournament, which can be
used up to a specific tournament
round
number. You can see the number
of Timed Out All-Ins
you have remaining in the upper
right hand corner of your table
screen. In order to uphold the
integrity of the tournament,
no Timed Out All-Ins
will be allowed in later rounds.
Please check Tournament Details
for the specific tournament
you wish to enter to view the
number of Timed Out All-Ins
allowed, and the cut off
round for these Timed Out
All-Ins.
Please
note that players must exercise
caution when they have used
up their Timed Out All-Ins
as they cannot be reset.
Tournament
Director: Person responsible
for managing tournaments.
Tournament:
The general idea behind
poker
tournaments is that a group
of poker players sit down with
the same number of chips,
and eventually only one player
has any chips left. In order
to ensure that the event will
finish in reasonable time, tournaments
institute a schedule by which
the blinds
and/or antes
increase. Tournaments are played
with chips that have no value
outside of the tournament. Each
player, through registration,
pays an initial buy-in
for a set number of tournament
chips. So a buy-in of $20 might
get you 300 tournament chips
total to play with. The winner
of a tournament (the last player
to be eliminated) as well as
several of the other top finishers
are typically awarded cash and/or
prizes according to some predetermined
schedule.
Tournament
details vary widely, but a typical
arrangement might include an
initial buy-in, a rebuy
period during which a player
who runs out of tournament chips
may buy more, and an opportunity
to add
on to one's stack after
the rebuys have ended. Other
details about the structure
can vary widely.
Tournament
Points: Tournament Points
can be used on buy-ins and rebuys
for select tournaments. Tournament
Points are optionally awarded
to the top finishers in a tournament.
As well, iPoker.net pays each
player 1 tournament point for
every real money side game played,
with a minimum of a $0.75 rake.
To see if the tournament prize
includes awarding of Tournament
Points and to which top finishers,
select the tournament in the
lobby list, click "TNT
Info", and then click the
"Prize Money" tab.
When it comes to paying out
the prize pool, all Tournament
Points are converted to the
cash equivalent of the buy-in
or rebuy. For example:
ABC Tournament, Buy-In is
$10 or 8 tournament points
50 buy-ins for $10 = $500
20 buy-ins for 8 tournament
points
With 100% payout (no administration
fee), prize pool is (50 + 20)
x $10 = $700
You
can see your Tournament Point
total anytime on the cashier
screen.
Tournament
Prize Money: Prize Money
information is always available
during tournament
play. While at the table click
on "TNT Info", "Prize
Money". The Prize Money
screen will show the distribution
of the prize pool and the current
prize structure based on:
- A
percentage of the total number
of buy-ins
and rebuys
or
- A
fixed amount (independent
of the total number of buy-ins
and rebuys) or
- A
fixed amount minimum guarantee,
or a percentage of the total
number of buy-ins and rebuys,
whichever is greater
From
time to time, to promote a specific
tournament, iPoker.net will
add money to the prize pool
at no cost to the player.
Trips:
Another term for Three
of a Kind.
Turn, the
Turn: Another term for Fourth
Street.
Two
Pairs: A hand
of two separate pairs,
such as 9-9-10-10.
[Top]
Under
the gun: The first player
to act
after the blind
bets is said to be under
the gun.
Unregister:
See Registration.
[Top]
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