Play Soft... Win Hard
The game of Texas Hold’Em has quickly become one of the most popular of all card games, and it has found its way to online and offline casinos around the world. The popularity of the televised Texas Hold’Em tournaments, coupled with the fun and excitement of the game, has led more and more people to take up the game.
As with any game, however, it is important to know the rules, and the lingo, before jumping in. Texas Hold’Em has its own unique language, and it is important to know what all those baffling words mean.
It is also important to know what types of games are available, and to choose the game that meets your needs. There are three types of games – fixed limit, pot limit and no limit. We will look at each one individually.
Fixed Limit – Fixed Limit Texas Hold’Em has a set betting limit. For instance, you may see poker sites where the bets are limited to $5, $10 or $20 increments. In this type of game all bets and raises must be done in the established increments.
Pot Limit – In a pot limit game the bets are not established before the game. Instead it is limited to the amount currently in the pot. This allows the betting limit to rise as the size of the pot increases.
No Limit – In a no limit game, the betting is only limited by the amount of money the players are willing to bet. There are no predetermined betting limits in a game of no limit Texas Hold’Em. Experienced card players with large bankrolls usually play this type of game.
Aggressive - An aggressive player is frequently acting, betting, raising, re-raising in order to increase up the money wagered.
All-In – To go all in means betting everything you have on the hand.
Bad-Beat Jackpot - Some card rooms will put in place a protection against bad beats. Players who are defeated by a bad beat will receive some form of compensation.
Belly Buster - Imagine having everything you need to complete a straight but the fifth card is missing. Typically the one that is missing is a middle number.
Blind Bet – the players prior to the cards being dealt make the blind bet. The first two players generally make blind bets to the left of the dealer.
Call – When the player matches the bet of another player.
Check – When a player checks, he or she is not placing a bet. They are instead opting not to place a bet. The check can only happen if there have been no other bets made in the round. When the player checks, he or she does not bet but does remain in the round.
Changing Gears - This basically means that a player is going from loose to aggressive, fast to slow, tight to loose. Anytime a player changes up their normal approach it is called changing gears.
Coffee Housing - It is a strategy that lures another player off focus and misleads them about the strength of a hand.
Community Cards - Shared cards or window cards. In this case there are cards dealt that the entire community gets to benefit from so as to complete their hand.
Data Mining - It is scouting out your opponent. Much like sport’s teams do prior to playing an opponent. They find out all they can about their history of play.
Dealer Button – The dealer button is used to determine who the current dealer will be and who needs to place the blind bets. The dealer button is passed in a clockwise direction to the next player at each round.
Deep Stack - It is exactly what it sounds like. If you have a deep stack you have either won some nice hands or you have started with a sizeable stack of chips. It can also indicate where a particular game is going
Early Position - Those players who are in a position at the table to have to act first.
Flop – The flop is the second round of Texas Hold’Em. The flop happens when the first three communal cards are dealt face up on the poker table. All the players in the game may use these communal cards in order to create their best hands.
Fold – When the player folds, he or she is quitting the current game and placing no more bets. The player can continue to play starting with the next deal.
GutShot Draw - see belly buster
Hero Call - A player has a weak hand but suspects that their opponent may be bluffing so they call.
Implied Odds - Odds that are calculated in a particular situation where a player is expected to fold should the draw be missed.
Limping - Entering a pot by calling a bet in the place of raising.
Mechanic - You don’t want to be known as this - this means a cheater, sleight of hands player.
Pre-Flop – The pre-flop is the first round of the game. During the pre-flop the dealer gives each player two cards, which are dealt face down.
Raise - Raising means adding more to the current bet.
River – The river is the last round, during which a fifth communal card is placed face up on the table.
Turn – The turn is the third round of Texas Hold’Em. This is the round during with the four communal card is dealt face up.
Abbreviations are very popular for poker players as it helps to enhance the culture that surrounds the community.
| “A x” | Ace with a kicker |
| “B & M” | Brick and mortar or land-based casino or poker room |
| “B B” | Big Blind - The blinds are forced bets posted by players to the left of the dealer button in flop-style poker games. |
| “C-Bet” | Continuation Bet - a continuation bet is a bet that you make on the flop if you raised pre-flop. |
| “EPT” | European Poker Tour - major poker tournaments held throughout Europe |
| “HORSE” | A tournament that combines Hold’em, Omaha, Razz, Stud and Eights or Better |
| “LAG” | Loose, aggressive, player - we have all met them it is just as the name implies. |
| “MTT” | Multi-table tournaments - a huge multiple table tournament in Texas Hold’em where only about 10% actually win cash prizes. A very intensive work out. |
| “PLO-8” | Pot limit Omaha High-low |
| “TAG” | Tight aggressive player |
| “TPTK” | Top pair, top kicker |
| “UTG” | Under the gun - this player is feeling the pressure to make a move |
| “WSOP” | World Series of Poker a series of poker tournaments held annually in Las Vegas and, since 2005, sponsored by Caesars Entertainment |
| “WSOPE” | World Series of Poker Europe - this is the European focused and hosted event that is the “brother to the WSOP.” |
| X | The name of the useless card. Much like the “X-files” those things that have little purpose but are there nonetheless. |
The language of Texas Hold’em players is unique and sometimes hysterical. Enjoy and then pay close attention when either playing or watching the pros at work.
| “A A” | Bullets or American Airlines, sometimes-called Pocket Rockets - This is the best starting position in Texas Hold’em. |
| “K K” | Cowboys, Ace Magnets or King Kong - It is most commonly referred to as an Ace Magnet because an Ace is not something you want. |
| “Q Q” | The names given to this are typically not very nice for obvious reasons: 1) male dominated community 2) two females in your hand could spell trouble. |
| “J J” | J-birds or Hooks - The highest midpoint pair. Two Jacks to begin with isn’t quite bad. |
| “T T” | Dimes or Tension - There is a 70% chance that you will get overcards on the flop with this starting hand. |
| “A K” | Big Slick or Anna Kournikova - it looks good but it rarely wins. |
| “A Q” | Big Chick - named after Doyle Brunson and is well known in Texas |
| “A J” | Ajax, Jackass or based on the sound of the two letters together. |
| “A T” | Bookends or Johnny Moss - rumoured to be named after Moss because he began playing at the age ten. Bookends because it is the top and bottom of a royal or high standing flush. |
| “A 9” | “Jesus” Chris Ferguson -This name is associated with an A9 combination because Ferguson beat TJ Coulter in the final hand at the 2000 WSOP event with an A9 against an AQ. |
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