Poker is one of the oldest and most exciting card games in existence. Sure, there are a lot of variants today, like Texas Hold ‘em or videopoker, but the original 5-card draw poker hasn’t changed. This just tells you how great and well-organized this game is. If you are a poker enthusiast, but you don’t have a lot of experience when it comes to the game and where you might play it, you’ve come to the right place. Today we are going to talk about some of the simplest online poker tips every beginner should know about.
This article is for the complete beginners who are entirely new and need some easy to understand tips to get started.
Start Playing On A Single Table
One of the most exciting things about online poker is the possibility of playing on a few tables at the same time. You know, while you are waiting for your turn on a certain table, you are betting on the other one. Even though this might be a very exciting concept, you should resist the urge to do this. As a new player, you have a lot of things to learn and the best way to learn poker strategy is to stick to one table at a time. Trust us, this is essential when starting out in poker, once you’ve gained experience you can look at adding tables later. Our article on how many tables to play is a good read for you down the line.
Only Play Strong Hands At The Beginning
An experienced poker player will tell you that there are no weak hands and that you can win the pot while having a pair of 2s in your hand. This, of course, is true, but only if you have mastered the poker strategies and played thousands of games and millions of hands. If you are a newbie, you have to stick to one playing style and this style should be – only playing the strong hands. Once you get a taste of victory and see how other, more experienced players, are using their cards, you might want to experiment a little bit but initially a tight aggressive style is necessary.
Watch Closely What Your Opponents Are Doing
You are probably asking – how can I do this when I’m playing online? Sure, you can’t see the faces of your opponent players, but there are still a few things you can watch that may tell you what the other players are thinking. For example, you can watch how much money the other players are betting each round and how long it takes them to make the call. Those two things can tell you how confident they are in their cards. Also, if you don’t want them to get a read on you, don’t make inconsistent bets or do anything erratic. Make sure you stay calm, no matter what cards you have in your hand. Be consistent in your bet sizing and actions to avoid giving off tells.
Anyone who has played poker long enough will have heard of a poker random number generator, or RNG. People either look at it with scepticism after running bad for a while or have done their research and feel secure. These are the two positions that are commonly divided in the poker world. Some people have even quit poker due to doubting the RNG – although we expect most of these players are regular losers and use RNG as a convenient scapegoat. In this post we will seek to explain what a poker random number generator is, how it works and attempt to answer whether it casts doubts into the security of poker in general.
Beginner Question
What is a Random Number Generator (RNG)?
A random generator is software designed to generate completely random numbers from a specific range of numbers. RNG’s are commonplace in lots of sectors that require security and unpredictable results. They are particularly prevalent for online gambling where offshore casinos and cardrooms need to ensure results and poker hands are random.
How RNGs Work in Poker
All major poker sites have invested heavily in lab tested and independently verified random number generators to deal hands. They know that people are sceptical to the true randomness of their RNGs so use outside, unbiased 3rd party experts to check, monitor and verify their systems are random.
Poker sites vary in how their RNGs work. Some have a single shuffle which works in the same manner as a live poker deal. In other words, once the hands are dealt, the community cards are determined. The other method is known as the continuous shuffle. This works as a further security measure as while the hand is playing out, the remaining cards are continuously being shuffled. This makes the next cards to come out even more unpredictable.
Is Online Poker Safe & Secure Then?
Ultimately, when discussing the random number generator, we are questioning whether or not online poker is safe. I can answer that with an emphatic yes. Nobody can hack into online poker sites and figure out the RNG. If anyone was skilled enough to do this, they’d be figured out and instantly infamous. This kind of hacker would not only need the skills to hack advanced systems but get rich and hide it successfully.
As for the poker sites themselves, I’ve already answered the questions “is online poker rigged?” before and hold the same position now. All the major sites make too much money in rake. They know they are reliant on the RNG and its integrity. To have weak systems would be worse than foolish, it could close down their entire enterprise. Therefore, there is no internal or external threat to the RNG being compromised.
In conclusion, the RNG in poker is what keeps the game pure and unpredictable. You may curse it when you get a cooler or a bad beat, but it’s the backbone of the game and ensures poker is trustworthy.
If you only play onlive or live poker, you may make the mistake of thinking the other is very similar. In truth, there are big differences between the two that need to be realised. What makes a player win consistently won’t necessarily work in the other form. In this article we’re going to share some of the key differences between online poker and live poker so you are properly prepared to tackle both with the right attitude.
Pace of the Game
This is one of the things that you can easily notice when you start playing. A lot of of gamblers are now preferring to play online poker due to the speed it plays. Some find live poker far too slow. The reason live poker is slower is because you are playing just one table. The dealer is much slowly than online where shuffles and deals are a matter of seconds. Furthermore, players in cardrooms tend to take longer over decisions which further slowdown the pace of the game. When it comes to sites like crazyvegas.com there are loads of table that you can use at any one time.
It’s worth noting that whilst the pace is faster online, the obvious drawback is the potential error of playing too many tables. If you struggle finding out how many tables to play online, take our quick quiz here.
Flexibility
Online poker has a flexibility that cannot be mirrored in live games. You can play any day or time you want and from practically anywhere in the world. In contrast, live poker is quite rigid. You can generally only playing in the evenings to the early morning.
You are also restricted in the number of tables and games available. Fewer people turn to casinos to play poker so you may have cardrooms that only have a few games on the go. So, you don’t have endless options in the format and stakes like you do on online poker sites.
Win Rates
Despite the convenience and speed favouring internet poker, live poker has proved to be more lucrative than online. Players in live games generally generate a much better hourly win rate than online. The softness of games in live poker is undeniable. A strong regular who beats NL $50 online can transfer those skills to crush games much bigger in live poker rooms.
In addition to their raw poker skills, you can manipulate the game more to your favour using skills like tells, reading people and table chit chat to further improve your win rate.
Bonuses & Rakeback
Online poker does continue to offer bonuses to new players and existing players alike. This is something live poker games don’t and won’t ever offer. The same is true for rakeback. These are incentives internet poker sites offer players to continue playing with them. Whilst bonuses are nowhere near as juicy as other casino games, they do still offer ways to boost your bankroll with little effort. These come in the form of matched deposit, reload bonuses and no deposit bonuses.
Rakeback are schemes that offer players the opportunity to claim some of the rake that they’ve contributed. It’s a brilliant way to improve ones bankroll and increase profits. Live cardrooms can’t compete with online poker in this regard. They have so few tables and the admin required is just impossible. The online sites can offer this service as they have automated dealer and are not paying staff wages to deal.
Every year a batch of adults are legally allowed to play online poker. I know the age differs depending on where you are on the globe but there are loads of you trying poker for the first time. Many of you are swamped with poker content on social media or in gambling forums but it can be hard to filter good beginner poker tips from bad. Fear not as this article will give solid advice to help new players on their journey. This post won’t make you a winner over night but it will provide enough food for thought to get you moving in the right direction.
Tip 1) Play Aggressively
Sometimes, what separates bad and good players is only the aggressiveness they employ. It doesn’t matter whether you want to play loads of hands or few, aggressive poker wins and is necessary to achieving a profitable strategy. Therefore, make sure you are raising or re-raising when you enter the pots. Limping in is a big no-no and will surely receive unwanted attention from other players who will iso-raise you constantly.
Tip 2) Play within Your Means
Gambling responsibly and within your bankroll is just good sense. Every self-respecting poker player respects the foundations of bankroll management. It just means play in games you can afford to lose at. You don’t want to be constantly reloading or losing buy-ins that mean you’re dipping into funds that are ringfenced for personal things away from poker.
Tip 3) Ensure You Fully Understand the Rules!
The easiest beginner poker tips of all but should not be lost on some of you. Grasping the fundamentals of Texas Hold’em is absolutely essential. It’s not a case of just knowing that Poker Texas Holdem Flop River Turn is all there is. Knowing the poker phrases isn’t enough. It doesn’t take long to learn the rules so make sure you understand the basics and a bit extra so you can at least be competitive when you sit down. Luckily, we’ve created a poker cheat sheet that can help you easily. You can download this for free below.
Tip 4) Avoid Twitch
Sorry to any streamers out there but good poker content is few and far between on Twitch. The time it takes to find any meaningful content is best spent elsewhere. Therefore, we recommend avoiding Twitch altogether, if you are using it to learn anyway. Most Twitch poker channels are just a form of entertainment; they not offering any content that will better you as players.
Tip 5) Study Regularly
It doesn’t matter how experienced you are you can always learn more poker strategy. This beginner poker tip is even more important for new players that are just starting in the poker world. You must study regularly to ensure you’re learning new ideas and things that will help you develop as a player. Each new topic will enhance your game and open your mind to other ways of playing that will help you exploit weaker opponents.
Tip 6) Use Poker Software
I know a lot of new players are unfamiliar with technology available and the poker software you can access. Taking advantage of poker stat tracking programmes will help you make better long-term decisions. It is something the best players are using to improve their ROI and definitely needs to be trialled before dismissing it. If you’re not familiar with the best software, head over to our poker resources page where we recommend some of the best poker tools online.
Tip 7) Only Play When Happy & Rested
This isn’t one our technical beginner poker tips but I felt it’s necessary to point out. So many new players make the mistake of playing when they’re not in the right frame of mind or tired. This is a recipe for disaster. Think about it, if you’re new to poker, you’re already at a disadvantage. By adding fatigue or negative poker psychology to it is only going to make your task harder. Therefore, resist playing when you’re shattered or unhappy. Poker should be a fun experience played in good spirits, not when you’re in a bad place.
Tip 8) Play Selectively (both hand & game)
Hand and game selection are independent of each other but both point to the same thing – be shrewd. When you are starting out in poker you should be careful in choosing what hands to play and what tables to sit at. We recommend playing a standard tight aggressive game and exploiting other players who overplay. We also recommend playing on the softest poker sites. There are no prizes for playing in higher games or tougher poker sites. Stick to the easier games and play solidly.
I’m sure you’re all aware of Phil Hellmuth. Love him or hate him, you have to respect him. An acclaimed author and the unofficial King of the WSOP, he has been a figurehead for poker for decades. But, did you know about his classifications of animals in poker? In this article we’re going to share these animals and what their meanings are. The value in classifying players as animals is immense. By categorising your opponents, you will be able to modify your strategy accordingly based on their common traits.
The Jackal
Starting with the jackal, this is the typical bad LAG you find in low stakes games online. These players are reckless and have little to no regard for fundamental poker concepts like hand selection. Their stack will yoyo in tournaments from small to large due to the volatile nature of their game. A jackal’s tendencies can lead to them being the table captain. If they are at a passive table, they can run them over.
A jackal rarely does well in games above NL $25 due to the fact players can pick them off. A jackal will get called down lightly and bluff of their money to better players. Despite what other guides may say, the best way to beat a jackal is to set traps for them as they will predictably bluff if you check often.
The Eagle
This animal is one you’ll rarely need to use. This poker animal is the cream of the crop and considered by Hellmuth to be in the top 100. Suffice to say you’re probably not going to face off against any of these in the low stake’s games.
An eagle will be playing high stakes and winning. They’re the best players around and have studied poker for years. Not only that, they have off the table skills that separates them from everyone else.
An eagle is what you can aspire to be in the future. But, don’t feel bad if you don’t reach this status as it’s an elite club!
The Elephant
An elephant can be found in most low stakes poker games. They enter into the pot with a wide range of hands and essentially unbluffable. A lot of beginners start off this way, calling hands down until the river and finding themselves beat all the time. They are otherwise known as a calling station.
There’s no point trying to bluff an elephant as they are not playing you or the scenario. They call down with as weak as bottom pair so don’t waste tournament chips or cash trying to get them off a hand. Instead, value bet these opponents like there’s no tomorrow.
An elephant is an easy player to beat as you can value bet thinly against them.
The Mouse
A mouse is a conservative poker player who only enters the pot with very strong hands. They seldom bluff and are only relying on their superior starting hands to win. A more recent title for a mouse is a “nit”, a player that is risk averse and rarely putting in a 3 bet or 4 bet.
This poker animal is very predictable and beatable even at the micro stakes games. An observant player will simply fold if a mouse raises. To beat this type of player, you can just bully them constantly, regularly picking up blinds and antes. It may appear boring work, but it’s the most effective way to beat a mouse.
It’s worth noting that a mouse is not necessarily a losing player. This ultra conservative way of playing can actually make money in the lowest stakes games. This is due the fact some players don’t react accordingly and still give a mouse action.
A mouse won’t ever rise to the higher stakes games though as their uncreative way of playing won’t generate any winnings against competent players.
The Lion
A lion is an excellent poker player with solid overall poker skills. They are making their money from the other weaker poker animals. A lion typically adopts a tight aggressive poker strategy that works very well, even up to mid stakes. It will bluff at opportune moments and have solid starting hand entry requirements. They’re also creative enough to play speculative hands if the situation calls for it, thereby getting action from other players.
A lion can be found at most stakes online as the TAG strategy continues to be one of the most profitable ways of playing in the 2020s.
Conclusion on Poker Animals
There you have it, Phil Hellmuth’s poker animals explained. As you can see, there are quite a few, each with their strengths and weaknesses. If you’ve noticed yourself in any of the weaker poker animals and want to become a lion, why not get in touch? We’d be happy to offer a hand history review session or consultation call to see how we can help you develop?
It’s very common for online poker players to fear live poker. Moving from one setting to an entirely new one can be challenging and make a player nervous. The transition from online to live poker puts the player face to face with their opponents. There are additional fears like embarrassment, worries about being too readable, fearing losing the cash or making live poker mistakes like string bets. Whilst these fears are not unreasonable, they should not deter an online poker player try playing altogether. In this article we’re going to share some reasons why you should not fear live poker and actually embrace it.
1] The Standard is Lower
It’s widely accepted that online poker games are of a higher standard when compared to live poker. A NL $10 game online can play like a NL $200 in live poker. The reason for this is possibly due to the generally higher limits that poker rooms impose on the games. Either way, it’s good news for online players. It means you can play for more money and against fishier players. This is arguably the biggest reason to try playing live poker. Your first trip to a casino will be an eye-opening experience. The amount of bad plays you’ll see is very encouraging and will soon put you at ease.
2]The Fun Factor
If you don’t try something you’ll never know what its truly like. The majority of online players that move to live shun their fear of live poker when they realise how much fun it is. In addition to playing generally weaker players, you get to enjoy the table banter and social aspect of poker. You also get to physically see the cash you win and read your opponents. There’s nothing quite like making a great read on an opponent in a live poker setting. Whilst this is fun playing at a live casino online, it’s amplified in a cardroom where you are face to face with your opponents.
3] You’re Unknown to Others
Most players who fear live poker are only thinking through their eyes and not others. Remember, when you are new to a game, it might be new to you, but you are new to them. You’re an unknown entity to the other poker players. This presents a new challenge to everyone, even the professionals. This mystique and unpredictability are a reason they may fear you at first. If you are a strong player, they will soon respect you and this will alleviate any fears you may have had at the start. Live poker players have a healthy respect for those that play online so you have little reason to worry.
4] You Can Speak with Cardroom Manager
All live cardrooms will have a manager in control. They ensure the tournaments run smoothly, make decisions when the dealers need assistance and manage the cash game tables too. If you fear live poker and the challenges it presents, you can always call the cardroom and ask questions to the cardroom manager. They will give you all the answers you need, put your mind at ease and advise of any rules you may need to be aware of before playing. Cardroom managers are friendly and supportive so it’s definitely worth having a chat if you are still concerned after this article.
5] Start & Stop at Your Leisure
Like online poker, you have freedom in poker to play whenever you want. Granted, if you’re a tournament player, you may feel obligated to stay at the table all the time. But, in a live poker setting, you can start and stop at your leisure, particularly in cash games. If you are uncomfortable or not playing your usual game, get up from the table and go for a walk, or quit if you are on tilt. There is no pressure to sit and play for hours on end. The option to play when it suits you should help your fear of live poker. After all, you are the master of the games you play, when and for how long.
Conclusion
Live poker is an awesome experience. You can play with weaker players for more money and strut your game in a fun setting. The social aspect enhances the complexity of poker and puts an extra spin on it. It brings poker back to its roots of being a people game. We highly recommend you try it for yourself and hope the reasons in this article will relieve you of any fears of live poker you may have.
Casino games have always fascinated people in different ways. Slots are easy to play but they can bring you great awards. Roulette is for those that are feeling extremely lucky. And poker has always been reserved for players who like a challenge and who think they are good at reading other people.
The fact that poker is a new trend isn’t anything new. Ever since the first online casino appeared, there has been a massive interest among gambling fans for the virtual version of this popular game.
In this article, we’ll dig a little deeper into the world of online poker to see what are the advantages of playing this amazing game on the Internet.
Where to Play Online Poker?
The most important thing that most poker players already know is choosing the right gambling platform. Only the best fast withdrawal casinos with amazing welcome offers have the best poker games. The ultimate gambling experience can be achieved only by opting for the right operator. Here are some of the things that only the best online gambling brands have:
Gambling license
Welcome offers and various promotions
Great customer service
Safe payment methods
Playing online poker has made this game more accessible than ever before, and this is why many operators include it in their game selection. However, only with the best operators will the players have the perfect gambling experience they want.
Online Poker With a Live Dealer
Everyone thought that online poker reached its peak after the first online version was launched. However, in the past couple of years, online casinos worldwide have been adding another important feature to their gambling platforms. And that is poker with a live dealer. For players who enjoy a land-based casino experience, this feature has been really helpful during the lockdown period. Moreover, it also quite useful for players who want to play poker with a live dealer but can’t travel to another city or state whenever they wish to play.
Online poker has made playing this game incredibly easy and simple. Once upon a time, people read an interesting article to dress up and travel to a land-based casino in order to play their favourite game. Others organized private card gatherings. But now, with online poker and live dealer, people can have all of that without leaving their homes.
How Do You Withdraw Winnings?
Another advantage of playing poker online is that players can have their winnings transferred to their bank accounts in a quick and easy way. Gamblers always prefer the best payout online casino Canada that offers the highest payout rates and safe transaction methods. The most popular withdrawal methods used by players worldwide are e-wallets, cryptocurrencies, and credit cards.
Are There Any Online Poker Tournaments?
The best online tournaments can be found on the gambling websites that have the biggest online poker rooms. One of the most visited poker rooms in the world is PokerStars, which in 2003 produced what is now known as the most important tournament in the world – the World Series of Poker.
Conclusion
Playing poker online offers many advantages to players, like the ability to play at any time and anywhere. Moreover, online players can benefit from special promotions and play their favorite game longer for less money. With the live dealer feature becoming available with almost every trustworthy operator around the world, even the brick-and-mortar casino fans can now enjoy playing their favorite game in front of the screen.
Poker has always been one of the most iconic games at both land-based and online casino venues. Whenever we think about casinos or gambling the first game that pops into our minds is poker.
So for all gambling fans who want to become poker professionals, here are some tips on how to learn to play this amazing game.
Where Can You Play Poker Online?
Not so long ago, learning to play poker meant you had to visit the nearest brick-and-mortar casino or to convince a friend or family member who knows how to play to give you lessons. Nowadays, all online players can visit online casinos that offer the best paying online pokies and enjoy great slot machines while learning poker rules. Moreover, in this day and age, you can always visit YouTube or other similar platforms that have free to watch tutorials on how to play card games.
Learn Poker Hand Rankings
One of the first lessons that any poker enthusiast has to learn is all possible poker combinations. Some choose to learn these rules by visiting an online real money casino with the best deposit and withdrawal methods, others watch video tutorials or buy books on the subject. The basic combinations that all future players should know of are:
Royal Flush
Full House
Straight Flush
Flush
Moreover, there are also high cards, one pair, two pair, three of a kind, and straight. Professional poker players use these combinations with skill and a bit of luck to defeat their opponents.
Control Your Emotions
Another important lesson for all poker players is to learn to control their emotions. Giving up how you’re feeling is a basic mistake that one can make at the table. In this way, other players can read your emotions and tell which cards you have. Some of the best poker players in the world are actually experts in hiding their emotions. So, if you get a good hand, make sure you don’t show any enthusiasm, or if you get a band hand, don’t let your opponents notice what you have. In fact, if it suits you, you should make them believe the opposite is happening, so that they are never sure what cards you have.
Learn to Bluff
Learning how to bluff and hiding your emotions are actually the same lesson. You should learn how to make your opponents believe you have good or bad cards when it’s actually quite the opposite. Furthermore, it’s very important that you learn how to read other people’s emotions as well. Players who learn the skill to tell when someone is bluffing are some of the best players in the world because they can tell exactly what’s happening at the table at any given moment.
Play Correctly With Your Budget
Last but certainly not least is learning how to play within your budget in a correct way. New players can make the mistake of playing games with high stakes from the very beginning. However, you should give yourself time until you learn to play properly before you start investing large sums. And even then, you should be aware of how much money you’re giving per each hand, so you wouldn’t spend more than you have initially planned.
Conclusion
Playing poker can be fun, but there are many things that one should keep in mind. Learning the rules, how to control your emotions, and how to bluff are just the tip of the iceberg. But nevertheless, these are the basic lessons on the road to becoming the best poker player. Check out our cheat sheet for helpful tips.
Players should always strive to be their best and whilst I’ve said perfect poker is impossible – playing your best isn’t. We’ve offered coaching in various forms for over 3 years now and came across all kinds of poker leaks players have. There’s too many to list in one post but in this article we’re going to share four common Texas Hold’em mistakes to avoid. If you are a victim of any of these, reach out to us and see how we can help.
1) Not thinking decisions through
This mistake is not unique to only newbies who barely know how to play Texas Hold’em poker. It’s also grinders and even professionals who are guilty of this mistake. It’s easy to do when you’re multi-tabling or on the backend of a long session but there’s no excuses for rushing decisions.
Texas Hold’em is a game that requires methodology and your brain to work out what is the right action. If you rush decisions you will make bad plays that cost you money. This happens a lot in tournaments where some poker players turn off and are basically playing on “autopilot”.
2) Only playing your own cards
The beauty of poker is when you’re “playing the player”. A common Texas Hold’em mistake is to just play your own cards and not assign ranges to your opponents. This is especially true for inexperienced poker players who are focusing on what they have in their hand and how good or bad it is and not giving attention to those around them.
A strong player is using GTO or exploitative poker strategy to beat their opposition. They are not just looking at the fact they have king four in the cut-off. Hand reading opponents is a critical skill to learn and starts with pre-flop and assigning ranges. It means narrowing your opponents range based on their playing style and position. As you progress throughout the hand you can eliminate certain groups of hands which will lead you to good decision making.
3) Playing too many hands
Whether its impatience or watching their favourite pros bluff with deuce seven – the most common Texas Hold’em mistake is to play too many hands. The experienced poker players make the mistake of thinking they can outplay everyone post-flop or get away from a solid holding if they’re beat. In reality, they will always lose some money with top pair if they connect.
The fishier players are just impatient and overplay certain hands. They love their ace rag and suited kings because they have big cards or are suited. This mistake is often the first one we eradicate from a new player looking to improve their game.
4) Reacting poorly to bad luck
Humans are emotional beings and don’t handle adversity all that well. This is amplified when money is involved at the poker table. Tilt is a challenge that many poker players have to deal with.
Tilt is the term coined to describe a player’s behaviour at the table. Tilting is typically associated with erratic behaviour, raising too much, going all in and just playing bad in general. It hits poker players when they lose to a bad beat or perhaps a cooler. It can happen for many reasons, even as mundane as losing a single buy in.
We can’t control the luck aspect of poker, we will get unlucky at times but you can control how you react to it. If you can’t keep your emotions in check and stay playing well, you need to get up and leave to protect your bankroll. We recommend setting a stop loss limit so you don’t tilt off your profits.
Poker is a fascinating game which almost seems to have it’s own language. If you spend any time in a poker room, you’ll hear dozens of phrases and terms with no idea what people are on about. Have no fear! In this article, we will provide an A to Z on the most common poker slang terms used. So, when you next join a forum, chat with poker friends or visit a card-room you will be fluent in poker lingo.
ABC Poker
This is straight forward basic poker. It is used as negative term at high stakes as it implies solid, fundamental poker and no more. ABC poker can be enough to win a low stakes game though.
Bad Beat
If you’ve ever lost a hand as a huge favourite, you may have taken a bad beat. There’s sometimes confusion between novices what a bad beat actually is. Read our article on bad beats for more information on what they are and how to handle them.
Bounty Tournament
A type of tournament that rewards players with cash prizes if you knock out an opponent. In order to offer this, a percentage of the buy-in acts goes to the bounty prize pool. Check out our bounty poker tournament guide.
Cold Call
Anyone who calls before the flop when they’ve not invested anything yet. It is commonly associated with a call from someone after there’s already been a bet and raise. Our article on cold calling explains more.
C Bet (Continuation Bet)
A bet made on the flop by the initial raiser, hence continue to bet. This is an essential part of poker. We have created the most in depth course on this. See below for more information.
Cooler
A hand where two very strong hands match up e.g. quads against a full house or aces against kings. Coolers are part of poker and hard to escape but it’s nice when you’re on the right side of them!
Donk Bet
A flop bet made from out of position into the raiser. The donk bet is scorned at by many but can sometimes be a genius bet.
Downswing
This refers to a run of losing sessions for a prolonged period of time.
Equity
This is the share of the pot based on the odds that you will win the pot at some point.
Freeroll
This is a tournament that costs nothing to enter, hence “free”. They offer cash prizes for the top spots or loyalty points with that website. A freeroll is commonly used by new players to learn how to play.
Gutshot
Despite it’s name, it’s not nothing to do with guns. It refers to an unlikely straight where one needs one card to complete the straight. It’s otherwise known as inside straight. I assume the name was given as it’s like a shot in the gut to be hit with a straight that unlikely. An example of a gutshot is holding 8c 10c on a 6h 7d Ac flop where only a 9 will complete your straight.
Hand History
Most poker sites let you download the hands you’ve played. This is the “hand history”. We offer hand history reviews to players keen to analyse and discuss hands they’ve played.
Heads-Up
Heads up is just one on one poker. This is how most tournaments are finished, with two players left facing off. However, online also offers heads up SNGS and cash games too.
Hero Call
A brave call made despite holding a hand that appears relatively weak e.g. ace high card or bottom pair. Making a hero call takes guts.
Home Game
Have you ever played poker at a friend’s house? Then you’ve played in a home game. They involve your own dealing, snacks and no house fee.
ITM
This is an abbreviation of “in the money”, the part of a tournament where one has reached the money places. Check out our ITM article for more details.
Jam
A poker slang term for moving all-in.
Kicker
This is the second card used when two hands are similar strength e.g. an ace king against an ace three on an: A-4-J-6-7. The king would form part of the hand and is a bigger “kicker”. Our article on poker kickers explains more.
LAG
An abbreviation for the “loose aggressive” poker playing style. A LAG plays a wide range of hands with an aggressive mentality.
Limp
To enter the pot with a flat call i.e. just completing the big blind. This is a common trait amongst weaker players, our article on why limping is bad explains why.
Multi-Way
If you get to the flop with more than one opponent, it’s a multi-way pot. It simply means several players are involved.
Nit
This is a nasty term used to describe very conservative players. They play very few hands and have a risk averse approach. We explain why nit poker is losing poker these days.
Open
An “open” is when someone enters the pot with a raise.
Probe Bet
These are smaller sized bets designed to win the pot now or elicit information. A probe bet is likely to be under 40% of the pot and is a common trait of small ball poker strategy.
Queens
A pair of queens in your hand. They’re the third best starting hand in Texas Hold’em.
Rake
This is the fee charged by the casino or poker-room to make money. It’s taken as a percentage of cash game pots or a fixed fee from tournament buy-ins.
Rakeback
A great way to get some rake “back” from the poker room you play on. You can sign up to rakeback schemes that pay back a percentage of rake to you.
Showdown
This is where the hand has no more betting involved and players must show their cards. It can be on the river after a bet and call, or in an all-in scenario in tournaments.
Slow Roll
An unethical move where a player with the winning hand slowly reveals their hand to the opponent. This is poor etiquette as we explain in our article on slow-rolling.
Snap Poker
A fast form of poker where you are moved between tables after folding. Snap poker the fastest form offered on 888 poker.
String Bet
A live poker move where one reaches back for chips multiple times instead of making a bet in one motion. This is sometimes unethical, but mostly accidental. The string bet article explains everything you need to know.
Tell
The tick or pattern of a player that indirectly reveals the strength of the hand. This is more common in live poker but there are online poker tells too.
Tilt
If someone loses a pot then proceeds to play terrible, they are known to go on tilt. It’s a terrible feeling as it can cost a lot of money.
Underpair
A small pocket pair is almost always going to be an underpair to the board. For instance, pocket twos on a board of K-3-J is an underpair.
Value Bet
This is a bet designed to extract value. Accurate value betting is fundamental to being a long term winner. We’ve explain the common mistakes of value betting before.
Variance
This is the difference between what you expect to win and what actually occurs. It is the short-term luck element that can be expressed through your poker tracking software. Variance is what keeps the bad players in the game so you should be grateful for this, if you are a winner.
Walk
Ever had the entire table fold to you in the big blind? This is otherwise known as a walk.
WSOP
This is abbreviation of the greatest poker tournament series, aka “World Series of Poker”.
Y
We couldn’t think of any poker slang terms for Y.
Zoom
This is the PokerStars equivalent of Snap.
Join Our Mailing List
Sign up to receive our monthly newsletter, special discounts and promotions.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.AcceptRead More
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
