Glossary
Words that come up in real play and in the rest of the material
From Chapter 0, “Part 4 Glossary”: the 120 terms, which you can look up by search and by category.
“Appears in” lists only the pages that have an English version (Chapter 0 lessons and Strategy Method chapters).
120 terms
No matching terms.
Positions
- UTG
- The seat that acts first. The least favorable seat.
- Appears in: Chapter 0, Part 1: Tools and the Table, Chapter 0, Part 3: Flow of the Game, Chapter 0, Following One Hand from Start to Finish
- HJ
- The seat after UTG.
- Appears in: Chapter 0, Part 1: Tools and the Table, Chapter 0, Following One Hand from Start to Finish, Strategy Method, Chapter 1: Preflop
- CO
- The seat 1 before the BTN. A seat where you can play aggressively.
- Appears in: Chapter 0, Part 1: Tools and the Table, Chapter 0, Following One Hand from Start to Finish, Strategy Method, Chapter 1: Preflop
- BTN
- Can act last. The most favorable seat.
- Appears in: Chapter 0, Part 1: Tools and the Table, Chapter 0, Part 3: Flow of the Game, Chapter 0, Following One Hand from Start to Finish
- SB
- The seat that must post 0.5BB.
- Appears in: Chapter 0, Part 1: Tools and the Table, Chapter 0, Part 3: Flow of the Game, Chapter 0, Part 5: First Steps
- BB
- The seat that must post 1BB.
- Appears in: Chapter 0, Part 1: Tools and the Table, Chapter 0, Part 3: Flow of the Game, Chapter 0, Following One Hand from Start to Finish
- IP
- Being able to act after your opponent.
- Appears in: Chapter 0, Following One Hand from Start to Finish, Strategy Method, Chapter 1: Preflop
- OOP
- Having to act before your opponent.
- Appears in: Strategy Method, Chapter 1: Preflop, Strategy Method, Chapter 3: C-bet
Blinds and pot
- blind
- Chips you are forced to put in before seeing your cards.
- Appears in: Chapter 0, Part 1: Tools and the Table, Chapter 0, Following One Hand from Start to Finish, Chapter 0, Part 5: First Steps
- ante
- Chips everyone is forced to put in, a small amount each, separate from the blinds.
- pot
- The chips gathered in the middle. The winner takes them.
- Appears in: Chapter 0, Part 1: Tools and the Table, Chapter 0, Part 2: Hand Rankings, Chapter 0, Part 3: Flow of the Game
- stack
- The total amount of chips you have in front of you.
- Appears in: Chapter 0, Part 1: Tools and the Table, Chapter 0, Following One Hand from Start to Finish, Strategy Method, Chapter 1: Preflop
- effective stack
- The smaller stack of yours and your opponent’s.
- Appears in: Chapter 0, Part 1: Tools and the Table, Strategy Method, Chapter 2: Flop, Strategy Method, Chapter 8: Decision Tree
- buy-in
- The amount you exchange for chips when you sit down at the table.
- Appears in: Strategy Method, Chapter 9: Variance and Management
- rake
- A fee paid to the operator. It is taken out of the pot.
- Appears in: Strategy Method, Chapter 1: Preflop
- BB units
- A way of counting amounts not in money but in how many BBs.
- Appears in: Chapter 0, Following One Hand from Start to Finish
Actions
- fold
- To drop out of the hand. You throw away your cards.
- Appears in: Chapter 0, Part 2: Hand Rankings, Chapter 0, Part 3: Flow of the Game, Chapter 0, Following One Hand from Start to Finish
- check
- To pass the action on without betting.
- Appears in: Chapter 0, Part 3: Flow of the Game, Chapter 0, Following One Hand from Start to Finish, Chapter 0, Part 5: First Steps
- bet
- To be the first to put chips in on that street.
- Appears in: Chapter 0, Part 1: Tools and the Table, Chapter 0, Part 3: Flow of the Game, Chapter 0, Following One Hand from Start to Finish
- call
- To put in the same amount and stay in.
- Appears in: Chapter 0, Part 1: Tools and the Table, Chapter 0, Part 3: Flow of the Game, Chapter 0, Following One Hand from Start to Finish
- raise
- To bet more on top.
- Appears in: Chapter 0, Part 1: Tools and the Table, Chapter 0, Part 3: Flow of the Game, Chapter 0, Following One Hand from Start to Finish
- all-in
- To bet all of your chips.
- Appears in: Chapter 0, Part 3: Flow of the Game, Strategy Method, Chapter 1: Preflop, Strategy Method, Chapter 6: Math
- limp
- To enter the pot by matching the BB, without raising.
- muck
- To admit defeat and throw away your cards without showing them.
- Appears in: Chapter 0, Part 3: Flow of the Game
Names of bets
- open(RFI)
- The first raise when nobody has raised yet.
- Appears in: Chapter 0, Part 2: Hand Rankings, Chapter 0, Following One Hand from Start to Finish
- 3bet
- A raise against an open (the 2nd raise).
- Appears in: Chapter 0, Part 3: Flow of the Game, Strategy Method, Chapter 2: Flop
- 4bet
- A raise against a 3bet.
- Appears in: Chapter 0, Part 3: Flow of the Game, Strategy Method, Chapter 1: Preflop
- 5bet
- A raise against a 4bet. At 100BB, it is effectively all-in.
- Appears in: Strategy Method, Chapter 1: Preflop
- squeeze
- A 3bet when there is an open and a call.
- C-bet
- When the preflop raiser keeps betting on the flop.
- Appears in: Strategy Method, Chapter 3: C-bet, Strategy Method, Chapter 7: Exploit
- delayed C-bet
- When the preflop raiser checks the flop and then bets on the turn.
- donk bet
- Betting first into the player who was the aggressor (the one who raised or bet) on the previous street, instead of checking, when you were not the aggressor.
Writing hands
- AKs
- An A and a K of the same suit (suited).
- AKo
- An A and a K of different suits (offsuit).
- Appears in: Chapter 0, Following One Hand from Start to Finish
- 77
- A pocket pair of 7s.
- Broadway
- High cards of 10 or above (T, J, Q, K, A).
- suited connector
- Same suit with consecutive ranks (76s, 65s, etc.).
- Appears in: Strategy Method, Chapter 2: Flop, Strategy Method, Chapter 6: Math
- one-gapper
- Consecutive with 1 rank skipped (97s, 86s, etc.).
- pocket pair
- When your 2 hole cards make a pair.
- Appears in: Chapter 0, Part 1: Tools and the Table, Chapter 0, Part 2: Hand Rankings
- hole cards
- The 2 cards dealt only to you.
- Appears in: Chapter 0, Part 2: Hand Rankings, Chapter 0, Part 3: Flow of the Game, Chapter 0, Following One Hand from Start to Finish
State of your hand (1)
- top pair
- A pair with the highest card on the board.
- Appears in: Chapter 0, Part 2: Hand Rankings, Chapter 0, Following One Hand from Start to Finish, Strategy Method, Chapter 2: Flop
- middle pair
- A pair with the 2nd highest card.
- Appears in: Strategy Method, Chapter 2: Flop, Strategy Method, Chapter 3: C-bet
- bottom pair
- A pair with the lowest card.
- overpair
- A pocket pair higher than every card on the board.
- Appears in: Strategy Method, Chapter 2: Flop
- underpair
- A pocket pair lower than every card on the board.
- TPTK
- Top pair, top kicker. For example, AK on a K-high board.
- kicker
- A card not used in your made hand that decides the winner when both players have the same hand.
- Appears in: Chapter 0, Part 2: Hand Rankings, Chapter 0, Following One Hand from Start to Finish
- set
- Three of a kind made with a pair in your hand and 1 card on the board.
- Appears in: Chapter 0, Part 1: Tools and the Table, Chapter 0, Part 2: Hand Rankings, Chapter 0, Part 5: First Steps
State of your hand (2) and draws
- trips
- Three of a kind made with a pair on the board and 1 card in your hand.
- Appears in: Chapter 0, Part 2: Hand Rankings, Strategy Method, Chapter 2: Flop
- flush draw(FD)
- 1 more card for a flush. 9 outs.
- Appears in: Strategy Method, Chapter 3: C-bet, Strategy Method, Chapter 5: River
- open-ended straight draw(OESD)
- A straight draw that is open on both ends. 8 cards.
- Appears in: Strategy Method, Chapter 3: C-bet
- gutshot
- A straight draw that needs 1 card on the inside. 4 cards.
- outs
- The number of remaining cards that complete your hand.
- Appears in: Strategy Method, Chapter 6: MathCheck with the calculator (outs)
- blank
- A card that affects neither player.
Names of boards
- dry
- No connections and no matching suits. For example, A♠7♦2♣.
- Appears in: Chapter 0, Following One Hand from Start to Finish, Strategy Method, Chapter 2: Flop, Strategy Method, Chapter 3: C-bet
- wet
- Many draws. For example, 9♥8♥7♣.
- connected
- The ranks are connected.
- Appears in: Chapter 0, Part 2: Hand Rankings, Chapter 0, Following One Hand from Start to Finish, Strategy Method, Chapter 2: Flop
- paired board
- There is a pair on the board. For example, 9♠9♦4♣.
- Appears in: Strategy Method, Chapter 2: Flop
- two-tone
- 2 of the 3 flop cards are the same suit.
- rainbow
- All 3 cards are different suits.
- board texture
- The overall character of the board.
Numbers and probability
- equity
- Your share of the pot at this point (your chance of winning, with ties counted as a split).
- Appears in: Strategy Method, Chapter 1: Preflop, Strategy Method, Chapter 2: Flop, Strategy Method, Chapter 3: C-bet
- pot odds
- The chance of winning you need to call. Bet ÷ (the pot before your opponent’s bet + bet × 2).
- Appears in: Chapter 0, Part 1: Tools and the Table, Strategy Method, Chapter 5: River, Strategy Method, Chapter 6: MathCheck with the calculator (pot odds)
- implied odds
- The expectation that includes what you can win in addition when your hand completes.
- reverse implied odds
- The possibility of losing even more even when your hand completes.
- EV(expected value)
- Your average profit or loss over the long run.
- Appears in: Strategy Method, Chapter 5: River, Strategy Method, Chapter 9: Variance and Management, Strategy Method, Chapter 10: Review and PracticeCheck with the calculator (EV)
- SPR
- Effective stack ÷ pot. A measure of how far you can fight.
- Appears in: Strategy Method, Chapter 2: Flop, Strategy Method, Chapter 6: Math, Strategy Method, Chapter 10: Review and Practice
- combo
- The number of combinations in which a given hand can exist.
- Appears in: Chapter 0, Part 1: Tools and the Table, Strategy Method, Chapter 5: River, Strategy Method, Chapter 6: Math
- variance
- How spread out the results are. Separate from skill.
- Appears in: Chapter 0, Part 5: First Steps, Strategy Method, Chapter 9: Variance and Management
Strategy (1)
- range
- The set of hands your opponent (or you) can hold.
- Appears in: Chapter 0, Part 2: Hand Rankings, Chapter 0, Following One Hand from Start to Finish, Strategy Method, Chapter 1: Preflop
- value bet
- A bet made on the premise that you are ahead, to get paid.
- thin value
- Going for thin value with a hand that is only slightly ahead.
- Appears in: Strategy Method, Chapter 5: River, Strategy Method, Chapter 9: Variance and Management
- bluff
- A bet with a losing hand to make your opponent fold.
- Appears in: Chapter 0, Part 3: Flow of the Game, Strategy Method, Chapter 1: Preflop, Strategy Method, Chapter 2: Flop
- polarize
- A range made up only of strong hands and weak hands.
- Appears in: Strategy Method, Chapter 3: C-bet
- linear
- A range made up of strong hands from the top down.
- Appears in: Strategy Method, Chapter 1: Preflop
- range bet
- Betting small with your whole range.
Strategy (2)
- bluff-catch
- A call with a weak hand that beats only your opponent’s bluffs.
- blocker
- A card that, because you hold it, reduces your opponent’s strong hands.
- Appears in: Strategy Method, Chapter 1: Preflop, Strategy Method, Chapter 2: Flop, Strategy Method, Chapter 5: River
- unblocker
- A card that does not reduce (leaves in) your opponent’s bluffs.
- Appears in: Strategy Method, Chapter 2: Flop
- MDF
- The minimum defense frequency so that you do not fold too much.
- Appears in: Strategy Method, Chapter 6: MathCheck with the calculator (MDF)
- defense
- Fighting against your opponent’s bet instead of folding.
- float
- Calling with a weak hand and trying to take the pot on the next street.
- check-raise
- Checking, and then raising after your opponent’s bet.
- Appears in: Strategy Method, Chapter 3: C-bet, Strategy Method, Chapter 7: Exploit
- give up
- Judging that you have no chance of winning and stopping your bluff.
- Appears in: Strategy Method, Chapter 4: Turn
GTO and Exploit
- GTO
- A strategy that, in theory, your opponent cannot take advantage of.
- Appears in: Strategy Method, Chapter 10: Review and Practice
- Exploit
- An adjustment that fits your opponent’s habits to maximize your winnings.
- Appears in: Strategy Method, Chapter 10: Review and Practice
- mixed strategy
- Splitting the same hand among several actions by probability.
- indifference
- A state where the EV is the same whichever you choose.
- Nash equilibrium
- A state where neither side has a reason to change its strategy.
- population(pool)
- The tendencies of all the players in that game.
- Appears in: Strategy Method, Chapter 5: River, Strategy Method, Chapter 7: Exploit
- leak
- A hole in your strategy where you are losing EV.
- Appears in: Strategy Method, Chapter 2: Flop, Strategy Method, Chapter 10: Review and Practice
Player types
- TAG
- Tight-aggressive. The standard winning type.
- LAG
- Loose-aggressive. Plays many hands and attacks.
- calling station
- Does not fold. Bluffs do not work.
- maniac
- Attacks indiscriminately. High variance.
- fish
- A general name for players who are not winning.
- VPIP
- The percentage of hands in which you put chips in voluntarily.
- Appears in: Strategy Method, Chapter 7: Exploit
- PFR
- The percentage of hands in which you made a preflop raise.
- Appears in: Strategy Method, Chapter 7: Exploit
Mental game and management
- tilt
- A state where your emotions are breaking down your decisions.
- Appears in: Strategy Method, Chapter 9: Variance and Management
- bankroll
- Money set aside only for poker.
- Appears in: Strategy Method, Chapter 9: Variance and Management
- downswing
- A period when losses keep coming.
- stop-loss
- A rule that sets in advance the most you will lose in 1 session.
- Appears in: Strategy Method, Chapter 9: Variance and Management
- shot-taking
- Trying a higher stake.
- game selection
- Choosing tables where it is easier to win.
- hand review
- The work of reviewing your decisions after you play.
Tournaments and online
- cash game
- You can join and leave at any time. Chips = money.
- Appears in: Chapter 0, Part 5: First Steps
- tournament(MTT)
- Everyone enters for the same amount, and the top finishers win prize money.
- Appears in: Chapter 0, Part 5: First Steps
- ICM
- A way of thinking about the gap between the value of chips and the value of prize money.
- bubble
- The point where 1 more player out puts everyone left in the prize money.
- blind increase
- How the blinds keep going up in a tournament.
- multi-tabling
- Playing several tables at the same time.
- HUD
- A helper tool that shows your opponents’ stats on the screen.
- hand history
- Recorded data of the hands you played.