Learnin’ the Lingo

Perhaps you’re new to the game of poker and a blank stare graces your face when you hear the words flop and river. Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Here is some of the jargon you should know before dabbling in a poker game.

• Blinds – A forced bet. The person to the left of the dealer must pay the small blind and the person after him, pays the big blind.
• Ante – The minimum bet required to play a hand.
• Board – The community cards used by everyone.
• Flop – The first three community cards dealt in Texas Hold’em.
• Turn – The fourth card dealt in Texas Hold’em.
• River – The fifth and final card dealt in Texas Hold’em.
• Longhand – A poker game played by seven or more people.
• Outs – Cards that can improve your hand.
• Preflop – The betting round after you are dealt your two cards, but before any community cards are dealt.
• Tilt – When a player becomes over-aggressive and makes an irrational strategy.

Of course these are just a small handful, but they should be enough to get you started. There is a lot of lingo out there so don’t be ashamed if you haven’t memorized it all just yet. Stock up on a few poker books and poker DVDs and you’ll be ready to go in no time!