B

(n) baker.

(n phrase) brick and mortar cardroom.

(n phrase) brick and mortar club.

1. (n) A small card, usually a deuce through five in games other than lowball, and ace through five in lowball. "I caught a baby." 2. (adj) Small. "I need a baby card." "I have a baby pair." 3. In lowball, smooth. A baby 8 would be an 8-5 or 8-4. The term is usually applied to an 8 or worse. (That is, while you might hear the terms baby 8 and baby 9 in a lowball game, you probably won't hear baby 6 or baby 7.)

1. (adv) Reverting to lowball, as in jacks back. 2. (vt) Finance another player. See bankroll (definition 2).

1. (vt) In hold 'em (and sometimes seven-card stud), catch two cards to a straight or flush on the turn and river when a player had only three cards to the hand on the flop (or fifth street in seven-card stud, and then catch on the sixth and seventh streets); always followed by the name of the hand caught. The term often applies to a hand made on the end that the player of the hand wasn't trying to make, implying that the player had something else to go for on three cards than the straight or flush. For example, a player starts with A 8, and the flop is A 6 4. The turn is 9, and the river J, causing the player to backdoor a flush. See runner-runner. Sometimes the term refers to making four of a kind when a player had a pair in the hole (and nothing else on the flop). "I had a set the whole way, and he backdoored a straight on me." 2. (adj) Part of the phrase backdoor flush or backdoor straight.

(n phrase) Catching two cards to a flush as described under backdoor.

(v phrase) Catching two cards to a straight as described under backdoor.

1. (adv phrase) Paired. "I have kings backed up" means, in a draw poker game, "I have one pair, kings." In hold 'em, wired. In seven stud, having a pair in the hole. 2. (adj phrase) Paired. "I have backed up kings" means the same as the preceding.

(n) Someone who finances another player. See bankroll (definition 2). "How you gonna get into the tournament? I thought you were broke." "I have a backer."

(v phrase) 1. In a pass-and-back-in game, come into the pot after having passed. 2. Come into a pot cheaply as a result of having a blind and there not having been a raise.

(n) The cash supplied by a backer. "How you gonna get into the tournament? I thought you were broke." "I have backing."

(v phrase) 1. Win a pot unexpectedly or by default. For example, in a lowball game, John drew three cards and caught K-Q-J. He passed after the draw, planning to fold if anyone bet. The three one-card draws also passed, all having paired and all afraid to bet, and John backed into the pot. 2. End up with a hand other than the one you were drawing to. For example, in seven-card stud, start with two pair on the first four cards and end up with a flush. Same as backdoor (definition 1).

1. (v) Make an agreement between two or more players to accumulate chips in the following manner. One of the players usually maintains the backline. Whenever he or the player with whom he has made the arrangement wins a pot, a certain portion of the chips in that pot are put on the backline, that is, in a pool for later distribution. That amount could be one chip for each pot. It could be some specified larger amount, perhaps five or 10 chips. In a limit game, it could also be one chip for each bet in the pot, or one for each bet won by the winner of the pot. For example, in a $10-limit game, if two players are backlining one chip per bet, and one of them wins a $100 pot (that is, the pot contains 10 bets), $10 goes on the backline. If they are backlining one chip per bet won, and both of them (only) are in the pot, only $5 goes on the backline (because the winner of the pot profited by $50, or five bets). At some prearranged time, the players split the backline. That is the point of this arrangement, that when one of the players is running bad, he makes some money off his "partner's" good fortune. If the player who maintains the backline runs out of his own chips, there may be some argument about whether those chips are playable, or if the other player runs out of chips, he may want to get his share of the backline. For the reason that arguments sometimes arise from this sort of arrangement, many clubs do not permit backlining. In such clubs, some obstinate players do it anyway, but surreptitiously. It's best when backlining that all parties involved in the agreement maintain sufficient chips to avoid running out in one pot or having to use the backline chips to bet with. A sharp tight player tries to make a backlining arrangement with a loose player. The loose player may lose money overall, but he wins more pots (because he plays more pots), and so the backline accumulates. The loose player doesn't mind contributing when he's winning, and when he's losing, and his "partner" is lucky, he gets something from it. He just doesn't realize that he's taking the worst of it in yet another situation. Also see save, save bets, scoot. 2. (n) The chips accumulated by backlining. The name probably comes from where the chips are kept. The backline is usually a stack of chips behind the player's own playing capital. Sometimes the backline is kept on the wooden rim, if the table has one.

(n phrase) A cheating maneuver that enables the dealer to see the face of the top card on the deck, accomplished by squeezing the top of the deck between thumb and little finger in such a way as to bow the top card in the middle so that its value can be surreptitiously viewed. This move is made prior to dealing seconds. Also called heel peek. Compare with front peek.

1. (n) reraise. 2. (v) Make a small raise to prevent further or larger raises, when the number of raises in a betting interval is limited. Usually permitted only in home games, in which the rule that a raise must equal in size the previous bet or raise does not hold.

(n) The reverse sides of the cards, as opposed to the sides that show their ranks and suits. Opposite of faces (see face).

(n phrase) late position.

(adv phrase) 1. Serially, or in a row. "I drew two cards and caught kings back to back." 2. wired.

(adj phrase) 1. Serially, or in a row. "I drew two cards and caught back-to-back kings." 2. wired.

(adj) rough (definition 1); usually followed by the rank of the hand, as a bad eight.

(n phrase) The situation in which a strong hand is beaten by a longshot or improbable hand, particularly when the holder of the eventual winning hand should never have been in the pot in the first place (if playing correctly, at least by the reckoning of the loser of the pot).

(n phrase) See jackpot.

(n phrase) A story told by someone who lost a pot, often a big one, in a bad beat. Usually no one but the teller is interested in hearing the story. The analog in the fishing world is the one that got away.

1. (n) A small bet made to encourage a raise. See trap. 2. (v) To make such a bet.

(n) The second position to the left of the dealer. Sometimes called just B.

(n phrase) The philosophy in some public cardroom that keeps two games of the same type at the same limit balanced with respect to the empty seats. Rather than one full game, and one short game, two games at the same limit would have the same number of empty seats. The rules that govern when and how players can move between such games vary from cardroom to cardroom. For example, if a cardroom has two 20-40 hold 'em games, and 14 players, rather than seat nine players at one game and five at the other, the floor personnel ensure that the games stay at seven and seven. If one more player comes in, the games would become eight and seven. Whatever is considered the main game--sometimes the more desirable game in terms of action; sometimes the game that started first--gets the extra player when there are an odd number of players. The reason to have balanced games is so the cardroom doesn't lose players who might not otherwise hang around to play in a short game. What often results is two short games full of disgruntled players. Compare with forced-move game.

(n) Dollar; dollar chip.

(n phrase) brick and mortar cardroom.

(n phrase) brick and mortar club.

(v) Act as cashier, that is, sell and buy chips, usually in a private game. (The term has a different meaning in house-banked casino games.)

(n) 1. The player who sells and buys the chips, usually in a private game. This function is often fulfilled by the host of the game. 2. The player against whom all other players play in California games, analogous to the house in a casino.

1. (n) Playing capital. Sometimes expressed as BR. 2. (vt) Put up the money for one or more players; provide backing for. Also see sponsor.

(n) An Internet mailing list, based in the San Francisco Bay Area (hence the ba) devoted to discussions of poker. Also see rec.gambling.poker.

(vt) Officially exclude someone from playing in a particular establishment. "I hear Sin City barred Frankie for holding out."

(n phrase) 1. See dimestore. Comes from the name of the dimestore heiress. 2. In hold 'em, 10-5 as one's first two cards.

(n) Big August rec.gambling Excursion. An annual convention held in Las Vegas by members of rec.gambling.poker, that is, on-line poker players, featuring a no-limit tournament, other less-organized events, and much hilarity, including "must-toke" games such as Chowaha.

(n) full house. (Rare.)

(n) Very good hand; likely a wheel in lowball or a high straight flush in high poker.

(n) A variant of seven-card stud, played in home games only, in which 3s and 9s are wild. A player dealt a 3 face up must either match the pot or fold. In some games, the player is not even offered the opportunity of folding; he must match the pot. Since the number 4 also has special significance in the "real" game of baseball, it also has special meaning in baseball. A player dealt a face-up 4 immediately receives another face-down card, to be used as an extra hole card. Sometimes (rarely) the game is played as five-card stud, in which case the player dealt a face-up 4 receives another face-up card.

(n phrase) baseball.

(n phrase) bottom dealer.

(n) Bottom of the deck; usually preceded by from the. Usually refers to the move of a bottom dealer. "I saw him coming from the basement" means I saw him deal a card from the bottom of the deck.

(n phrase) In hold 'em, 3-A as one's first two cards; from the ice cream chain's "31 Flavors."

(n phrase) A $6 bet, consisting of a red chip ($5) and a white chip ($1). Such a bet would be made in a $3-$6 limit game. Bay comes from horseracing, where it is a reddish brown horse with black markings; red casino chips often have black markings on their edges.

(n) Shorthand, particularly in e-mail and Internet postings, for big blind.

1. (n) bet blind-raise blind (definition 1). 2. (v phrase) bet blind-raise blind (definition 2). One player asks another, "BBRB?" This means, if you bet blind, I will raise you blind," or, "If I bet blind, will you raise blind?"

(n) bottom dealer.

(n) Chip; dollar. "Dealer, would you sell me some ante beans?" "Cost ya a bean to get in this pot."

(n) 1. See loaded for bear. 2. Tight player.

1. (vt) Get ahead of. "I can't beat this game." 2. (n) The situation of losing a pot, often to someone defying the odds; usually preceded by bad. "I had four kings pat. The guy called a raise to draw three to ace-joker and made a five-high straight flush. What a bad beat!"

(v phrase) 1. In a stud game, have a hand better than any other player's board. The opposite is can't beat the board, and means that a particular player's entire seven-card hand cannot beat the four exposed cards of another player. 2. In hold 'em, have a hand that is better than the board. The opposite is can't beat the board, and implies that the player is playing the board. (See play the board.)

(n phrase) no peeky.

(n) A form of widow game found only in home games, in which each player is dealt five downcards, as in draw, followed by a betting round, and then 10 cards are arranged in two columns of five, with each turned face up one at a time, each followed by another betting round (yes, 11 betting rounds). Each player makes the best hand possible by using any combination from his five and two next to each other from the widow.

(n) A standard paper deck for cardroom use, made by the American Playing Card Company; so called because of a drawing of a large bee on the ace of spades. Since the cards often have a diamond pattern on the back, they are sometimes called diamond-back cards.

(n phrase) In hold 'em, 7-2 as one's first two cards.

(n) In high games, a no-pair hand (and one that is not a straight or flush, either) with no card higher than a 10.

(adv) 1. Losing. "Are you behind or ahead?" 2. With regard to a reference position at the table, acting after (usually immediately after). If the deal is one position to your left, you are behind the deal. If a player is sitting to your left, he acts behind you.

(adv phrase) Describing a situation in which a player is far ahead of a game and thus playing only premium hands. Sometimes playing behind a log.

(adv phrase) behind a log.

(n phrase) A card that makes an inside straight.

(n phrase) A straight made by catching a belly buster.

(n) A card that makes an inside straight.

(n) 1. A card that makes an inside straight. 2. The situation in which a hand catches a card that makes an inside straight.

(n) inside straight.

(n) A card having its long edge shaved. See side strippers.

(n) side strippers.

(v phrase) Usually followed by to the bar. "I'm going to belly up to the bar" means "I'm going to go to the bar."

(adv) 1. Honestly; usually preceded by play. To play belly-up implies honest play from a usually dishonest player. "Why do I deal myself seconds? Because I can't win when I play belly-up." 2. Playing carefully, as opposed to recklessly. "I don't lose as much when I play belly-up, but I don't have any fun, either." 3. Broke; busted. "I went belly-up after I had that flush beat."

(v) Mark a card by creasing or folding slightly.

1. (n) A card marked by creasing or folding slightly, so that a cutter can cut to that card. See brief, hit the brief. 2. (adj) Pertaining to a card, having such a marking. Can also refer to a card being innocently or accidentally folded. "Give us a new deck; we've got a bent card."

(n phrase) See Jack Benny.

(n phrase) See Joe Bernstein.

(n) The nuts; usually preceded by the.

(n) An easy (to beat) game, particularly one full of live ones gambling it up.

(n phrase) A form of draw poker found only in home games, in which only flushes win. If there are more than one flush, the best one wins, exactly as if two or more flushes were competing in an ordinary game. If there is only one five-card flush, that hand wins. If there are no flushes, then the best four-card flush wins. If there are no four-card flushes, then the best three-card flush wins. Rarely, the best two-card flush wins.

(n) A cheating technique, necessarily involving signals, in which only the best hand among two or more partners is played in any one pot, thereby saving the others money when that hand is beat, and reducing the difficulties of figuring out who gets how much at split time. For example, Slim and Shorty are playing best-hand in a lowball game. Slim is under the gun with a pat 7-6-3-2-A, and is about to open, when he sees Shorty signaling that he has a pat 6-5-4-3-2. Slim very carefully discards his hand. (He does not throw the cards wildly into the discards; they might bounce and accidentally turn over. Slim would have a difficult time explaining to the other players why he wasn't even opening the pot with such a good hand.) Shorty plays the hand, and likely wins it. If he loses, however, he doesn't cause Slim also to lose money to the holder of the winning hand, thereby saving the cheating team half of what they would have lost. Best-hand is one of the most difficult scams to detect, because the players are not raising for each other, nor are they performing any physical manipulations upon the cards. Even with careful observation, best-hand could easily be confused with the legitimate situation of players staying out of each other's way.

(n phrase) 1. Advantage or edge. In lowball, it might be said of a conservative player, "When you're both drawing, he's usually got the best of it." For this sense, the opposite of worst of it. 2. An edge gained by cheating; often preceded by taking or take. "He's never in a game unless he's taking the best of it."

1. (v) Wager. "I bet." 2. (n) The action required of a person whose turn it is to bet. "Whose bet is it?" 3. A unit wager in a limit game. "It's three bets up to you" means, if you come into the pot, you have to put in three betting units." If you were in a $2-limit game, you would have to put $6 in the pot to play (or $8--four bets--if you raised); If you were in a $200-limit game, you would have to put $600 in the pot to play.

(v phrase) A variation found in home games in which there is an extra round of betting after players have made their declaration. The showdown follows this round of betting. Also called bet-declare-bet.

(v phrase) Make a bet without looking at one's cards. This occurs most frequently in lowball, in which a player draws one or more cards and, on the second round of betting, bets before receiving the card or cards. This is done usually for the purpose of stimulating action, but sometimes to discourage an opponent from raising. Sometimes players claim to bet blind but have actually seen their draw card or cards; doing this is considered bad form, and gives the claimant a bad reputation. The term is also heard in seven-card stud, with a player betting before receiving the river card, or in hold 'em before the river card is dealt.

1. (n phrase) The term usually applies to a draw game, generally lowball, and is often shortened to BBRB. The situation in which one player offers to bet without looking at his cards if the second will raise, similarly without looking at his cards, 2. (v phrase) This is usually part of a proposition. That is, one player asks another, "Bet blind, raise blind?" This means, "If you bet blind, I will raise you blind."

(v phrase) See dark.

(v phrase) bet after the declare.

(v phrase) See felt.

(v phrase) Bet a hand with the intention of getting called by one or more lesser hands, as opposed to getting the others to fold. Usually implies betting a hand that has only a slight edge, and one that a conservative player would likely check with. Also value bet.

(v phrase) Make a bet before another player, often one who potentially has a better hand, or make a wager aimed at a particular player or hand. "How could you bet into him when he stood pat?" Or, "I never bet into a one-card draw."

(v phrase) See come.

(n, adj phrase) bet-or-fold.

(n, adj phrase) A form of draw poker in which, before the draw, if the pot has not yet been opened, a player must, in turn, either open the pot, or fold. Also called pass-and-out or pass-out. Compare with pass-and-back-in.

(v phrase) Put money in the pot before it is one's turn to do so, that is, before other players who are supposed to act first have had a chance to indicate what they are going to do. In most cardrooms, acting out of turn is not binding. A player who puts money in the pot out of turn is usually permitted to withdraw that money, and is usually required to do so. Betting out of turn is often an honest mistake, particularly from a beginner or someone who doesn't pay enough attention to what is going on; sometimes, though, it is an angle intended to influence the action of others.

(v phrase) See farm.

(v phrase) Bet the maximum permitted, usually in a spread-limit, no-limit, or pot-limit game.

(v phrase) Make a bet equal to the size of the pot, in a no-limit or pot-limit game.

(n phrase) A betting limit in which a player can bet or raise a maximum equal to the total amount of chips the previous player has put into the pot. For example, Joe opens for one chip. Henry can call the one chip or raise one chip (thus betting two). If Henry bets two, Emilie can call the two chips or raise two chips (thus betting four). If Emilie bets four, Chloe can call the four chips or raise four chips (thus betting eight). And so on.

(v phrase) See ranch.

(v) When a player bets first in a situation in which two or more active players remain, he is said to be betting through the players between him and the last player. Sometimes come through.

(n phrase) The period of time in a given round during which each active player has the option, in turn, of folding, betting, or raising, that is, from the first to the last bet in that round.

(n phrase) The limit at which a tournament is currently being played at a particular time. For example, a hold 'em tournament might start at a betting level of 20-40, and then after 20 minutes, increase to a betting level of 40-80.

(n phrase) See limit (definition 1).

(n phrase) betting interval.

(n phrase) A poker game played only in private or home games, a form of seven-card stud in which 5s and 9s are wild.

(n) The second-highest game in a particular club. Compare with A-game, big apple.

(n) In lowball, the best hand: in ace-to-five (the version of lowball usually played in California cardrooms), a bicycle is A-2-3-4-5 of various suits (including all the same suit); in deuce-to-seven lowball (the no-limit version of lowball often played in tournaments in Nevada casinos), a bicycle is 2-3-4-5-7 of mixed suits (they cannot be all the same suit). In high poker, a 5-high straight. Also called a wheel or a lowball. The name may have come from Bicycle cards.

(n) A paper cardroom deck manufactured by the American Playing Card Company with cards that feature a bicycle rider on the back. Also called Rider back. Compare with Bee deck.

(v, n) declare, as pertains to declaration (definition 2).

(adj) Pertaining to $1000. "I lost six big" means "I lost $6000."

(n) Big game, often the biggest game in a particular club. "I lost $1000 in the big apple today." Also, apple.

(n phrase) 1. Describing a pot-limit or no-limit game. 2. In a double-limit game, a bet at the larger bet size. For example, in 10-20, small bets are $10 and big bets are $20.

(adj, n phrase) 1. A pot-limit or no-limit game. 2. high-stakes game.

(adj, n phrase) A pot-limit or no-limit game.

(n phrase) 1. $100 bill. 2. $1000 bill.

(n phrase) In a three-blind traveling blind game, the blind put up by the player two places to the dealer's left. In any traveling blind game, the largest mandatory (as opposed to voluntary) blind. Also see middle blind, little blind, dealer blind.

(n phrase) A nonstandard hand sometimes given value in a private or home game, four cards to a straight flush. The hand ranks just below four of a kind.

(n) The 10 of diamonds; in lowball, a hand topped by this card. Comes from the game casino. Also see little casino.

(n) big tiger.

(n) $10,000; usually heard only among sports bettors.

(n phrase) A nonstandard hand sometimes given value in a private or home game, five cards 9 to ace with no pair, which ranks below a little tiger and above a little dog.

(n phrase) In hold 'em, the highest possible full house, that is, three aces and two kings.

(n phrase) The biggest game in the house; usually preceded by the.

(n phrase) A powerful hand, perhaps a full house or better in high poker, or a 6 or better in lowball. "His hand shakes whenever he has a big hand."

(n) One of the largest games played in a particular establishment or area. "He plays only big limit."

(adj) Pertaining to big limit. "He's a big-limit player."

(n) $500.

(n) $100 or $1000, or a bill of that size. "How'd you do today?" "Lost a big one." (You can usually tell by the size of game the player habitually plays how much he means.) 2. big game. "Got your name up for the big one?"

(n) A big-limit player, or someone who plays in large no-limit games.

(n phrase) In hold 'em, A-K as one's first two cards. Also known as Santa Barbara.

(n phrase) High-low six-card stud, sometimes played with a twist.

(n phrase) A nonstandard hand sometimes given value in a private or home game, five cards 8 to king with no pair, which ranks above a tiger and just below a flush. Also called big cat.

(n phrase) full wrap.

(n) bicycle.

(n) 1. A $100 bill. When you cash out just over $100, the cashier might ask, "Do you want a bill?" The cashier wants to know if you would prefer five twenties, or a single $100 bill. 2. $100. "How'd you do?" "I lost a bill today."

(n phrase) 1. Someone who checks out the action at a club (usually implying that he was sent by a rival club). For example, Big George wanders into the Pasatiempo Club about 10 p.m., hangs on the rail for awhile, and then leaves, without putting his name down for any of the games. The manager of the Pasatiempo knows that Big George is heading back to the Garden Snake Club to report that the Pasatiempo has 15 full tables, and several names on the board. The manager says to the owner, "Did you see that bird dog Big George in here just now?" "Yeah, don't mind seeing him in here when we've got a full house." (The owner would mind if half the tables were empty, because he wouldn't want that information to get back to the owner of the rival Garden Snake Club.) 2. Someone who hustles players from one club into another. (Doing so is strictly against all cardroom etiquette, and is likely to get the perpetrator barred if he's caught.)

(n) Queen.

(n) vigorish.

1. black chip. (adj) 2. See all black.

(n phrase) A $100 chip, in many cardrooms and casinos.

(n phrase) A high-stakes game, that is, one using $100 chips.

(n phrase) 1. The queen of spades; sometimes called just Maria. 2. The ace of spades, particularly when associated with the game of high spade in the hole. 3. high spade in the hole. 4. Also in home games, seven-card stud in which the pot is split between the holder of the high hand and the player who has the queen of spades in the hole.

(n) A card of no value to a hand. The term is usually used in stud and hold 'em. For example, in hold `em, with a flop of A J T, a turn card of 3 would be considered a blank. The 2 or Q would not be.

(n) 1. A hand consisting of five face cards. It has no ranking in cardroom poker, though sometimes does in private games. The term is often used by lowball players to embellish their hard-luck stories. "That guy just got his second bicycle, and what'd I get? Another blaze." 2. A nonstandard hand sometimes given value in a private or home game, consisting of five face cards, ranking between two pair and three of a kind.

(v) Win a lot of money a little at a time, from either a game or a particular player.

1. (n) A bet put in by a player before he gets his cards. A blind is part of that player's bet if he comes into the pot, as opposed to an ante, which just "belongs to the pot." A blind can be mandatory, as in a traveling blind game (with its dealer blind, middle blind, and big blind), winner blind game, or one in which each player must blind a pot within a specified time, or else it can be optional, in which case it is often called a kill or overblind. Also see under-the-gun blind and little blind. 2. The player who puts in the blind. "Whose turn is it?" "It's up to the blind." 3. (v) Put in one of the blinds. "It's your turn to blind the pot." "It's your turn to blind." 4. (adv) Without looking at one's cards. "I'll bet blind." 5. (v) Make a blind check; usually followed by it. "I'll blind it." For definitions 1 to 3, also see come in on the blind, in the blind, miss the blind, take the middle blind.

(adv) Describing the Southern California form of limit poker, in which one blind is put in by the player to the left of the deal position, and any player winning two pots in a row must overblind the next hand (that is, double the stakes). Who wins a hand is usually kept track of by a plastic disk labeled "blind" on one side. The winner of one pot receives the disk face down with his chips; if he wins the next pot, the house dealer turns the disk so that the "blind" side is face up. For example, in a 3-blind game, the player under the gun puts three dollar chips in the pot before receiving his cards, and he acts last on the first round of betting. Sometimes also called -kill.

(n phrase) A game in which the player to the left of the dealer (the blind) puts in (usually) one chip before getting any cards, and the player to his left (the straddle) puts in two chips. This represents a blind open followed by a blind raise. The first player to have a choice on making a bet after having seen his cards is the player two positions to the left of the dealer. This is an old name for what is now called a two-blind traveling blind game. This is similar to ante and straddle. Also see little blind, middle blind, big blind.

1. (v phrase) bet blind. 2. (n phrase) A bet made (presumably) without looking at one's cards.

(n phrase) A game with blinds. See blind (definition 1).

(v phrase) In a tournament, when a player doesn't show up at the start of a tournament but has paid for his chips, or after a break or on a second or succeeding day of play, his chips are put into the pot to cover his blind (definition 1) or blinds each time the blinds come to him, until he does show up. If the player never shows up, all his chips might be blinded off.

(adv phrase) Pertaining to the situation described under blind off.

(n phrase) 1. A game in which the player to the left of the dealer (the blind) puts in (usually) one chip before getting any cards. After all the cards have been dealt, the player to the left of the blind must either fold, call the opening bet, or raise. In some games, this player must come in for a raise (or fold). 2. An opening bet made without looking at one's cards.

(n phrase) blind open (definition 1).

(n phrase) A game or situation in which the player to the left of the dealer (the blind) puts in (usually) one chip before getting any cards and the next player puts in two chips. This is a forced raise.

(n) Someone who steals the blind (usually from the middle blind position to win the big blind, or the dealer position to win both blinds), that is, opens a pot without having good cards, hoping the blind will just throw his cards away and the opener can win the chips represented by the blind or blinds without having to actually play the hand. See steal the blinds.

(n) blind robber.

(n) A home game, also called Mike or racehorse, played as five-, six-, or seven-card stud, with the exception that all cards are dealt face down. For example, in the seven-card stud variant, each player receives three cards face down, followed by a round of betting, another card face down, another round of betting, a fifth card face down, another round of betting, a sixth card face down, another round of betting, and a final card face down, with a final round of betting. The game generates a lot of action, but is more of a gamble--and thus presents less opportunity to the skillful, analytical player--than the "normal" stud versions with their several rounds of face-up cards.

(n phrase) blind open (definition 1).

(v) peg.

(n) The marks put on cards described under peg.

(n) A totally worthless hand. When caught bluffing, a player might announce, "I've got a blivit."

(n) A worthless watch. This has cardroom relevance, because you will often encounter a broker trying to sell you a hoop or a block.

(n phrase) Marking the backs of cards by covering part of the design with ink. Compare with cutout work.

(n phrase) 1. A form of blind open (definition 1) in which large compulsory blind bets start the action. 2. blockout work.

(n) In hold 'em, 6-3 as one's first two cards.

(n phrase) A, usually, high-stakes poker game, in which the prime objective of the players is to win money. Also called cutthroat game. The opposite of a social game.

(n phrase) 1. blood game. 2. Playing poker primarily for money, as opposed to social reasons. See social game.

(n) blooker.

(n) The joker. This term is used only by those who have played a lot in home games and not much in cardrooms. Sometimes called blook.

1. (vt) Lose a pot. "I blew that pot." 2. (vi) Lose. "How you doing?" "Blowing." "On the nose he never blows."

(v phrase): Lose one's profit, often due to having stuck around too long.

(adj) See all blue.

1. (v) Bet a weak hand with the hope of driving the other players out. Sometimes done with the intention of losing (and thus being forced to show the hand), which makes it a form of advertising. See advertise. 2. (n) The act of bluffing. "That was a good bluff." For both meanings, also called snow.

(n) A hand with which a player feels he must call, even in a situation in which he is likely to lose. If a player stands pat in draw, and you call with three aces, you can say, "I had a bluff catcher." Some players (sometimes facetiously) refer to a good hand as a bluff catcher, often when they just call with the hand in preference to raising, probably because they're afraid of being reraised. For example, in lowball, Susie bets after having drawn two cards. Tight John flat calls (see flat call) her (that is, he does not raise) with 7-5-3-2-A. Most players would consider that a raising hand after the draw. John does not want to be accused of playing tight, so he says, "I've got a bluff catcher," as he shows down his cards. (And further reinforces his image. No one would call him with less than a 6-4 if he ever raised after the draw.)

(n) 1. A list of players' names or initials, those who want seating in or changes to particular games. In many clubs, there really is a blackboard or other large writing surface at the front or side of the room with lists of names. 2. In hold 'em, the community cards, or sometimes just the flop. 3. In seven stud, one's upcards (as opposed to downcards or hole cards).

(n) cinch, lock.

(n) board man.

(n phrase) The casino employee (it could be a person of the female persuasion) who writes names or initials on theboard, and calls players as their seats open up. Also, boardman, board person. (Why isn't there a board woman? Who knows?)

(n) board man.

(n phrase) board man.

1. (n) full house. 2. (vi) Make a full house. "I drew three cards and boated."

(n) Four cards to a straight or flush.

(n phrase) Four cards to a flush.

(n phrase) bobtail straight.

(n phrase) 1. Four cards to a straight. Also see double-ended straight, open-ended straight, two-way hand, two-way straight. 2. A nonstandard hand, four cards to a straight, that ranks higher than one pair and lower than a four-card flush.

(n) A $1 chip. Probably comes from home poker games, in which the white chips are usually the lowest denomination.

(n) premium.

(n) 1. In draw poker (high), the drawing of three cards. "How many cards do you need?" "Gimme a book." 2. "The book" is a mythical set of instructions supposedly containing the poker wisdom of the ages. A player speaks of "playing by the book," by which he means he is playing a hand the way he thinks it is supposed to be played; such players usually think "playing by the book" is equivalent to playing tight. Actually, there is no book.

(n phrase) rule book.

(v, n) raise.

(n phrase) Markings (or cosmetics) put on the borders of cards with paint, ink, or some other fluid, so that a thief can read the ranks (and sometimes suits) of the cards from the back or side. See shade work. Sometimes called edge work. Compare with daub, paint, shade work, and shading.

(n) 1. The winner of a pot. 2. Any excellent hand.

(n) Card dealt from the bottom of the deck.

(v phrase) deal bottoms.

(n phrase) A cheat who deals cards from the bottom of the deck. Also sometimes called b-dealer, subway dealer, or cellar dealer.

(v phrase) In hold 'em, pairing one of your hole cards with the lowest card on the flop. For example, if you have A 7, and the flop is Q T 7, you have flopped bottom pair.

(n) Cards dealt from the bottom of the deck.

(n) bottom dealer.

(n) See mistigris.

(n) gamble (definition 1). "He has a lot of bounce."

(n) A premium paid in some tournaments for busting another player. Sometimes a bounty is given for knocking anyone else out; sometimes particular players (for example, winners of previous tournaments; well-known players) have bounties on them.

(n) A tournament in which bounties are offered. See bounty.

(n) 1. A (usually empty) rack (of chips). "Time to cash out. Bring me three boxes." 2. box man. 3. The chip rack in front of the house dealer from which he or she makes change for or sells chips to the players. 4. By extension, the house dealer's location when dealing, usually heard as part of the phrase in the box, which literally means engaged in dealing.

(adj) Facing the wrong way, usually said of a card in a deck. "Redeal those, houseman. I see a boxed card."

(n phrase). See boxed.

(n) House dealer.

(n) Jack. "I have three boys" means "I have three of a kind, jacks."

(n) bankroll (definition 1).

(n) bragg.

(n) The gold bracelet awarded (along with the prize money) to the winner of one of the events of the World Poker Tour. By extension (metonymy), the wearer of such a bracelet. For example, you might hear someone say at a tournament, "There were five bracelets at my table."

(n) An ancient English card game that some say is an ancestor of poker. Its name comes from a challenge, the word "brag," issued at some point in the game by one player to the rest to come up with cards as good as his.

(n) The nuts; usually preceded by the.

1. (vt) Win all of somebody's chips. "Who broke Smiley?" 2. Miss. "I broke the hand when I caught a 10." That implies that the 10 was not the card the player wanted to draw. 3. Throw away part of a lowball hand (presumably with the intention of making a better hand, because as it stands the hand is probably not a winner). "I knew he had me beat, so I broke the 8, and came back on a 6, and beat a slick 7 for him." 4. Remove some chips from your stack, usually followed by [one's] stack or chips. In some clubs, if you break your stack when it is your time to bet, that is considered a bet, and you must follow through, that is, complete the bet. This is to prevent an angle shooter from putting chips into the pot to gauge another's reaction and then withdrawing the chips without betting; in some clubs a bet is not considered complete until the player has released the chips from his hand. 5. (vi) In lowball, to draw. (The implication is that if circumstances were different the player could stand pat on the hand.) "You don't need any cards? Okay, I'll break."

(v phrase) Perform the action of stopping a game from being played, when, for example, only a few players remain--not enough for a full game--after other players have quit. Such action is generally performed by a floorperson. Sometimes break a game up.

(n phrase) 1. End up, after a playing session, neither winning nor losing, often implying after having been losing. 2. Part of the phrase cards break even.

(v phrase) In lowball, throw away part of a good hand to get a play from someone who would otherwise fold. "Come on, call the raise, and I'll break for action." The preceding might be heard in a no-limit lowball game in the following situation. One player has raised. The opener does not want to call because he needs two cards, which is not a good gamble against what might well be a pat hand. The raiser wants a call from the other because he has the potential of winning a very large pot as opposed to just a small pot if the other folds, so he tries to entice the opener, implying that if the opener draws two, he will break his pat hand and draw one. (The implication is only that he has a pat hand, not that he will draw. Once a player offers this sort of proposition, it is not proper cardroom etiquette to renege on it. While most cardrooms do not enforce propositions, the other players will consider a player who offers a proposition and does not follow through a poor sport and not believe him when he has a legitimate offer, nor will they ever give him any action.)

(n phrase) In lowball, an 8, 9, or 10 (that is, a hand topped by one of those cards) that can be broken under pressure. 9-4-3-2-A is a breaking hand, because you can throw the 9 and draw to a wheel; 9-8-7-3-A is not, because there really is no place to break. Also called a two-way hand.

(v phrase) In lowball, same as break (definition 3). "I'll break off the 9," means, "I have a pat 9, but I don't think it can win, so I shall throw away the 9 and draw one card to a [presumably] good hand."

(n phrase) vest holdout.

(n) See mistigris.

1. (n) In Omaha (or hold 'em), a useless card that hits the board. For example, you hold T-J-Q-K and the board has 7-8-9. You would now like a brick, or worthless card, to hit on the turn, to avoid sharing the pot with a low draw. 2. (v) To counterfeit. You might hear a player say, "The dealer bricked my lock." 3. Catch a bad card (usually referring to seven-card stud).

(n phrase) brick and mortar club.

(n phrase) A cardroom having a real physical location, with live players, as opposed to an online cardroom.

(n) A crimp, particularly one readily visible.

(n phrase) Suit order according to the game of bridge, that is, spades, hearts, diamonds, clubs. Bridge order comes into play when breaking a tie for high card in determining which hand gets the odd chip, who has the high-card forced bet in seven-card stud (as played in home games), or who starts the deal on the first hand at a particular table (see draw for seats).

(n) A tiny "ledge" shuffled into a deck by a cheater so that his accomplice can cut it at the prearranged location; a card offset by a barely perceptible fraction of an inch but able to be found by touch when cut. A brief can be felt but not easily seen; a good cutter can feel a 1/32-inch brief. Sometimes called jog, needle, or step.

(v phrase) Open (a pot). "Who brought it in?" means "Who opened?" In a no-limit game, followed by for and an amount means open for that amount, as, "I'll bring it in for $40" means "I'll open for $40," and implies that the bet is more than the minimum.

(n) 1. The amount required to open a pot. "What's the bring-in" is asked by a player who wants to know how much is the minimum he can bet, or how much is the required amount to open the pot. 2. The player who opened the betting.

(n phrase) bring-in. Also called opening bet.

(v phrase) Bring a cold deck into a game; substitute a prearranged deck for the one that is supposed to be dealt. Also, switch.

(v phrase) 1. If said at the showdown, means "I win." (That is, push the pot my way.) 2. If said when time to draw cards, means "Give me one card."

(v phrase) bring in.

(n) Ace-high straight; usually heard only in stud and community-card games.

(n) 1. In lowball, a 10-4 low. 2. In hold 'em, starting cards of a 10 and a 4. The term came from the 50s television show "Highway Patrol," starring Broderick Crawford, who always said "10-4" into his police radio; 10-4 is part of the police "10-code," and signifies affirmation or confirmation.

(n phrase) A game that just broke up, as, for example, when only a few players remain--not enough for a full game--after other players have quit. Some cardrooms allow a player entering another game after having last played in a broken game to be dealt in without having to post, kill, wait for the blind, or otherwise put up money to receive a hand.

(n) Someone with no money of his own who hangs around a cardroom waiting for a sucker to put him into a game--by staking him or lending money that likely will not be returned--or hoping for one of his few friends to make a score and give him part of it; a deadbeat, or a cardroom bum.

(n) See Doyle Brunson.

(n) brush person.

(n phrase) A brush person of the male persuasion. (Why isn't there a brush woman? Who knows?)

(v) Give a thief a secret sign to leave; usually brush someone off. This is usually done by a houseman who privately (in such a way as not to embarrass the thief and not to alert the unknowing customers that some of the patrons may not be strictly on the up-and-up) requests a player to leave. The request is often in the form of a finger run unobtrusively up the offender's spine. It can be a literal brushing motion (hence the name) of one hand down the other arm, starting below the elbow, across the other hand, which is palm down, to the fingertips. It can also be a brushing motion of one hand across the upper lip.

(n) The act of giving a thief a secret sign to leave. "I gave him the brush-off and he left right away." See brush off.

(n phrase) A casino employee who works in the cardroom, usually just outside it, whose job is somewhat akin to that of a sideshow barker or a nightclub greeter, in that this person tries to attract prospective players into the cardroom. The brush person talks to casino patrons who may be lingering on the edge of the cardroom area, perhaps wondering what is going on and maybe needing only a bit of explanation or other coercion to actually sit down in a game. "Are you a poker player? Oh, just home games? Well, feel free to watch our games, and ask me if you have any questions." "Oh, you do play? But you haven't played here? What do you usually play? Oh, seven stud? We have several seven stud games, with limits from 2/4 all the way up to 300/600. What size game were you interested in?" The name brush comes from the employee's job, when no prospective players are in sight, of brushing off a table that has just become empty, that is, cleaning the table up for the next game.

(n) The position just out of the money in a tournament; often part of the phrase on the bubble. For example, if a tournament pays 16 places, the player unfortunate enough to bust out in the 17th position is said to have been on the bubble.

1. (n) A marker used in games with a house dealer to indicate the deal position. Once upon a time, an actual buck knife was used as the marker, hence the name. Usually found now as part of the phrase pass the buck, that is, refuse to deal when it is one's turn to deal, passing the deck instead to the next player to the left. The phrase has passed into general usage meaning shift responsibility to someone else, and has found a place in most collections of famous quotations and sayings with Harry Truman's well-known slogan, "The buck stops here." 2. (vt) Go up against [(usually) a better hand], in the sense of an inferior hand trying to beat an obviously better hand. For example, a player who has, in seven-card stud, only a pair of jacks, playing against someone with an exposed pair of aces, is said to be in the process of bucking the aces. The term is also found as part of the phrase buck the odds. See also chase, worst of it.

(v phrase) See buck (definition 2).

(n) 1. The joker when used as a "partially wild card" in high draw poker and ace-to-five lowball. In high, it is good for aces, straights, and flushes. It makes a third (or fourth) ace, but does not improve any other pair. In a deck with the bug, a rank of hand exists higher than any straight flush: five aces. Examples: Two aces, two 3s, and the bug make a full house, aces full of 3s. Two kings, two 3s, and the bug make two pair, kings and 3s, with an ace kicker. 3 4 6 7 plus the bug, bug makes a 7-high straight, with the bug representing a 5. 4 5 6 7 plus the bug makes an 8-high straight, with the bug representing an 8. With four to a flush plus the bug, the bug always makes the flush as good as it could be. In 5 7 J Q plus the bug, the bug is the A, and makes an ace-queen flush, even if someone else has the "real" ace of diamonds. (In fact, it is possible for two players both to have ace-high flushes in the same suit, something not possible in a deck with no wild cards.) If the flush already has an ace, the bug becomes the next lowest card. In A 9 7 2 plus the bug, the bug is the K. In A K Q 2 plus the bug, the bug is the J. In 9 T J Q plus the bug, the bug is the K, and makes a king-high straight flush. In lowball, the bug is the lowest unmatched card in a hand. Examples: in 6 5 3 2 plus the bug, the bug is an ace. In 4 3 2 A plus the bug, the bug is a 5. In the high use, sometimes called snoozer. 2. A cheating device to hold a card to the underside of a table. Compare with clip.

(n) In lowball, a straight 8 (definition 2). Buick used to build a straight 8 engine.

(v phrase) Put a game together to accommodate a particular player, often a live one or producer. "When Arco Al came in, they built a game around him."

(n) Ace; also bullet.

(n) Ace; also bull.

(n) Chips. Also called ammunition.

(v phrase) 1. Bluff a lot. 2. Bet aggressively, regardless of one's cards; run over the game.

(n phrase) In hold 'em, 3-5 as one's first two cards.

(adj) In lowball, when referring to the rank of a hand, not good; usually followed by a rank. "I have a bum 8" means a rough 8, presumably 8-7-6.

(v, n) raise. This term is used only by those who have played a lot in home games and not much in cardrooms.

(v phrase) 1. (v phrase) Two players fight it out for a pot, and both get all their chips in the pot. 2. The situation in which two players seem to going up against each other a lot. After John has just played his third hand against Sue with no other participants in the pot, he might say to her, "Are we bumping heads?"

(n) 1. Large bet. "When I checked, he bet a bundle, and I couldn't call." 2. Large bankroll (definition 1).

(adj) Losing heavily. "How ya doin'?" "I'm buried."

(n phrase) concealed pair.

1. (v) Take the top card out of play, usually by placing it face down among the discards, or else protect it by a capper. In versions of draw poker, a card is usually burned before the draw cards are distributed; in stud and hold 'em, a card is usually burned before each round of cards is dealt. (This differs from blackjack, in which the card is placed face up on the bottom of the deck.) 2. (n) The card that is burned. Also called burn card.

(v phrase) Function as a poker dealer, from the practice of burning a card before dealing either a round of face-up cards (in stud) or the flop (in hold 'em). See burn.

(n) burn (definition 2).

(v, n) burn. Sometimes a distinction is made between bury and burn. If the distinction is made, in a bury the card is placed in the middle of the undealt portion of the deck.

(n) Part of the phrase waiting in the bushes. In the bushes and lying in the bushes mean the same thing. See weeds.

1. (n) A hand drawn to and missed. 2. Any worthless hand. 3. (vt) Win all of someone's chips. Usually you bust someone. 4. (vi) bust out (definition 1).

(adv) Having no money or chips.

(n phrase) bust (definition 1).

(n phrase) A missed flush. See bust (definition 1).

(n phrase) A missed straight. See bust (definition 1).

(n phrase) bust (definition 1).

(v phrase) 1. Miss the hand one is drawing to, usually in lowball. 2. Lose one's stake and be forced to leave a game. 3. Lose one's chips and be forced to leave a tournament.

(n) broker.

(n phrase) A crooked gaming establishment. See joint. Also flat shop.

(n) 1. The disk or other marker that indicates the dealer position in a game dealt by a house dealer. 2. The actual dealer position (or, usually, the player in that position) in a game dealt by a house dealer. "I opened the pot, and the button raised."

(n phrase) A house collection drop, paid each hand by whoever happens to be on the button.

1. (v) In draw poker, receive one or more cards. "What did you buy on the draw?" means "What card or cards did you receive?" 2. Purchase chips. 3. Bluff. "Did you buy that pot?" 4. (n) In draw poker, the card or cards one draws. "What was your buy on the draw?" "Nine of diamonds, jack of clubs." 5. The act of drawing cards. "What did you catch on the buy?"

(v phrase) Get into a poker game or start a playing session by the act of buying chips. "How much did you buy in for?" means "How many chips did you purchase when you sat down to play?"

(n) 1. The minimum amount required to get into a game. "The buy-in for limit games is 10 times the lower limit; for example, in a $2-$4 game, the buy-in is $20." 2. The amount of chips with which one started a poker playing session. "He won $500 on a $10 buy-in."

(v phrase) Buy less than the minimum required for the game. See short.

(v phrase) match the pot.

(v phrase) "I check" or "I pass."

(adv phrase) See book.