Poker is a game that requires a sharp eye and buckets of confidence. But it’s also a game with its own vocabulary, and understanding it can help you make sense of the action on the table. Below we’ve put together a list of important poker terms to help you understand what’s going on and make the most of your time at the table.
Antes
An ante is the small amount of money players contribute to the pot before each hand begins. It’s usually set at a fixed amount per player. It helps to give the pot a value right away, and it allows for more betting in later stages of the hand.
Betting interval
A betting period in poker occurs when each player has the opportunity to place chips into the pot based on how much they believe their hand is worth. They may call (match) the total contribution of a previous player, raise it, or fold. If they fold, they lose the amount of their bet so far and the ability to continue participating in the hand.
The highest ranking poker hand according to the particular poker variant being played. It consists of five cards and includes the Royal Flush (A, K, Q, J, 10 of the same suit); Straight Flush (five consecutive cards of the same suit); Four of a Kind (four cards of the same rank); Two Pair (two matching cards of different ranks); High Card (breaks ties).
When a poker hand is complete, the remaining players reveal their cards and evaluate their hands. The player with the best hand wins the pot.