The language of online poker is, naturally, based heavily on the original game. Because of the diverse locations that the game has been played in, the dialect of poker is eclectic and confusing. This list of basic Texas Hold ‘Em terms terms is not exhaustive, but gives you a good starting point for the game.
Blinds – Forced bets that replace the ante in community card games. There’s a small blind and big blind. The player to the left of the dealer pays the small blind while the one to their left plays the big blind. These make sure there is money in the pot to start every hand.
Drawing: To draw is to attempt to improve your hand with the cards that will come on the board. You are “on a draw” when you want other cards to come out on the board to complete your hand. If you have 10-9 offsuit and QJ2, you are trying to draw an eight or a king on the turn or river.
Flop: These are the first three board cards in hold ‘em. These are placed after the initial round of betting based on the hole cards dealt to each player.
Outs: These are cards that can improve your hand. If the flop is QJ4 and you are holding 10-9, you want a King or Eight to complete the straight. You have a total of eight outs because there are four kings and four eights in the deck.
Position: Where you sit at the poker table. It’s very important to see how others bet when you play. The small blind has the worst position because he acts first, blindly. The dealer has the best position because he bets last and therefore has a better understanding of what other people have in their hand.
The River: The final card placed on the board in a Texas Hold Em game.
Turn: The fourth cards that comes out in holdem games. Players frequently will say they’re “waiting for the turn” to see if they are going to continue playing, even if they’ve betted on the flop.