Learning to speak Texas Hold’em as well as you play it is all part of the fun and excitement of the world’s most popular poker game!
Some of the terms and slang used are self-explanatory, some humourous, others startlingly apt, but all very relevant to the game and your knowledge of it.
To help you along we have put together a comprehensive list of terms. Read them, memorise the ones you find worthy of repeat, and begin to speak Hold’em as well as you play it!
This is part 4 covering the letters G-K. The remainder of the alphabet will be gradually introduced to allow meanings to soak in.
Have fun reading!
G is for:
Grinder:
• Is someone who involves themselves in long poker sessions and make solid, small profits. This is achieved through minimal gambling and risk taking.
Gut Shot:
• This means you either draw to and/or hit an inside straight. It is also known as an “inside straight draw”
H is for:
Hand History:
• For those who play online poker this can be a useful reference archive. Hand History allows you to keep a record of every hand you have played. This detail can be used to analyse play and help improve your game
Heads Up:
• A Heads Up play is when only 2 players are left in the pot. It is also used in tournaments to indicate the final 2 players left. They will play until the winner triumphs
Heater:
This keeps your hands hot and your wallet even hotter! It is when a player is on a hot run with their cards and they are hitting lots of strong hands
High-Card:
• In flop tournaments, this determines who will be the first dealer. Each player is dealt 1 card. The person with the highest card gets to deal first. Note: Priority of suit order in the event 2 players have the same high card is: Spades, Hearts, Diamonds, Clubs
High-Low:
• Split pot games
Hijack:
• A player is in the Hijack position when they are to the right of the Cut-Off and 2 places to the right of the dealer
Hole Cards:
• The 2 cards all players are dealt before betting begins
Hooks:
• A pair of Jacks
I is for:
Implied Odds:
• While implied odds do not actually exist during an active round, players can factor them in when they hit the right card to make a hand. In such instances, working out implied odds gives you the amount of money you would win should you make the required hand
In Position:
• When you act after 1 or more players in a hand this is classed as “being in position” The advantage it carries is that you get to see how every other player acts first
In The Money:
• Where you want to be! This is the final part of a tournament. Every player left will win something
K is for:
Keep Them Honest:
• This is when you call at the end of a hand in order to prevent another player from bluffing
Key Card:
• This is the card that gives you a big draw or one that makes your hand
Key Hand:
• This is known as the hand that is the turning point for a player. This can be for positive or negative reasons
Kicker:
• When multiple players have tied hands with each having a 2, 3 or 4-card hand the next highest card breaks the tie. This is the Kicker card. If players are holding a 3-card hand (i.e. 3-of-a-kind) 2 Kickers can be used
Kick It:
• This is when a player calls a Raise
Kill Pot:
• This is forced play from a player who has just won a pot (or pots!). It is intended to stimulate the table action
Knock:
• Rather than play you pass
Kojak:
• Any hand containing a K-J
That’s it for the letters G to K in our installment of “Texas Hold’em – The A-Z of Poker speak”. There is little doubt you will be familiar with some of the terms above, but hopefully you have added to your Texas Hold’em vocabulary with ones previously unheard of.
There’s lots more to come:
Do keep a close eye out as we build this extensive compendium on the A-Z of Hold’em jargon. It will add to your knowledge of common terms as well as the more obscure ones. What is more, you will be able to impart your knowledge to friends as well as foes!
Our next article continues with the letter’s ‘L’ to ‘N’ and includes ‘Limper’, ‘Muck’ and why ‘The Nuts’ and ‘Monster’ are what you are after!