The Language of Poker
Saturday, August 2nd, 2008
Poker players use language that could be confusing. A novice to poker might get confused when sitting down to a table of seasoned poker players. This happens because poker players use words that might make no sense at all.
From the beginning of a game to the end, the players’ speech will need to be analyzed. At the beginning of the game, the players all ante. This is where they place an initial, low bet to create the pot, which is the amount of money the winner receives.
A small blind and a big blind are used in some versions of poker. These blinds are forced bets for the person sitting the left of the dealer and the next person going clockwise. If the player decides his hand is good enough to win, he will ante which is the same amount as the big blind.
Cards that are dealt to all the players are placed in the middle of the table are shared to make the hands in community types of poker. Using the two hole cards, the two face down cards that were dealt in the beginning, and the window cards, the player tries to create a winning hand. These are predetermined winning sets of five cards that are ranked from highest to lowest, such as a full house or a pair.
The community cards are placed on the table and called the window cards. The first three cards dealt face up are called the flop. The next two cards are called the turn and the river respectively.
The players must either fold or bet once the two hole cards are dealt. Someone who folded is a person who has decided that they will wait for the next round to play. It is most likely that they felt the hole cards would not make a good hand.
The player to the left of the dealer is the person who places the small blind. A dealer button is passed around to the players to show who will be the next person, in the next round, to place the small blind. The button travels clockwise around the table.
The dealer puts the flop into the window once the remaining players have anted. Based upon what is in their hole and the flop, the players will bet again. The person with the dealer button starts the betting if they feel the five cards showing will give them a win.
The remaining players must call, raise or fold. When a player calls, he is simply betting the same amount as the original bettor just to stay in the game. When a player raises a bet, he is adding more to the original bettor?s amount.
The last of the betting occurs when the flop, turn and river are in the window. A showdown is when the remaining players show what cards they have. When more than one player is left at the end of the round the one with the highest-ranking hand is the winner.
The highest-ranking hand wins the game. A high card, a pair, two pair, three of a kind, a flush, a straight, a full house, four of a kind, and a straight flush are the ranking hands respectively. When the pot is won, a new game is started.