Poker lingo can be very confusing. Just like computer talk, if you don't know it, you don't get it. This is a second helping of poker terms to help you know what you hearing.



Ante- The ante is a small contribution each player is required to make in order to play the next hand. The purpose is to induce action at the table. In holdem cash games this has typically been replaced by the "blinds" system.

Bottom Pair- If you pair the lowest card on the flop, you have flopped bottom pair. If the flop is Ks-Jd-4c, and you have Ac4d, you have flopped bottom pair.

Burn Card- A burn card is a discard made from the top of the deck before each betting round. This is done as a security in case someone has caught a glimpse of the top card.

Overcall- An overcall is made when you call a bet after more than one other play has also called the bet.

Pot Odds- Pot odds dictate the value of calling bets on your drawing hands. For example, if you have the nut flush draw, and the bet is $6. The pot now has $60, so putting in $6 means you only have to get the willing hand 1/11 times (and make no more than this pot) to break even. Since you will hit your flush 1/5 times, it would be incorrect to fold. The pot odds dictate that you call in this situation.

Priced In- In tournaments especially you will get some unusual situations where you will call with weak hands. This will happen when a short stack goes all-in. You are in the big blind with a nice sized stack. The pot has 2,000 chips and you need to put 350 in to call the all-in. Here you are priced in and should always call, with any two cards.

Rake- In most cash games, a rake is taken from the pot as a house fee for running the game. Some games require that there is a flop is seen before any rake is taken from the pot.

Ring Game- A ring game is another term for a cash game. Ring games are the most common form of poker.

4th Street- 4th street is the 4th card dealt to the board in Texas holdem. Many refer to this card as the turn card.

Satellite- A satellite is a tournament that qualifies you for a bigger event. Many players use this to try to play events that they can't afford to enter for the full price.

Short Stack- A short stack is a player with a small amount of chips compared to the other players. If you had $100, and everyone else has $800, you are a short stack.

Smooth Call- When you call a raise with people behind you still to act, you are making a smooth call. This usually is a sign of a very strong hand.

Tell- A poker tell is when you can see something that a player does that gives you information on the strength of his hand. KGB ate his Oreo cookie when he had the nuts in the movie Rounders. Matt Damon sees this and knows the strength of KGB's hand.