Home Gambling Terms Poker B Suggestions? Comments?

B  B The second position to the left of the dealer. Sometimes called just B.    B-Dealer A Bottom Dealer. A cheat who deals cards from the bottom of the deck. Also sometimes called b-dealer, subway dealer, or cellar dealer.    B-Game The second-highest game in a particular club.    Ba-Poker Dictionary An Internet mailing list, based in the San Francisco Bay Area (hence the ba) devoted to discussions of poker.    Baby A small card, usually a deuce through five in games other than lowball, and ace through five in lowball. "I caught a baby."    Back 1) Reverting to lowball, as in jacks back. 2) Finance another player.    Back Door Flush (Or Straight) Catching two cards to a flush.    Back in 1) In a pass-and-back-in game, come into the pot after having passed. 2) Come into a pot cheaply as a result of having a blind and there not having been a raise.    Back into 1) Win a pot unexpectedly or by default. For example, in a lowball game, John drew three cards and caught K-Q-J. He passed after the draw, planning to fold if anyone bet. The three one-card draws also passed, all having paired and all afraid to bet, and John backed into the pot. 2) End up with a hand other than the one you were drawing to. For example, in seven-card stud, start with two pair on the first four cards and end up with a flush.    Back Peek A cheating maneuver that enables the dealer to see the face of the top card on the deck, accomplished by squeezing the top of the deck between thumb and little finger in such a way as to bow the top card in the middle so that its value can be surreptitiously viewed. This move is made prior to dealing seconds. Also called heel peek.    Back Raise To make a small raise to prevent further or larger raises, when the number of raises in a betting interval is limited. Usually permitted only in home games, in which the rule that a raise must equal in size the previous bet or raise does not hold.    Back Seat A position on a round of betting in which you act after most of the other players have acted.    Back-to-Back Serially, or in a row. "I drew two cards and caught back-to-back kings."    Backdoor Catching both the turn and river card to make a drawing hand. For instance, suppose you have As- 7s. The flop comes Ad-6c-4s. You bet and are called. The turn is the Ts, which everybody checks, and then the river is the Js. You've made a "backdoor" nut flush.    Backdoor Straight Catching two cards to a straight.    Backed Up 1) Paired. "I have kings backed up" means, in a draw poker game, "I have one pair, kings." In hold 'em, wired. 2) In seven stud, having a pair in the hole.    Backer Someone who finances another player. "How you gonna get into the tournament? I thought you were broke." "I have a backer."    Backing The cash supplied by a backer (Someone who finances another player.). "How you gonna get into the tournament? I thought you were broke." "I have backing."    Backline 1) Make an agreement between two or more players to accumulate chips in the following manner. One of the players usually maintains the back line. Whenever he or the player with whom he has made the arrangement wins a pot, a certain portion of the chips in that pot are put on the back line, that is, in a pool for later distribution. That amount could be one chip for each pot. It could be some specified larger amount, perhaps five or 10 chips. In a limit game, it could also be one chip for each bet in the pot, or one for each bet won by the winner of the pot. For example, in a $10-limit game, if two players are back lining one chip per bet, and one of them wins a $100 pot (that is, the pot contains 10 bets), $10 goes on the back line. If they are back lining one chip per bet won, and both of them (only) are in the pot, only $5 goes on the back line (because the winner of the pot profited by $50, or five bets). At some prearranged time, the players split the back line. That is the point of this arrangement, that when one of the players is running bad, he makes some money off his "partner's" good fortune. If the player who maintains the back line runs out of his own chips, there may be some argument about whether those chips are playable, or if the other player runs out of chips, he may want to get his share of the back line. For the reason that arguments sometimes arise from this sort of arrangement, many clubs do not permit back lining. In such clubs, some obstinate players do it anyway, but surreptitiously. It's best when back lining that all parties involved in the agreement maintain sufficient chips to avoid running out in one pot or having to use the back line chips to bet with. A sharp tight player tries to make a back lining arrangement with a loose player. The loose player may lose money overall, but he wins more pots (because he plays more pots), and so the back line accumulates. The loose player doesn't mind contributing when he's winning, and when he's losing, and his "partner" is lucky, he gets something from it. He just doesn't realize that he's taking the worst of it in yet another situation. 2) The chips accumulated by back lining. The name probably comes from where the chips are kept. The back line is usually a stack of chips behind the player's own playing capital. Sometimes the back line is kept on the wooden rim, if the table has one.    Backs The reverse sides of the cards, as opposed to the sides that show their ranks and suits.    Bad A hand of a particular type that will not beat many other hands of that type. Often used in low games to indicate non-nut low hands with a particular high card. A rough 8 in ace to five lowball could be any eight high hand other than 8432A, although 8532A isn't too rough. Rough is the opposite of smooth.    Bad Beat A very good hand, often a full house or higher, that is beat by an even better hand.    Bad Game Any game in which you figure to be the loser, because the other players are better than you.    Bad-Beat Jackpot In some card-rooms, a prize that is shared by the players in a game, when a very good hand (usually Aces full, or better) is beaten by a higher hand. Jackpots are usually financed by taking a drop ($1 is a common amount) from every pot. A typical division of the jackpot will give the losing hand 50 %, the winning hand 25 %, and the other players at the table share the remaining 25 % of the Jackpot    Bad-Beat Story A story told by someone who lost a pot, often a big one, in a bad beat. Usually no one but the teller is interested in hearing the story. The analog in the fishing world is the one that got away.    Bait A small bet made to encourage a raise.    Baker The second position to the left of the dealer. Sometimes called just B.    Balanced Games The philosophy in some public card room that keeps two games of the same type at the same limit balanced with respect to the empty seats. Rather than one full game, and one short game, two games at the same limit would have the same number of empty seats. The rules that govern when and how players can move between such games vary from card room to card room. For example, if a card room has two 20-40 hold 'em games, and 14 players, rather than seat nine players at one game and five at the other, the floor personnel ensure that the games stay at seven and seven. If one more player comes in, the games would become eight and seven. Whatever is considered the main game--sometimes the more desirable game in terms of action; sometimes the game that started first--gets the extra player when there are an odd number of players. The reason to have balanced games is so the card room doesn't lose players who might not otherwise hang around to play in a short game. What often results is two short games full of disgruntled players.    Banana Dollar; dollar chip.    Bank Act as cashier, that is, sell and buy chips, usually in a private game. (The term has a different meaning in house-banked casino games.)    Banker 1) The player who sells and buys the chips, usually in a private game. This function is often fulfilled by the host of the game. 2) The player against whom all other players play in California games, analogous to the house in a casino.    Bankroll 1) Playing capital. Sometimes expressed as BR. 2) Put up the money for one or more players; provide backing for.    Bar Officially exclude someone from playing in a particular establishment. "I hear Sin City barred Frankie for holding out."    Barbara Hutton In hold 'em, 10-5 as one's first two cards.    Barn A Full House, three of a kind and a pair.    Barnburner Very good hand; likely a wheel in lowball or a high straight flush in high poker.    Base Dealer A Bottom Dealer. A cheat who deals cards from the bottom of the deck. Also sometimes called b-dealer, subway dealer, or cellar dealer.    Baseball Plays the same as Seven Card Stud except that in this game, threes and nines are wild, and a four up allows you to buy an extra card. If a player gets a four up, he has the option to buy an additional card for a predetermined amount, which is then dealt up.With eight wild and extra cards, it is usually fair to say, if you ain't got 'em, get out. That is unless you are dealt a natural royal flush. BEE No. 92 (TM) n. Trade name for the "diamond back" cards frequently used in casino games.    Baseball Poker Dictionary Baseball.    Basement Bottom of the deck; usually preceded by from the. Usually refers to the move of a bottom dealer. "I saw him coming from the basement" means I saw him deal a card from the bottom of the deck.    Baskin-Robbins In hold 'em, 3-A as one's first two cards; from the ice cream chain's "31 Flavors."    Bay and a Gray A $6 bet, consisting of a red chip ($5) and a white chip ($1). Such a bet would be made in a $3-$6 limit game. Bay comes from horseracing, where it is a reddish brown horse with black markings; red casino chips often have black markings on their edges.    Bb Shorthand, particularly in e-mail and Internet postings, for big blind.    Bbrb 1) The term usually applies to a draw game, generally lowball, and is often shortened to BBRB. 2) The situation in which one player offers to bet without looking at his cards if the second will raise, similarly without looking at his cards.    Bean Chip; dollar. "Dealer, would you sell me some ante beans?" "Cost ya a bean to get in this pot."    Bear A tight player.    Beat 1) Get ahead of. "I can't beat this game." 2) The situation of losing a pot, often to someone defying the odds; usually preceded by bad. "I had four kings pat. The guy called a raise to draw three to ace-joker and made a five-high straight flush. What a bad beat!"    Beat the Board In a stud or hold'em game, have a hand better than any other player's board. The opposite is can't beat the board, and means that a particular player's entire seven-card hand cannot beat the four exposed cards of another player.    Bedsprings A form of widow game found only in home games, in which each player is dealt five down cards, as in draw, followed by a betting round, and then 10 cards are arranged in two columns of five, with each turned face up one at a time, each followed by another betting round (yes, 11 betting rounds). Each player makes the best hand possible by using any combination from his five and two next to each other from the widow.    Bee Deck A standard paper deck for card room use, made by the American Playing Card Company; so called because of a drawing of a large bee on the ace of spades. Since the cards often have a diamond pattern on the back, they are sometimes called diamond-back cards.    Beer Hand In hold 'em, 7-2 as one's first two cards.    Beggar In high games, a no-pair hand (and one that is not a straight or flush, either) with no card higher than a 10.    Behind 1) Losing. "Are you behind or ahead?" 2) With regard to a reference position at the table, acting after (usually immediately after). If the deal is one position to your left, you are behind the deal. If a player is sitting to your left, he acts behind you.    Behind a Log Describing a situation in which a player is far ahead of a game and thus playing only premium hands. Sometimes playing behind a log.    Belly Buster A draw to fill an insight straight; a gut shot.    Belly Card A card that makes an inside straight.    Belly Hit A card that makes an inside straight.    Belly-Buster Straight A straight made by catching a belly buster.    Belly-Up 1) Honestly; usually preceded by play. To play belly-up implies honest play from a usually dishonest player. "Why do I deal myself seconds? Because I can't win when I play belly-up." 2) Playing carefully, as opposed to recklessly. "I don't lose as much when I play belly-up, but I don't have any fun, either." 3) Broke; busted. "I went belly-up after I had that flush beat."    Bend Mark a card by creasing or folding slightly.    Bent 1) A card marked by creasing or folding slightly, so that a cutter can cut to that card. 2) A card being innocently or accidentally folded. "Give us a new deck; we've got a bent card."    Berries The nuts; usually preceded by the.    Berry Patch An easy (to beat) game, particularly one full of live ones gambling it up.    Best Flush A form of draw poker found only in home games, in which only flushes win. If there are more than one flush, the best one wins, exactly as if two or more flushes were competing in an ordinary game. If there is only one five-card flush, that hand wins. If there are no flushes, then the best four-card flush wins. If there are no four-card flushes, then the best three-card flush wins. Rarely, the best two-card flush wins.    Best of it 1) Advantage or edge. In lowball, it might be said of a conservative player, "When you're both drawing, he's usually got the best of it." For this sense, the opposite of worst of it. 2) An edge gained by cheating; often preceded by taking or take. "He's never in a game unless he's taking the best of it."    Best-Hand A cheating technique, necessarily involving signals, in which only the best hand among two or more partners is played in any one pot, thereby saving the others money when that hand is beat, and reducing the difficulties of figuring out who gets how much at split time. For example, Slim and Shorty are playing best-hand in a lowball game. Slim is under the gun with a pat 7-6-3-2-A, and is about to open, when he sees Shorty signaling that he has a pat 6-5-4-3-2. Slim very carefully discards his hand. (He does not throw the cards wildly into the discards; they might bounce and accidentally turn over. Slim would have a difficult time explaining to the other players why he wasn't even opening the pot with such a good hand.) Shorty plays the hand, and likely wins it. If he loses, however, he doesn't cause Slim also to lose money to the holder of the winning hand, thereby saving the cheating team half of what they would have lost. Best-hand is one of the most difficult scams to detect, because the players are not raising for each other, nor are they performing any physical manipulations upon the cards. Even with careful observation, best-hand could easily be confused with the legitimate situation of players staying out of each other's way.    Bet To put money into the pot, pursuant to the rules of the game, thus maintaining a chance of winning the pot.    Bet after the Declare A variation found in home games in which there is an extra round of betting after players have made their declaration. The showdown follows this round of betting. Also called bet-declare-bet.    Bet Blind Make a bet without looking at one's cards. This occurs most frequently in lowball, in which a player draws one or more cards and, on the second round of betting, bets before receiving the card or cards. This is done usually for the purpose of stimulating action, but sometimes to discourage an opponent from raising. Sometimes players claim to bet blind but have actually seen their draw card or cards; doing this is considered bad form, and gives the claimant a bad reputation. The term is also heard in seven-card stud, with a player betting before receiving the river card, or in hold 'em before the river card is dealt.    Bet Blind-Raise Blind 1) The term usually applies to a draw game, generally lowball, and is often shortened to BBRB. 2) The situation in which one player offers to bet without looking at his cards if the second will raise, similarly without looking at his cards.    Bet for Value Betting in order to raise the amount in the pot, not to make your opponents fold.    Bet into To bet before a stronger hand, or a player who bet strongly on the previous round.    Bet on the Come Playing a worthless hand in the hope of improving it is called "betting on the come."    Bet Out of Turn Put money in the pot before it is one's turn to do so, that is, before other players who are supposed to act first have had a chance to indicate what they are going to do. In most card rooms, acting out of turn is not binding. A player who puts money in the pot out of turn is usually permitted to withdraw that money, and is usually required to do so. Betting out of turn is often an honest mistake, particularly from a beginner or someone who doesn't pay enough attention to what is going on; sometimes, though, it is an angle intended to influence the action of others.    Bet the Limit Bet the maximum permitted, usually in a spread-limit, no-limit, or pot-limit game.    Bet the Pot To bet the total value of the pot.    Bet the Raise A betting limit in which a player can bet or raise a maximum equal to the total amount of chips the previous player has put into the pot. For example, Joe opens for one chip. Henry can call the one chip or raise one chip (thus betting two). If Henry bets two, Emilie can call the two chips or raise two chips (thus betting four). If Emilie bets four, Chloe can call the four chips or raise four chips (thus betting eight). And so on.    Bet Through When a player bets first in a situation in which two or more active players remain, he is said to be betting through the players between him and the last player. Sometimes come through.    Bet-Declare-Bet A variation found in home games in which there is an extra round of betting after players have made their declaration. The showdown follows this round of betting. Also called bet-after-declare.    Bet-or-Drop A form of draw poker in which, before the draw, if the pot has not yet been opened, a player must, in turn, either open the pot, or fold. Also called pass-and-out or pass-out. Compare with pass-and-back-in.    Bet-or-Fold A form of draw poker in which, before the draw, if the pot has not yet been opened, a player must, in turn, either open the pot, or fold. Also called pass-and-out or pass-out. Compare with pass-and-back-in.    Betting Black Betting $100 amounts (black is a common color for $100 chips).    Betting Green Betting $25 amounts (green is a common color for $25 chips).    Betting Interval The period during which each active player has the right to check, bet or raise; the round of betting. It ends when the last bet or raise has been called by all players still in the hand    Betting Level The limit at which a tournament is currently being played at a particular time. For example, a hold 'em tournament might start at a betting level of 20-40, and then after 20 minutes, increase to a betting level of 40-80.    Betting Red Betting $5 amounts (red is a common color for $5 chips).    Betting Round The period of time in a given round during which each active player has the option, in turn, of folding, betting, or raising, that is, from the first to the last bet in that round.    Betting White Betting $1 amounts (white is a common color for $1 chips).    Betty Hutton A poker game played only in private or home games, a form of seven-card stud in which 5s and 9s are wild.    Bicycle The best possible low hand: A-2-3-4-5. More common term: Wheel.    Bicycle Cards A paper card room deck manufactured by the American Playing Card Company with cards that feature a bicycle rider on the back. Also called Rider back.    Bicycle Wheel 1) A bicycle wheel (also called a wheel or a bicycle) is just the following hand: A2345. Normally this is a straight to the five. In games played for low, this is sometimes the best possible low hand (see ace to five). 2) A great hand in some high-low games where it's the nut low and counts as a straight for the high pot. 3) Note that in Kansas City Lowball, a wheel is 23457, or the nut low.    Bid In high/low games, declaring one's hand as high or low or both ways (usually done with chips in hand). Usually played in home games.    Big Pertaining to $1000. "I lost six big" means "I lost $6000."    Big Apple Big game, often the biggest game in a particular club. "I lost $1000 in the big apple today."    Big Bet 1) Describing a pot-limit or no-limit game. 2) In a double-limit game, a bet at the larger bet size. For example, in 10-20, small bets are $10 and big bets are $20.    Big Bet Game 1) A pot-limit or no-limit game. 2) High-stakes game.    Big Bet Poker Dictionary Pot-limit and no-limit poker are sometimes referred to as big bet poker (as contrasted with limit games of any size). The "big" in a sense refers to the size of bets relative to the pot, irrespective of the amount of money involved.    Big Bill 1) $100 bill. 2) $1000 bill.    Big Blind A blind bet, usually a raise of an earlier blind which would be called the Small Blind. In limit poker, the BIG BLIND is usually the size of the minimum bet on the first round of betting.    Big Bobtail An open-ended 4-card straight flush.    Big Casino The 10 of diamonds; in lowball, a hand topped by this card.    Big Cat A nonstandard hand sometimes given value in a private or home game, five cards 8 to king with no pair, which ranks above a tiger and just below a flush). Also called big tiger.    Big Dime $10,000; usually heard only among sports bettors.    Big Dog A nonstandard hand sometimes given value in a private or home game, five cards 9 to ace with no pair, which ranks below a little tiger and above a little dog.    Big Full In hold 'em, the highest possible full house, that is, three aces and two kings.    Big Game The biggest game in the house; usually preceded by the.    Big Hand A powerful hand, perhaps a full house or better in high poker, or a 6 or better in lowball. "His hand shakes whenever he has a big hand."    Big Limit One of the largest games played in a particular establishment or area. "He plays only big limit."    Big Nickel $500.    Big One $100 or $1000, or a bill of that size. "How'd you do today?" "Lost a big one." (You can usually tell by the size of game the player habitually plays how much he means.)    Big Player A big-limit player, or someone who plays in large no-limit games.    Big Slick In Texas Hold'em, hole cards of A-K, suited or not.    Big Squeeze High-low six-card stud, sometimes played with a twist.    Big Tiger A nonstandard hand sometimes given value in a private or home game, five cards 8 to king with no pair, which ranks above a tiger and just below a flush). Also called big cat.    Bike A Bicycle. The best possible low hand: A-2-3-4-5. More common term: Wheel.    Bill A $100 bill. When you cash out just over $100, the cashier might ask, "Do you want a bill?" The cashier wants to know if you would prefer five twenties, or a single bill.    Bird Dog 1) Someone who checks out the action at a club (usually implying that he was sent by a rival club). 2) Someone who hustles players from one club into another. (Doing so is strictly against all card-room etiquette, and is likely to get the perpetrator barred if he's caught.)    Bitch A Queen.    Black A $100 chip, in many card rooms and casinos.    Black Chip A $100 chip, in many card rooms and casinos.    Black Chip Game A high-stakes game, that is, one using $100 chips.    Black Leg Archaic term for crooked card-sharp.    Black Maria 1) The queen of spades; sometimes called just Maria. 2) The ace of spades, particularly when associated with the game of high spade in the hole. 3) A high spade in the hole. 4) Also in home games, seven-card stud in which the pot is split between the holder of the high hand and the player who has the queen of spades in the hole.    Blank A card that is of no value to a player's hand.    Blaze 1) A hand consisting of five face cards. It has no ranking in card room poker, though sometimes does in private games. The term is often used by lowball players to embellish their hard-luck stories. "That guy just got his second bicycle, and what'd I get? Another blaze." 2) A nonstandard hand sometimes given value in a private or home game, consisting of five face cards, ranking between two pair and three of a kind.    Bleed Win a lot of money a little at a time, from either a game or a particular player.    Blind 1) A mandatory bet made by certain player(s) usually sitting left of the Button before each new hand is dealt. Used in place of antes or in conjunction with antes. 2) Describing the Southern California form of limit poker, in which one blind is put in by the player to the left of the deal position, and any player winning two pots in a row must over blind the next hand (that is, double the stakes). Who wins a hand is usually kept track of by a plastic disk labeled "blind" on one side. The winner of one pot receives the disk face down with his chips; if he wins the next pot, the house dealer turns the disk so that the "blind" side is face up.    Blind and Atraddle Game A game in which the player to the left of the dealer (the blind) puts in (usually) one chip before getting any cards, and the player to his left (the straddle) puts in two chips. This represents a blind open followed by a blind raise. The first player to have a choice on making a bet after having seen his cards is the player two positions to the left of the dealer. This is an old name for what is now called a two-blind traveling blind game. This is similar to ante and straddle.    Blind Bet (Or Blind) A blind bet, or blind, is a forced bet that must be posted before you see any cards. Blinds are an alternative to antes for getting money in the pot initially. Blinds are more often used in flop games like hold'em and omaha than in stud and draw games. Typically in hold'em the two players to the left of the dealer button are forced to place blind bets. In limit play, the small blind (to the dealer's left) is typically half the size of a small bet, and the big blind (to the small blind's left) is a full small bet. Betting then starts with the player to the left of the big blind (who is considered under the gun), who must at least call the big blind to stay in. When you sit down at a new table, it's good to wait until it's your turn to blind before playing a hand. See also live blind, structure, and straddle. "Big blind" and "small blind" are also used to refer to the players who posted these bets.    Blind Game A game with blinds.    Blind Off In a tournament, when a player doesn't show up at the start of a tournament but has paid for his chips, or after a break or on a second or succeeding day of play, his chips are put into the pot to cover his blind or blinds each time the blinds come to him, until he does show up. If the player never shows up, all his chips might be blinded off.    Blind Open 1) A game in which the player to the left of the dealer (the blind) puts in (usually) one chip before getting any cards. After all the cards have been dealt, the player to the left of the blind must either fold, call the opening bet, or raise. In some games, this player must come in for a raise (or fold). 2) An opening bet made without looking at one's cards.    Blind Opening A game in which the player to the left of the dealer (the blind) puts in (usually) one chip before getting any cards. After all the cards have been dealt, the player to the left of the blind must either fold, call the opening bet, or raise. In some games, this player must come in for a raise (or fold).    Blind Raise When a player raises without first looking at his or her cards.    Blind Robber Someone who steals the blind (usually from the middle blind position to win the big blind, or the dealer position to win both blinds), that is, opens a pot without having good cards, hoping the blind will just throw his cards away and the opener can win the chips represented by the blind or blinds without having to actually play the hand.    Blind Stealer Someone who steals the blind (usually from the middle blind position to win the big blind, or the dealer position to win both blinds), that is, opens a pot without having good cards, hoping the blind will just throw his cards away and the opener can win the chips represented by the blind or blinds without having to actually play the hand.    Blind Stud A home game, also called Mike or racehorse, played as five-, six-, or seven-card stud, with the exception that all cards are dealt face down. For example, in the seven-card stud variant, each player receives three cards face down, followed by a round of betting, another card face down, another round of betting, a fifth card face down, another round of betting, a sixth card face down, another round of betting, and a final card face down, with a final round of betting. The game generates a lot of action, but is more of a gamble--and thus presents less opportunity to the skillful, analytical player--than the "normal" stud versions with their several rounds of face-up cards.    Blind Tiger Blind Open. A game in which the player to the left of the dealer (the blind) puts in (usually) one chip before getting any cards. After all the cards have been dealt, the player to the left of the blind must either fold, call the opening bet, or raise. In some games, this player must come in for a raise (or fold).    Blister To peg.    Blistering The marks put on cards described under peg.    Blivit A totally worthless hand. When caught bluffing, a player might announce, "I've got a blivit."    Block A worthless watch. This has card room relevance, because you will often encounter a broker trying to sell you a hoop or a block.    Block System 1) A form of blind open (A game in which the player to the left of the dealer (the blind) puts in (usually) one chip before getting any cards.) in which large compulsory blind bets start the action. 2) Marking the backs of cards by covering part of the design with ink.    Blockout Work Marking the backs of cards by covering part of the design with ink.    Blocky In hold 'em, 6-3 as one's first two cards.    Blood Game A, usually, high-stakes poker game, in which the prime objective of the players is to win money. Also called cutthroat game. The opposite of a social game.    Blood Poker Dictionary Playing poker primarily for money, as opposed to social reasons.    Blook The joker. This term is used only by those who have played a lot in home games and not much in card rooms.    Blooker The joker. This term is used only by those who have played a lot in home games and not much in card rooms. Sometimes called blook.    Blow Lose a pot. "I blew that pot."    Blow Back Lose one's profit, often due to having stuck around too long.    Blue Having a spade or club flush. Also, all black.    Bluff To make a bet or raise with a poor hand, in hope that the remaining active player(s) will fold.    Bluff Catcher A hand with which a player feels he must call, even in a situation in which he is likely to lose. If a player stands pat in draw, and you call with three aces, you can say, "I had a bluff catcher."    Board 1) The exposed cards in Hold'em and stud. Also Board Cards. 2) A list of players' names or initials, those who want seating in or changes to particular games. In many clubs, there really is a blackboard or other large writing surface at the front or side of the room with lists of names.    Board Man The casino employee who writes names or initials on the board, and calls players as their seats open up. Also, boardman, board person.    Board Person The casino employee who writes names or initials on the board, and calls players as their seats open up. Also, boardman, board person.    Boardman The casino employee who writes names or initials on the board, and calls players as their seats open up. Also, boardman, board person.    Boat Another name for full house. I've also heard "full boat," but I think it sounds idiotic so I'm not giving it a separate entry.    Bobtail Four cards to a straight or flush.    Bobtail Flush Four cards to a flush.    Bobtail Straight 1) Four cards to a straight. 2) A nonstandard hand, four cards to a straight, that ranks higher than one pair and lower than a four-card flush.    Bobtailed Straight 1) Four cards to a straight. 2) A nonstandard hand, four cards to a straight, that ranks higher than one pair and lower than a four-card flush.    Bone A $1 chip. Probably comes from home poker games, in which the white chips are usually the lowest denomination.    Book 1) In draw poker (high), the drawing of three cards. "How many cards do you need?" "Gimme a book." 2) "The book" is a mythical set of instructions supposedly containing the poker wisdom of the ages. A player speaks of "playing by the book," by which he means he is playing a hand the way he thinks it is supposed to be played; such players usually think "playing by the book" is equivalent to playing tight. Actually, there is no book.    Boost To raise.    Border Work Markings (or cosmetics) put on the borders of cards with paint, ink, or some other fluid, so that a thief can read the ranks (and sometimes suits) of the cards from the back or side.    Boss Hand [1] 1) The winner of a pot. [2] 2) Any excellent hand.    Bottom Card dealt from the bottom of the deck.    Bottom Dealer A cheat who deals cards from the bottom of the deck. Also sometimes called b-dealer, subway dealer, or cellar dealer.    Bottom Pair A pair with the lowest card on the flop. If you have As-6s, and the flop comes Kd-Th-6c, you have flopped bottom pair.    Bottoms Cards dealt from the bottom of the deck.    Bouble Bluff A bluff made by betting, getting raised, and then re-raising.    Bounty A small amount of cash awarded to a player when he knocks out another player in some tournaments. This is typically in low buy-in tournaments.    Bounty Tournament A tournament in which bounties are offered (Small amounts of cash awarded to a player when he knocks out another player).    Box 1) A (usually empty) rack (of chips). "Time to cash out. Bring me three boxes." 2) The box man. 3) By extension, the house dealer's location when dealing, usually heard as part of the phrase in the box, which literally means engaged in dealing.    Box Man House dealer.    Boxed Facing the wrong way, usually said of a card in a deck. "Re-deal those, houseman. I see a boxed card."    Boxed Card A card facing the wrong way, usually said of a card in a deck. "Re-deal those, houseman. I see a boxed card."    Boy Jack. "I have three boys" means "I have three of a kind, jacks."    Br Short for Bankroll.    Brag An ancient English card game that some say is an ancestor of poker. Its name comes from a challenge, the word "brag," issued at some point in the game by one player to the rest to come up with cards as good as his.    Bragg An ancient English card game that some say is an ancestor of poker. Its name comes from a challenge, the word "brag," issued at some point in the game by one player to the rest to come up with cards as good as his.    Brass Brazilians The nuts; usually preceded by the.    Break 1) Win all of somebody's chips. "Who broke Smiley?" 2) Miss. "I broke the hand when I caught a 10." That implies that the 10 was not the card the player wanted to draw. 3) Throw away part of a lowball hand (presumably with the intention of making a better hand, because as it stands the hand is probably not a winner). "I knew he had me beat, so I broke the 8, and came back on a 6, and beat a slick 7 for him." 4) Remove some chips from your stack, usually followed by [one's] stack or chips. In some clubs, if you break your stack when it is your time to bet, that is considered a bet, and you must follow through, that is, complete the bet. This is to prevent an angle shooter from putting chips into the pot to gauge another's reaction and then withdrawing the chips without betting; in some clubs a bet is not considered complete until the player has released the chips from his hand. 5) In lowball, to draw. (The implication is that if circumstances were different the player could stand pat on the hand.) "You don't need any cards? Okay, I'll break."    Break a Game Perform the action of stopping a game from being played, when, for example, only a few players remain--not enough for a full game--after other players have quit. Such action is generally performed by a floor person. Sometimes break a game up.    Break Even End up, after a playing session, neither winning nor losing, often implying after having been losing.    Break for Action In lowball, throw away part of a good hand to get a play from someone who would otherwise fold. "Come on, call the raise, and I'll break for action." The preceding might be heard in a no-limit lowball game in the following situation. One player has raised. The opener does not want to call because he needs two cards, which is not a good gamble against what might well be a pat hand. The raiser wants a call from the other because he has the potential of winning a very large pot as opposed to just a small pot if the other folds, so he tries to entice the opener, implying that if the opener draws two, he will break his pat hand and draw one.    Break Off Throw away part of a lowball hand (presumably with the intention of making a better hand, because as it stands the hand is probably not a winner). "I knew he had me beat, so I broke the 8, and came back on a 6, and beat a slick 7 for him."    Breaking Hand In lowball, an 8, 9, or 10 (that is, a hand topped by one of those cards) that can be broken under pressure. 9-4-3-2-A is a breaking hand, because you can throw the 9 and draw to a wheel; 9-8-7-3-A is not, because there really is no place to break. Also called a two-way hand.    Brick 1) In Omaha, a useless card that hits the board. For example, you hold T-J-Q-K and the board has 7-8-9. You would now like a brick, or worthless card, to hit on the turn, to avoid sharing the pot with a low draw. 2) To counterfeit. You might hear a player say, "The dealer bricked my lock." 3) Catch a bad card (usually referring to seven-card stud).    Bridge A bend, particularly one readily visible, in one or more cards in such a way as to force the deck to be cut to the spot desired by a cheat.    Bridge Order Suit order according to the game of bridge, that is, spades, hearts, diamonds, clubs. Bridge order comes into play when breaking a tie for high card in determining which hand gets the odd chip, who has the high-card forced bet in seven-card stud (as played in home games), or who starts the deal on the first hand at a particular table.    Brief A tiny "ledge" shuffled into a deck by a cheater so that his accomplice can cut it at the prearranged location; a card offset by a barely perceptible fraction of an inch but able to be found by touch when cut. A brief can be felt but not easily seen; a good cutter can feel a 1/32-inch brief. Sometimes called jog, needle, or step.    Bring in Open (a pot). "Who brought it in?" means "Who opened?" In a no-limit game, followed by for and an amount means open for that amount, as, "I'll bring it in for $40" means "I'll open for $40," and implies that the bet is more than the minimum.    Bring in a Deck To substitute a prearranged deck for the one that is supposed to be dealt.    Bring it in To start the betting on the first round.    Bring it. 1) If said at the showdown, means "I win." (That is, push the pot my way.) 2) If said when time to draw cards, means "Give me one card."    Bring-in 1) The amount required to open a pot. "What's the bring-in" is asked by a player who wants to know how much is the minimum he can bet, or how much is the required amount to open the pot. 2) The player who opened the betting.    Broadway An ace high straight. Usually heard only in stud and community-card games.    Broderick Crawford 1) In lowball, a 10-4 low. 2) In hold 'em, starting cards of a 10 and a 4. The term came from the 50s television show "Highway Patrol," starring Broderick Crawford, who always said "10-4" into his police radio; 10-4 is part of the police "10-code," and signifies affirmation or confirmation.    Broken Game A game that just broke up, as, for example, when only a few players remain--not enough for a full game--after other players have quit. Some card rooms allow a player entering another game after having last played in a broken game to be dealt in without having to post, kill, wait for the blind, or otherwise put up money to receive a hand.    Broker Someone with no money of his own who hangs around a card room waiting for a sucker to put him into a game--by staking him or lending money that likely will not be returned--or hoping for one of his few friends to make a score and give him part of it; a deadbeat, or a card room bum.    Brush A card room employee responsible for managing the seating list.    Brush Man A male brush person.    Brush Off Give a thief a secret sign to leave; usually brush someone off. This is usually done by a houseman who privately (in such a way as not to embarrass the thief and not to alert the unknowing customers that some of the patrons may not be strictly on the up-and-up) requests a player to leave. The request is often in the form of a finger run unobtrusively up the offender's spine. It can be a literal brushing motion (hence the name) of one hand down the other arm, starting below the elbow, across the other hand, which is palm down, to the fingertips. It can also be a brushing motion of one hand across the upper lip.    Brush Person A casino employee who works in the card room, usually just outside it, whose job is somewhat akin to that of a sideshow barker or a nightclub greeter, in that this person tries to attract prospective players into the card room. The brush person talks to casino patrons who may be lingering on the edge of the card room area.    Brush-Off The act of giving a thief a secret sign to leave. "I gave him the brush-off and he left right away."    Bubble The position just out of the money in a tournament; often part of the phrase on the bubble. For example, if a tournament pays 16 places, the player unfortunate enough to bust out in the 17th position is said to have been on the bubble.    Buck 1) A marker used in games with a house dealer to indicate the deal position. Once upon a time, an actual buck knife was used as the marker, hence the name. Usually found now as part of the phrase pass the buck, that is, refuse to deal when it is one's turn to deal, passing the deck instead to the next player to the left. The phrase has passed into general usage meaning shift responsibility to someone else, and has found a place in most collections of famous quotations and sayings with Harry Truman's well-known slogan, "The buck stops here." 2) Go up against, in the sense of an inferior hand trying to beat an obviously better hand. For example, a player who has, in seven-card stud, only a pair of jacks, playing against someone with an exposed pair of aces, is said to be in the process of bucking the aces. The term is also found as part of the phrase buck the odds.    Buck the Odds Go up against, in the sense of an inferior hand trying to beat an obviously better hand. For example, a player who has, in seven-card stud, only a pair of jacks, playing against someone with an exposed pair of aces, is said to be in the process of bucking the aces. The term is also found as part of the phrase buck the odds.    Bug 1) The joker when used as a "partially wild card" in high draw poker and ace-to-five lowball. In high, it is good for aces, straights, and flushes. It makes a third (or fourth) ace, but does not improve any other pair. In a deck with the bug, a rank of hand exists higher than any straight flush: five aces. 2) A cheating device to hold a card to the underside of a table.    Buick In lowball, a straight 8. Buick used to build a straight 8 engine.    Build a Game Around Put a game together to accommodate a particular player, often a live one or producer. "When Arco Al came in, they built a game around him."    Bull Ace; also bullet.    Bull the Game 1) Bluff a lot. 2) Bet aggressively, regardless of one's cards.    Bullet(s) Ace(s); also bull.    Bullets Chips. Also called ammunition.    Bully Johnson In hold 'em, 3-5 as one's first two cards.    Bum In lowball, when referring to the rank of a hand, not good; usually followed by a rank. "I have a bum 8" means a rough 8, presumably 8-7-6.    Bump To raise. This term is used only by those who have played a lot in home games and not much in card rooms.    Bump Heads Two players fight it out for a pot, and both get all their chips in the pot.    Bundle 1) Large bet. "When I checked, he bet a bundle, and I couldn't call." 2) Large bankroll.    Bunny An eight. So named because one can easily draw "rabbit ears" above the numeral 8, "paws" in the middle and "feet" at the bottom.    Buried Losing heavily. "How ya doin'?" "I'm buried."    Buried Pair A buried pair is a pair in the hole in seven card stud.    Burn 1) To deal off the top card, face down, before dealing out the cards (to prevent cheating). 2) To set aside a card which has been inadvertently revealed.    Burn and Turn Function as a poker dealer, from the practice of burning a card before dealing either a round of face-up cards (in stud) or the flop (in hold 'em).    Burn Card 1) To deal off the top card, face down, before dealing out the cards (to prevent cheating). 2) To set aside a card which has been inadvertently revealed.    Bury 1) To deal off the top card, face down, before dealing out the cards (to prevent cheating). 2) To set aside a card which has been inadvertently revealed. Sometimes a distinction is made between bury and burn. If the distinction is made, in a bury the card is placed in the middle of the un-dealt portion of the deck    Bust 1) A hand drawn to and missed. 2) Any worthless hand. 3) Win all of someone's chips. Usually you bust someone. 4) To be eliminated from a game or tournament by losing all your chips.    Bust a Player To deprive a player of all his chips; in tournament play, to eliminate a player    Bust Hand A hand drawn to and missed.    Bust Out 1) To be eliminated from a game or tournament by losing all your chips. 2) Miss the hand one is drawing to, usually in lowball.    Bust-Out Someone with no money of his own who hangs around a card room waiting for a sucker to put him into a game--by staking him or lending money that likely will not be returned--or hoping for one of his few friends to make a score and give him part of it; a deadbeat, or a card room bum.    Bust-Out Joint A crooked gaming establishment.    Busted Having no money or chips.    Busted Flush A busted hand that missed a draw to a straight or a flush is a busted straight or a busted flush.    Busted Hand A hand drawn to and missed.    Busted Straight A missed straight.    Button 1) In all flop games, a small disk used to signify the player in the last position if a house dealer is used; a buck. 2) The actual dealer position (or, usually, the player in that position) in a game dealt by a house dealer. "I opened the pot, and the button raised."    Button Charge A periodic fee paid by whoever is the button, perhaps every 20 minutes or 30 minutes. Constitutes part or all of the House Cut.    Buy 1) As in "buy the pot." To bluff, hoping to "buy" the pot without being called. 2) As in "buy the button." To bet or raise, hoping to make players between you and the button fold, thus allowing you to act last on subsequent betting rounds. 3) In draw poker, receive one or more cards. "What did you buy on the draw?" means "What card or cards did you receive?" 4) Purchase chips.    Buy Short Buy less than the minimum required for the game.    Buy the Pot To match the pot.    Buy-in [1] 1) The minimum amount required to get into a game. "The buy-in for limit games is 10 times the lower limit; for example, in a $2-$4 game, the buy-in is $20." [2] 2) The amount of chips with which one started a poker playing session. "He won $500 on a $10 buy-in."    By me. I check" or "I pass.