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I  I Wait. I check.    Ice A cold deck (A deck, presumably with preset hands in it (usually with several good hands, the best of which will go to the dealer or his confederate), surreptitiously substituted by a cheat for the deck he is supposed to be dealing.). So called because, after cards are dealt for awhile, they warm a bit to the touch, while a cold deck actually feels cool, or, by extension, like ice    Idiot End An ignorant end (In hold 'em, the low end of a straight, or a straight that can lose to a higher straight.)    Ignorant End In hold 'em, the low end of a straight, or a straight that can lose to a higher straight. This is a risky hand to hold or draw to, because someone can easily end up with a higher straight. If you have 5-6 in the hole, and the flop is 7-8-9, you have flopped the ignorant end of the straight, and will lose to anyone starting with 10-J or 6-10. Also called dumb end, idiot end.    Immortal An unbeatable hand, based on circumstances. For example, in seven-card stud, on the river (the last card, dealt face down) you have four aces, and no one shows two cards to a straight flush, so no one can have you beat. You have an immortal. Also, any perfect hand, as a royal flush in high poker, or a wheel in low poker. This term is frequently found in poker literature, particularly that of years gone by, but is not at all common in card rooms. Also called immortal hand, immortals, mortal nuts.    Immortal Nuts Immortal (An unbeatable hand, based on circumstances.).    Immortals Immortal (An unbeatable hand, based on circumstances.).    Imperfect Deck 1) Honest reader (A deck that has not been trimmed, or otherwise deliberately marked, but that, nonetheless, contains irregularities or factory defects, which permit observant players to identify some (or, rarely, all) of the cards from the back. Also called imperfect deck.). 2) A deck with too few, too many, or duplicated cards.    Implicit Collusion A situation can arise in which the leader in a pot would prefer that one or more of his opponents fold because, while he has a positive expectation on his bet, he is not a favorite against the field. In implicit collusion, all opponents come to an independent agreement--that is, without consulting among each other--to all play in such a way as to minimize the chance of the player with the best hand winning the pot. For example, in a hold 'em tournament, a small stack may go all in and get called by one or more players with larger stacks. Those players collectively have a better chance of beating the all-in player than any does individually, and they may check down the hand till the end, that is, with no one making a bet that might drive anyone else out. The all-in player may have the best hand and be the favorite against any one of the others, but collectively, the remaining players have a better chance against the all-in player, and if they all understand--even though nothing is ever said to that effect--that all will check the hand down, that is implied collusion. In another example, a bluff may have a high chance of success against any one opponent, but against multiple opponents have no chance at all. In low-limit games, with their many players remaining at the end, a bluff against the field has almost no chance of succeeding. Again, this involves implied collusion among the players. They may not be aware of the situation, but it does exist. Similar situations arise in other games.    Implied Odds The amount of money you expect to win if you make your hand versus the amount of money it will cost you to continue playing - Pot odds that do not exist at the moment, but may be included in your calculations because of bets you expect to win if you hit your hand.    Improve 1) Better a hand, particularly catch one needed card. For example, in draw poker, you call an all-in raise from another player to draw one card to two pair. The other player shows down a small straight. You show that you made a full house, with the comment, "I improved." Also, help. 2) Have a specific hand made in a stud or hold 'em-type game, and then, upon the appearance of another card, make a better hand. For example, your first five cards in seven-stud are 10s 9s 3s Js 5s , giving you a jack-high flush. Your next card is As , causing you to improve (to an ace-high flush).    Improvement Betterment of a hand.    In 1) How many chips a player has bought altogether. "How much you in?" might be an attempt by another player to find out whether that large stack of chips you have is winnings or all your own money. Also, in for. 2) Taking part in a pot. "You in?" means "Are you partaking in this sporting venture?" 3) Having anted. In this context, "You in?" means "Did you ante?" (and implies that you didn't).    In a Row Descriptive of or a name for a straight.    In Action 1) Describing a pot in contention. 2) Describing an active hand. (A hand still in contention for a pot.)3) Having money, said of a player who has sufficient wherewithal to play the games of his choice. To say that John is in action means that he is not broke and implies that being broke is not unusual for John. 4) Playing or able to play. "He's in action" means "He's in a game." "He's not in action" means "He's not in a game," and is usually extended to mean that he is not currently playing poker because he has insufficient capita    In for 1) The total action to which one player is entitled, usually when side pots are involved. "How much is he in for?" implies that one who is all in is entitled to only a certain portion of the pot. 2) All in, and thus entitled to only part of the pot. "I'm in for the antes" means I can win only the antes if I win; "I'm in for one bet" means I get an amount equal to one bet from each player if I win. 3) How much a player is in (How many chips a player has bought altogether. "How much you in for?" might be an attempt by another player to find out whether that large stack of chips you have is winnings or all your own money.).    In Front Winning; sometimes followed by an amount. "You stuck?" "Nah, I'm in front." "I'm in front a dime."    In the Air Traditionally, a poker tournament starts when the tournament director (or whoever's running things) instructs the dealers to get the cards "in the air." This just means to start dealing.    In the Blind Bet or check blind (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.).    In the Bushes In the weeds. (The place where sneaky poker players lie in wait, usually accompanied by powerhouse hands they have sandbagged, or otherwise slow-played, to trap unwary aggressive players; often part of the phrase waiting in the weeds or lying in the weeds. For example, in a high draw game, you raised before the draw with three aces. Among the several callers, the first man took three cards and passed after the draw. Everyone else passed. You did not improve your hand, but three aces is worth a bet after the draw, so you bet. The three-card draw now raises. The others fold. You call. He shows his full house. He was waiting in the weeds.)    In the Chips 1) Winning. 2) The state of having lots of money. Also termed in action. The phrase has passed into general usage    In the Dark To check or bet blind, without looking at your cards.    In the Gut Inside (Pertaining to an inside straight. To catch inside means to make an inside straight. An inside straight card is sometimes called a belly card.)    In the Hole 1) Pertaining to a player's hole card or cards. In five-card stud: "He had an ace in the hole." In seven-card stud: "He ended up with three high spades in the hole." 2) Stuck, that is, losing. "How much are you in the hole?"    In the Middle 1) Pertaining to a situation in which one player finds himself between two others who are raising frequently, or, in a no-limit game, heavily. He is not necessarily physically between these two; he is logically, however, as far as the betting goes. Also called whipsawed 2) Pertaining to a situation in which a player can receive his first hand, if he is too late to get the big blind, in the middle position. To do so is to take it in the middle, take the middle blind, or come in in the middle. (Some clubs do not let a new player, that is, new to the particular game, be dealt in until it is his turn to put in the blind, supposedly to prevent his getting any "free" hands.) Also, if a seated player has missed the blind in a particular round, he can receive his next hand only in the blind position. In such a case, a player must come in on the blind, come in in the middle, or, if not in the big blind position, over blind to receive a hand.    In the Money Having lasted long enough in a tournament to guarantee finishing as one of the winners. Depending on the size of the tournament, this might be one of the top three, having made it to the final table, one of the final 16, perhaps even one of the final 26 (or more, in some very large or special tournaments).    In the Pocket Pertaining to the hole card or cards. (A card concealed in a player's hand or in stud and Hold'em, the face-down cards dealt to each player.)    In the Weeds The place where sneaky poker players lie in wait, usually accompanied by powerhouse hands they have sandbagged, or otherwise slow-played, to trap unwary aggressive players; often part of the phrase waiting in the weeds or lying in the weeds. For example, in a high draw game, you raised before the draw with three aces. Among the several callers, the first man took three cards and passed after the draw. Everyone else passed. You did not improve your hand, but three aces is worth a bet after the draw, so you bet. The three-card draw now raises. The others fold. You call. He shows his full house. He was waiting in the weeds. Also, bushes, as part of the terms in the bushes and lying in the bushes, and woods, as part of the terms in the woods and waiting in the woods.    In the Woods In the Weeds. (The place where sneaky poker players lie in wait, usually accompanied by powerhouse hands they have sandbagged, or otherwise slow-played, to trap unwary aggressive players; often part of the phrase waiting in the weeds or lying in the weeds. For example, in a high draw game, you raised before the draw with three aces. Among the several callers, the first man took three cards and passed after the draw. Everyone else passed. You did not improve your hand, but three aces is worth a bet after the draw, so you bet. The three-card draw now raises. The others fold. You call. He shows his full house. He was waiting in the weeds. Also, bushes, as part of the terms in the bushes and lying in the bushes, and woods, as part of the terms in the woods and waiting in the woods.)    In Turn Playing when one is required (and allowed to), according to the rules of the game. That usually means waiting to act until the player before one has completed her action.    Index 1) A number or letter (2 through 10 or J, Q, K, A) in the upper left-hand and lower right-hand corner of a card denoting the card's rank. (Some say that the suit indication--the single spade, heart, club, or diamond--beneath the number or letter is part of the index.) 2) A mark placed on the back of a card by a cheat to indicate the value of the card.    Inside Pertaining to an inside straight. To catch inside means to make an inside straight. An inside straight card is sometimes called a belly card.    Inside Straight Four cards requiring one in the middle to fill a straight.    Inside Wrap In Omaha, a situation in which your four downwards consist of three cards each separated by one rank, which combine with two cards of the flop to form five consecutive cards, so that many cards on the turn or river give you a straight. For example, your down cards are 8-6-4-A, and the flop is 5-7-K. You can make a straight with any of 17 cards, any 8, 6, or 4, three each of which remain, or any 9 or 3, of which four of each remain.    Insurance In big bet poker, it is possible to reach a situation in which you are uncomfortable with the amount of money you have invested in a pot. To reduce variance, players will sometimes take insurance against an unfortunate outcome, essentially selling the actual outcome of the hand for its mathematical equity (at a slight discount).    Insurance Bet In big bet poker, it is possible to reach a situation in which you are uncomfortable with the amount of money you have invested in a pot. To reduce variance, players will sometimes take insurance against an unfortunate outcome, essentially selling the actual outcome of the hand for its mathematical equity (at a slight discount).    Insurance Man A player or spectator who sells or books insurance.    International Signals A set of signals supposedly universally recognized by all thieves, allowing thieves who don't even know each other to communicate their desire to fleece the suckers, indicate their need for particular cards, and so on. These signals are of no use in games with sophisticated players, who are clever enough to catch on to what is going on, and are unnecessary with "dummies," because they can be beat by good playing. Some thieves still are not clever enough to understand these concepts, however, and you may see them in some games, particularly those in which the management does not give its players much protection.    Investment 1) How much of a particular pot you put in. Everything beyond that is your profit (if you win the pot). 2) At any point, how much it has cost you up to that point to remain in the pot.    Investment Odds The amount of money in the pot versus the amount of money it will cost you to continue in the hand.    Iron Duke The nuts, that is, a hand that has a very good chance of winning a particular pot. Also called ironclad hand    Ironclad Hand The nuts, that is, a hand that has a very good chance of winning a particular pot. Also called iron duke    Irregular Hand A Dead hand / foul hand (A hand no longer legally playable, due to some irregularity.);    Irregularity 1) Any breach of the house rules, intentional or not, such as discarding out of turn, announcing one's intentions out of turn, misdealing, and so on. 2) Something that might cause an imperfect deck, such as flawed cards that might make the deck unintentionally marked.    Irwin! Presto (In Hold'em, what one says when revealing pocket 5's. This term is still evolving and subject to redefinition. The term comes from a more well-established background in Blackjack where one says "Presto!" when turning over a blackjack. When a player says "Presto!" at an appropriate time, the correct countersign is to say "Irwin". This is a method of identification, not a compulsory ritual.).    Isolate To raise with the intention of reaching a heads up between yourself and a single other player.    It "It" usually refers to the largest amount anyone has yet bet in a round. If someone opens for $5, and the next player raises $10, they're "making it $15." With the exception of all-in players, if a player wants to see the next round, eventually they have to match whatever "it" is.    Itemer Someone who helps a cardsharp by sending him signals, supplying him with a stacked deck, or otherwise helping him cheat.    Iteming Using an itemer (Someone who helps a cardsharp by sending him signals, supplying him with a stacked deck, or otherwise helping him cheat.).