O |
O |
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Shorthand, particularly in E-mail and Internet postings, for off suit. For example, specifying a hold 'em hand as KQo means king-queen offsuit, or, frequently king-queen off. |
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Ob |
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Open Blind (Game in which the player to the dealer's left blinds the pot, that is, puts in a bet equal to the limit of the game before receiving his cards.) |
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Obrb |
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1) The term usually applies to a draw game, generally lowball, and is often shortened to OBRB. A game in which the first player to the dealer's left blinds the pot and the next player raises before getting his cards. Often called just raise blind. 2) This is usually part of a proposition. That is, one player asks another, "Open blind, raise blind?" This means, "If you open the pot blind, I will raise you blind." |
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Obrbrb |
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1) The term usually applies to a draw game, generally lowball, and is often shortened to OBRBRB. A game in which the first player to the dealer's left blinds the pot, the next player raises blind before getting his cards, and the next player raises before getting his cards. Since this puts six bets into the pot before the cards are dealt, the effect is to increase the action of the game. Often shortened to re-raise, and sometimes called raise blind. 2) This is usually part of a proposition. A player who asks another, "open blind, raise blind, re-raise blind?" is saying, "I will open the pot blind and re-raise you back blind if you promise to raise blind." |
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Ocho |
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8; generally used to refer to the card, or, in lowball, to the rank of the hand (when it contains no pair), as determined by its largest card. |
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Odd Chip |
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When splitting a pot sometimes a chip is left over, usually of the smallest denomination for the game. That chip is called the odd chip, and various rules come into play to determine which player gets the chip. |
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Odds |
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The probability of making a hand versus the probability of not making the hand. If you have a 25% chance of making a hand, the odds are 3 to 1 against your making it. In poker, this is especially important in considering pot odds. |
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Off the Street |
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Pertaining to winning a hand very early in a playing session, often by having been dealt very good cards. If you sit down at a newly-vacated seat, and, within a few minutes raise with a good hand, get a lot of action, and win a big pot, someone is sure to say, "Right off the street |
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Off-Suit |
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Not of the same suit, especially in reference to hole cards. Sometimes abbreviated to just "off. "I'll play KT off suit occasionally, but never in early position. |
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Off-Suited |
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Not of the same suit, especially in reference to hole cards. Sometimes abbreviated to just "off. "I'll play KT off suit occasionally, but never in early position. |
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Office |
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To give someone a signal; usually implies a secret signal between thieves or scammers, sometimes letting a partner know the holdings of another player (in which case the signal is also known as a sign). |
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Office Hours |
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1) In high poker, two pair, 9s and 5s or 8s and 4s. 2) In lowball, a 9-5 hand. 3) In any high poker game, a full house involving 9s and 5s or 8s and 4s. 4) A straight, 5 to 9. 5) A straight, 4 to 8. |
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Ogier |
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The jack of spades. |
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Oh Shit! Hand |
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A hand on which a player has wagered his last chips and over which the player exclaims, "Oh shit!", ostensibly because he has missed his draw, but usually because he is trying to lure unwary flies into his web. Oh shit! hands are usually beat only by going home hands. |
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Okie Bankroll |
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A wad of bills, usually folded over, with a bill of large denomination on the outside, to give the appearance of a large bankroll. Also called Philadelphia bankroll. |
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Oklahoma Bankroll |
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A wad of bills, usually folded over, with a bill of large denomination on the outside, to give the appearance of a large bankroll. Also called Philadelphia bankroll. |
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Oldsmobile |
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1) In lowball, a 9-8 hand. 2) In high poker, two pair, 9s and 8s. 3) In hold 'em, 9-8 (sometimes, rarely, 8-8, which is more commonly called little Oldsmobile) as one's two starting cards. 4) In lowball, a pair of 8s (that is, an 88; this use is rare). |
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Omaha |
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A variant of Hold'em where each player receives 4 hole cards and must use exactly two of them (together with 3 of 5 board cards) to make a hand. Often played high-low split with an 8 qualifier for low. |
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Omaha / 8 |
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High-low split Omaha, with an 8-or-better qualifier for low. |
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On |
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1) Up to; that is, referring to the person on whom the action has stalled. "Who's it on?" means "Whose turn is it?" 2) In agreement; usually about a bet, a proposition, or a drink pot. "Are we on?" might mean, "In reference to my suggestion that we both put all our chips in the pot and take four cards, will you go along with me in this sporting endeavor?" |
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On Bet |
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The first wager made in any betting round. This usage is obsolete. |
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On Board |
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1) On the table; in the game. 2) In hold 'em, describing the community cards. 3) In stud games, describing a player's up cards. |
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On Deck |
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On board (On the table; in the game.). |
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On his Own |
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On the nose (Playing one's own money, as opposed to playing house chips (playing as a stake player or (rarely) shill). Sometimes used by the management to describe a player who went broke while playing a stake or cow and is now playing on his own money. "On the nose he never blows." When the new shift comes in, you may hear the shift manager of the departing shift tell the new shift manager, "Smiley's on the nose." This presumably refers to a player who ordinarily plays only stake. Also, on his own.) |
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On the Board |
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1) Having one's name listed for a particular game. "Are you on the board for the twenty?" means "Are you on the list for the $20-limit game?". 2) Pertaining to one's board. |
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On the Button |
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In the button position. "I was on the button, so I figured I could open light." |
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On the Come |
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1) Describing a bet made on an unmade hand before all the cards have been dealt, or in the anticipation of making a hand. In lowball, this is usually whatever you're drawing to; in high (draw, stud, or hold 'em), it is usually four cards to a straight, flush, or straight flush. To raise on the come means to start with four cards to a good hand that is not yet made, and raise the pot before the draw to build a larger pot, with the hope of making the hand and having a larger pot to bet into after the draw. A player who starts with A-2-3-4-K in lowball and raises is raising on the come. To bet on the come usually means to bet as just described; sometimes to make a blind bet after the draw after having drawn one card to a come hand. (A come hand is a hand that needs one card on the come.)2) A hand that is drawing to a straight or flush. |
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On the Cuff |
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Pertaining to unsecured card room credit. "Can I have some chips on the cuff?" means the asker will pay back the money if he wins, or, if he loses, at some future unspecified time. Also on the finger, on the sleeve |
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On the Finger |
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On the cuff (Pertaining to unsecured card room credit. "Can I have some chips on the cuff?" means the asker will pay back the money if he wins, or, if he loses, at some future unspecified time.) |
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On the Nose |
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Playing one's own money, as opposed to playing house chips (playing as a stake player or (rarely) shill). Sometimes used by the management to describe a player who went broke while playing a stake or cow and is now playing on his own money. "On the nose he never blows." When the new shift comes in, you may hear the shift manager of the departing shift tell the new shift manager, "Smiley's on the nose." This presumably refers to a player who ordinarily plays only stake. Also, on his own. |
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On the Outside |
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Not an employee of a card room, that is, a live player; usually preceded by on the. "Doesn't Hector work here?" "Nah, he's on the outside." |
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On the Rail |
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Busted, that is, out of action, in the sense of being forced to watch the games from the rail. |
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On the River |
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The last card dealt in a hand of stud or Hold'em. |
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On the Shelf |
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Not currently down, that is, in a game; said of a stake player. Comes from the shelf, where a stake player's chips are kept when he is between playing sessions |
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On the Side |
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Referring to money that goes into or belongs in a side pot. "Jim's out of chips, so Bill's last bet goes on the side |
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On the Sleeve |
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On the cuff (Pertaining to unsecured card room credit. "Can I have some chips on the cuff?" means the asker will pay back the money if he wins, or, if he loses, at some future unspecified time. Also on the finger). |
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On the Square |
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1) Describing a deck all four of whose edges are smooth, that is, having no trimmed cards to be identified by feel by a thief (such as belly strippers or end strippers or any other form of strippers). 2) By extension, describing an honest game, someone playing honestly, or, in the "real world," any honest situation. "He's playing on the square" means he's not cheating |
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On the Turn |
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Pertaining to the fourth up card (the turn card) in hold 'em. |
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On Tilt |
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Playing poorly and irrationally due to emotional upset, often caused by the player in question having had a good hand beat by a freak draw from another player (often in complete disregard of the odds and good play) or the player having lost a pot because of his own bad play. Also called steaming, having one's nose open, opened up, unglued and being wide open. |
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On Top |
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Out of a hand, usually said by a player as he chooses not to participate in a pot, as, "I'm on top." The expression comes from pan. |
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One |
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1) A one-card draw, usually preceded by the. "Check to the one." 2) An ace. "I have three ones." |
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One Pair |
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1) In high, a hand containing one pair, plus three other unmatched cards. In high games, this is the second-lowest rank of hand, ranking above no pair and below two pair. 2) In lowball, a hand that paired. |
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One-Card Draw |
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A hand that needs one card, as, in high draw poker, a four-flush or a four-straight, or, in lowball, four cards to a wheel plus a king. |
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One-End Straight |
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A particular inside straight, four cards to a straight open at one end only, either A-2-3-4, which becomes a straight by the addition of any 5, or J-Q-K-A, which becomes a straight by the addition of any 10. This is more restricted than a one-way straight. |
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One-Eyed |
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The jack of hearts, jack of spades or king of diamonds. So named because the characters are drawn in profile, thus showing only one eye. |
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One-Eyed Man in the Game |
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A code expression, usually used among thieves or those "in the know," that there is a cheater in the game. |
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One-Eyes |
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Face cards with the figure shown in profile, which, in a standard deck, are the two one-eyed jacks and the king of diamonds. Also called profiles |
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One-Gap |
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A hold'em starting hand in which the two cards are two apart in rank. |
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One-Handed Deal |
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A method of dealing cards, using only one hand, performed generally only by a one-armed player, by flipping the cards one-handed from the top of the deck |
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One-on-One |
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Describing a situation in which (only) two players are in contention for a pot. This is similar to head-to-head. |
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One-Table Satellite |
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A special satellite tournament, consisting of one table of players, whose prize is usually a buy-in for a larger tournament. Such a tournament is often conducted just before a major tournament, often at the site of that tournament. One-table satellites usually have just one winner; sometimes second place is awarded a free entry to another tournament. |
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One-Twoing |
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A form of cheating in which two thieves work as a team against one player. |
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One-Way Action |
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1) Marked cards whose backs have asymmetric designs or patterns, such that their rank or suit can be determined by which way they are placed within the deck. 2) One-on-one (Describing a situation in which (only) two players are in contention for a pot. This is similar to head-to-head.). |
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One-Way Cards |
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Cards with asymmetric pictures or designs on their backs, so that each back has a clear "up" and "down." |
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Open |
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1) Be the first to bet on the first round. 2) Occupying the position of having to either bet or throw your cards away. "Whose open is it?" 3) Pertaining to face-up cards in a stud game. |
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Open Blind |
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1) Game in which the player to the dealer's left blinds the pot, that is, puts in a bet equal to the limit of the game before receiving his cards. 2) Open the pot without first having looked at one's cards. |
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Open Blind and Straddle |
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Game in which the player to the dealer's left blinds the pot, that is, puts in a bet equal to the limit of the game before receiving his cards, and the player to his left raises that bet, also before receiving his cards. This has evolved into today's traveling blind game |
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Open Blind, Raise Blind |
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1) The term usually applies to a draw game, generally lowball, and is often shortened to OBRB. A game in which the first player to the dealer's left blinds the pot and the next player raises before getting his cards. Often called just raise blind. 2) This is usually part of a proposition. That is, one player asks another, "Open blind, raise blind?" This means, "If you open the pot blind, I will raise you blind." |
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Open Blind, Raise Blind, Reraise Blind |
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1) The term usually applies to a draw game, generally lowball, and is often shortened to OBRBRB. A game in which the first player to the dealer's left blinds the pot, the next player raises blind before getting his cards, and the next player raises before getting his cards. Since this puts six bets into the pot before the cards are dealt, the effect is to increase the action of the game. Often shortened to re-raise, and sometimes called raise blind. 2) This is usually part of a proposition. A player who asks another, "open blind, raise blind, re-raise blind?" is saying, "I will open the pot blind and re-raise you back blind if you promise to raise blind." |
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Open Cards |
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1) Face-up cards in a stud game; up cards 2) The community cards in hold 'em and similar games. |
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Open Game |
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A game that anyone can join, if a seat becomes available; sometimes refers to games played in private clubs or otherwise privately, as home games; more commonly refers to games in public card rooms. The opposite of a closed game. |
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Open Light |
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Open, that is, initiate the betting, with a substandard hand, usually with respect to position. For example, in a hold 'em game, you can open light on the button, that is, with much looser requirements than you would have in any earlier position. |
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Open on Anything |
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A form of high draw poker with no minimum opening requirements, usually played bet-or-fold. This is opposed to jacks or better, a game in which a player must have at least a pair of jacks to open. Also called anything opens. |
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Open Pair |
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1) The situation in stud games in which a pair exists among the up cards of at least one player. In some games, when an open pair appears, the betting limit increases. 2) An exposed pair. |
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Open Poker Dictionary |
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Stud poker, that is, the form of poker in which players start with one or more cards dealt face down, followed by cards dealt face up, one at a time, usually with a betting round after each up card, and one more for the final down card (if any Games where some of the cards are dealt face up.) |
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Open Seat |
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1) A vacant position at a poker table. 2) An available position or chair for another player. |
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Open Up |
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1) Play liberally or loosely, after having played conservatively for awhile. 2) Go on tilt (Playing poorly and irrationally due to emotional upset, often caused by the player in question having had a good hand beat by a freak draw from another player (often in complete disregard of the odds and good play) or the player having lost a pot because of his own bad play. Also called steaming, having one's nose open, opened up, unglued and being wide open). |
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Open-End Straight |
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Four cards to a straight which can be completed by drawing a card at either end. |
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Open-Ended Straight |
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Four cards to a straight which can be completed by drawing a card at either end. |
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Open-Ender |
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Four cards to a straight which can be completed by drawing a card at either end. |
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Open-Handed |
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A category of games characterized by a part of each player's hand being exposed. |
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Opener |
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The one who opens or opened a pot. "It's on the opener" means, before the draw, the person who first bet has to call a raise, or, after the draw, the person who first bet now has to make a bet or pass. |
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Openers |
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1) Minimum opening requirements in a particular game. In California draw (limit), for example, a pair of jacks is openers. "Who's got openers?" means "Can anyone open the pot?", that is, does anyone have a pair of jacks or better? 2) The specific cards with which a player opened a pot in a game that has minimum opening requirements. For example, if a player started with K-K-J-9-7, the pair of kings would be his openers. When requested to show openers, he would show the pair of kings and no more of his hand. 3) In a draw game with no minimum opening requirements, often a pair of jacks. (The quote for definition 2 is applicable here, too.)Player who open the betting, especially in draw poker. A hand may have no openers, in which case it is passed out. |
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Opening Bet |
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1) Bring-in. Also called bring-in bet. 2) Early bet |
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Opening Requirements |
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What you need to open in a game that has openers. (Minimum opening requirements in a particular game. In California draw (limit), for example, a pair of jacks is openers.). |
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Option |
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When a player posts a live blind, that player is given the option to raise when their turn comes around, even if no one else has raised; straddle. |
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Option Card |
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In stud, played in a home game, an extra card that a player can "buy" after all the cards that constitute a hand have been dealt. This card is generally a replacement for one of the player's existing cards, usually with an up card being replaced by an up card, and a down card being replaced by a down card, and often with the player having to pay for the card, that is, put extra chips in the pot, such chips not constituting a bet, because that "bet" does not have to be matched by other players. "We're playing five-card stud, high-low, with a twist." Also called discard, pitch, replacement, substitution. |
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Optional Card |
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In stud, played in a home game, an extra card that a player can "buy" after all the cards that constitute a hand have been dealt. This card is generally a replacement for one of the player's existing cards, usually with an up card being replaced by an up card, and a down card being replaced by a down card, and often with the player having to pay for the card, that is, put extra chips in the pot, such chips not constituting a bet, because that "bet" does not have to be matched by other players. "We're playing five-card stud, high-low, with a twist." Also called discard, pitch, replacement, substitution. |
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Oral Bet |
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A wager made by announcing the size of the bet but without actually putting any chips or money in the pot. In some (not all) establishments, oral declarations made in turn are binding; nonetheless, cautious players wait till the chips are actually in the pot before either calling the bet or showing their hands. Also called mouth bet, verbal bet. |
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Oral Declaration |
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A statement made by a player on his turn of his intentions: pass, fold, bet, or raise (and, in a no-limit game, how much). Also called verbal declaration |
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Original Hand |
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1) In draw poker, a player's first five cards, that is, the cards dealt before the draw. 2) In stud games with a discard (twist), the cards dealt before the discard. |
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Out |
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1) Folded, ineligible to bet or win this hand. "I'm out" is often a synonym for "I fold". 2) An out is a card that will improve your hand, usually one that you think will make it a winner. 3) In hold'em, an open-ended straight draw has eight outs (the four cards of each rank that will complete the straight). |
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Out of Action |
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1) Pertaining to a player who is on the outside, that is, busted. 2) Pertaining to a damaged deck, often one that has just had a card torn by an irate player. Right after a player loses a big pot on a bad beat, and angrily crumples the cards, the dealer might yell to the floor man, "Bring a new setup; this one's out of action |
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Out of Line |
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1) Pertaining to a bet or raise made to represent a hand better than one holds, that is, describing a bluff. 2) Describing objectionable behavior in a card room patron. |
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Out of Turn |
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Pertaining to a bet or raise made by a player before the action has come to him. For example, the player two positions to your right bets. While the player one position to your right contemplates what to do, you say, "I raise." You are acting out of turn and, in most clubs, your action is not binding; that is, when the action comes to you, you are not obligated to raise, or even bet. Acting out of turn is sometimes part of an angle shooter's repertoire |
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Out on a Limb |
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Describing a risky bet situation, usually a bluff. "I knew he was out on a limb, but I couldn't call with just an ace-high when there were two more players behind me. |
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Outdraw |
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To make a better hand than an opponent by merit of the cards you draw. |
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Outrun |
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To beat. Example: "Susie outran my set when her flush card hit on the river." |
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Outs |
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Cards that improve a hand, usually used with reference to a hand that is not currently the best hand. The term is most often used for hold 'em, but can be used for stud or Omaha, and sometimes even draw games. |
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Outside |
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1) Not an employee of a card room, that is, a live player; usually preceded by on the. "Doesn't Hector work here?" "Nah, he's on the outside." 2) In lowball, pertaining to a card drawn to (usually) a good hand, but either somewhat above the card that would make that the best hand possible (as when drawing to A-2-3-4, and catching a 6 or higher), or when drawing to a hand with "room" inside (that is, with space below its highest card), pertaining to a card drawn above the hand (as when drawing to 4-5-6-7, and catching an 8 or higher). If a player shows down an 8-4 and says, "I caught outside," you know he caught the 8. A player might make this remark after losing to a rough 7, and bemoaning his luck that he didn't make the wheel. |
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Over |
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1) In front of, in terms of position. "He's sitting over me" means he bets after I do. 2) In high poker, two pair; always preceded by the rank of the high pair, and sometimes followed by the rank of the low pair. Aces over is two pair, with aces as the high pair and any other pair as the low pair. Kings over 7s is two pair, kings and 7s. Also called up, when referring only to the higher pair, as kings up |
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Over Blind |
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1) Put in a blind when one is already present. In a traveling blind game, this could mean someone putting in an optional blind in addition to the mandatory blinds. In a game without mandatory blinds, this would be blinding a pot (putting in a blind) after someone else has killed it. (To put in an over blind is sometimes called to kill.) Sometimes called go the overs. 2) The blind put in by the person who over blinds. In a 3-3-6 traveling blind game ($12 limit or $12 minimum bet no-limit), John might put in $12 before getting his cards. He has doubled the limit (or the minimum bet) to $24, and he gets last action before the draw. Someone might say, "John acts last; he has the over blind." Also straddle, for both meanings. |
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Over Button |
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In some games, players can take "over" buttons that mean they're willing to play at higher limits. Any time everyone left in the hand has an over button, the limits go up. |
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Over the Top |
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Describing a raise, generally one made on top of another raise, and, in a no-limit game, often large compared to the preceding wagering; usually preceded by come. "I bet, Jim raised, and Grady came over the top for all his chips." |
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Overbet |
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1) In a no-limit game, make a bet greatly out of proportion to the size of the pot. 2) A bet greatly out of proportion to the size of the pot. 3) In pot-limit games, a bet made that is larger than the size of the pot (and which must be counted down by the dealer, so that it can be cut off at the rounded-up size of the pot). For example, if the bring-in in a particular game is $25, and the pot contains $480 at a particular stage, no more than $500 can be bet at that point; any bet greater than that amount is an over bet. |
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Overcall |
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1) Call a bet after one or more others have already called. For example, Jim bets, and Sue calls. If you also call, you are overcalling. 2) At the showdown, declare a hand as being better than it is, for which some card-rooms impose a penalty, that the player may lose claim to the pot; that is, the verbal announcement takes precedence over the actual cards. The reason for the rule is that one of the tactics of an angle shooter is to miscall a hand hoping that the other player will inadvertently throw away the winning hand. If the loser then sees that the hand did not really have, for example, a flush, but only four hearts and a diamond, the angler then says, "Oh, sorry; I overlooked my hand. Thought I had a flush." |
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Overcard |
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1) In hold 'em, a card among the community cards higher than a player's pair. 2) In stud games, a card (usually among your down cards) higher than any card showing among your opponents' cards. |
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Overcards |
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1) In hold 'em, cards in a player's hand that are of higher rank than the exposed cards among the community cards. 2) In stud, cards in a player's hand that are of higher rank than the exposed cards, particularly an exposed pair, among another player's up cards. |
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Overhand Cut |
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A thieving maneuver in which the cards are cut in such a way as to restore their original order. |
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Overhand Shuffle |
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A form of shuffling performed by holding the cards above the table (as opposed to the "standard" method of shuffling in which the cards remain on the table) and sliding, dropping, or tossing cards from the top of the deck held in one hand into the other hand, until all the cards are transferred to the other hand. This form of shuffling is not permitted in card rooms, but is sometimes seen in private or home games, particularly by beginners. |
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Overhand Stack |
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Shuffling the deck with an overhand shuffle in such a way as to stack the deck, that is, restore it to its original (prearranged) order while appearing to mix the cards. |
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Overhead |
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1) What a player has to pay to play, as the time collection or the drop or rake.2) For a card room, the overhead is expenses, beyond which comes the profit. |
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Overkill |
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1) Over blind. 2) Having more hand than necessary. A man calls with two pair when you have four aces; that's overkill on your part. |
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Overlays |
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In hold 'em, a player's pair higher than any pair among the community cards; in stud poker, a player's pair higher than any face-up pair |
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Overlook |
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Misread, not see; often followed by the hand, or the name of the misread card or cards. In lowball, someone might say, "I thought I had a wheel, but I overlooked my hand," or, "I overlooked the pair |
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Overpair |
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In Hold'em, a pair in the hole that is larger than any community card on the board. |
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Overreach |
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Cheat while dealing, particularly involving a dealer's long reach. |
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Overs |
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1) Over blind (Put in a blind when one is already present. In a traveling blind game, this could mean someone putting in an optional blind in addition to the mandatory blinds. In a game without mandatory blinds, this would be blinding a pot (putting in a blind) after someone else has killed it. (To put in an over blind is sometimes called to kill.) Sometimes called go the overs.); usually preceded by the. "Who's got the overs?" means "Who put in the over blind?" (and usually implies that the person who is supposed to put it in didn't, as a remark directed to the dealer of the current hand in a round from home). 2) In a two-pair hand, the higher pair; often in the situation in which two players both have the same lower pair. For example, Emilie has 9s over 8s and Chloe has 10s over 8s. Emilie says, "Your overs got me." |
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Overs Button |
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A button designating a player who will play at a higher limit when only those who have such an arrangement remain in a pot. Two or more players in a 20-40 game, for example, might agree that when either only they are in a pot or when others fold causing only them to remain, they will play 100-200. Each player so agreeing gets an overs button |
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