The term means that it is the player's turn to make a decision during a hand. It’s their chance to bet, raise, call, check, or fold. This term also describes the betting activity that takes place during a hand. The phrase "There's a lot of action" means that there have been many bets and raises.
Optional chip purchase available at a specific time during a tournament, usually after the rebuy period ends. Only players still in the tournament can make an add-on. It increases the chip stack without affecting elimination status.
This means that the player has bet all of their chips, either by making a bet or a call. In games where players can only use the chips they have at the table, going all-in means betting everything. If someone goes all-in and other players have more chips, a side pot is created for the additional money. "Poor Bob. He only had a flush against a full house, but he went all-in on the turn."
This is a small mandatory bet that each player contributes at the beginning of a hand to form the pot. Ante is not used in some hold'em games. Instead, blinds are used.
A bad beat is a situation where a strong hand, which was considered the clear favourite, loses to a much weaker hand due to a fortunate turn of events. This usually happens at later stages of a hand, when an unexpected card changes the outcome of the game in favor of the opponent. For example: "He had a bad beat: he had aces, but on the river, a card came that gave his opponent a straight flush!".
This is the first chips placed in the pot on any street. In Hold'em, the big blind is considered the first bet before the flop.
A blank card is a card on the board that doesn't significantly change the strength of the hands. For example, if A J 10 come on the flop, a 2 on the turn would be considered a blank, as it is unlikely to help any of the players complete a strong hand.
A blind is a mandatory bet made by one or more players before the cards are dealt. In hold'em, blinds are typically placed by the players immediately to the left of the button.
Bomb Pot is a special type of hand in cash games where all players automatically place a forced bet (usually 1 to 5 big blinds) into the pot before the flop. The flop is then dealt immediately, skipping the preflop betting round altogether.
A bluff is a tactical move in poker where a player makes a bet or raise without having a strong hand, in order to force opponents to fold. The main goal of a bluff is to convince your opponents that you have a much stronger hand than you actually do.
The big blind is the larger of the two mandatory bets that players make before the flop.
The board or the board cards refers to the community cards, consisting of the flop, turn, and river. For example: "There wasn't a single heart on the board."
Bounty is a reward placed on a specific player’s head — often as part of a tournament structure.
It gives extra incentive to knock that player out and can either be fixed or progressive.
The button is the dealer marker, which also represents the player sitting in that position. For example: "The player on the button raised the bet."
To make a call means to match the amount that an opponent has already bet in order to stay in the game. Unlike a raise, this does not increase the bet, but simply matches it.
Checking means choosing not to bet while retaining the option to continue playing when it's your turn. You can only check if no other player has made a raise before you in that round.
A check-raise is a poker tactic where a player first checks (passes the action without betting) and then raises the bet in response to an opponent's bet. This move is used to trap the opponent, increase the size of the pot, or force opponents to fold.
In Texas Hold'em and Omaha, community cards are the cards shared by all the players. They are the same as the board or the board cards.
These are pocket cards that are consecutive in rank, such as 7 8 or 10 J . They are valuable because they provide a greater chance of completing a straight.
Chip Dumping is the intentional transfer of chips from one player to another, usually through clearly losing plays. One player might make unnecessary all-ins or calls just to "dump" chips to a partner. This is a form of cheating and is strictly forbidden in all poker rooms, as it disrupts fair competition and distorts results.
Early Bird is a feature on PokerPlanets that gives players a 10% boost to their starting stack for registering early in a tournament.
To receive the bonus, you must register before the tournament begins — the earlier, the better.
A dealer is the player who actually (or theoretically) deals the cards. If there is a professional dealer (in a casino or poker room) or an automatic dealer (online), it’s necessary to identify the player who will be the nominal dealer for the hand. This is important because the blinds and bets are made to the left of the dealer. A marker called the dealer button (or button) is used for this purpose, and it moves clockwise around the table, passing to the next player after each hand.
A poker hand that is statistically favourable to win.
The flop is the first three community cards on the board.
To fold means to give up your hand and no longer compete for the chips you have already contributed to the pot.
A freeroll is a tournament with a prize pool and free entry. It also refers to a situation where you can win the pot but cannot lose it. For example, on a board of Q J 10 with a hearts flush draw, if you have A K of hearts and your opponent has the same hand but offsuit, it means you will split the pot if no hearts come, but you can win all the chips if the flush completes. In this case, it’s a freeroll for you.
A gutshot is a situation where you need one specific rank of card to complete a straight. For example, on a board of 7 8 9 with a hand of Q J , you have a gutshot to a ten.
Heads-up is a hand where only two players are involved. It also refers to the stage in a tournament when only two participants remain in the game.
Knockout is a prize structure where a cash reward (bounty) is awarded for eliminating another player. Each knockout earns you a set amount. This structure can be used in many types of tournaments and adds an extra layer of reward beyond the regular prize pool.
A kicker is the deciding factor in situations where opponents have the same hand ranking. It is especially important in cases like one pair or top pair, where a higher second card can secure the win. For example: "Both players had a pair of kings, but one had an ace as the kicker, while the other had a queen. The first player won because their kicker was higher."
Cards that are no longer in play are referred to as the muck or simply as discarded cards.
Mining refers to collecting hand histories from tables a player hasn’t participated in, then using that data in tracking software (like Hold’em Manager or Hand2Note) to analyze opponents.
At PokerPlanets, mining is prohibited, as it provides an unfair advantage and goes against the principles of fair play.
Mystery Bounty is a knockout-style tournament where bounty prizes are awarded randomly. Bounties are only activated once players reach the money. When you eliminate someone, you draw a mystery prize — the amount remains unknown until it's revealed.
A variation of poker in which a player can bet any amount of chips (above the minimum for that betting round) when it’s their turn to act.
A nuts hand is the best possible hand or combination in a given situation.
Odds represent the likelihood of something happening, expressed as a ratio or percentage.
A starting hand in Hold'em with two cards of different suits.
An OESD is a situation where you are one card away from a straight, and that card can be of two different ranks. For example, on a board of 5 6 2 with a hand of 7 8 , both a nine and a four would complete the straight. This is also referred to as a "double-ended straight draw."
An out is a card that will make your hand a winning one. The term is usually used in plural. For example: "Any spade will give me a flush, so I have nine outs."
An overcard is a card that is higher than the highest card on the board.
An overpair is a pocket pair that is higher than the highest card on the board. For example, a hand of Q Q on a flop of J 8 3 would be an overpair.
Your pocket cards are the unique cards that only you can see. For example, "He has pocket sixes" (a pair of sixes) or "I have Ace-King in the pocket."
A starting hand in Hold'em with two cards of the same rank, forming a pair. For example: "In the first hour, I had pocket pairs seven times. What more could you ask for?"
Position refers to a player's seat at the poker table relative to the dealer (button), which determines the order of play in a hand. The later a player acts, the more information they have about their opponents' actions, which provides a strategic advantage.
The pot is the total amount of money wagered in a hand.
It is the ratio of the pot to the current bet, which helps players determine whether the odds of winning are favorable.
Pot-limit is a betting structure where the maximum bet or raise in any round of betting is equal to the total amount in the pot.
Pre-flop is the betting round before the flop.
It is a combination of four cards of the same rank.
Rabbit Hunting is a feature in poker that lets players see what cards would have come if the hand had continued. For example, if the hand ends before the turn or river, players can "peek" at the next cards. It’s purely for curiosity and doesn’t affect the outcome or the pot. Some players enjoy seeing “what could have been,” while others prefer not to know.
Rainbow is a term used to describe a flop, turn, or river consisting of cards of different suits, which eliminates the possibility of completing a flush in the current betting round. This term is most often applied to the flop: "Rainbow flop" – three cards of different suits.
To raise means to increase the previous bet.
This is the minimum fee charged for operational costs by the poker room.
The rank of a card refers to its numerical value (as opposed to its suit). For example: "Jack," "Seven."
Rebuy allows a player to purchase additional chips during a specific period of the tournament without being eliminated.
Re-entry allows a player who has been eliminated from a tournament to register again as a new participant by paying the buy-in once more.
The river is the fifth and final community card on the board.
Runner-runner is a situation where a player needs two specific cards to complete a strong hand, and they receive both of those cards consecutively on the turn and river, winning the hand. This scenario is rare and is often seen as a stroke of luck. For example: "He didn’t even have a pair on the flop, but he hit a runner-runner straight on the turn and river and won the pot."
Run It Twice is an option that can be activated after an all-in, but only if all players involved agree. The remaining community cards (such as the turn and river) are dealt twice, and the pot is split into two equal halves. Each half is played out on a separate board. This helps reduce the impact of one unlucky card — in other words, it lowers the risk of losing everything to a single river.
A semi-bluff is a bet or raise that you hope won't be called, but you still have outs to win if your opponent calls. For example, if you have K Q and the flop comes 10 5 J , a bet here would be a semi-bluff. You probably don't have the best hand, and you'd like your opponents to fold immediately. However, if you get a call, you still have the chance to hit a straight or a higher pair.
A second pair is a pair formed with the second-highest card on the board. For example, if you have A 10 and K 10 6 5 3 come on the board, you have a second pair. See "top pair."
When you have a pocket pair and there is another card of the same rank on the board.
Showdown is the final stage of the hand, when all bets have been made, the betting is complete, and the remaining players reveal their cards to determine the winner.
A side pot is formed in a hand when one player goes all-in with all their chips, and the other players continue betting. Since the player who is all-in cannot add more money to the pot, the remaining participants continue to play for a separate pot, which the all-in player is not eligible to win.
Slowplay is a tactical move in poker where a player with a strong hand plays it passively (checks or makes small bets) to provoke opponents into more aggressive actions and increase the pot.
The small blind is the smaller of the two mandatory bets that players make before the flop. See also “big blind.”
Soft Play is a situation where a player intentionally avoids aggressive actions against a specific opponent — usually a friend or teammate — in order not to harm them. For example, checking back strong hands or avoiding value bets. This kind of behavior is considered unethical and violates poker rules.
A split pot is a pot that is shared by two or more players because they have equal hands or there is a rule for splitting the pot in the game.
A straddle is a voluntary additional bet made by a player before the cards are dealt, usually twice the size of the big blind. The straddle increases the size of the pot and gives the player who placed it the opportunity to act last in the pre-flop betting round.
Each round of betting in a hand (pre-flop, flop, turn, river) is called a street.
A starting hand in Hold'em with two cards of the same suit. For example: "I had to play J 6 because they were suited."
Tilt is a psychological state in which a player loses control over their emotions (due to losses, bad beats, or a bad session) and starts playing too aggressively, irrationally, or not according to their strategy.
Teleport is a fast-fold cash game format exclusive to PokerPlanets. After folding a hand, the player is instantly moved to a new table with new opponents and a fresh hand. This allows for much faster gameplay and more hands per hour, as there’s no need to wait for other players to finish the hand.
A top pair is a pair made with the highest card on the board. For example, if you have A Q and the board comes Q 10 5 7 3 , you have a top pair. See "second pair."
The highest possible set on the board. For example, if you have 10 10 and the flop comes 10 8 5 , you have the top set on this flop.
Two pair, when your two pocket cards form a pair with the two highest cards on the board. For example, if you have A K and A K 6 come on the flop, you have two top pairs.
Trips is three cards of the same rank. It differs from a set in that one of the triplets is in your hand, while the other two are on the board. For example, if you have A 9 and 9 9 4 come on the flop, you have trips of nines.
The turn is the fourth community card on the board in Hold'em or Omaha.
An underdog is a person or hand that has a lower chance of winning.
This is a position at the table. The player in UTG (Under the Gun) opens the betting pre-flop, so this position is considered not very favorable. Sometimes UTG is referred to as “the gun.”
A value bet is a bet made by a player when they are confident they have the best hand and want to get as many chips as possible from their opponent.
