A limit betting structure is commonly found in use for Texas holdem games, but it isn’t as popular as no limit play. In limit play each betting round has a set betting limit. This limit is usually one amount during the flop and immediately following the flop and twice this amount on the turn and river betting rounds. In 1971, the directors of the World Series of Poker decided to feature no limit Texas Holdem as the Main Event tournament and Holdem has been played in the Main Event ever since. The popularity of Texas Holdem surged during the 2000s because of its exposure in literature, the internet and television. Many poker players now start out by playing no-limit hold’em and this lesson is intended for those looking to make the transition to fixed-limit hold’em. We’ll focus on differences between the two games. While the betting rules are the main difference between the two formats, there are many other strategic differences.

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Texas Hold ‘em Guide
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- Hold ‘em Gameplay
- Texas Hold ‘em Strategy
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  - Intermediate Hold ‘em Strategy
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What Is No Limit Texas Holdem

Texas Hold ‘em is one of the most popular forms of poker, and over the years it has developed a language all it’s own. While you’ll definitely want to be familiar with the most basic poker terms before trying out variations of the game, when you’re ready to tackle Texas Hold ‘em, consult this comprehensive glossary.

Poker Terms:

Anchor: The player seated in the last position before the dealer.
Ante: The minimum amount players must put in the pot before betting begins. This occurs prior to cards being dealt. Antes are separate from blinds. In Texas Hold ‘em tournaments, they typically appear in later stages of play.
Baby: A card with a low rank.
Blank: A community card that does not affect the players’ hands.
Bluff: Pretending that you have a better hand than you do.
Board: Card that are on the table and are thus “on the board.”
Burning a Card: Discarding the top card of the deck. This is done before the community cards are dealt at the beginning of each round of betting.
Buy-In: The minimum amount you must bring to the poker game. Also, the cost of participating in a poker tournament. In Fixed-Limit Texas Hold ‘em, it is the equivalent of 10 times the small blind.
Catch: When a player makes the hand for which they were drawing.

Community cards are the cards that are dealt face-up and shared by all players.

Community Cards: The cards that are dealt face-up and shared by all players.
Dealer Button: The disc that identifies the dealer’s position on the table.
Drawing to a Hand: When a player remains in a round hoping to make his or her hand when more cards are dealt.
Flop: The first three community cards dealt face-up on the table.
Free Card: A community card on the turn or river in which there was no betting in the previous round (everyone checked).
Hand: A player’s best five cards, always including the two initial cards dealt to the individual.
Hole Cards: Also known as Pocket Cards, these are the two cards dealt face-down to each player at the beginning of every round.
House: The host of a game. Generally, a casino or poker website.
Kicker: The remaining undeclared card in a five-card poker hand (the top high card after matched hands).
Limit Game: A version of Texas Hold ‘em in which a player can only bet or raise the equivalent of the big blind.
Live Blind: When the player who posted the big blind still has the option of raising when it is his or her turn.
Muck: When a player discards his or her hand without showing it to the table.
No-Limit Game: A version of Texas Hold ‘em in which players may bet any amount of chips they choose.
Nuts: The best possible hand based on the cards that were dealt.
Outs: The cards that may allow a player to win the hand.
Off Suit: Two cards of different suits.

The first two “down” cards dealt to a player are called Pocket cards or Hole cards.

Pocket Cards: The first two “down” cards dealt to a player, often called Hole Cards by stud players.
Post a Blind: When a player puts in money for a forced blind.
Pot: The amount of chips/money that accumulates as players place bets. In a game of Texas Hold ‘em, all winnings are paid from the pot.
Pot Limit: A version of Texas Hold ‘em in which players may only bet up to the amount of money in the pot.
Rags: Bad cards.
Rake: The percentage of the pot that is taken by the house.
River Card: The final community card that is dealt.
Semi-Bluff: Bluffing when a hand still has drawing potential.
Showdown: When remaining players reveal their hands to determine a winner after the last betting round.
Slow Playing: When a player does not play aggressively with a powerful hand. Also known as “Sandbagging.”

Stack: A player’s chips.
Straddle: An optional third blind posted by the player three seats left of the dealer. It is equal to twice the amount of the big blind and announced before the cards are dealt.

Poker Hand Terms:

Ace-High: A hand composed of five cards that contains one ace but no hand combinations (e.g. a straight or a pair).
Bad Beat: When a player that has a strong hand is beaten by an even stronger hand.
Big Pair: A pair of cards with a value of 10 or more.
Big Slick: An ace and king. This is one of the best starting hands in Texas hold ‘em.
Big Chick: An ace and queen.

Broadway is a straight composed of 10, J, Q, K, A.

Broadway: A straight composed of 10, J, Q, K, A.
Boat: Same as a “Full House”.
Bottom Pair: A pair of cards that includes the smallest ranked card in the flop, the turn or the river.
Bullets: A pair of Aces. Also known as “Pocket Rockets”.
Dead Man’s Hand: A two-pair hand of aces and 8’s. Legend has it that Wild Bill Hickock was shot and killed while holding this hand.
Deuces: A pair of 2’s.
Doyle Brunson: A 10-two hand of any suit. Named for the player who won the World Series of Poker with this hand two years in a row.
Flush: A hand in which all five cards have the same suit.
Flush Draw: A hand where four cards are the same suit, and only one more card is needed to form a flush.

A 4 of a kind has four different cards of the same rank or value.

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Four of a Kind: Four cards of the same ranking.
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