Poker Glossary K – Z

Kicker: The highest unpaired card in a players hand. The card is used to determine the better of two otherwise equivalent or almost equivalent hands. 

Laydown: To reluctantly fold a very strong hand when you suspect your opponent’s hand is dominant

Limp: To enter a pot by calling instead of raising, allowing the player in the big blind position to see the flop without having to place additional chips to the pot.

Offsuit: Texas Hold’Em hole cards that are of two different suits

Out: A card required to create a winning poker hand

Overcall: Calling a bet after it has already been called by another opponent

Overcard: A hole card which is of a higher ranking then any of the current community cards

Overpair: A pocket pair which is of a higher ranking than any of the current community cards

Passive Play: A weak poker playing style, where players check and call often, but seldom raise themselves
Pay Off: To call a bet because of the pot odds, even though you expect to lose the hand at showdown

Ragged: A flop that does not look as if it contain cards which would help improve anyone’s hand

Rainbow: Usually refers to a flop that does not contain more than more card of any particular suit

River: The fifth community card, placed face-up on the board

Royal cards: Cards with faces on them – the Jack, Queen and King

Short Stack: A chip stack that is relatively small compared to the poker table stakes and the chip stacks of opponents

Side Pot:  A separate pot where further bets are placed after a player has moved “All-In”

Slowplay: A form of deception used in poker, where a player does not bet aggressively with a strong hand in order to trap opponents into betting with inferior hands

Split Pot: A pot which is divided equally among players that hold equivalent hands

Steal/Buy:  A form of bluffing, where a player raises pre-flop – usually in late position – without a strong poker hand with the intention of taking the blinds uncontested

Suited: Cards of the same suit, often referring to hole cards

Turn: The fourth community card, placed face-up on the board

Value Bet: To bet with a strong hand, with the hope of being called
Walk: A pot where the entire table folds, allowing the big blind to take the small blind uncontested
Weak Ace: Pocket cards consisting of an ace with a low kicker, i.e. Ah 3c