StickyFingers007
Namer of T2V Gatherings
- Joined
- Aug 30, 2002
- Messages
- 1,263
- Trips to Las Vegas
- 14
Alright fellow poker players, and soon to be poker players, you asked for it, and you shall receive. I am going to start this thread with the few tid-bits of poker related stuff I can come up with. This will be a running thread that will probably end up getting stickied up top, but for now will remain here.
I will start the thread off with this post, and I encourage everyone to add to it as we go. There is lots of information to cover from terms, abbreviations to poker strategy. I'm sure we can all learn something no matter what our skill level is, so lets dig deep, encourage, inform and share so we can all be winning players!
Any information added, will get copied into this original post so it will be a one stop shop later on.
Here is your first hand out.
Poker terms - commonly used in chat, or poker stories. These are just the terms you may hear poker players use, but might not know the meaning. These are mostly related to Hold ‘em poker as thats the game that I play, and most commonly played poker.
I welcome anyone who plays the other poker games, to add to this as well, and we will categorize them based on game.
There will be more terms later on related to specific aspects of poker.
FLOP - First 3 community cards dealt face up after the first round of betting
TURN - The 4th community card dealt face up after betting round on FLOP
RIVER- The 5th and last community card dealt face up
ACTION - Action is when there are a lot of players in a pot and lots of raises, and calls. If you have a really good hand, you want action.
ALL IN - Only used in No Limit Hold ‘em games, at any time any or all players can put all their chips into the pot and be ALL IN. If you are playing with someone, and they are all in, you must either call their ALL IN bet, by matching their amount of chips, or call
ALL IN and put all your remaining chips in as well. If one of you has more chips, the player with more chips, will get the remaining chips back.
THE NUTS - At any point in the game, your hand ( hole cards before the flop, or the 5 cards you have using your hole cards and community cards ) can be called the nuts meaning, most likely unbeatable. An example of the NUTS could be after the flop, you have an ace high flush. This is likely the nuts and you can slow play and have a nice pay off.
SLOW PLAY - If you have a super hand say after the flop, you might want to slow down your betting, and let other players in the pot, do some work for you by building up the pot. You might check if your first to act, then just call any bets afterward to hide the strength of your hand. Slow playing CAN work well, but often it can come back to bite you later. It’s important to watch the board ( community cards ) and watch for possible draws that could end up breaking you. Slow playing after the flop can build up the pot, but if a scare card comes on the turn, you might want to open up, and bet or raise big to protect your strong, and most likely at THAT point, unbeatable hand.
DRAW or DRAWING HAND - After the flop, or the turn, a player with 4 cards that make a straight or flush, has a drawing hand meaning they only need 1 more card to make their hand and possibly best hand. A Straight draw would mean say you have 7 hearts, 9 diamonds and after the flop of J 10 5, you only need an 8 to make your straight. You have a drawing hand, and if you choose to, you may call a bet after the flop or turn, to “ buy “ and 8 and take the lead. Same for flush, if you have 4 cards of any suit after the flop or turn, you have a flush drawing hand.
SUCK OUT - When you hear someone sucked out, or got sucked out on, it means this. A player who might not know better, decided to call your ALL IN bet with a weak or drawing hand. He might have horrible odd’s ( almost no chance of winning ) but decided to gamble and “ see what happens” If you went all in with 3 of a kind aces, and he called with a straight draw, and on the river he gets the 1 card he needed to fill his straight, he sucked out and won the hand with a weak, or marginal hand. The term suck out can get used inappropriately, and be uncalled for, but it’s common and happens. Thats poker, and it will happen. How you deal with it, is up to you.
RIVERED or I GOT RIVERED - Much like SUCKOUT above, it happens and usually it’s on the river card which means it’s just more dramatic. A strong hand, goes all in and a weaker hand calls. The weaker hand improves his hand on the last possible chance, and takes the pot. If you had 3 of a kind 6’s and someone called with pocket jacks, and they hit a jack on the river, you got rivered.
DONKEY or DONK - A player at the table who plays weak hands, drawing hands and is playing in pots that maybe he shouldn’t be. Calling bets and raises when it’s obvious he’s beat. A Donkey might just not know better, and will make wrong moves often, but get lucky and end up winning.
FISH - If you are playing at a table, you will see many different styles and skill levels of players. FISH are often referred to as players who will chase straights and flushes, and often miss meaning they are paying you off cause they are giving you chips but can’t win. They are playing weak hands and even with scare cards, and big bets, they still choose to stay in, and donate a lot of chips to other players. The saying goes, “ Dont tap the glass “. Many people will moan, gripe and complain about fish, and often make them get up and leave the table. We don’t want to do this!! It’s called tapping the glass, it’s wrong in the pet store, and wrong at the poker table! Why would you want to get rid of a player who easily gives the players their chips? Be nice, and keep them around. You’ll be glad you did.
SHARK - Opposite of fish, they know what they are doing, can read you like a book and will take all your money and you wont know what hit you. Sharks like to sit down at tables they see as easy, and will bluff, raise, re-raise, call, whatever it takes to win. They might not be the strongest players, but they often rule the table, and walk away with most of the money laid out.
BAD BEAT - A bad beat, is just that. You either had a great hand like aces, get beat with pocket dueces, you got rivered, or out played by someone with a killer hand like quads
BLUFF - Bluffing is a tool in poker. There is no right or wrong way to do it, and it can or can’t happen. Some people are naturals at it, and choose to do it, others don’t or will only once in a blue moon. If you are bluffing, you are doing 1 of a few things. You are acting like you have a better hand than the person who is in the pot with you, forcing them to fold what really is the best hand at that time, you are betting big with a good hand, but not the best and you have a good chance at making a great hand so you are semi bluffing. Bluffing is a technique, and can work or can’t. There is no way to really teach how to bluff, or what to do. Instinct, history at the table and cards will be the only tools you have to work with. Try it, or call it.. that is poker.
BLANK - refers to a card dealt on the board that doesn’t appear to be a card that could help anyone’s hand.
TELL - A signal be it physical, or verbal a player may show that can help other players identify the strength or weakness of their hand. Usually unintentional, like shakey hands, touching face etc. More on tells later on.
TILT - When a player has lost a few hands in a row ( usually to donkeys, suckouts or fish) They go on tilt. Meaning, they are playing badly now, might be making stupid mistakes and getting aggressive. A player on tilt can be a good thing, and if you have cards, you might take whats left of his chips. However, a player acting on tilt, CAN actually get lucky and will make a good comeback.
STEAMING - A player on TILT who’s about to explode. Watch out.. If you’ve ever watched Mike Matasow play, you’ve witnessed mega tilt, followed by steaming many times.
SHORT STACK - The player at any table, with the least amount of chips.
BIG STACK - No explanation needed. If your it, well done.
CHOP ( deal at final table )- Usually in tournaments, when it’s down to the last few players, say 4 or 5 the players will make a deal to divide the prize money up and walk away without finishing the tournament.
SPLIT POT - Usually means 2 players, in a pot together with the exact same cards and they will split the pot.
ODD’s - There are a few different ODD’s but the main definition means, the chance a player has to make his hand.
HOLE CARDS - Your cards dealt to you face down.
Sit ‘n GO or SNG - These are small tournament type games, that usually are set up to allow the first 9, 18, 27 or whatever the size will be players to sit down, and start as soon as all the require players are ready. Much like a tournament, only no set start time. You simply pay, sit down and go.
RAKE - The amount a casino takes from each pot or hand played. You don’t really notice it, but if your playing a live game, each round of betting you may see the dealer put a couple chips into a drop box. This is the rake, and it is a small profit for the casino. Usually it’s about 4 or 5% of the pot. If there is 40 dollars in the pot after the flop, you might see the dealer take 2 dollars for the rake. They are great at doing it without much attention drawn to it. Same goes online as well. Each pot in a cash game, has a rake.
BLINDS - In any tournament or cash game, there are blinds. These are forced bets made by 2 people immediately left of the button position. The small blind and big blind have to put out their bet before any cards are dealt. This forces a pot to be made so even if everyone folds, one of the blind players will get something. If the small blind folds as well, the big blind gets both blinds and the next hand starts. Often, if the table folds around to the blinds, they will chop and each takes their bet back.
In a cash game, the blind is determined by the limit. Example, in a 3/6 limit hold em game, the blinds will be 1 and 3 (1 being small blind, 3 being big blind ) These are permanent and don’t change. In a tournament, the blinds start low, and will increase ( usually double value ) every level. A level can last anywhere from 15 minutes, to an hour.
The people placing the blinds for every hand, rotate clockwise each hand same as the dealer button.
A note about blind position. The small blind will always be first to act after the flop. This is usually an unfavorable position to be in. What you do in this position is up to you and should be played based on the information you have at that time. Before the flop, both blinds have the opportunity to see how many players enter the pot, who raised, limped in etc. The big blind usually closes the action IF there is no raise before him.
If you are the big blind, and the action comes to you with only say 3 people calling the big blind, you have the option to check ( close action and go to the flop ) or raise, forcing all remaining players to either call your raise, re-raise you ( ouch, watch out ) or fold.
ANTE - Ante’s are usually only used in tournament poker and not until later in the tournament. Like blinds, they are a forced bet that EVERYONE must make before any cards are dealt. Ante’s usually start in the last half of a tournament, and increase with each level. Ante’s help to eliminate short stack players and keep the tournament from lasting weeks lol. Ante’s always are added to the main pot of each hand.
example the blinds are 1500 and 3000 with an ante of 500. All players put out the 500 ante (5 players, thats 2500 ) The blinds put out their blinds (2500 +1500 + 3000 = 7000) Player a is not on the blinds, and is first to act puts all his remaining 1000 chips in the pot. He does not have enough to cover the big blind. All players fold except for the blinds, and the small blind finishes the bet by calling 1500 ( the minimum amount to call to play. Each player must at least call the 3000 big blind) Because player a, only had 1000 chips, the pot is divided into two pots. 7000 from the blinds and antes less 1000 making the main pot 6000. The remaining 1000 taken from the main pot will now be the side pot for the players not all in, to continue betting for. The 1000 chips are removed because player a didn’t have enough chips to cover the big blind, so all players put in the same amount for THAT pot, then any remaining chips go to the remaining players.
More on this later.
BETTING - Part A, cash limit hold em games
In cash limit games, bets are limited to the stakes the game is set at. If you are playing a 3/6 limit game, then the small bet is 3 and the big bet is 6. Limit hold em means just that, you are limited to the amount you can bet or raise. Before the flop, players wanting to enter the pot have 2 options; call the big blind ( 3 ) or raise an additional 3 making it now 6 to play. Any player after then has the same options, call the bet already made, or raise an additional 3 and so on. Cash games usually cap the number of raises to 4 or 5 so, in a hot, action pot, the amount to call before the flop could end up being 15 dollars. If you have aces, and you are on the big blind, this is your lucky day!
After the flop, the bets start at the minimum again. The first bet after the flop will be 3 and any raises will be 3 as well. Same as above, the raises will be capped at 4 or 5.
The turn card ( 4th card face up ) raises the bet to the big bet now, which is 6. All bets and raises will be in increments of 6.
The river, same as the turn. All bets and raises will be increments of 6.
Are you with me? Hopefully.. When your at the table for the first time, don’t worry. The dealer will always help you by telling you what your options are, and amounts to bet or raise.
BETTING - Part b, no limit hold em.
In no limit hold em, the betting is not limited.. duh, hence the term no limit.
There are still minimums such as limit, but at any time, any player can push all his chips into the pot going ALL IN and any players remaining or wishing to remain must match his bet or call all in as well ( you can call and all in bet with less chips than the player before you. More on this later )
If your playing no limit hold em, and it’s a slow game, the betting goes like this.
Blinds are posted, players after the big blind either call the big blind, raise (any amount, but must at least be double the big blind amount) or fold. After the flop, like limit hold em, the minimum amount to bet will be based on the small blind amount. A player must bet at least the amount of the small blind, or higher what ever amount they choose. Each remaining player must call the previous bet, raise ( must at least double the previous bet ) go ALL IN, or fold.
All the action on the table will go clockwise around the table, and will be started by 1 of 2 people*
In any hold em game, there are 2 seperate positions. Before the flop, the player immediately left of the player with the big blind, will act first. After the flop, and for the rest of the hand, the player with the small blind button(immediately left of the dealer button) will always act first, and the player with the dealer button now has POSITION, and will always be last to act. We like the button, and want to always have position...More on that later.
ABBREVIATIONS
HH = Hand History. Online players will often refer to a hand history provided by the software to evaluate their play and cards dealt etc.
BB = Big blind
SB = small blind
OS = Off suit. Usually refers to a players hole cards and the fact that they had 2 cards, different suits.
OOP = Out of Position. A player that is forced to act early in the hand, based on where the button is. OR, someone who acted when they shouldn’t have like folding before their turn.
EP = Early position, first to act after the flop
LP= Late position, last to act but before the button (dealer)
MTT = Multi table tournament. Any tournament with more than 1 table
TAG= Tight Aggressive, refers to the style someone plays. They appear to only play strong hands, they fold often but will become aggressive occasionally.
LAG = Loose aggressive, same as above, only they play much more loosely. They are in a lot of pots, will raise often, go all in often and appear reckless.
WSOP= World Series of Poker... Way to much to write about here.
NLHE = No limit hold em game
LHE = Limit Hold em game
+/- EV = This refers to your earning potential if you should continue in the hand. If the post size is say, 1500.00 and it’s only 300 to continue, then you have a +EV even if you have a weak hand. If you have no hand, no drawing hand, and no possible outs, then you are -EV and shouldn’t continue. You will end up losing the 300 with no real chance of winning. It’s a lot more complex than that, but this is the jist of it. Don’t give up a good chunk of your chips, when you know you have no way to win even if it’s a huge pot. Save it for another time.
ROI = Return on investment. It’s a measure used to gage a players ability and can be found online on some poker websites that allow you to search other players. Positive ROI is a good thing, and shows a players strong ability meaning they are winning often, and making money. If they are buying into tournys for 20 dollars, and consistantly winning, or cashing then they have a positive ROI.
---------- end of day 1
Thank you for attending class. Feel free to comment and add.
Sticky
I will start the thread off with this post, and I encourage everyone to add to it as we go. There is lots of information to cover from terms, abbreviations to poker strategy. I'm sure we can all learn something no matter what our skill level is, so lets dig deep, encourage, inform and share so we can all be winning players!
Any information added, will get copied into this original post so it will be a one stop shop later on.
Here is your first hand out.
Poker terms - commonly used in chat, or poker stories. These are just the terms you may hear poker players use, but might not know the meaning. These are mostly related to Hold ‘em poker as thats the game that I play, and most commonly played poker.
I welcome anyone who plays the other poker games, to add to this as well, and we will categorize them based on game.
There will be more terms later on related to specific aspects of poker.
FLOP - First 3 community cards dealt face up after the first round of betting
TURN - The 4th community card dealt face up after betting round on FLOP
RIVER- The 5th and last community card dealt face up
ACTION - Action is when there are a lot of players in a pot and lots of raises, and calls. If you have a really good hand, you want action.
ALL IN - Only used in No Limit Hold ‘em games, at any time any or all players can put all their chips into the pot and be ALL IN. If you are playing with someone, and they are all in, you must either call their ALL IN bet, by matching their amount of chips, or call
ALL IN and put all your remaining chips in as well. If one of you has more chips, the player with more chips, will get the remaining chips back.
THE NUTS - At any point in the game, your hand ( hole cards before the flop, or the 5 cards you have using your hole cards and community cards ) can be called the nuts meaning, most likely unbeatable. An example of the NUTS could be after the flop, you have an ace high flush. This is likely the nuts and you can slow play and have a nice pay off.
SLOW PLAY - If you have a super hand say after the flop, you might want to slow down your betting, and let other players in the pot, do some work for you by building up the pot. You might check if your first to act, then just call any bets afterward to hide the strength of your hand. Slow playing CAN work well, but often it can come back to bite you later. It’s important to watch the board ( community cards ) and watch for possible draws that could end up breaking you. Slow playing after the flop can build up the pot, but if a scare card comes on the turn, you might want to open up, and bet or raise big to protect your strong, and most likely at THAT point, unbeatable hand.
DRAW or DRAWING HAND - After the flop, or the turn, a player with 4 cards that make a straight or flush, has a drawing hand meaning they only need 1 more card to make their hand and possibly best hand. A Straight draw would mean say you have 7 hearts, 9 diamonds and after the flop of J 10 5, you only need an 8 to make your straight. You have a drawing hand, and if you choose to, you may call a bet after the flop or turn, to “ buy “ and 8 and take the lead. Same for flush, if you have 4 cards of any suit after the flop or turn, you have a flush drawing hand.
SUCK OUT - When you hear someone sucked out, or got sucked out on, it means this. A player who might not know better, decided to call your ALL IN bet with a weak or drawing hand. He might have horrible odd’s ( almost no chance of winning ) but decided to gamble and “ see what happens” If you went all in with 3 of a kind aces, and he called with a straight draw, and on the river he gets the 1 card he needed to fill his straight, he sucked out and won the hand with a weak, or marginal hand. The term suck out can get used inappropriately, and be uncalled for, but it’s common and happens. Thats poker, and it will happen. How you deal with it, is up to you.
RIVERED or I GOT RIVERED - Much like SUCKOUT above, it happens and usually it’s on the river card which means it’s just more dramatic. A strong hand, goes all in and a weaker hand calls. The weaker hand improves his hand on the last possible chance, and takes the pot. If you had 3 of a kind 6’s and someone called with pocket jacks, and they hit a jack on the river, you got rivered.
DONKEY or DONK - A player at the table who plays weak hands, drawing hands and is playing in pots that maybe he shouldn’t be. Calling bets and raises when it’s obvious he’s beat. A Donkey might just not know better, and will make wrong moves often, but get lucky and end up winning.
FISH - If you are playing at a table, you will see many different styles and skill levels of players. FISH are often referred to as players who will chase straights and flushes, and often miss meaning they are paying you off cause they are giving you chips but can’t win. They are playing weak hands and even with scare cards, and big bets, they still choose to stay in, and donate a lot of chips to other players. The saying goes, “ Dont tap the glass “. Many people will moan, gripe and complain about fish, and often make them get up and leave the table. We don’t want to do this!! It’s called tapping the glass, it’s wrong in the pet store, and wrong at the poker table! Why would you want to get rid of a player who easily gives the players their chips? Be nice, and keep them around. You’ll be glad you did.
SHARK - Opposite of fish, they know what they are doing, can read you like a book and will take all your money and you wont know what hit you. Sharks like to sit down at tables they see as easy, and will bluff, raise, re-raise, call, whatever it takes to win. They might not be the strongest players, but they often rule the table, and walk away with most of the money laid out.
BAD BEAT - A bad beat, is just that. You either had a great hand like aces, get beat with pocket dueces, you got rivered, or out played by someone with a killer hand like quads
BLUFF - Bluffing is a tool in poker. There is no right or wrong way to do it, and it can or can’t happen. Some people are naturals at it, and choose to do it, others don’t or will only once in a blue moon. If you are bluffing, you are doing 1 of a few things. You are acting like you have a better hand than the person who is in the pot with you, forcing them to fold what really is the best hand at that time, you are betting big with a good hand, but not the best and you have a good chance at making a great hand so you are semi bluffing. Bluffing is a technique, and can work or can’t. There is no way to really teach how to bluff, or what to do. Instinct, history at the table and cards will be the only tools you have to work with. Try it, or call it.. that is poker.
BLANK - refers to a card dealt on the board that doesn’t appear to be a card that could help anyone’s hand.
TELL - A signal be it physical, or verbal a player may show that can help other players identify the strength or weakness of their hand. Usually unintentional, like shakey hands, touching face etc. More on tells later on.
TILT - When a player has lost a few hands in a row ( usually to donkeys, suckouts or fish) They go on tilt. Meaning, they are playing badly now, might be making stupid mistakes and getting aggressive. A player on tilt can be a good thing, and if you have cards, you might take whats left of his chips. However, a player acting on tilt, CAN actually get lucky and will make a good comeback.
STEAMING - A player on TILT who’s about to explode. Watch out.. If you’ve ever watched Mike Matasow play, you’ve witnessed mega tilt, followed by steaming many times.
SHORT STACK - The player at any table, with the least amount of chips.
BIG STACK - No explanation needed. If your it, well done.
CHOP ( deal at final table )- Usually in tournaments, when it’s down to the last few players, say 4 or 5 the players will make a deal to divide the prize money up and walk away without finishing the tournament.
SPLIT POT - Usually means 2 players, in a pot together with the exact same cards and they will split the pot.
ODD’s - There are a few different ODD’s but the main definition means, the chance a player has to make his hand.
HOLE CARDS - Your cards dealt to you face down.
Sit ‘n GO or SNG - These are small tournament type games, that usually are set up to allow the first 9, 18, 27 or whatever the size will be players to sit down, and start as soon as all the require players are ready. Much like a tournament, only no set start time. You simply pay, sit down and go.
RAKE - The amount a casino takes from each pot or hand played. You don’t really notice it, but if your playing a live game, each round of betting you may see the dealer put a couple chips into a drop box. This is the rake, and it is a small profit for the casino. Usually it’s about 4 or 5% of the pot. If there is 40 dollars in the pot after the flop, you might see the dealer take 2 dollars for the rake. They are great at doing it without much attention drawn to it. Same goes online as well. Each pot in a cash game, has a rake.
BLINDS - In any tournament or cash game, there are blinds. These are forced bets made by 2 people immediately left of the button position. The small blind and big blind have to put out their bet before any cards are dealt. This forces a pot to be made so even if everyone folds, one of the blind players will get something. If the small blind folds as well, the big blind gets both blinds and the next hand starts. Often, if the table folds around to the blinds, they will chop and each takes their bet back.
In a cash game, the blind is determined by the limit. Example, in a 3/6 limit hold em game, the blinds will be 1 and 3 (1 being small blind, 3 being big blind ) These are permanent and don’t change. In a tournament, the blinds start low, and will increase ( usually double value ) every level. A level can last anywhere from 15 minutes, to an hour.
The people placing the blinds for every hand, rotate clockwise each hand same as the dealer button.
A note about blind position. The small blind will always be first to act after the flop. This is usually an unfavorable position to be in. What you do in this position is up to you and should be played based on the information you have at that time. Before the flop, both blinds have the opportunity to see how many players enter the pot, who raised, limped in etc. The big blind usually closes the action IF there is no raise before him.
If you are the big blind, and the action comes to you with only say 3 people calling the big blind, you have the option to check ( close action and go to the flop ) or raise, forcing all remaining players to either call your raise, re-raise you ( ouch, watch out ) or fold.
ANTE - Ante’s are usually only used in tournament poker and not until later in the tournament. Like blinds, they are a forced bet that EVERYONE must make before any cards are dealt. Ante’s usually start in the last half of a tournament, and increase with each level. Ante’s help to eliminate short stack players and keep the tournament from lasting weeks lol. Ante’s always are added to the main pot of each hand.
example the blinds are 1500 and 3000 with an ante of 500. All players put out the 500 ante (5 players, thats 2500 ) The blinds put out their blinds (2500 +1500 + 3000 = 7000) Player a is not on the blinds, and is first to act puts all his remaining 1000 chips in the pot. He does not have enough to cover the big blind. All players fold except for the blinds, and the small blind finishes the bet by calling 1500 ( the minimum amount to call to play. Each player must at least call the 3000 big blind) Because player a, only had 1000 chips, the pot is divided into two pots. 7000 from the blinds and antes less 1000 making the main pot 6000. The remaining 1000 taken from the main pot will now be the side pot for the players not all in, to continue betting for. The 1000 chips are removed because player a didn’t have enough chips to cover the big blind, so all players put in the same amount for THAT pot, then any remaining chips go to the remaining players.
BETTING - Part A, cash limit hold em games
In cash limit games, bets are limited to the stakes the game is set at. If you are playing a 3/6 limit game, then the small bet is 3 and the big bet is 6. Limit hold em means just that, you are limited to the amount you can bet or raise. Before the flop, players wanting to enter the pot have 2 options; call the big blind ( 3 ) or raise an additional 3 making it now 6 to play. Any player after then has the same options, call the bet already made, or raise an additional 3 and so on. Cash games usually cap the number of raises to 4 or 5 so, in a hot, action pot, the amount to call before the flop could end up being 15 dollars. If you have aces, and you are on the big blind, this is your lucky day!
After the flop, the bets start at the minimum again. The first bet after the flop will be 3 and any raises will be 3 as well. Same as above, the raises will be capped at 4 or 5.
The turn card ( 4th card face up ) raises the bet to the big bet now, which is 6. All bets and raises will be in increments of 6.
The river, same as the turn. All bets and raises will be increments of 6.
Are you with me? Hopefully.. When your at the table for the first time, don’t worry. The dealer will always help you by telling you what your options are, and amounts to bet or raise.
BETTING - Part b, no limit hold em.
In no limit hold em, the betting is not limited.. duh, hence the term no limit.
There are still minimums such as limit, but at any time, any player can push all his chips into the pot going ALL IN and any players remaining or wishing to remain must match his bet or call all in as well ( you can call and all in bet with less chips than the player before you. More on this later )
If your playing no limit hold em, and it’s a slow game, the betting goes like this.
Blinds are posted, players after the big blind either call the big blind, raise (any amount, but must at least be double the big blind amount) or fold. After the flop, like limit hold em, the minimum amount to bet will be based on the small blind amount. A player must bet at least the amount of the small blind, or higher what ever amount they choose. Each remaining player must call the previous bet, raise ( must at least double the previous bet ) go ALL IN, or fold.
All the action on the table will go clockwise around the table, and will be started by 1 of 2 people*
In any hold em game, there are 2 seperate positions. Before the flop, the player immediately left of the player with the big blind, will act first. After the flop, and for the rest of the hand, the player with the small blind button(immediately left of the dealer button) will always act first, and the player with the dealer button now has POSITION, and will always be last to act. We like the button, and want to always have position...More on that later.
ABBREVIATIONS
HH = Hand History. Online players will often refer to a hand history provided by the software to evaluate their play and cards dealt etc.
BB = Big blind
SB = small blind
OS = Off suit. Usually refers to a players hole cards and the fact that they had 2 cards, different suits.
OOP = Out of Position. A player that is forced to act early in the hand, based on where the button is. OR, someone who acted when they shouldn’t have like folding before their turn.
EP = Early position, first to act after the flop
LP= Late position, last to act but before the button (dealer)
MTT = Multi table tournament. Any tournament with more than 1 table
TAG= Tight Aggressive, refers to the style someone plays. They appear to only play strong hands, they fold often but will become aggressive occasionally.
LAG = Loose aggressive, same as above, only they play much more loosely. They are in a lot of pots, will raise often, go all in often and appear reckless.
WSOP= World Series of Poker... Way to much to write about here.
NLHE = No limit hold em game
LHE = Limit Hold em game
+/- EV = This refers to your earning potential if you should continue in the hand. If the post size is say, 1500.00 and it’s only 300 to continue, then you have a +EV even if you have a weak hand. If you have no hand, no drawing hand, and no possible outs, then you are -EV and shouldn’t continue. You will end up losing the 300 with no real chance of winning. It’s a lot more complex than that, but this is the jist of it. Don’t give up a good chunk of your chips, when you know you have no way to win even if it’s a huge pot. Save it for another time.
ROI = Return on investment. It’s a measure used to gage a players ability and can be found online on some poker websites that allow you to search other players. Positive ROI is a good thing, and shows a players strong ability meaning they are winning often, and making money. If they are buying into tournys for 20 dollars, and consistantly winning, or cashing then they have a positive ROI.
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Thank you for attending class. Feel free to comment and add. Sticky
