Are you feeling lost?

Imagine visiting a foreign country and not being able to speak the language. You would feel lost. The same is true when you play poker at a casino. If you don’t know the terminology you will feel lost and not know what is happening. Imagine the person next to you saying he was tossing in a bone. You might shake your head and wonder what bones have to do with poker. However, if you have learned the vocabulary, then you know that a bone is a chip. Read over the following terms and commit them to memory to make your game more fun and help you understand what is happening.

The following terms are some of the basic terms you should know before you begin playing online poker.

• Ante – This is the bet made before cards have been dealt.
• Babies – Cards with very small value.
• Bluff – This is a skill that is used to deceive your opponents into thinking you have a better hand than you do so that they will call or forfeit.
• Board – A term that refers to community card games such as Omaha or Texas Hold’Em.
• Bone – Refers to a chip which is used to represent money.
• Call – To match the previously made bet.
• Calling Station – If you constantly call every bet then you will considered weak and known as a calling station.
• Dead Man’s Hand – Two pairs of Aces over Eights.
• Flop – Any card game where the first three community cards are shown face up such as in Texas Hold’Em.
• Grinder – Someone who earns their living playing poker with small profits over a long period of time using conservative game play strategies.
• Hand – Your hand of cards.
• Limit – The minimum or maximum amount of a bet.
• Maniac – Someone who raises their bet and bets often, this is an aggressive player.
• Nothing – A hand that has a high card but cannot win.
• Offsuit – Set of cards that are not of the same suite.

These are some of the basic terms that you will need to know; however, as you continue to play, you will find other terms that help you navigate specific games. Learn them all and stay on top of your game.