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10 Poker Slang Words and Their Meanings

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Female poker player grinning at a newbie who doesn't know the meaning of poker slang words.

Like every other industry, poker players have the coded vocabularies that only they can understand. They might not mean much if you play online poker, but if you are a regular poker player, it cannot be easy avoiding these lingos that your compatriots are commonly using. Here are 10 poker slangs and what they mean.

The Most Common and Confusing Poker Lingo

It’s embarrassing for most gamblers when they can’t understand some words during playtime. Some poker players even feel being abused or talked ill about. Whether you are a greenhorn or a seasoned gambler, the ten poker slangs listed here will help you to understand the game better.

Tilt

The term “to tilt” is used in describing emotional players in poker. Such are the poker players who can act recklessly, especially to show their frustration. These negative gamblers are also called “steam.”

ABC Poker

Your guess could probably guess this one. It’s as easy as ABC. ABC poker means to play in a predictive and straightforward manner.

Fish

A meal of fish can be delicious, but the term “fish” is negative as far as poker is concerned. This term refers to newbies who can end up losing a lot of money. Sometimes the “fish” is also referred to as “donkey.”

Scare Card

Do you suspect that it’s a strategy to scare your opponent? Well, you are almost right. Scare card is the card that when used, can improve the opponent’s advantage.

Shark

If you are not a fish in poker, then you’re certainly a “shark.” A shark can afford to take calculated risks that succeed.

Drawing dead

When a situation is described as a “drawing dead” state, then know that the poker player has no chance whatsoever of winning.

Sandbagging

Sandbagging is a strategy where one player pretends that he has weak to lure the opponent in using effective cards. The result of this strategy will make the opponent lose. Some poker players refer to this move as “slow playing.”

Floorman

It doesn’t have to be a man, but any employee of a poker house in charge of administration and monitoring proceedings is called a Floorman.

Dead Man’s Hand

This slang is in reference to what Wild Bill Hickok was carrying at the time of his murder. Dead Man’s Hand describes the state when a player has black eights and two pair of black aces.

Sell

To sell simply means to bet what is below the maximum when you are capable of betting the maximum. It’s a move that depends on fellow players.

Bottom Line

The majority of casino table games will have some sort of difficult terminology. Sometimes, it can even be too overwhelming to comprehend what any of the words mean. After all, that’s why there is a whole Gambling Glossary on Bob Casino.

However, even with these few slang words in your memory, you won’t be a stranger in the house.

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