Poker Glossary

Rap simply means to tap the table. Rapping the table twice is considered as a non-verbal indicator of checking.

Rabbit Hunting is an option that allows players to see what the board runout would have been after folding.

Pocket rockets is a nickname for getting dealt AA (pocket Aces) in Hold’em.Pocket rockets is the best possible starting hand in Hold’em. The name pocket rockets itself doesn’t carry any strategy value, but we might find ourselves left out of a poker conversation if we aren’t familiar with the terminology.

Paint means any card between (and including) a Jack and Ace. The word paint references the fact that the cards Jack, Queen, King and Ace, typically have a lot more going on in the way of artwork than a standard card such as a Seven.

OOP stands for “out of position” in poker. Being OOP means to act first on each betting round which is considered a big disadvantage. However, since the positions change each hand, players get identical opportunities to be either “in position” or “out of position” in the long run. Being OOP is a disadvantage because our opponent gets to see what option we pick before he needs to act on every street.

Nut flush in poker is a flush that also happens to be the best possible hand in a given situation. However, the term nut flush is commonly used to describe any Ace high flush, even if that Ace high flush is not technically the nuts. The board might be paired (allowing for full houses) or there might be a straight flush possible. Ideally we’d only use the term nut flush if our flush really is the nuts – but this is not the case in day to day usage.

The term nut flush draw means a flush draw to the nut flush. While the term nut flush should ideally be used to describe a flush only when it’s the nuts, it is often used to describe any Ace-high flush. As such, a player with an Ace-high flush draw might describe themselves as having the nut flush draw despite the board texture being paired (and therefore they are not technically drawing to the nuts).

Nosebleed means “ultra high stakes” in poker. The idea is that the stakes are so high that winning or losing might cause a nosebleed (although this is presumably not 100% serious). The exact starting point for “nosebleed” stakes depends on who you ask. A rough guide is cash games 5knl and higher. That means cash games with a buyin of $5000 or more.

Misclick refers to a mistake clicking the mouse when playing online poker. It can apply to clicking in the wrong location of the screen or inadvertently clicking at the wrong time. In the world of online poker, a misclickcan potentially cost thousands of dollars.

Last longer is a side bet made between tournament players on who will be the last to get knocked out. Whoever lasts the longest wins the bet and receives the agreed upon prize.

The hijack is the position two to the right of the button (to the direct right of the cutoff). It is not considered a stealing seat like button and cutoff, but it does occasionally get opportunities to enter the pot with a slightly wider range of holdings. It acts fifth from last preflop and is sometimes referred to as ‘middle position’ on a 6-handed table.

Hanger refers to a card that sticks out from the bottom of the deck when base dealing. Base dealing means to cheat by drawing cards from the bottom of the deck rather than the top. Although this is quite difficult to spot when expertly done, catching a hanger is good indication that someone is base dealing. The act of removing the bottom card from the deck causes the card directly above it to stick out from the deck; something that would not typically happen if dealing correctly from the top of the deck.

Flat is simply another word for ‘call’ in poker. Flat and call can be used interchangeably and also together i.e. we decided to flat call. Flatting or calling is the action of precisely matching the bet on the current betting round as opposed to raising or folding.

Fish hooks is a slang poker name for getting dealt pocket Jacks in Hold’em. The reason is simple, the Jack is hook shaped, similar to a fish hook. There is no strategic importance to the term, but we might occasionally feel left out of a poker conversation if we aren’t familiar with the terminology.

Ducks is a nickname for being dealt the starting hand pocket Twos in Hold’em. The name doesn’t carry any strategic relevance, but we might find ourselves left out of a poker conversation if we aren’t familiar with the term.