K

Kansas City Lowball

A form of Lowball poker in which the worst poker hand (2,3,4,5,7 of different suits) is the best hand. It is also known as Deuce to Seven.

Keep Them Honest

To call at the end of a hand to prevent someone from bluffing.

Key Card

A card that gives you a big draw or makes your hand.

Key Hand

In a session or tournament, the one hand that ends up being a turning point for the player, either for better or worse.

Kicker

The highest unpaired side card in a player's hand.

Kick It

Raise

Kill Pot

A method to stimulate action. It is a forced bet by someone who has just won a pot.

Knock

Check

Kojack

A hand that contains a K-J.

L

Ladies

Two Queens.

Late Position

Position on a round of betting where the player must act after most of the other players have acted.

Lay Down Your Hand

When a player folds.

Lead

The first player to bet into a pot.

Limit Poker

A game that has fixed minimum and maximum betting intervals along with a prescribed number of raises.

Limper

The first player who calls a bet.

Limp In

To enter the pot by calling rather than raising.

Live Blind

An instance where the player puts in a dark bet and is allowed to raise, even if no other player raises. It's also known as an "option".

Live Card(s)

In Stud Games, cards that have not yet been seen and are presumed to sill be in play.

Live Hand

A hand that could still win the pot.

Live One

A not so knowledgable player who plays a lot of hands.

Look

When a player calls the final bet before the showdown.

Loose

Playing a lot of hands. Players can be "loose", and tables can be "loose".

Lowball

Is a form of draw poker in which the lowest hand wins the pot.

M

Main Pot

The center pot. Any other bets are placed in a "side pot" and are contested amoung the remaining players. This occurs when a player goes all-in.

Make

To make the deck is to shuffle the deck.

Maniac

A very agressive player who plays a lot of hands.

Middle Pair

In flop games, when a player makes a pair with one of their down cards and the middle card of the flop.

Middle Position

Somewhere between the early and late positions on a round of betting. (seats five through seven at a full holdem table).

Muck

To discard or throw away your hand. It's also a pile of cards that are no longer in play.

Minimum Buy-In

The least amount you can start a game with.

Monster

A very big hand. In a tournament, a player who begins to accumulate chips after having a small stack is considered to be a monster.

N

No Limit

A game where players can bet as much as they like (as long as they have it in front of them) on any round of betting.

Nuts

The best possible hand at any point of the game. A hand that cannot be beaten.

Nut Flush

the highest possible flush.

O

Odds

The probability of making a hand vs. the probability of not making a hand.

Offsuit

Cards of a different suit.

Omaha

A game in which each player is dealt four down cards with five community cards. To make your hand, you must play two cards from your hand and three from the board.

One Gap

A starting hand where there is one rank in between the two cards. For example, 9-Jack is a one gap starting hand.

Open

To make the first bet.

Open-ended Straight

Four consecutive cards whereby one additional (consecutive) card is needed at either end to make a straight.

Open Card

A card that is dealt face-up.

Open Pair

A pair that has been dealt face up.

Option

An option is a "live blind" made in the dark before the cards are dealt. If no one raises, the "option" player may raise the bet.

Out

A card that will make your hand. For example, if you are drawing to an open-ended straight there are eight cards that can make your hand. You have 8 "outs".

Out Button

A disc placed in front of a player who wishes to sit out a hand(s) but remain in the game.

Overcard

a card higher than those on the board. If the board is J-8-2 and you have Q-K in your hand, you are holding two overcards.

Overpair

a pair of cards higher than any on the board.