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Poker Terms

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Race
A situation in poker where two or more players have hands that are roughly equal in value, often leading to a showdown where the outcome is largely determined by luck.
Rack
A tray that holds 100 poker chips in five stacks of twenty each, used to organize and manage chips during play.
Rag
A card, usually of low value, that does not significantly improve a player’s hand strength.
Ragged
A description of a flop or board in poker that lacks coordination and high cards, typically not helping any players significantly. Ragged boards often consist of low, unconnected, and unsuited cards, making strong hands less likely and leading to more conservative play.
Rail
The area or barrier around a poker table where spectators can watch the game without participating.
Railbird
A spectator who watches the game from the rail (the sideline). Often used to describe fans or onlookers at a live poker event.
Rainbow
In poker, a rainbow flop or board contains cards of all different suits, meaning no two cards are of the same suit. This reduces the chances of players completing flush draws, often leading to a focus on straight draws or high-card strength in subsequent betting rounds.
Raise
To increase the size of the current bet in a betting round.
Raise blind
Making a raise without looking at one’s cards, often used as a bold or strategic move in poker games.
Rake
The amount of money taken by the house as a fee from each pot in cash games.
Rakeback
A refund given to players, returning a portion of the rake paid to the house. This is often used as an incentive for regular players at a poker room.
Rakeback pro
A poker player who primarily earns income from rakeback rather than from winnings at the poker table. These players typically play a high volume of hands to maximize their rakeback.
Range
The spectrum of hands that a player might have in a given situation.
Range advantage
In poker, range advantage refers to having a stronger and more diverse range of hands compared to opponents. This allows a player to have more nutted hands and better bluffing opportunities, putting pressure on opponents and giving them a strategic edge in the hand.
Rank
In poker, rank refers to the numerical or face value of a card, distinguishing it from other cards. For example, in the hierarchy of cards, an ace has the highest rank, while a two has the lowest. Rank is crucial for determining the strength of most poker hands.
Raw equity
In poker, raw equity refers to the percentage chance that a particular hand will win against opponents’ hands if all remaining cards were to be dealt to the showdown. It is a straightforward calculation without considering the impact of future betting rounds or player decisions.
Read
The act of deducing the possible hands an opponent could have based on their behavior and betting patterns.
Re-buy
The act of purchasing additional chips after the initial buy-in, typically allowed in the early stages of a tournament.
Re-raise
To raise after a previous raise has been made by another player in the same betting round.
Resteal
In poker, a resteal is a tactic where a player makes a re-raise after an opponent has tried to steal the blinds by raising preflop, typically from a late position. The resteal is usually executed from the blinds or the button, aiming to take advantage of the original raiser’s potentially weak, wide opening range.
Recreational player
A player who plays primarily for fun and entertainment, not as a primary source of income.
Redraw
A situation where you already have a strong hand but are drawing to an even stronger hand.
Reg (regular)
Refers to a player who frequently plays at the same stakes or in the same games. Regs are typically experienced and skilled players who are familiar with the strategies and tendencies of the player pool at their chosen stakes or games.
Removal
In poker, removal refers to having cards in your hand that reduce the likelihood of opponents holding certain combinations of cards. For example, if you hold one of the aces, it reduces the likelihood of opponents having pocket aces. Removal can influence strategic decisions, such as bluffing or calling, based on the perceived likelihood of opponents’ holdings.
Represent
To play in a way that suggests you hold a specific hand, used to deceive opponents or manipulate their actions.
Reverse implied odds
In poker, reverse implied odds refer to the potential losses that can occur when a player completes a drawing hand but ends up with a second-best hand, losing a large pot to an opponent with a stronger hand. It’s the opposite of implied odds, where completing a drawing hand leads to winning a large pot.
Ring game
A ring game, or cash game, is a type of poker where chips have real monetary value. Players can join or leave at any time, unlike in a tournament setting.
Risk of ruin
Refers to the probability of losing your entire bankroll or going broke over a certain period of time or number of hands. It’s a measure of the potential downside risk faced by a player, taking into account factors such as win rate, variance, and bankroll management. Understanding the risk of ruin is important for players to assess their financial stability and manage their bankroll effectively.
Risk premium
In multi-table tournaments (MTT), this term refers to the additional value a player must account for when facing decisions that involve risking their tournament life. It quantifies how much more a player needs to gain from a situation to justify the risk of elimination, beyond the expected chip value of the play.
River (fifth street)
The final community card dealt in games like Texas Hold’em and Omaha.
River rat
Describes a player who frequently catches strong hands or makes winning draws on the river, often against the odds or when appearing to be behind in the hand. This term is often used in a derogatory manner to refer to players who rely heavily on luck rather than skill to win hands.
Robust
In the context of GTO (game theory optimal) poker, robust describes a strategy or solution that remains effective or unexploitable under various conditions, including different opponent strategies and game dynamics. A robust strategy minimizes the potential for losses in non-ideal scenarios, maintaining its strength across a range of situations.
Rock
A player who is extremely tight, playing only the strongest hands.
ROI (return on investment)
Refers to the percentage of profit or loss generated from an investment, typically in the context of tournament buy-ins or cash game sessions. It’s calculated by dividing the net profit (or loss) by the initial investment and expressing the result as a percentage. ROI is a key metric used by players to evaluate the profitability of their poker activities.
Royal flush
The highest possible hand in poker, consisting of the ace, king, queen, jack, and ten of the same suit.
Run it twice
A method used in poker to reduce variance. The remaining cards are dealt twice, with half the pot awarded for each outcome. This typically happens in high-stakes games where the players agree to this option after the flop.
Runner-runner
Refers to needing two consecutive cards on the turn and river to complete a drawing hand, such as a straight or flush.
Running bad
Experiencing a bad streak in terms of cards or luck in a session or over a period of time.
Running good
Experiencing a good streak in terms of cards or luck, typically resulting in winning more than the average expectation.
Rush
A series of consecutive wins in a short period of time, often due to good cards or superior play.