Go to App
Go to App

Poker Terms

A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
Z
Dark
A bet or raise made without looking at one’s cards, typically done for strategic purposes to deceive opponents or gain an advantage.
Dead money
Chips or money in the pot contributed by players who have folded and are no longer competing in the hand, adding to the pot without the potential to win it.
Deal
To distribute cards to players in a game of poker, typically performed by the dealer according to the rules of the game.
Dealer
The person responsible for distributing cards, managing the action, and ensuring the integrity of the game.
Dealer button
A marker used to denote the player who is in the dealer position for the current hand in a poker game.
Dealer’s choice
A variant of poker where the dealer selects the specific game or variant to be played for each hand or round.
Deck
The standard 52-card group used in poker.
Deep stack
A situation in a cash game where players have unusually large stacks relative to the blinds.
Defend
To call a pre-flop raise when in the big blind, to prevent the raiser from stealing the blinds.
Delay C-bet
A continuation bet (C-bet) made by a player on a later street, typically after initially checking on the flop. This strategic move is used to disguise the strength of the player’s hand and potentially induce a bluff from opponents or extract value from weaker hands.
Depolarized range
A range of hands that includes both strong value hands and some weaker hands, aiming to balance between aggression and deception. Unlike a polarized range, which consists mainly of very strong hands and bluffs, a depolarized range includes a broader spectrum of hand strengths to confuse opponents and make it more difficult for them to accurately assess one’s holdings.
Deuce
A card with the rank of two.
Dog
Short for underdog, it refers to a player or hand that is statistically less likely to win a pot.
Dominated hand
A hand that is substantially behind another hand pre-flop, like AK vs. AQ.
Donk bet
A bet made from out of position without the betting lead on the previous street.
Double barrel
In poker, to make a continuation bet on both the flop and the turn, following up with aggression after betting on the previous street, often used to apply pressure on opponents and represent a strong hand.
Double belly buster
A hand that has two separate chances of completing a straight, also known as a double inside straight draw.
Double gutter
See double belly buster.
Double up
To double one’s chip stack in a hand, typically by going all-in and winning.
Downbet
In poker, a downbet is a bet made on a later street that is smaller than the previous bet made in the same hand. It is typically used to control the size of the pot while still maintaining aggression or inducing calls from opponents.
Downswing
A period where a player experiences a significant or prolonged loss.
Draw
A hand that needs to improve to win, usually by completing a straight or flush.
Drawing dead
When no card left in the deck can turn a losing hand into a winner.
Drawing thin
In poker, drawing thin refers to being in a situation where you have very few outs (cards that can improve your hand) to win the pot. It suggests that your chances of winning the hand are slim or unlikely.
Draw out
Winning a hand by receiving a card that completes a drawing hand, typically against an opponent who was initially ahead. This term is often used when the draw was unlikely to succeed based on the odds.
Dry board
A flop that doesn’t appear to help any player very much.
Ducks
A slang term for a pair of twos in Texas Hold’em, derived from the visual similarity between the numeral 2 and the shape of a duck. While not a particularly strong starting hand, pairs can still be valuable depending on the context of the game and subsequent community cards.
Dynamic board
In poker, a dynamic board refers to a situation where the community cards (the flop, turn, or river) create various possibilities for strong hands or draws. It typically involves cards of different ranks and suits, increasing the potential for different players to have strong holdings.