C
call
To match the current bet amount, maintaining one's interest in the pot. See call.
calling station
A weak player who frequently checks and calls, but rarely raises.
cap
A limit on the number of raises allowed in a betting round. Typically three or four (in addition the opening bet). In most places, the cap is removed if there are only two players remaining either (1) at the beginning of the betting round, or (2) at the time that what would have otherwise been the last raise is made.
cards speak
1. Describing a split-pot game, one without a declaration.
2. A common house rule stating that properly shown hands at showdown may be read by anyone, and need not be announced. See cards speak.
case card
The last available card of a certain description (typically a rank). The only way I can win is to catch the case king., meaning the only king remaining in the deck.
cash plays
See "money plays".
catch
To receive needed cards on a draw. I'm down 300--I can't catch anything today. or Joe caught his flush early, but I caught the boat on seventh street to beat him. Often used with an adjective to further specify, for example "catch perfect", "catch inside", "catch smooth".
catch up
To successfully complete a draw, thus defeating a player who previously had a better hand. I was sure I had Karen beat, but she caught up when that spade fell.
cat-hop
In five-card draw, a longshot draw requiring two desired cards to make a hand, specifically drawing two cards to a straight or flush, or drawing two cards to a small pair and kicker to make a full house.
center pot
The main pot in a table stakes game where one or more players are all in.
Charlie
Third player to the dealer's left. See "Able, Baker, Charlie".
chase
1. To continue to play a drawing hand over multiple betting rounds, especially one unlikely to succeed. Frank knew I made three nines on fourth street, but he chased that flush draw all the way to the river.
2. To continue playing with a hand that is not likely the best because one has already invested money in the pot.
check
1. To bet nothing. See check.
2. A casino chip.
check out
To fold, in turn, even though there is no bet facing the player. In some games this is considered a breach of etiquette equivalent to folding out of turn. In others it is permitted, but frowned upon.
check-raise
To check, and then raise someone else's open. See check-raise.
cheese
A poor hand. Throw that piece of cheese in the muck and move on to the next hand.
chip
A token representing money used for betting.
chip along
To bet or call the minimum required to stay in, often done with little or no reflection. See also "white check".
chip declare
A method of declaring intent to play high or low in a split-pot game with declaration (see declaration).
chip up
To exchange lower-denomination chips for higher-denomination chips. In tournament play, the term means to removing all the small chips from play by rounding up any odd small chips to the nearest large denomination, rather than using a chip race.
chip race
In tournament play, the act of removing all the small chips from play by dealing random cards to players holding odd chips, and awarding a proportional number of larger chips to the highest-ranking cards. See chip race.
chop
1. To split a pot because of a tie, split-pot game, or player agreement.
2. To play a game for a short time and cash out; see "hit and run".
3. A request made by a player to a dealer after toking a large-denomination chip that he wishes the dealer to make change.
4. To chop blinds.
chop blinds
An agreement between neighboring players having posted blinds that if all other players fold to them, they will each retrieve their respective blind amounts and discard their hands rather than playing out the hand. This is done to avoid excessive charges by the casino for small pots. It is generally frowned upon by casinos, so it usually takes the form of the small blind folding, and then the player with the large blind refunding the small blind amount while the dealer isn't looking. Agreement must be made ahead of time.
closed
1. Describing a betting round, the condition that no player is eligible to raise, either because the last raise was called by all players, or because the cap was reached.
2. Describing a poker game, one in which each player's cards are concealed from all opponents. See closed.
coffeehouse
To make annoying small-talk during a game, to make comments about a hand in progress, or to make deceptive comments about one's own play.
cold
1. Consecutive, as in I caught three cold spades for the flush.
2. Unlucky, as in I've been cold all week.
cold call
To call an amount that represents a sum of bets or raises by more than one player. Alice opened for $10, Bob raised another $20, and Charlie cold called the $30.
cold deck
A deck previously arranged to produce a specific outcome, then surreptitiously switched into the game. Called "cold" because such a deck switched in during play will not have been warmed by the dealer's hands. I can't believe Jim got those four kings the same time I got four sixes--it was like being cold-decked. Also "ice".
collusion
A form of cheating involving cooperation among two or more players. See collusion.
color change, color up
To exchange small-denomination chips for larger ones.
combo, combination game
A casino table at which multiple forms of poker are played in rotation.
come bet, on the come
A bet or raise made with a drawing hand, building the pot in anticipation of filling the draw. Usually a weak "gambler's" play, but occasionally correct with a very good draw and large pot or as a semi-bluff.
community card
A card dealt face-up to the center of the table (not to any one player's hand), which can be used in some way by multiple players according to specific game rules. See community card, community card game.
completion
To raise a small bet up to the amount of what would be a normal-sized bet. For example, in a $2/$4 stud game with $1 bring-in, a player after the bring-in may raise it to $2, completing what would otherwise be a sub-minimum bet up to the normal minimum. Also in limit games, if one player raises all in for less than the normally required minimum, a later player might complete the raise to the normal minimum (depending on house rules; see table stakes).
connectors
Two or more cards of consecutive rank.
countdown
1. Especially in lowball, two hands very nearly tied that must be compared in detail to determine a winner, for example, 8-6-5-3-2 versus 8-6-5-3-A.
2. The act of counting the cards that remain in the stub after all cards have been dealt, done by a dealer to ensure that a complete deck is being used.
counterfeit
Most often used in community card games, a card appearing on the board that doesn't change the value of one's own hand, but that makes it much more likely for an opponent to tie or beat you, often because it duplicates what was previously a valuable card in your hand. Also "duplicate". See counterfeit.
cow
A player with whom one is sharing a buy-in, with the intent to split the result after play. To "go cow" is to make such an arrangement.
crossfire
See "whipsaw".
crying call
A call made reluctantly on the last betting round with the expectation of losing (but with some remote hope of catching a bluff).
cutoff
The seat immediately to the right of the dealer button. Also "pone". |
