C
- call
- To match a bet or raise. See main article: call.
- call the clock
- A method of discouraging players from taking an excessively long time to act. When someone calls the clock, the player has a set amount of time in which to make up his mind; if he fails to do so, his hand is immediately declared dead. In tournament play, a common rule is that if a player takes too long and no one calls the clock, the dealer or floor personnel will automatically do so.
- calling station
- A player who frequently calls bets or raises but rarely invokes them. A calling station is usually a loose passive player. See main article: calling station.
- cap
- A limit on the number of raises allowed in a betting round. Typically three or four (in addition to the opening bet). In most casinos, 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.
- Also, term for the chip, token, or object placed atop one's cards to show continued involvement with a hand.
- cap game
- Similar to "cap" above, but refers to a no-limit or pot limit game with a cap on the amount that a player can bet during the course of a hand. Once the cap is reached, all players remaining in the hand are considered all-in. For example, a no limit game could have a betting cap of 30 times the big blind.
- cards speak
- See main article: 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 game
- A game where each hand is played for real money as opposed to tournament play. See main article: ring game.
- cash plays
- An announcement, usually by a dealer, that a player requested to buy chips and can bet the cash he has on the table in lieu of chips until he receives his chips. In many card rooms, it also refers to the policy that $100 bills may remain on the table and considered to be "in play" in cash form, rather than converted to chips.
- cashing
- Winning a share of the prize money in a tournament.
- cashing out
- Exchanging chips for cash when leaving a game. Removing money from an on line poker site.
- 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 Alice beat, but she caught up when that spade fell.
- catch perfect
- To catch the only two possible cards that will complete a hand and win the pot, usually those leading to a straight flush. Usually used in Texas hold 'em. Compare with "runner-runner".
- center pot
- The main pot in a table stakes game where one or more players are all in.
- chase
- To call a bet to see the next card when holding a drawing hand when the pot odds do not merit it.
- To continue to play a drawing hand over multiple betting rounds, especially one unlikely to succeed. Bob knew I made three nines on fourth street, but he chased that flush draw all the way to the river.
- To continue playing with a hand that is not likely the best because one has already invested money in the pot. See sunk cost fallacy.
- check
- To bet nothing. See main article: check.
- 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
- Deceptive play whereby a player initially checks with the intention of raising should another player bet. See main article: check-raise.
- chip
- A small disk used in place of money. See casino token.
- chip declare
- A method of declaring intent to play high or low in a split-pot game with declaration. See declaration.
- chip dumping
- A form of collusion that happens during tournaments, especially in the early rounds. Two or more players decide to go all-in early. The winner gets a large amount of chips, which increases the player's chance of cashing. The winnings are then split among the colluders.
- chip leader
- The player currently holding the most chips in a tournament (or occasionally a live no limit game).
- chip race
- An event in tournament poker where chips of a value lower than the minimum required are removed from play. See main article: chip race.
- chip up
- To exchange lower-denomination chips for higher-denomination chips. In tournament play, the term means to remove all the small chips from play by rounding up any odd small chips to the nearest large denomination, rather than using a chip race.
- To steadily accumulate chips in tournament play, typically by winning small pots with minimal risk-taking.
- chop
- To split a pot because of a tie, split-pot game, or player agreement.
- To play a game for a short time and cash out. Also "hit and run".
- A request made by a player to a dealer after taking a large-denomination chip that he wishes the dealer to make change.
- To chop blinds.
- An agreement by all players remaining in a tournament to distribute the remaining money in the prize pool according to an agreed-upon formula instead of playing the tournament to completion. Usually occurs at the final table of a large tournament.
- chopping the blinds
- Ending a hand when all players have folded to the blinds with the blinds being returned to those who paid them. See main article: chopping the blinds.
- click raise
- Making the minimum raise. Referring to online poker when you click the raise button without specifying the amount of raise.
- closed
- See main article: closed.
- coffee housing
- Talking in an attempt to mislead other players about the strength of a hand. For example a player holding A-A as their first two cards might say "lets gamble here", implying a much weaker holding. Coffee housing is considered bad etiquette in the UK, but not in the USA. This is also called speech play.
- coin flip
- A situation where two players have, perhaps wisely, invested all their money in the pot and it's a roughly even chance which of them wins. A-K against a small pair is a common case; the A-K is only a modest dog. Also "race."
- 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 Carol cold called the $30. Compare to "flat call", "overcall".
- cold deck
- A deck that has been intentionally rigged ('stacked') such that some player or players cannot win.
- collusion
- A form of cheating involving cooperation among two or more players. See cheating in poker.
- 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
- See main article: community card poker.
- complete hand
- See made hand.
- 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 or close to consecutive rank.
- continuation bet
- A bet made after the flop by the player who took the lead in betting before the flop (Texas hold 'em and Omaha hold 'em). Compare to "probe bet".
- cooler
- A case in which playing a strong hand (often the second best) that normally justifies the maximum bet is beaten by a still stronger hand.
- countdown
- 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
- See main article: counterfeit. Also "duplicate".
- 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.
- cripple
- In some community card games, to cripple the deck means to have a hand that is virtually impossible for anyone else to catch up to. For example, in Texas hold 'em, if a player's hole cards are A-T and the flop is A-A-T the player has "crippled the deck"; though that player's hand is high (probably unbeatable), other players are unlikely to see any possibility for improvement and will probably fold. Such a hand generally doesn't gain much money for the player holding such a hand, however it is possible to win a large amount through slow play.
- crying call
- Calling when a player thinks he does not have the best hand.
- cut
- See main article: cut.
- cut card
- A distinctive card, usually stiff solid-colored plastic, held against the bottom of the deck during the deal to prevent observation of the bottom card.
- cutoff
- The seat immediately to the right of the dealer button. In home games where the player on the button actually shuffles and deals the cards, the player in the cutoff seat cuts the deck (hence the name).
Read more about this topic: Glossary Of Poker Terms