Whether you’re a novice or a seasoned poker player, a little knowledge of the language can go a long way towards helping you understand what’s going on at the table. Here are some common terms and a brief description of how a poker game works.

The ante is the small bet all players make before the hand is dealt. This gives the pot a value right away. A “redealt flop” occurs when cards flop prematurely before the betting round is finished. In this case, the dealer must re-deal the flop without burning a card.

The ‘wild card’ was introduced in 1875. It is a card that can be used to complete a straight or improve a high hand. The best straight in a hand is an open-ended straight, such as eight or nine. A gutshot is a straight completed from the inside, and is about half as likely to hit as an open-ended straight.

A player may choose to bluff, or make a bet that they are holding a hand that isn’t the best possible hand. A player may discard some cards, or draw new ones to replace them. For example, if a pocket pair of 5 and 6 is called, the best possible hand is a pocket pair of 7s.

A pot is the collection of all the chips in the game. The size of the pot is determined by the amount of money in it. There are several different kinds of pots. The largest is called the main pot. There may be a side pot as well. The side pot is created from an extra money bet by the remaining players. A player may also call an all-in bet, which puts all their chips into the pot.

The “Blind” is the second player to the left of the dealer. This person has the option of either placing a bet in front of the dealer or sitting in a position known as the small blind. The smaller bet is placed in the first two rounds of betting.

A “straight” is a combination of three of a kind. The’straight’ is also a term used to describe the best possible hand, but it doesn’t mean you’ve got a high hand. A straight is best achieved by hitting one of your pocket cards on the turn and river. The best possible straight is an 8-9, but that isn’t necessarily the best hand that you can get.

A “backdoor flush” is a flush that is achieved by hitting a few of the required cards. The best possible hand in this category is a trip sevens. If you can hit your cards on the turn and river, you’ll be able to assemble the aforementioned “straight” and a “backdoor flush” in one hand.

The ‘hole card’ or “hole-card” is the card in your hand that isn’t part of the community cards. If you’re playing a game where you’re allowed to bet on any of your hole cards, you’re probably playing poker.