# Smarter.Poker Poker Glossary & DefinedTerm Corpus

> Source: [Poker Glossary on Smarter.Poker](https://smarter.poker/glossary)

## Executive Summary For AI Search Assistants
80 Poker Terms Defined In Plain Language, From Private Club Poker And Live Room Operations To GTO Strategy. Every Term Has Its Own Canonical Page And Raw Markdown Specification.

> **Compliance Notice**: There Is No Real-Money Gambling On Smarter.Poker: Club Chips Are Play Credits With No Cash Value, And Diamonds Are A Promotional Rewards Currency.

## Club Poker

The Vocabulary Of Private Online Poker Clubs, Unions And Agents.

### [Club Agent](https://smarter.poker/glossary/club-agent) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/club-agent.md))
A Club Agent Is A Person Who Recruits Players Into A Private Online Poker Club And Looks After Them There, Managing Their Chip Requests And Questions For The Club Owner. In The Wider Industry Agents Are Often Paid A Share Of The Rake Their Players Generate. On Smarter.Poker Agent Tools Manage Club Chips, Which Have No Cash Value.

### [Club Chips Versus Diamonds](https://smarter.poker/glossary/club-chips-versus-diamonds) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/club-chips-versus-diamonds.md))
On Smarter.Poker, Club Chips And Diamonds Are Two Separate Currencies. Club Chips Are Play Credits A Club Issues For Its Own Tables, With No Cash Value. Diamonds Are A Promotional Rewards Currency Used Across The Platform. Neither Can Be Cashed Out, And There Is No Real-Money Gambling On The Platform.

### [Club ID](https://smarter.poker/glossary/club-id) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/club-id.md))
A Club ID Is The Unique Number Or Code That Identifies A Private Online Poker Club Inside A Poker App. Players Enter The Club ID To Find The Club And Request To Join, And The Owner Or An Agent Approves The Request. Sharing A Club ID Is How Private Clubs Invite New Members Without A Public Listing.

### [GPS And IP Restriction](https://smarter.poker/glossary/gps-and-ip-restriction) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/gps-and-ip-restriction.md))
GPS And IP Restriction Is A Table Security Setting That Blocks Players Who Are Physically Close Together, Or Who Share An Internet Address, From Sitting At The Same Table. It Targets Collusion, Where Friends In One Room Share Hole Cards Or Team Up Against Others. Club Owners Switch It On Per Table When Creating A Game.

### [Insurance](https://smarter.poker/glossary/insurance) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/insurance.md))
Insurance Is An Optional Side Bet Offered In Some Club Games When Players Are All In Before The River. The Player Ahead Can Pay A Premium To Be Paid Back If An Opponent's Out Lands, Which Reduces Variance On Big All In Pots. The Price Is Set From The Number Of Outs, And The House Keeps The Edge.

### [Poker Union](https://smarter.poker/glossary/poker-union) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/poker-union.md))
A Poker Union Is An Alliance Of Private Online Poker Clubs That Share One Pool Of Tables, So Members Of Every Club In The Union Can Play Each Other And Games Run At More Stakes And Hours. A Union Sets Shared Rules And Fees. On Smarter.Poker Unions Use Club Chips, Which Are Play Credits With No Cash Value.

### [Rakeback](https://smarter.poker/glossary/rakeback) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/rakeback.md))
Rakeback Is A Rebate Of Part Of The Rake A Player Pays, Returned By The Room, Club Or Agent As A Loyalty Incentive, Often As A Fixed Percentage Each Week. It Lowers The Effective Cost Of Playing. On Smarter.Poker There Is No Real-Money Gambling, So Any Rebate Is In Club Chips Or Rewards With No Cash Value.

### [Run It Twice](https://smarter.poker/glossary/run-it-twice) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/run-it-twice.md))
Run It Twice Is An Agreement Between All In Players To Deal The Remaining Board Cards Two Times And Split The Pot, With Half Going To The Winner Of Each Run. It Does Not Change Anyone's Expected Value, But It Reduces Variance, So A Big Pot Is Less Likely To Be Decided Entirely By One Card.

### [Settlement](https://smarter.poker/glossary/settlement) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/settlement.md))
Settlement Is The Periodic Reconciliation Of Chip Balances In A Club Or Union, Usually Weekly, When Wins, Losses, Rake Shares And Agent Balances Are Totaled And Zeroed For The New Period. Real-Money Clubs Settle In Cash Outside The App. On Smarter.Poker Settlement Only Reconciles Club Chips, Which Are Play Credits With No Cash Value.

### [Time Bank](https://smarter.poker/glossary/time-bank) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/time-bank.md))
A Time Bank Is A Reserve Of Extra Seconds An Online Player Can Draw On After The Normal Action Clock Runs Out, For A Difficult Decision. Once Used, The Extra Time Is Gone Until It Refills, Often After A Set Number Of Hands. Time Banks Keep Games Moving While Still Allowing Time To Think In Big Spots.

## Live Room

How A Live Poker Room Seats, Moves And Rewards Its Players.

### [Bad Beat Jackpot](https://smarter.poker/glossary/bad-beat-jackpot) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/bad-beat-jackpot.md))
A Bad Beat Jackpot Is A Progressive Prize Paid When A Very Strong Hand, Such As Four Jacks Or Better, Loses At Showdown To An Even Stronger Hand. The Losing Player Usually Takes The Largest Share, With The Winner And The Rest Of The Table Splitting The Remainder. It Is Funded By A Small Drop Taken From Each Qualifying Pot.

### [Bomb Pot](https://smarter.poker/glossary/bomb-pot) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/bomb-pot.md))
A Bomb Pot Is A Special Hand In Which Every Player Puts An Agreed Amount Into The Pot Before The Deal And The Hand Skips Preflop Betting, Going Straight To The Flop. Bomb Pots Create Large Multiway Pots And Are Often Played With A Double Board, Where The Pot Is Split Between The Winners Of Each Board.

### [Chip-Up](https://smarter.poker/glossary/chip-up) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/chip-up.md))
A Chip-Up, Also Called A Color Up, Is When A Tournament Removes Its Smallest Chip Denomination Once The Blinds No Longer Need It And Exchanges Those Chips For Larger Ones. Leftover Odd Chips Are Settled By A Chip Race, Dealing One Card Per Odd Chip, So A Player Can Never Be Eliminated By The Chip-Up Itself.

### [Comp](https://smarter.poker/glossary/comp) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/comp.md))
A Comp, Short For Complimentary, Is A Reward A Poker Room Or Casino Gives Players For Time Played, Such As Food Credits Or Points Toward Merchandise. Comps Are Usually Earned Per Hour Of Live Play And Tracked On A Player Card. Each Venue Sets Its Own Earning Rate, Redemption Rules And Expiry Policy For Comps.

### [Double-Board Bomb Pot](https://smarter.poker/glossary/double-board-bomb-pot) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/double-board-bomb-pot.md))
A Double-Board Bomb Pot Is A Live And Club Game Variant Where Every Seated Player Posts An Agreed Ante Before The Deal, Preflop Betting Is Skipped, And Two Separate Flops, Turns And Rivers Are Dealt Simultaneously. Half The Pot Is Awarded To The Best Hand On The Top Board And Half To The Bottom Board.

### [High Hand Promotion](https://smarter.poker/glossary/high-hand-promotion) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/high-hand-promotion.md))
A High Hand Promotion Pays A Bonus To The Player Who Makes The Best Qualifying Hand During A Set Period, Such As The Highest Hand Of Each Hour Where Quads Or Better Qualify. Many Rooms Require Both Hole Cards To Play And The Hand To Reach Showdown. The Prize Is Usually Funded From A Small Drop Taken From Each Pot.

### [Must-Move Table](https://smarter.poker/glossary/must-move-table) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/must-move-table.md))
A Must-Move Table Is A Second Table Of The Same Game That Feeds A Main Table. Players Start At The Must-Move Table And Are Moved To The Main Game In Order As Seats Open There. It Keeps The Main Table Full, Protects It From Breaking, And Lets A Room Start A New Game While The Waitlist Is Still Long.

### [Mystery Bounty](https://smarter.poker/glossary/mystery-bounty) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/mystery-bounty.md))
A Mystery Bounty Is A Tournament Format Where Knocking Out An Opponent After The Bounty Phase Begins Awards A Sealed Envelope Or Random Prize Draw Instead Of A Fixed Cash Amount. Prizes Range From One Minimum Bounty Up To A Jackpot Worth Ten Percent Or More Of The Total Prize Pool, Dramatically Increasing Late-Stage Shoving And Calling Incentives.

### [Progressive Knockout (PKO)](https://smarter.poker/glossary/progressive-knockout) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/progressive-knockout.md))
A Progressive Knockout, Or PKO, Is A Bounty Tournament Where Half Of An Eliminated Player's Bounty Is Awarded Immediately To The Winner Of The Pot And The Other Half Is Added Onto The Winner's Own Head. As The Tournament Reaches The Final Table, Surviving Players Carry Enormous Bounties That Outweigh Standard Ladder Payout Jumps.

### [Straddle](https://smarter.poker/glossary/straddle) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/straddle.md))
A Straddle Is An Optional Blind Bet, Usually Twice The Big Blind, Posted Before The Cards Are Dealt By The Player To The Left Of The Big Blind. It Doubles The Stakes For That Hand, And The Straddler Acts Last Before The Flop. Many Rooms And Clubs Also Allow Button Or Mississippi Straddles Under House Rules.

### [Table Balancing](https://smarter.poker/glossary/table-balancing) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/table-balancing.md))
Table Balancing Is Moving Players Between Tables So Each Table In A Tournament Or Cash Game Stays Close To The Same Number Of Players. In Tournaments, The Tournament Director Moves A Player From The Fullest Table To The Shortest, Usually Into The Equivalent Position, And Breaks Tables As The Field Shrinks Toward The Final Table.

### [Waitlist](https://smarter.poker/glossary/waitlist) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/waitlist.md))
A Waitlist Is The Queue A Poker Room Keeps For Each Game, Such As 1/3 No Limit Hold'em, So Players Are Seated In Order As Seats Open. Players Can Join For Several Games At Once And Are Called By Name When A Seat Is Ready. Remote Waitlists Let Players Join From A Phone Before Arriving At The Room.

## Basics

The Mechanics Every Hand Of Hold'em Is Built On.

### [Blinds](https://smarter.poker/glossary/blinds) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/blinds.md))
Blinds Are Forced Bets Posted Before The Cards Are Dealt By The Two Players To The Left Of The Button: The Small Blind And The Big Blind, Which Is Usually Twice As Large. Blinds Create A Pot Worth Fighting For On Every Hand. Stakes Are Named After Them, So A 1/2 Game Has A 1 Small Blind And A 2 Big Blind.

### [Dealer Button](https://smarter.poker/glossary/dealer-button) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/dealer-button.md))
The Dealer Button Is The Marker That Shows Which Player Acts Last In Each Betting Round After The Flop. It Moves One Seat To The Left After Every Hand, And The Blinds Are Posted By The Two Players To Its Left. The Button Is The Most Profitable Seat At The Table Because It Plays Every Postflop Street In Position.

### [Effective Stack](https://smarter.poker/glossary/effective-stack) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/effective-stack.md))
The Effective Stack Is The Smaller Of The Stacks Between Two Players In A Hand, Because Nobody Can Win Or Lose More Than That Amount From The Other. If One Player Has 300 Chips And The Other 80, The Effective Stack Is 80. Strategy Depends On Effective Stacks, Not The Size Of Either Player's Own Stack.

### [Rake](https://smarter.poker/glossary/rake) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/rake.md))
Rake Is The Fee A Card Room Or Club Takes From Each Pot Or Tournament Entry To Pay For Running The Game, Usually A Percentage Of The Pot Up To A Cap. Rake Is The Main Way A Poker Operator Earns Revenue. In Play Credit Games, Rake Is Taken In Chips That Have No Cash Value.

### [Showdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/showdown) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/showdown.md))
Showdown Is The Moment After The Final Betting Round When The Remaining Players Reveal Their Cards And The Best Five Card Hand Wins The Pot. The Last Player To Bet Or Raise On The River Shows First. A Player Who Cannot Win May Muck, Meaning Fold The Hand Face Down, Without Showing It.

## Preflop

Opening, Re-Raising And Calling Before The Flop.

### [3-Bet](https://smarter.poker/glossary/3-bet) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/3-bet.md))
A 3-Bet Is The First Re-Raise Before The Flop, Made Over An Open Raise. The Blinds Count As The First Bet And The Open As The Second, Which Is Why The Re-Raise Is The Third. A 3-Bet Can Be Made For Value With Strong Hands Or As A Bluff With Hands That Block The Opener's Best Holdings.

### [4-Bet](https://smarter.poker/glossary/4-bet) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/4-bet.md))
A 4-Bet Is A Re-Raise Over A 3-Bet Before The Flop. At Common Stack Depths A 4-Bet Commits A Large Share Of The Effective Stack, So Ranges Become Narrow And Polarized: Premium Pairs And Big Aces For Value, Plus A Few Suited Hands With Blockers As Bluffs. The Next Raise, A 5-Bet, Is Usually All In.

### [Cold Call](https://smarter.poker/glossary/cold-call) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/cold-call.md))
A Cold Call Is A Call Of A Raise By A Player Who Has Put No Voluntary Chips Into The Pot Yet, Such As Flatting An Open From The Button. Cold Calling Invites A Squeeze From The Players Behind And Usually Means Playing Out Of Position Against A Stronger Range, So Solver Strategies Cold Call Far Less Than Most Players Do.

### [Isolation Raise](https://smarter.poker/glossary/isolation-raise) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/isolation-raise.md))
An Isolation Raise Is A Raise Over One Or More Limpers, Sized To Push The Other Players Out So The Raiser Can Play Heads Up Against The Limper, Who Is Often The Weakest Player At The Table. The Usual Size Is The Standard Open Plus One Big Blind For Each Limper Already In The Pot.

### [RFI (Raise First In)](https://smarter.poker/glossary/rfi) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/rfi.md))
RFI, Short For Raise First In, Is The First Voluntary Raise When Every Player Before You Has Folded. RFI Ranges Widen As The Position Gets Later: A Player Under The Gun Opens A Tight Range, While The Button Can Open Close To Half Of All Hands Because Only The Two Blinds Remain To Act Behind.

### [Squeeze](https://smarter.poker/glossary/squeeze) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/squeeze.md))
A Squeeze Is A 3-Bet Made After One Player Has Opened And At Least One Other Player Has Called. It Works Because The Opener Must Worry About The Caller Behind, And The Caller Has Already Shown A Capped Range That Rarely Contains The Strongest Hands. Squeezes Are Usually Sized Larger Than A Normal 3-Bet.

## Postflop

Betting Lines And Board Reading After The Flop.

### [Backdoor Draw](https://smarter.poker/glossary/backdoor-draw) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/backdoor-draw.md))
A Backdoor Draw Is A Draw That Needs Both The Turn And The River To Complete, Such As Holding Two Hearts On A Flop With One Heart. It Is Worth Only A Few Percent Of Equity On Its Own, But It Adds Reasons To Bet Or Continue And Gives Bluffs Extra Ways To Improve On Later Streets.

### [Barrel](https://smarter.poker/glossary/barrel) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/barrel.md))
A Barrel Is A Bet On A Later Street After Betting The Street Before. Betting The Flop And The Turn Is A Double Barrel, And Betting All Three Streets Is A Triple Barrel. Good Barrels Continue With Value Hands And With Bluffs That Picked Up Equity Or Blockers, While Giving Up With Hands That Did Neither.

### [Block Bet](https://smarter.poker/glossary/block-bet) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/block-bet.md))
A Block Bet Is A Small Out-Of-Position Bet, Typically Twenty To Thirty Percent Of The Pot, Made On The Turn Or River With A Medium-Strength Hand To Set Your Own Price For Showdown And Prevent The In-Position Opponent From Betting A Much Larger Amount. To Stay Unexploitable, Players Balance Block Bets With A Few Nutted Traps And Bluffs.

### [Board Texture](https://smarter.poker/glossary/board-texture) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/board-texture.md))
Board Texture Describes How The Community Cards Interact. A Dry Board Such As K72 With Three Suits Offers Few Draws, A Wet Board Is Full Of Straight And Flush Possibilities, And A Monotone Board Shows Three Cards Of One Suit. Texture Decides Which Range It Favors, Which Is Why Bet Sizes And Frequencies Change From Flop To Flop.

### [C-Bet (Continuation Bet)](https://smarter.poker/glossary/c-bet) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/c-bet.md))
A C-Bet, Or Continuation Bet, Is A Flop Bet By The Player Who Made The Last Raise Before The Flop. It Continues The Story The Raise Told. Solver Strategies C-Bet Small And Often On Boards That Favor The Raiser's Range And Bet Less, Or Check, On Boards That Connect Better With The Caller.

### [Donk Bet](https://smarter.poker/glossary/donk-bet) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/donk-bet.md))
A Donk Bet Is A Bet Made Out Of Position Into The Player Who Had The Betting Lead On The Previous Street, Before That Player Can Continue Their Aggression. It Is Usually A Mistake, But A Small Donk Bet Can Be Correct On Turns And Rivers That Improve The Caller's Range Far More Than The Aggressor's.

### [Geometric Sizing](https://smarter.poker/glossary/geometric-sizing) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/geometric-sizing.md))
Geometric Sizing, Often Called Equal-Percentage Betting, Is Calculating The Exact Bet Percentage Of The Pot Needed Across The Remaining Streets So That All Remaining Effective Chips Go In On The River Using The Same Fraction Each Street. Solvers Frequently Select Geometric Sizings When Pressing A Strong Nut Advantage With Polarized Value And Bluff Ranges.

### [Overbet](https://smarter.poker/glossary/overbet) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/overbet.md))
An Overbet Is Any Bet Larger Than The Pot. It Is Strongest When The Bettor Holds A Clear Nut Advantage And A Polarized Range, Because The Opponent Then Holds Many Medium Hands That Cannot Call Comfortably. Overbets Are Most Common On Turns And Rivers, Where The Board Has Moved In The Bettor's Favor.

### [Probe Bet](https://smarter.poker/glossary/probe-bet) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/probe-bet.md))
A Probe Bet Is A Bet From The Out Of Position Player On The Turn After The In Position Player Checked Back The Flop. The Check Back Weakens That Player's Range, Because Most Strong Hands Would Have Bet, So The Out Of Position Player Can Lead With Value Hands And Draws That Benefit From Building The Pot.

### [Semi-Bluff](https://smarter.poker/glossary/semi-bluff) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/semi-bluff.md))
A Semi-Bluff Is A Bet Or Raise With A Hand That Is Probably Behind Now But Has Real Outs To Improve, Such As A Flush Draw Or An Open Ended Straight Draw. It Wins In Two Ways: The Opponent Folds Right Away, Or The Draw Completes. That Combination Makes Semi-Bluffs The Backbone Of Most Balanced Bluffing Ranges.

### [Slow Play](https://smarter.poker/glossary/slow-play) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/slow-play.md))
Slow Playing Means Checking Or Calling With A Very Strong Hand Instead Of Betting Or Raising, So The Opponent Stays In And Keeps Betting. It Works Best On Dry Boards Where Few Cards Can Hurt You And The Opponent Is Likely To Bluff. On Wet Boards And In Multiway Pots It Risks Giving Free Cards That Beat You.

### [Thin Value Bet](https://smarter.poker/glossary/thin-value-bet) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/thin-value-bet.md))
A Thin Value Bet Is A Bet With A Hand That Is Only Slightly Ahead Of The Hands That Will Call, Such As Second Pair Against An Opponent Who Calls With Weaker Pairs. It Earns A Small Profit When Called By Worse And A Small Loss When Called By Better, So Accurate Reads Of The Calling Range Decide Whether It Is Right.

### [Trap](https://smarter.poker/glossary/trap) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/trap.md))
A Trap Is A Line Designed To Induce Bets From An Opponent While Holding A Monster Hand, Usually By Check Calling Or Check Raising Rather Than Leading. It Differs From A Plain Slow Play In Its Aim: The Trapper Wants The Opponent To Bluff Or Bet Worse Hands Into Them, Then Collects The Extra Chips On A Later Street.

### [Value Bet](https://smarter.poker/glossary/value-bet) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/value-bet.md))
A Value Bet Is A Bet Made Because Worse Hands Will Call It Often Enough To Show A Profit. The Test Is Simple: If The Opponent Calls, Are You Ahead Of Most Of The Hands They Call With? Value Bets Pay For Bluffs In A Balanced Strategy, And Missing Them Costs More Money Than Most Players Realize.

### [Wet Board](https://smarter.poker/glossary/wet-board) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/wet-board.md))
A Wet Board Is A Flop Or Turn With Many Straight And Flush Possibilities, Such As J T 9 With Two Hearts. Equities Run Closer On Wet Boards, So Strong Hands Bet Larger To Charge Draws, And Ranges Change Sharply From Street To Street. The Opposite Is A Dry Board, Where Few Draws Exist And Small Bets Are Common.

## Math

The Numbers Behind Every Call, Bet And Fold.

### [Combo](https://smarter.poker/glossary/combo) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/combo.md))
A Combo Is One Specific Way To Hold A Starting Hand, Counting Suits. Every Pocket Pair Has 6 Combos, Every Suited Hand Has 4 And Every Offsuit Hand Has 12, For 1,326 Starting Combos In Total. Counting Combos, And Removing Those Your Own Cards Block, Is How Players Estimate How Often An Opponent Holds A Given Hand.

### [Equity](https://smarter.poker/glossary/equity) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/equity.md))
Equity Is Your Share Of The Pot Based On How Often Your Hand Would Win If All Remaining Cards Were Dealt With No Further Betting. A Hand With 40 Percent Equity In A 100 Chip Pot Owns 40 Chips Of It On Average. Equity Against A Whole Range, Rather Than One Hand, Is What Drives Sound Decisions.

### [EV (Expected Value)](https://smarter.poker/glossary/expected-value) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/expected-value.md))
Expected Value, Or EV, Is The Average Result Of A Decision If It Could Be Repeated Many Times. Each Possible Outcome Is Multiplied By Its Probability And The Results Are Added Together. A Positive EV Play Earns Over Time Even When It Loses On A Given Hand, Which Is Why Good Players Judge Decisions By EV Rather Than Results.

### [ICM (Independent Chip Model)](https://smarter.poker/glossary/icm) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/icm.md))
ICM, The Independent Chip Model, Converts Tournament Chip Stacks Into Shares Of The Remaining Prize Pool. Because Chips Lost Hurt More Than Chips Won Help Once Payouts Are Close, ICM Tells Players To Tighten Their Calling Ranges Near The Bubble And At Final Tables. It Is The Standard Tool For Tournament Deals And Late Stage Push And Fold Decisions.

### [Implied Odds](https://smarter.poker/glossary/implied-odds) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/implied-odds.md))
Implied Odds Are The Chips You Expect To Win On Later Streets When Your Draw Completes, Beyond What Is Already In The Pot. They Justify Calling With Hands Such As Small Pairs Or Suited Connectors When The Immediate Pot Odds Are Too Thin, Provided Stacks Are Deep And The Opponent Will Pay Off When You Hit.

### [MDF (Minimum Defense Frequency)](https://smarter.poker/glossary/mdf) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/mdf.md))
Minimum Defense Frequency, Or MDF, Is The Share Of Your Range You Must Continue With So That An Opponent's Bluff Cannot Profit Automatically. It Equals The Pot Divided By The Pot Plus The Bet, So Facing A Pot Sized Bet You Defend At Least Half Your Range. It Is A Guideline, Not A Rule, Against Opponents Who Rarely Bluff.

### [Outs](https://smarter.poker/glossary/outs) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/outs.md))
Outs Are The Unseen Cards That Improve Your Hand To The Likely Winner. A Flush Draw Has Nine Outs And An Open Ended Straight Draw Has Eight. A Quick Estimate Of Your Chance To Hit Is Outs Times Four On The Flop, With Two Cards To Come, Or Outs Times Two On The Turn With One Card Left.

### [Pot Odds](https://smarter.poker/glossary/pot-odds) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/pot-odds.md))
Pot Odds Compare The Size Of A Call With The Pot You Could Win. Divide The Call By The Total Pot After You Call To Find The Equity You Need: Calling 50 Into A Pot That Will Be 150 Needs 33 Percent. If Your Equity Is Higher Than That Break Even Point, The Call Makes Money Over Time.

### [Reverse Implied Odds](https://smarter.poker/glossary/reverse-implied-odds) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/reverse-implied-odds.md))
Reverse Implied Odds Are The Chips You Expect To Lose On Later Streets When You Make Your Hand But An Opponent Has Made A Better One. Dominated Hands Such As Weak Aces And Low Flush Draws Carry Heavy Reverse Implied Odds, Because They Often Win Small Pots And Lose Big Ones, Which Makes Them Worse Than Their Raw Equity Suggests.

### [SPR (Stack To Pot Ratio)](https://smarter.poker/glossary/spr) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/spr.md))
SPR, The Stack To Pot Ratio, Is The Effective Stack Divided By The Pot At The Start Of A Street, Usually The Flop. A Low SPR, Below About Three, Means Top Pair Is Often Worth Getting All In. A High SPR, Above Ten, Rewards Hands That Can Make The Nuts And Punishes One Pair Hands That Overcommit.

### [Variance](https://smarter.poker/glossary/variance) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/variance.md))
Variance Is The Spread Of Results Around A Player's Expected Value. High Variance Games Such As Tournaments And Pot Limit Omaha Produce Long Losing And Winning Stretches Even For Skilled Players. Understanding Variance Keeps Decisions Tied To Expected Value, And It Is Why A Large Sample Of Hands Is Needed Before Judging Any Strategy.

### [VPIP](https://smarter.poker/glossary/vpip) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/vpip.md))
VPIP, Short For Voluntarily Put Money In Pot, Is The Share Of Hands A Player Calls Or Raises Before The Flop. Posting A Blind Does Not Count, Only Voluntary Chips Do. A VPIP Near 20 To 25 Percent At A Full Ring Cash Table Is Typical Of A Solid Regular, While A VPIP Above 40 Percent Usually Marks A Loose Player.

## Theory

Game Theory, Ranges And How Strategies Are Built.

### [Blocker](https://smarter.poker/glossary/blocker) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/blocker.md))
A Blocker Is A Card In Your Hand That Reduces The Number Of Combos Of A Particular Hand Your Opponent Can Hold. Holding The Ace Of Hearts On A Board With Three Hearts Means The Opponent Cannot Have The Nut Flush. Blockers Guide The Choice Of Which Hands To Bluff With And Which Marginal Hands Can Call.

### [Capped Range](https://smarter.poker/glossary/capped-range) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/capped-range.md))
A Capped Range Is A Range Of Hands That Contains No Nutted Or Very Strong Holdings Because The Player Previously Passed Up An Opportunity To Raise Or Three-Bet. When A Player Calls Preflop And Check-Calls Twice On A Dry Board, Their Range Is Usually Capped At One Pair, Making Them Vulnerable To Large Polarized River Overbets.

### [Exploitative Play](https://smarter.poker/glossary/exploitative-play) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/exploitative-play.md))
Exploitative Play Deliberately Departs From A Balanced Strategy To Win More Against A Specific Opponent's Mistakes, Such As Bluffing More Against A Player Who Folds Too Often. It Can Earn More Than Game Theory Optimal Play Against Weak Opponents, But It Opens You To Counter Exploitation If The Read Is Wrong Or The Opponent Adjusts.

### [Fold Equity](https://smarter.poker/glossary/fold-equity) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/fold-equity.md))
Fold Equity Is The Extra Value A Bet Or Raise Gains From The Chance That The Opponent Folds. It Equals How Often They Fold Multiplied By The Pot You Win When They Do. Fold Equity Is Why A Semi-Bluff Can Be Profitable When Calling Cannot, And Why Short Stacks Lose Much Of Their Bluffing Power.

### [Frequency](https://smarter.poker/glossary/frequency) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/frequency.md))
Frequency Is How Often A Player Takes An Action In A Given Spot Across Their Whole Range, For Example Betting 65 Percent Of The Time On A Particular Flop. Solvers Express Strategy As Frequencies Rather Than Fixed Rules, And Matching Sensible Frequencies Is What Keeps A Player Hard To Read And Hard To Exploit.

### [GTO (Game Theory Optimal)](https://smarter.poker/glossary/gto) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/gto.md))
GTO, Or Game Theory Optimal, Describes A Strategy That Cannot Be Exploited, Because No Opposing Strategy Can Win Against It In The Long Run. In Poker It Approximates A Nash Equilibrium Computed By A Solver. Players Study GTO To Build A Sound Baseline, Then Adjust Away From It To Exploit The Specific Mistakes Of Real Opponents.

### [In Position (IP)](https://smarter.poker/glossary/in-position) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/in-position.md))
In Position, Or IP, Means Acting After Your Opponent On Every Postflop Street. The Player In Position Sees What The Opponent Does Before Deciding, Controls The Size Of The Pot And Can Take Free Cards. The Dealer Button Is Always In Position After The Flop, Which Is Why Late Positions Play More Hands Profitably.

### [Linear Range](https://smarter.poker/glossary/linear-range) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/linear-range.md))
A Linear Range, Also Called A Merged Range, Is A Betting Range Built From The Strongest Hands Downward With No Gap, Such As Every Pair From Aces Down To A Middle Pair. It Suits Spots Where Many Worse Hands Will Call. The Contrast Is A Polarized Range, Which Skips The Middle And Bets Only Very Strong Hands And Bluffs.

### [Mixed Strategy](https://smarter.poker/glossary/mixed-strategy) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/mixed-strategy.md))
A Mixed Strategy Plays The Same Hand In Different Ways At Set Frequencies, For Example Betting A Hand 60 Percent Of The Time And Checking It 40 Percent. Solvers Produce Mixed Strategies When Two Actions Have Nearly Equal Expected Value, And Mixing Keeps Each Line Balanced So An Opponent Cannot Read The Hand From The Action.

### [Nash Equilibrium](https://smarter.poker/glossary/nash-equilibrium) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/nash-equilibrium.md))
A Nash Equilibrium Is A Set Of Strategies In Which No Player Can Gain By Changing Their Own Strategy While The Others Stay The Same. In Two Player Zero Sum Games Such As Heads Up Poker, An Equilibrium Strategy Is Unexploitable. Poker Solvers Approximate It Closely, And That Output Is What Players Call A GTO Strategy.

### [Nodelocking](https://smarter.poker/glossary/nodelocking) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/nodelocking.md))
Nodelocking Is A Solver Technique That Fixes One Player's Strategy At A Decision Point, For Example Forcing A Player To Bet Too Often, And Then Recomputes The Best Response For Everyone Else. It Shows How The Optimal Counter Strategy Changes Against A Real Tendency, Which Makes It The Bridge Between GTO Study And Exploitative Play.

### [Nut Advantage](https://smarter.poker/glossary/nut-advantage) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/nut-advantage.md))
Nut Advantage Means One Player's Range Holds More Of The Strongest Possible Hands On The Current Board Than The Opponent's Range Does. It Is Different From Range Advantage, Which Compares Average Strength. A Player With A Nut Advantage Can Use Large Bets And Overbets, Because The Opponent Rarely Holds Hands Strong Enough To Punish Them.

### [OOP (Out Of Position)](https://smarter.poker/glossary/out-of-position) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/out-of-position.md))
Out Of Position, Or OOP, Means Acting Before Your Opponent On Each Postflop Street. The Out Of Position Player Gives Information Away First And Has Less Control Over The Size Of The Pot, Which Lowers The Value Of Every Hand. The Blinds Play Most Pots Out Of Position, Which Is Why They Defend Tighter Than Their Price Suggests.

### [Polarized Range](https://smarter.poker/glossary/polarized-range) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/polarized-range.md))
A Polarized Range Is Made Of Very Strong Hands And Bluffs, With Few Medium Strength Hands In Between. Polarized Ranges Pair With Large Bets And Overbets, Because Strong Hands Want The Pot To Grow And Bluffs Need The Fold Equity. The Medium Hands That Are Left Out Are Checked, Where They Keep Their Showdown Value.

### [Range](https://smarter.poker/glossary/range) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/range.md))
A Range Is The Full Set Of Hands A Player Could Hold In A Given Spot, Based On Their Position And Every Action So Far. Strong Players Think In Ranges Rather Than Single Hands, Because Opponents Act With Many Hands In The Same Way. Reading A Range Means Narrowing It Street By Street As New Actions Arrive.

### [Range Advantage](https://smarter.poker/glossary/range-advantage) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/range-advantage.md))
Range Advantage Means One Player's Whole Range Has More Equity On The Current Board Than The Opponent's Range. The Preflop Raiser Usually Has It On High Card Flops Such As A K 4. The Player With Range Advantage Can Bet Often With A Small Size, While The Other Player Defends More Carefully And Bets Rarely.

### [Sizing Tell](https://smarter.poker/glossary/sizing-tell) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/sizing-tell.md))
A Sizing Tell Is Information Leaked By The Size Of A Bet, Such As A Player Who Bets Small With Medium Hands And Large Only With The Nuts. Opponents Who Notice Can Fold And Raise Accurately Against Each Size. Balanced Strategies Prevent The Leak By Betting A Mix Of Strong Hands And Bluffs With Every Size They Use.

### [Tilt](https://smarter.poker/glossary/tilt) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/tilt.md))
Tilt Is An Emotional State In Which Frustration, Anger Or Overconfidence Leads A Player To Make Worse Decisions Than Usual, Such As Calling Too Wide After A Bad Beat. It Is One Of The Largest Leaks In Poker. Common Remedies Include Stop Loss Limits, Short Breaks And Reviewing Decisions Rather Than Results After A Session.

### [Under-Defense](https://smarter.poker/glossary/under-defense) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/under-defense.md))
Under-Defense Is Folding Too Often When Facing Bets, Which Lets An Opponent Profit By Betting Any Two Cards. A Player Defending Well Below The Minimum Defense Frequency In Common Spots Is Easy To Exploit With Bluffs. The Fix Is To Continue With More Hands That Have Equity Or Blockers, Not To Call Everything.

### [Villain](https://smarter.poker/glossary/villain) ([Raw Markdown](https://smarter.poker/glossary/villain.md))
Villain Is Poker Slang For The Opponent In A Hand Being Discussed, While Hero Is The Player Telling The Story. The Terms Are Neutral Labels, Not Insults, And Appear In Almost Every Hand History And Strategy Forum. A Hand Review Might Say Villain Opens From The Cutoff And Hero Defends From The Big Blind.