GTO Glossary

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A re-raise over an initial raise (the blinds being the first bet, the open being the second).

A re-raise over a 3-bet. Usually committed to the pot at this point.

A draw needing two more cards to complete (e.g., needing both turn and river to make a flush).

A continuation bet on a subsequent street. Double barrel = flop + turn. Triple barrel = flop + turn + river.

A card in your hand that reduces the number of combos of a specific hand in your opponent's range.

The characteristics of community cards - dry (disconnected), wet (draw-heavy), monotone (single suit).

Continuation bet - a bet by the preflop aggressor on the flop.

Calling an open raise without having previously put money in the pot (excluding blinds).

A specific card combination. Pocket pairs have 6 combos, suited hands 4, offsuit hands 12.

A bet from the OOP player into the preflop aggressor. Rarely correct in GTO play.

The average profit/loss of a decision over infinite repetitions. EV = (Win% × $Won) - (Lose% × $Lost).

Your share of the pot based on the probability of winning the hand at showdown.

A strategy that deviates from GTO to maximize EV against specific opponent tendencies.

The value gained from the possibility that your opponent will fold to your bet or raise.

How often you take a specific action (e.g., c-bet frequency of 65% means you bet 65% of the time).

Game Theory Optimal - a mathematically unexploitable strategy based on Nash Equilibrium.

Independent Chip Model - converts tournament chip stacks to real-money equity based on prize structure.

Future money you expect to win on later streets if you hit your draw, beyond current pot odds.

Acting after your opponent postflop. Significant strategic advantage due to additional information.

A raise designed to play heads-up against a weak player who limped.

A range of hands ordered by strength - top pairs through medium pairs, no pure bluffs. Also called merged.

Minimum Defense Frequency - the minimum % of your range you must continue with to prevent villain from auto-profiting with bluffs.

Taking different actions with the same hand at different frequencies (e.g., bet 60%, check 40%).

A state where no player can improve their EV by changing strategy unilaterally.

Fixing one player's strategy at a decision point to see how the optimal counter-strategy changes.

When one player's range contains more of the strongest possible hands on a given board.

Out of Position - acting first postflop. Disadvantaged due to less information.

A bet larger than the pot. Used when you have a polarized range and nut advantage.

Cards remaining in the deck that will improve your hand to likely win. Flush draw = 9 outs.

A range divided into very strong hands (value) and weak hands (bluffs), with no medium hands.

The ratio of the current bet to the total pot. Determines the minimum equity needed to call profitably.

A bet by the OOP player on a new street after the IP player checked back the previous street.

The complete set of hands a player could have in a given situation based on prior actions.

When your range is stronger overall than your opponent's on a specific board texture.

Future money you expect to LOSE when you make your hand but opponent has a better hand.

Raise First In - the first voluntary open raise when action folds to you.

A bet with a hand that isn't the best currently but has outs to improve (e.g., flush draw).

When bet sizing leaks information about hand strength. GTO uses consistent sizings to prevent this.

Checking or calling with a strong hand to disguise its strength. Risky in multiway pots.

Stack-to-Pot Ratio = Effective Stack / Pot. Low SPR (<3) = committed, High SPR (>10) = deep play.

A 3-bet after an open raise AND a cold call, putting pressure on both players.

A bet with a marginally strong hand that expects to be called by slightly worse hands.

Emotional state causing suboptimal play due to frustration, overconfidence, or external factors.

Check-calling or slow-playing a monster hand to induce bets from opponents.

Folding too often to bets, allowing opponent to profit with any bluff.

A bet made with the expectation that worse hands will call.

Statistical measure of deviation from expected results. High variance = bigger swings in results.

Your opponent in a hand (poker slang).

Voluntarily Put In Pot - % of hands a player enters the pot with a call or raise.

A board with many draw possibilities (e.g., J♠T♥9♦ - straights, T♥9♥8♥ - flush + straight).