POKER GLOSSARY

GTO (Game Theory Optimal)

A mathematically balanced strategy that cannot be exploited by any opponent.

Exploitative Play

Adjusting your strategy to take advantage of specific opponent tendencies and mistakes.

Range

The complete set of hands a player could hold in a given situation.

Bluff

Betting or raising with a weak hand to make a stronger hand fold.

Value Bet

Betting with a strong hand to extract chips from worse hands that will call.

Check-Raise

Checking to an opponent and then raising when they bet — a powerful deceptive move.

3-Bet

A re-raise over an initial raise — the third bet in the sequence.

Slow-Play (Trapping)

Playing a strong hand weakly to disguise its strength and induce bets from opponents.

C-Bet (Continuation Bet)

A bet made on the flop by the pre-flop aggressor, continuing the story of having a strong hand.

Live Tells / Reads

Physical or behavioral cues from an opponent that reveal information about their hand strength.

Equity

The percentage of the pot you expect to win on average based on the current cards.

Pot Odds

The ratio between the size of the bet you must call and the total pot, used to evaluate calls.

EV (Expected Value)

The average amount you expect to win or lose from a decision over many repetitions.

Outs

The cards remaining in the deck that will improve your hand to likely the best hand.

SPR (Stack-to-Pot Ratio)

The ratio of effective stack size to the pot size on the flop — determines commitment thresholds.

Position

Where you sit relative to the dealer button — acting last is the most powerful position.

ICM (Independent Chip Model)

A mathematical model that converts tournament chip stacks into real money values.

Bubble

The stage just before the money — the last player to bust before the prize pool is called "the bubble."

Rake

The commission taken by the casino or poker site from each pot as their fee for hosting the game.

All-In

Betting all of your remaining chips in a single action.