English vocabulary for poker exercise part 1
Playing poker is becoming a very popular sport/game. In the past you could only play it in either a casino or with friends, but now it is possible to play it 24 hours a day from your home on the internet. Although poker is a simple game, it has a terminology and rules which are used that can make it a little confusing (especially if the poker game is in English and you are a non-native speaker).
In this first part of two online exercises on 'poker vocabulary', you will learn some of the basic/essential English vocabulary used in poker and what it means. This exercise doesn't focus on the vocabulary that is used to play an actual game of poker (which is covered in the online exercise 'English vocabulary for poker exercise part 2') but on the terminology connected to poker in general. Have a quick read of the exercise below and if it seems too easy for you, I would recommend you go directly to the second part of the exercise.
Although this exercise focuses on the most commonly played type of poker 'Texas Hold'em' (where the players each hold/have 2 cards and 5 cards are laid/put down in the middle of the table for all the players to see), these terms can also be used for other types of poker as well.
Click here to see our other exercises on Poker & Card Games Vocabulary.
In the following conversation between two friends (Peter and Juan), Peter is explaining to Juan some things that he needs to know to play poker in English.
From the context, try to guess what the meaning of the words/phrases in bold are. Then do the quiz at the end to check if you are right.
Peter:'So, are you coming to the casino tonight to play Texas Hold'em poker?'
Juan:'I suppose so. But I think I'll just watch you guys play. I have gambled before in casinos, but I've only gambled my money in games of roulette and blackjack. I have no idea how to play poker.'
Peter:'It's not difficult to play. I'm sure you've seen people play it in films.'
Juan:'I understand the game, each player bets or gambles their own money in the game. The last player left or the player with the best cards wins all the money that all the players have gambled/spent on the game. But I have no ideas about what to say or what to do when I'm playing.'
Peter:'I'll explain it to you. You play poker to win the pot. The pot is the name for all money that the players bet or gamble during one game of poker. In poker, when a player gambles their money, they say the player puts in money or puts money into the pot.
The size of the pot increases during a game as players gamble/put in more money. The person who wins the pot is the person who is still playing in the game at the end and has the best cards, which is called the best hand.'
Juan:'I understand if your hand is four kings, it is better than if somebody else's hand is three 10s. But how many cards will I get to play with? 5 or 7?'
Peter:'In Texas Hold'em, they deal or give to each player two cards. These cards are dealt face down to each player, so none of the other players can see what type or number the cards are. These are called a player's hole cards.
Then during the poker game another 5 cards are dealt, but this time in the middle of the poker table and this time they are dealt face up, so all the players can see what type or number they are.'
Juan:'Who deals the cards? Is it another player?'
Peter:'When you're playing at home, yes. But in a casino, the person who deals the cards is called the dealer. He or she works for the casino and normally doesn't play poker in the game.'
Juan:'Ok. So how do you start to play?'
Peter:'Well, before you can play poker in a casino you have to convert your money into chips. These are small plastic circles/discs of different colours. Each colour represents a different amount of money (For example, a red chip represents $5).
When you have converted your money into chips, you go to a poker table where there is a seat available and wait until the current game finishes. You can also buy chips at the poker tables.'
Juan:'Is that it to join a game?'
Peter:'No. In a lot of large casinos, you can't just go to a poker table and sit down and start playing. In these casinos there is a waiting list to join the poker tables. You have to put your name down on this waiting list and wait until all the people in front of you on the list have joined a game. When it's your turn, they will call your name and tell you which poker table you're playing at.'
Juan:'Ok, that makes sense.'
Peter:'Also, to join most poker games you need to have a minimum amount of chips with you to join the game. This can be anything from $40 to $10,000 or more, it depends on the poker game. This is called a buy-in. Often a poker game on a poker table will have a buy-in of $40 to $100 to join.'
Juan:'Do you have any advice on choosing which poker table to join?'
Peter:'Because you are new to playing you should look to see what the minimum amount of money that a player can put into to the pot during a game is. This is called the minimum bet. This can be anything from $2 to over a $100. You should look for a poker table with a very low minimum bet, so you don't lose too much money when you're playing.'
Quiz:
Below is a definition/description of each of the words/phrases in bold from the above text. Now choose the word/phrase from the question's selection box which you believe answers each question. Only use one word/phrase once. Click on the "Check" button at the bottom of the quiz to check your answers.
When the answer is correct, two icons will appear next to the answer. The 
icon contains extra information about the answer. In the 
icon, you can listen to the pronunciation of the word/phrase.
Practice
Now that you understand the meaning of the words/phrases and when to use them, practise using them by creating your own sentences with them in English. Also click on the icon next to each correct answer and listen how each is pronounced correctly.
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