Poker Glossary
Poker glossary

Picture Cards

Picture cards are cards that show a face: the king, the queen and the jack. They are also called face cards or court cards.

The simple explanation

The jack, queen and king have pictures of people. The ace and the number cards do not.

A closer look

In poker, picture cards are not special by rule, but they are the high cards. Hands made of picture cards are called broadway cards, together with the ace and ten. In some home games, picture cards are wild or have special values.

A practical example

The flop is K♠ J♦ Q♥. All three cards are picture cards.

Full explanation

Picture cards are cards that show a face: the king, the queen and the jack. They are also called face cards or court cards.

Picture cards are the king, queen and jack.

They show faces.

They are the high cards.

They are also called face cards.

Picture cards

No-limit Hold’em · Blinds 1/2 chips · No rake

Read the example transcript

Player A has the button (BTN) and posts the 1-chip small blind (SB). Player B posts the 2-chip big blind (BB).

  1. Preflop · Pot: 3 chips

    The blinds are 1 and 2 chips. Heads-up, the dealer (D) also posts the small blind.

    • Player A BTN / SB Ace of hearts (Ah)Queen of diamonds (Qd) · Stack 199 · In this round 1
    • Player B BB 9 of clubs (9c)8 of clubs (8c) · Stack 198 · In this round 2
  2. Preflop · Pot: 8 chips

    Player A raises to 6 before the flop.

    • Player A BTN / SB Ace of hearts (Ah)Queen of diamonds (Qd) · Stack 194 · In this round 6
    • Player B BB 9 of clubs (9c)8 of clubs (8c) · Stack 198 · In this round 2
  3. Preflop · Pot: 12 chips

    Player B calls. Each player has put in 6 chips.

    • Player A BTN / SB Ace of hearts (Ah)Queen of diamonds (Qd) · Stack 194 · In this round 6
    • Player B BB 9 of clubs (9c)8 of clubs (8c) · Stack 194 · In this round 6
  4. Flop · Pot: 12 chips

    The flop brings king, jack and queen. Cards that show a face are picture cards.

    Board: King of spades (Ks)Jack of diamonds (Jd)Queen of hearts (Qh)

    • Player A BTN / SB Ace of hearts (Ah)Queen of diamonds (Qd) · Stack 194 · In this round 0
    • Player B BB 9 of clubs (9c)8 of clubs (8c) · Stack 194 · In this round 0

Cards are shown for learning; totals are displayed before pot collection.

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