Poker
Indexing
Indexing is a cheater's technique to mark cards with a fingernail or a device, so that the cards can be recognized later. It is a form of marking cards.
Indirect Bet
An indirect bet is a bet or raise made by an opponent for a player who is sandbagging a strong hand. The player with the strong hand lets someone else put in the money.
Induce
To induce is to try to get an opponent to bet or raise by checking or by making a small bet. The aim is to make them put more money into the pot, often when they have a weaker hand.
Inside Straight
An inside straight is a hand that needs one specific card to complete a straight, because the missing card is in the middle. It is also called a gutshot or a belly buster.
Inside Straight Draw
An inside straight draw, also called a gutshot or belly buster, is a draw to a straight in which only one rank completes the hand. It has only four outs.
Insurance
Insurance is a side agreement in which a player pays another player a certain amount in exchange for a guarantee of winning a certain amount of money regardless of the outcome of the hand. In other contexts, it means a deal to split the pot.
Intentional Flashing
Intentional flashing is the deliberate showing of one or more hole cards to an opponent or to the whole table. The player does it on purpose, not by accident.
Investment Odds
Investment odds are the estimated returns on betting investments. They describe how much a player can expect to receive for the amount he puts in.
Iron Duke
An iron duke is an unbeatable hand. It is also called an ironclad hand.
Isolate
To isolate is to raise before the flop with the aim of playing one-on-one against a weak player who has limped or entered the pot. The raise should chase away the other players and leave you with a single opponent.
Isolation
Isolation is a strategy in which a player raises to force the other players to fold, leaving him heads-up against the original bettor. The raiser isolates one opponent.
J‑Boy
J-Boy is slang for a jack. The J stands for jack, and 'boy' is used as a nickname for the face cards.
Jack and Back
Jack and Back is a form of jackpot poker that turns into lowball if nobody opens. It is also called Jack and Reverse, Jacks Back or Jackson.
Jack Benny
Jack Benny is a nickname for a starting hand of nine and three, 9-3. It refers to the comedian Jack Benny, who joked that he was always 39 years old.
Jack Up
To jack up is to raise. A player jacks up the pot when he increases the bet.
Jackpot
A jackpot in poker is a special prize offered by a room or a casino, awarded for a rare outcome. The best-known example is the bad beat jackpot, which is paid when a very strong hand loses to an even stronger one.
Jackpot Poker
Jackpot poker is a poker game where there is a large prize pool, the jackpot, or a draw game where you need a pair of jacks or better to open. The name has two meanings, so check which one is meant.
Jacks to Open
Jacks to open is a form of draw poker in which a player needs a pair of jacks or better to open the betting. It is also called jackpots.
Jacks‑or‑Better
Jacks-or-Better is a popular video poker game in which the lowest paying hand is a pair of jacks. A hand weaker than jacks does not win.
Jackson Five
Jackson Five is a nickname for a starting hand of jack and five. The name refers to the music group The Jackson 5.
Jagging
Jagging is a cheater's technique of marking cards with a fingernail or a device. The marks let the cheater recognize cards from the back.
Jake
Jake is slang for a jack, the card between the ten and the queen.
Jam
To jam is to move all your chips into the pot, also called shoving. A jam is an all-in bet or raise. Players often say that they 'jammed' a hand.
Jammed Pot
A jammed pot is a pot that has been raised the maximum number of times. In limit games, the raises are capped, so a jammed pot is a pot where nobody can raise any more.
Jesse James
Jesse James is a nickname for a starting hand of four and five, 4-5. The name comes from the outlaw Jesse James, who was reportedly killed by a .45.
Jinx
A jinx is a curse of bad luck. Players say a person or an action jinxes a result when they believe it brings misfortune.
Jog
A jog is an unevenly stacked deck used by a cheater to mark where his partner should cut. The card sticks out a little so the cut can be made at that place. It is also called a step.
John
John is slang for a jack. A pair of johns is a pair of jacks.
John Juanda
John Juanda is a nickname for a pair of jacks, J-J. The name refers to the professional player John Juanda.
Joker
A joker is a card that works as a wild card in some games. It can stand for any card its holder wants, or only for certain cards, depending on the rules.
Joker Poker
Joker Poker is a video poker game in which a joker is added to the deck and acts as a wild card. The joker can stand for any card to make the best possible hand.
Jonah
A Jonah is an unlucky player, one who seems to bring bad luck to himself or to the game. The word is used mostly as a joke.