etiquette
Stacked Deck
A stacked deck is a deck that has been arranged to give one player a huge advantage. It is a form of cheating.
String Bet
A string bet is a bet or raise in which a player does not put all the chips in the pot in one motion, or does not say the amount first. Rooms forbid string bets because they can be used to see the other player's reaction.
String Raise
A string raise is a raise made in more than one motion, without saying 'raise' first. It is not allowed in most live games. It is the raising version of a string bet.
Time
'Time' is a request to pause the play while you decide. You say 'Time, please', and the dealer or floor gives you a moment. In some rooms, a clock may be used if a player takes too long.
Toke
A toke is a small tip, usually $0.50 or $1, given to the dealer by the winner of a pot. For many dealers, tokes are the main part of their income.
TY
TY is chat shorthand for 'thank you'. Players type it, for example, after a courtesy, such as a message of luck, or when another player gives them information about a rule.
UL
UL means "unlucky" in online poker chat, often used to acknowledge another player's bad luck after a lost hand.
Verbal Bet
A verbal bet is an oral bet: a bet that a player announces with words instead of putting chips in the pot.
Verbal Declaration
A verbal declaration is something you say out loud about your action, such as 'raise' or 'call'. In live poker, it is binding, so you cannot change your mind after saying it.
Vest Holdout
A vest holdout is a type of holdout machine worn under a thief's coat, also called breastworks. It lets a cheater hide cards and slip them into play.
Waving
Waving is a form of cheating in which the cheater bends or crimps cards so that the wavy card can be recognized in an opponent's hand or in the deck. It marks the cards without writing on them.
Welcher
A welcher is a player who fails to pay a debt, especially a gambling debt. He loses a bet and does not pay.
Work the Broads
To work the broads is slang for cheating at cards, particularly at three-card monte. The 'broads' are the cards.
Working the Telegraph
Working the telegraph is a way of cheating by sending prearranged signals about your hand to a partner, for example with finger positions or code words hidden in normal conversation.
WP
WP is chat shorthand for 'well played'. A player types it to praise a good play, such as a clever fold or a well-timed bluff.