intermediate
Leg Up
Leg up means being in a situation equal to having won the previous pot, so that you must kill the next pot if you win the current one. It is a term from kill games.
Let Slide
To let slide is to not call a bet from a player you think is probably bluffing. You decide that the pot is not worth the risk and you let the hand go.
Level
A level in a tournament is a period of time in which the blinds and antes stay the same. After each level, the blinds go up. For example, level 4 might have blinds of 100/200.
Line
A line is the whole plan of a hand: the series of actions that a player takes on each street. For example, a bet on the flop, a bet on the turn and a check on the river is a line.
Lock‑Up
A lock-up is a chip marker that holds a seat for a player. It shows that the seat is taken, even if the player is away.
M‑Ratio (M)
M-ratio, or M, measures how many rounds of forced bets your stack can pay for in a tournament. It is your stack divided by the cost of one orbit: the small blind, the big blind and the antes.
Main Pot
The main pot is the first pot, which all players have contributed to before any side pots are created because a player went all in.
Marginal Hand
A marginal hand is a hand that is not strong, but not particularly weak either. It is tricky to play, since its value depends on the situation.
Mark
A mark is a player at the table who attracts attention because he is inexperienced and weak, so the others expect to win his money. The words 'fish' and 'sucker' mean the same.
Match the Stack
Match the stack is a room rule that allows a player in a cash game to add chips to equal the largest stack at the table. It lets players keep up with a big stack that has grown during the game.
MHIG/MHING
MHIG means "My Hand Is Good"; MHING means "My Hand Is No Good." Poker players use them when discussing whether their hand wins.
Mid‑Stakes
Mid stakes are the middle levels of poker, above low stakes and below high stakes. Online they are roughly $1/$2 to $3/$6, and live games from about $5/$10 are often called mid or high stakes depending on the room.
Missed Blind
A missed blind is a forced blind bet that a player did not post because he was away from the table when it was his turn. Many rooms require him to pay it before he can play again.
Mississippi Straddle
The Mississippi straddle is a type of straddle made by the player on the button, instead of the player under the gun. The straddler acts last before the flop, and then the action starts after him.
Mneumonics
Mnemonics are mental devices used to remember things. In Hold'em, players give names to starting hands, such as Big Slick or Maverick, to remember them easily.
Monotone Board
A monotone board is a board on which all community cards are of the same suit. For example, K♠ 9♠ 4♠ is a monotone flop. Anyone with two spades already has a flush.
Multi‑way Pot
A multi-way pot is a pot with three or more players. It is the opposite of a heads-up pot. It is also called a family pot when many players take part.
Must-Move
Must-move is a rule in some card rooms: to protect the main game, the players of a second game must move into the first game when seats open there.
Nailing
Nailing is a cheater's technique of marking cards with a fingernail or a device. It is the same as pricking, pegging and punctuating.
New Guinea Stud
New Guinea stud is a form of seven-card stud that starts with four down cards, followed by turning up or rolling any two of them. It is a home-game variant.
New York Stud
New York stud is a form of five-card stud in which a four flush beats a pair. It is a home-game variant with a changed ranking of hands.
New-Breed Player
A new-breed player is an advanced-concept player in public or casino poker. He uses modern strategy and understanding of concepts, such as ranges and position.
NFD
NFD stands for nut flush draw, a draw to the best possible flush. For example, with the ace of spades and another spade on a board with two spades, you have the nut flush draw.
Nucleus Players
Nucleus players are the dependable, regular players who keep a game going. A card room relies on them to fill the tables.
Nursing
Nursing means playing conservatively because you are losing and have only a few chips left. You try to make the stack last.
Nut Flush Draw
A nut flush draw is four cards of one suit including the ace, needing one more card of that suit to make the highest possible flush.
Nut Low
The nut low is the best possible low hand in a high-low split game. In most games it is the wheel, A-2-3-4-5, and in deuce-to-seven lowball it is 7-5-4-3-2.
On The Come
On the come means that a player does not yet have a complete hand, such as when he holds a drawing hand. He is betting or calling on the come, in the hope of completing it.
One-Chip-Behind
One-chip-behind means betting or raising almost your entire stack while keeping one chip unbet. Unless you have declared all-in, that chip remains available for a later decision.
One‑Outer
A one-outer is a situation in which a player has only one card left in the deck that can make him win the hand. He is a huge underdog.
Open‑Handed
Open-handed describes games in which a part of each player's hand is exposed, such as stud. It is the opposite of closed games.
Open‑Shove
An open-shove is a first raise before the flop that is an all-in. The player pushes all his chips when nobody has raised yet.