strategy
Effective Stack
The effective stack is the smaller stack among the players in a hand, which is the most that can be won or lost.
Equity
Equity is a player's expected share of the pot at a given moment, based on the chance of winning.
Equity Denial
Equity denial is preventing an opponent from realizing the equity of their hand by making them fold.
Equity Realization
Equity realization is how much of its raw equity a hand actually wins, after the effect of betting and position.
Expectation
Expectation is the amount you expect to win or lose on average from a certain play.
Expected Value (EV)
Expected value (EV) is the average amount a play will win or lose over the long run.
Exploitative
Exploitative play is deviating from standard strategy to take advantage of an opponent's specific weaknesses.
Exploitative Play
Exploitative play is a strategy that takes advantage of opponents' weaknesses and tendencies.
Fancy Play Syndrome (FPS)
Fancy play syndrome (FPS) is the habit of making unusual, over-clever plays when a straightforward play would earn more.
Fast
Fast, as in 'play fast', means playing a hand aggressively by betting and raising as much as possible.
Fast Play
Fast play means betting and raising aggressively with a strong hand instead of playing it slowly.
Feeler Bet
A feeler bet is a small bet, usually leading after the flop, made to gather information about the opponents' hands.
Flat Call
A flat call is a call in a spot where a raise would also be reasonable.
Float
A float is calling a bet with a weak hand, planning to take the pot away on a later street.
Fold Equity
Fold equity is the extra value you get from a bet or raise because your opponent may fold. Part of your profit comes from the chance that they give up the pot, even if your hand is not the best.
Free Card
A free card is a card that you see without paying for it, because nobody bet in the previous round. It gives you a chance to improve your hand at no cost.
Gambling
Gambling is betting money at unfavorable investment and edge odds. It means risking money where the long-term expectation is negative.
Game Theory Optimal (GTO)
Game theory optimal, or GTO, is a way of playing poker that cannot be exploited by opponents. A GTO strategy is balanced: even if the opponent knows exactly what you are doing, they cannot make more money against you than they would by playing the same strategy.
Gap Concept
The gap concept is a rule from David Sklansky which states that you need a stronger hand to call a raise than to open with a raise yourself. The reasoning is that when you open, you may win the pot without a fight, while a caller faces a player who has already shown strength.
Get Full Value
To get full value is to bet, raise or re-raise with the intention of winning as much as possible from a strong hand.
Grinder
A grinder is a player who makes money by playing a lot of hands and winning small amounts at low and medium stakes. Grinders rely on discipline, volume and a steady, sound style, not on big hands or big bluffs.
Grinding
Grinding is playing in a style with minimal risk and modest gains over a long period of time.
GTO
GTO is short for game theory optimal, the strategy that cannot be exploited in the long run. Players use the abbreviation for solver-based study and for play based on balanced ranges.
Hero Call
A hero call is a call with a weak or marginal hand, based on the belief that the opponent is bluffing. The caller has no strong hand, but trusts a read and pays to see whether it is right.
Hero Fold
A hero fold is a fold with a very strong hand, usually top pair or better, because you believe the opponent has an even stronger hand. It is the opposite of a hero call, and takes discipline.
ICM
ICM, the Independent Chip Model, is a method that turns the chips in a tournament into their cash value based on the prizes that remain. It shows that chips are worth less than their face value when the payouts are fixed.
Image
Image is how a player is seen by others, as an indicator of the playing style that he is likely to use. Someone who folds a lot has a tight image, and someone who plays many hands has a loose image.
Implied Odds
Implied odds are the odds that include the money you may win on later streets if you hit your draw. They allow a call that looks bad on the current pot odds alone to be profitable.
In Position (IP)
Being in position means acting after your opponent on each round of betting after the flop. The player in position has the advantage of seeing what the opponent does before making a decision.
In the Middle
In the middle has two meanings. It can mean a player who acts after some players but before others, or it can mean the pot, which is the money in the middle of the table. It can also mean posting the blind out of turn.
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.
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.