Poker is a game of strategy, skill, and a little bit of luck. As you start playing, you'll encounter various terms and concepts that will help you improve your gameplay. In this article, we'll cover some essential poker terminology to get you started.

Betting

• Facing a bet or raise: When another player makes a bet or raises the pot, you're forced to make a decision about how to proceed.
• Half pot bet: A bet that's equal to half of the current pot size. In this situation, the odds are 2:1 in your favor.

Preflop and Flop

• Preflop: The round of betting that occurs immediately after the cards are dealt.
• Flop: The first three community cards dealt face-up on the table.

Hand Types

• Set: Three of a kind with a pocket pair in the hole. For example, a set of sixes would be 66 on a KT6 board.
• Rainbow: A situation where there's no possibility of a flush draw due to all cards being different suits.

Rake and Rakeback

• Rake: A percentage of the pot taken by the poker room or casino as their commission.
• Rakeback: A refund given by the poker room or casino to players for completing certain play requirements (hours or hands played).

Hand Reading and Range

• Range: A group of holdings you think your opponent may have.
• Hand reading: The process of trying to figure out what your opponent's hand might be.

Gameplay Concepts

• Shorthanded: When the number of players falls below five on a table, it's considered shorthanded.
• Sit n go: A tournament that begins when enough players sit down at the table (rather than starting at a specific time).

Basic Terms

• Small blind: The forced bet made by the player to the left of the dealer before seeing their cards.
• Suited: Two cards that are of the same suit. For example, AK of hearts (often shortened to AKs).
• Tell: Unconsciously giving away information about your hand to your opponent.

Tactics and Strategy

• Trap: Playing in a way that disguises the strength of your hand.
• VPIP (Voluntarily put in the pot): A measure of how often a player puts money into the pot by raising or calling voluntarily. Typically ranges from 15-25% for winning players, depending on the game type.

Poker Now – Poker with Friends

Poker Now is a free no-download poker app that allows you to play online private poker games with your friends using play chips. Join now and enjoy features like:

• Integrated Video Chat: No need to use third-party video apps anymore.
• Customizable Gameplay: Set the blinds, time-limits, players' stacks, poker variants, and more using the in-game menu.
• Play at Your Own Pace: Pause the game whenever you want and control when the next hand should start.

Get started with Poker Now today and improve your gameplay with friends!