Words and Phrases Used in Poker and How to Use Them: Nuts? Backdoor? Call the Clock?

Nuts

The term “nuts” refers to the very best potential hand that may be held at any stage in the game. If you have the nuts, you do not have a hand that can be defeated, regardless of whether you hit the nuts on the flop or the river.

Backdoor

Backdoor is a sophisticated word that generally refers to a draw in Texas Hold’em or Omaha that requires both the turn cards and the river cards. Backdoor is a draw that requires both of these cards. It is possible for a player to complete their draw by using running cards, which is referred to as a backdoor flush or backdoor straight draw.

Burn Card

A straightforward word that is used in poker but is not very well known, “burn card” refers to the card that is dealt face down by the dealer before beginning th following round of card dealing. Before the next street or draw card is dealt, a dealer will always “burn” a card, regardless of the format being used.

Exposed Card

When playing stud, the term “exposed cards” refers to the cards that are dealt face up on purpose by the dealer. This word is used more frequently in stud forms. These cards, which are often referred to as “up cards,” are frequently the key to a player determining what cards their opponent possesses in their hand.

Playing the Board

Although playing the board and counterfeiting are not the same thing, they are frequently intertwined in poker games. In the last installment of Poker Terms Explained, we discussed what counterfeiting meant.

When a player shows down a hand in which their holding does not better the hand that is already on the board, they are said to be playing the board. For instance, if a player possesses “2-Hearts” and “2-Spades” and the board contains “4-Clubs” and “4-Diamonds” and “9-Spades” and “9-Hearts” and “a-Diamonds,” then the player holds two pairs (fours and nines) and plays the board.

Be aware that the greatest outcome you can hope for if you play the board is to share the pot with the other players who are still in the hand.

Reverse Tell

A normal tell will give a player a sign as to what their opponent is holding, but a reverse tell is something that a player does in order to convey the opposite of whatever information that action might appear to convey. A normal tell will give a player a sign as to what their opponent is holding. a normal tell will give a player a sign as to what their opponent is holding.

It’s a typical tell to act powerful when you’re actually weak, therefore being strong when you already are strong might serve as a reverse tell.

Timing the Shots

The shot clock is a relatively new addition to tournaments, having just recently been used at High Roller events throughout the world. It provides players with a predetermined period of time (often 30 or 60 seconds) to make a decision about their hand. The shot clock is an actual clock that is placed on the table and serves the purpose of keeping track of the amount of time remaining for a player to make a decision on their hand. In the event that they do not do so, their hand will be considered to be dead.

Players in tournaments are often given a certain number of time bank cards, which may be used to prolong the length of time they have to act on the hand they are now holding.