Glossary of Poker Terms
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Terms starting with D
Dead
A dead card is a card that is no longer available to help
you. In seven card stud, for example, a pair of kings in the
hole is less strong if the two remaining kings are two other
players' door cards, and therefore dead.
A dead hand is a hand that is no longer eligible to win the
pot (i.e., one that has been mucked or otherwise
invalidated).
Dead money is money that was put in a pot by a player who
has since folded.
Deal
To deal is to give out the cards during a hand. The person
who does this is called the dealer. At most public card
rooms, a dealer is hired for this purpose (and for generally
running the game). At most private games, players take turns
dealing.
To be dealt in is to be given cards during a hand. To be
dealt out or dealt around is not to be given cards.
Dealer Button
See button.
Dealer's Choice
A format in which the dealer is allowed to select the
particular poker game that will be dealt. Sometimes this
means before each hand, although a more sensible system
(since in many games the dealer has a positional advantage)
is one in which players take turns choosing the game for an
entire round.
Declare
Declare games are games in which you must declare the value
of your hand in order to claim the pot. A typical example is
a high-low split game in which you must declare before
showdown whether you are claiming the high, low, or both
pots (typically if you declare both you must win both in
order to claim either). Declare games are played almost
exclusively in home games. In most if not all card rooms,
cards speak.
Deuce
Twos are sometimes called deuces. So 22277 can be called
deuces full of sevens.
Deuce to Seven
In a game played for low, deuce to seven usually means that
the best low hand is simply the worst poker hand. If you
haven't figured it out already, that hand is 75432, with no
flush. Deuce to seven lowball is also called Kansas City, or
Kansas City lowball. See also ace to five.
Dog
See underdog.
Dominate
A starting hand that will almost always beat another
starting hand is said to dominate that hand. For example, in
hold'em, AK dominates K2. Most of the time K2 makes a
playable hand, AK will make a better hand. However, a 2
might still spoil the party.
Door Card
The first card dealt face up to each player in seven card
stud is the door card.
Double Belly Buster
A double belly buster is a hand with two inside straight
draws. For example, 79TJK can become a straight with an 8 or
a Q. It's roughly equivalent to an open-ended straight draw,
except that the double belly-buster is more deceptive, and
people often fail to notice that they have one (especially
in cases such as when the 7 in the above example shows up on
a later street, and the player is focused on the gutshot
they already had).
Draw
The word draw has slightly different meanings in different
contexts, although generally it has something to do with
receiving more cards, with the hope of improving your hand.
Draw games are games where at some point during the hand you
are allowed to discard some or all of your cards, to be
replaced from the deck. Drawing two is thus exchanging two
of your cards. "The draw" is the point during the game at
which players may do this. By default, when someone asks you
if you want to play some draw, they usually mean five card
draw.
In other poker games, drawing simply means staying in the
game with the hope of improving your hand when more cards
come (as opposed to with the intention of seeing if your
hand is best). A draw means a way to improve. For example,
if you have four suited cards, you have a flush draw. When
you stay in a hand with the hope of improving, you are said
to be "on a draw." You are also said to be "drawing to" the
hand you hope to make. For example, in lowball, if you hold
K7642 and draw one, you are drawing to a (ragged) 7 (i.e., a
7 low).
See also open-ended straight draw, inside straight draw,
draw out, draw dead, and drawing hand.
I had to stay in the hand, I had a great draw.
I was sure he was on a draw, so when the river was a blank I
felt comfortable betting with bottom pair.
Draw Dead
To draw when it turns out you would lose even if you hit
your draw. Most trivially on the turn in hold'em, if you
have a fourflush with KQs but someone else holds A5s and has
already made a pair of aces, you're drawing dead. Whenever
you make your flush, they make a better flush.
Draw Out (on)
To draw out on someone is to outdraw them.
When I called his all-in bet, I didn't realize he had made
trips, but I was lucky enough to draw out on him with my
backdoor flush.
Drawing Hand
A hand with which you expect to be on a draw is a drawing
hand. Suited connectors in hold'em (e.g., QhJh) are drawing
hands, since while they make strong hands (straights and
flushes) relatively often, they will rarely make them on the
flop.
Drop
To fold is to drop. To drop is to fold.
To lose a particular amount of money. At poker, that is, you
don't have to literally drop it on the carpet.
The drop is also what the house takes from a hand (see also
rake).
I bet again on the turn and three more players dropped.
I dropped $600 in ten minutes. Guess Omaha isn't my game.
I never play there, they drop 15% of every pot.
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