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Poker terms beginning with a "A"

ABC Poker

A straightforward and conventional playing style that focuses on basic and solid strategies without fancy or deceptive moves.

A-Game

When a poker player plays their A-game, they are playing their best game. It represents a player's best performance or optimal playing style.

Ace

An ace is essentially the highest card in the poker game. However, the value of an ace can be the highest card or the lowest card. In an ace-high straight (Ace of Any Color King of Any Color Queen of Any Color Jack of Any Color 10 of Any Color), it is the highest, and in a five-high straight (5 of Any Color 4 of Any Color 3 of Any Color 2 of Any Color Ace of Any Color), it is the lowest.

Ace-High

Ace-high refers to a hand that has nothing but an ace as the high card.

Ace in the Hole

The expression ace in the hole means that one of the two pocket cards (cards in hand) of a player is an ace. (E.g., Ace of Any Color 6 of Any Color)

Ace on the River

When an ace is dealt on the river, potentially changing the outcome of the hand dramatically.

Ace Magnets

Ace magnets is a slang term for a pair of kings, suggesting that an ace is likely to appear on the board.

Ace-to-Five Lowball

Ace-to-Five Lowball is a Lowball variant where the lowest hand wins, and straights and flushes are not counted.

Aces Full

Aces full is a full house with three aces.

Aces Up

The expression aces up means two pair, with one pair being aces.

Action Card

The action card is a specific card dealt face-up on the table that can change the course of the hand, such as a community card in Texas Hold'em.

Action Flop

A flop that likely improves many players' hands, resulting in increased betting and raising.

Actions

Betting, folding, calling, and raising are examples of poker actions. All these moves and others, such as the check-raise and the continuation bet, take place during poker.

Active Player

Active player refers to the player who is currently expected to take action, or the player who is currently playing their turn.

Active Pot

The active pot is the main pot where all active participants are eligible to win it.

Add-On

Some poker tournaments offer players the opportunity to purchase additional chips during the first break of the tournament (usually after about an hour of play) via an add-on. The total amount paid for these add-ons by all players who choose to avail of the option is then added to the prize pool.

Add-On Break

A designated break in a tournament where players are allowed to purchase add-ons.

Aggressive

The term aggressive refers to a player who aggressively tries to put pressure on their opponents, usually through raises and re-raises. Aggressive is the counterpart of passive. (Also see passive.)

Air

A hand with no value, usually used in the context of bluffing. For example, "He went all-in with air."

All-In

The famous (or infamous) action of pushing all your chips into the middle is called going all-in.

All-In Equity

The expected value of a hand when a player goes all-in, considering the likelihood of winning against the opponents' ranges. (Also see expected value.)

Angle

A less-than-ethical strategy or maneuver to gain an advantage, often bordering on cheating.

Angle Shooter

A player who plays unethically to gain an advantage. See also angle and angle shooting on this page.

Angle Shooting

When we talk about angle shooting, we're talking about a deceptive or unethical move made by a player to gain an unfair advantage over their opponent.

Ante

The ante is the number of chips that all players must contribute to the pot before a hand is dealt. This usually occurs in later stages of poker tournaments.

Ante Up

The act of putting the ante into the pot before the hand is dealt.

Any Two Cards (ATC)

Any two random cards. ATC is a poker strategy where a player plays any two cards they are dealt, regardless of their value or the position the player is in.

American Airlines

A slang term for a pair of aces, referring to the airline company due to the double "A". (E.g., Ace of Hearts Ace of Spades.)

Ammo

A slang term for chips, coming from ammunition, referring to a player's stack or bankroll.

Amateur Hour

A period or situation where less experienced players are making numerous mistakes.

Assorted Flop

An assorted flop refers to a mixed flop, where the three cards on the flop have different suits.

Auto-Rebuy

Auto-rebuy is the same as automatically buying back in. This is an option in online poker where a player can automatically buy more chips after being eliminated from a poker tournament.

Average Stack

The total number of chips in play divided by the number of players remaining in a tournament.

Away from the Table

Refers to a player who is not currently at the table but is still in the game, typically in online poker.

Ax

Ax stands for an ace and a low-value card (2 of Any Color to 9 of Any Color) in a player's dealt cards.

Axs

Axs stands for an Ace and a low-value card (2 of Any Color to 9 of Any Color) of the same suit, in a player's pocket cards (dealt cards). The additional "s" after the term Ax stands for suited.