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Poker terms beginning with a "B"

Backdoor

The turn and river are needed to complete the hand. For example, a backdoor straight or a backdoor flush (also called runner-runner). See also runner.

Bad Beat

Remember how you lost your excellent aces full to four jacks on the river? That was a bad beat. A bad beat is when you lose with a very strong hand.

Bad Beat Jackpot

A special prize awarded in some poker rooms to a player who loses a hand despite holding a very strong hand, typically four of a kind or better.

Back Raise

A re-raise made by a player who initially just called in the same betting round.

Backer

A person who finances a poker player’s buy-in or tournament entry fees in exchange for a percentage of the player’s winnings.

Bankroll

The amount of money set aside for playing poker. Not to be confused with your stack. One of the key aspects of successful poker playing is the art of bankroll management.

Bankroll Management

The strategy of managing the amount of money set aside for playing poker to avoid going broke.

Barrel

Refers to betting in multiple rounds. For example, a double barrel means betting on the flop and then again on the turn.

BB

BB is the commonly used abbreviation for big blind. It is the bet that the player 2 seats left of the dealer must place on the table before the cards are dealt. In a $5/$10 cash game, this amount would be $10.

Bet the Pot

Placing a bet that is equal to the amount currently in the pot.

Bet Sizing

The strategy of deciding how much to bet in various situations to maximize value or bluff effectively.

Bicycle

Another term for a five-high straight, 5 of Any Color 4 of Any Color 3 of Any Color 2 of Any Color Ace of Any Color. Also known as a wheel.

Big Bet

In Fixed Limit games, this is the highest possible bet or raise. In a $5/$10 Fixed Limit game, the big bet would be $10. See also small bet.

Big Blind

The big blind is often abbreviated and referred to as BB. It is the bet that the player 2 seats left of the dealer must place on the table before the cards are dealt. In a $5/$10 cash game, this amount would be $10.

Big Blind Special

Winning a hand in the big blind with a poor hand that you would not normally play, but you get to see the flop for free.

Big Slick

Big slick is a common expression for Ace of Any Color King of Any Color in your pocket cards.

Blank

A community card that is unlikely to affect the standing of hands, typically a low card that doesn't complete any potential draws.

Blinds

Blinds are the chips that must be put into the game before the cards are dealt. In Texas Hold'em, there is a small blind and a big blind. See also small blind.

Blind Levels

In most poker tournaments, the blind levels are increased after a certain period to speed up the game and adjust to the growing stacks of the remaining players. A common interval in online poker tournaments is ten minutes, after which the blind level is increased.

Blind Raise

A raise made without looking at your own cards is called a blind raise.

Blocker

A card that reduces the number of possible strong hands an opponent can have. For example, holding an ace reduces the likelihood that your opponent can have pocket aces.

Bluff

A bluff is an attempt to pretend to have a better (or worse) hand than you actually do. The most common bluff is to pretend to have a superior hand and get your opponent to fold, even though they most likely have a stronger hand than you. See also See also fold.

Bluff Catcher

A hand that can only win if the opponent is bluffing.

Board

See board cards on this page.

Board Cards

Also known as community cards. The board cards are the common cards that can be used by all players. In Texas Hold'em and Omaha, there are five board cards in the middle of the table, consisting of the flop, turn, and river.

Board Texture

The composition of community cards, which affects the strength of various hands and potential draws.

Bottom Pair

A pair that can be made from your own cards and the lowest card on the flop. See also middle pair and top pair.

Bounty

A prize awarded for eliminating a specific player in a poker tournament. Often used in knockout tournaments where each player has a bounty on their head.

Brick

A community card that does not improve anyone's hand, similar to a blank.

Brick and Mortar

Brick and mortar casinos are physical casinos as opposed to their online counterparts.

Broadway

A straight from ten to ace (Ace of Any Color King of Any Color Queen of Any Color Jack of Any Color 10 of Any Color).

Bubble

The bubble refers to the positions in a tournament that are just outside the paid places. In a typical 10-player Sit & Go, usually the first 3 players will receive a portion of the prize pool. The fourth place would be the bubble in this case. Players who often finish just outside the money in tournaments are called bubble boys.

Bubble Boys

Players who often finish just outside the money in tournaments are called bubble boys. See also bubble on this page.

Bubble Play

The strategic adjustments made during the bubble phase of a tournament, where players play differently to avoid being eliminated without making it into the money.

Building the Pot

Betting or raising to increase the size of the pot.

Bullets

Two aces in the pocket cards. Also known as pocket aces or pocket rockets. (E.g., Ace of Diamonds Ace of Clubs.)

Burn

Before the flop, turn, and river in Texas Hold'em are actually dealt, the dealer will discard a card face down. This action is called burn.

Button

Abbreviation of dealer button. Indicates the position of the dealer in Texas Hold'em and Omaha. In casinos and larger tournaments, there will always be a designated dealer, but a button will be used to mark the nominal dealer (the dealer whose turn it is).

Button Steal

An attempt to win the blinds by raising from the button with a wide range of hands.

Buy-in

For tournaments: The amount of money required to participate. Usually, additional fees are added to the buy-in. The tournament organizer receives these fees, while the buy-in goes directly into the prize pool and will be used for the prize money. For example, a $5+$1 tournament has a buy-in amount of $5, while the $1 fee goes to the poker site. For cash games: the number of chips (money) brought to the table. In most cases, there is both a minimum buy-in and a maximum buy-in.

Bring In

The first round after all cards are dealt in Seven Card Stud is called the bring in. It begins with the player with the lowest door card.