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Poker terms beginning with a "H"

Half Pot

A bet that is half the size of the current pot, often used in Pot-Limit games to control bet sizes.

Hand

In the classic poker game Five Card Draw, these are the cards a player holds in their hands. In Texas Hold'em, a hand refers to the best combination of five cards made from the two pocket cards and the five community cards.

Hand Equity

Hand equity is the probability of a hand winning against one or more opponents, often used in calculating expected value.

Hand-for-Hand

A procedure used in tournaments when approaching the bubble, where each table completes a hand before dealing the next to ensure fairness in the rate of eliminations.

Hand History

A record of all actions taken during a hand, commonly used in online poker for review and analysis of play.

Hand Range

The range of hands a player might have based on their actions, used for making strategic decisions.

Heads-Up

A type of poker game played between two players. At tables with multiple players, the last two remaining players competing for the pot are in heads-up.

Heads-Up Display (HUD)

A tool used in combination with online poker sites that provides real-time statistics on opponents, such as their betting patterns and tendencies.

Heads-Up Sit & Go

A single-table tournament with only two players, often played in a turbo or hyper-turbo format.

Hearts

One of the four suits in a deck of cards, alongside spades (e.g., Ace of Spades), hearts (e.g., Ace of Hearts), clubs (e.g., Ace of Clubs), and diamonds (e.g., Ace of Diamonds).

Heater

A streak of good luck where a player wins many hands in a short period.

Hero Call

A hero call is a call made with a relatively weak hand, believing the opponent is bluffing.

Hijack

The position two seats to the right of the dealer button, often considered advantageous for stealing blinds. Also see steal raise.

High Card

If a player fails to get even a pair, the highest card in their hand determines the value of their hand. This is the high card.

High Five

A hand consisting of a five-high straight (Ace of Any Color 2 of Any Color 3 of Any Color 4 of Any Color 5 of Any Color), also known as a wheel.

High-Limit

Unlike low-limit games, high-limit games are played for high-stakes.

High Pair

A pair that is higher than any community cards on the board, giving the player the best pair.

High Roller

A player who regularly participates in high-stakes games or tournaments.

High-Low (Hi-Lo)

A poker variant where the player with the best hand wins half of the pot, while the player with the worst hand wins the other half.

Hit

To catch a card that improves your hand, such as hitting a straight or flush draw.

Hit and Run

Winning a significant amount of chips in a short period and then leaving the game immediately, often considered bad etiquette.

Hold'em

Short for Texas Hold'em, for those who prefer not to write or say the full name.

Hole Cards

The hidden cards are known only to the player. In Texas Hold'em, each player has two hole cards; in Omaha, there are four. They are also known as down cards or pocket cards.

Hot Streak

A period during which a player experiences a run of good luck and wins multiple hands.

H.O.R.S.E.

A mixed game format that rotates between five different poker variants: Hold'em, Omaha Hi-Lo, Razz, Seven Card Stud, and Eight-or-Better (Stud Hi-Lo).

House

The entity that runs the poker game, whether it's a casino, poker room, or online poker site.

House Fee

Most poker tournaments require a buy-in and an additional house fee (or simply fee) that goes directly to the organizer. In online cash games, a house fee is usually charged per hand played, deducted from each pot, and is usually a small percentage of it. Another common term in cash games is rake, and it's typical to have a maximum limit for that rake, usually an amount from $3 to $5. Also see rake.

House Rules

The specific house rules and regulations established by the poker room or casino that govern play.

Hyper Turbo

A type of poker tournament with very short blind levels, leading to fast-paced and aggressive play.