Poker jargon – H

half bet rule

In some casinos, the rule that placing chips equal to or greater than half the normal bet amount beyond the amount required to call constitutes a commitment to raise the normal amount. For example, in a game with a $4 fixed limit, a player facing a $4 opening bet who places $6 in the pot is deemed to have raised, and must complete his bet to $8.

hammer

1. To bet and raise aggressively. Nora kept hammering, so I folded.
2. “Having the hammer” is being in last position, especially head up. You’ve got the hammer; I check to you.
3. A “hammer lock” refers to a player with an almost 100% chance of winning the pot.
4. In Texas Hold’em, The Hammer refers to a starting hand consisting of a 7-2 offsuit.

hard

1. Aggressive and uncompromising, said of one’s play. Jim played me hard all night; I could never get a break.
2. Chips, as opposed to paper money. I gave the floorman $100 for $50 hard and $50 soft.

head up, heads up

Playing against a single opponent. After Lori folded, Frank and I were heads up for the rest of the hand.

here kitty kitty

A conspicuously small bet made with a very powerful hand in the hope of getting a call from one or more opponents who would otherwise fold to a normal-sized bet.

high, high hand

The best hand using traditional poker hand values, as opposed to lowball. Used especially in high-low split games.

high card

1. A no pair hand, ranked according to its highest-ranking cards.
2. To defeat another player by virtue of high-ranking cards, especially kickers.
3. To randomly select a player for some purpose by having each draw one card, the highest of which is selected (for example, to decide who deals first). When all the players get here, we’ll high card for the button. Often high card by suit is used for this purpose.

high society

1. Large-denomination chips. Also “society”.

hit and run

To play for a short time, make money, and leave. Also called “chopping” a game.

hog, hogger

To win all of the pot in a split-pot game, for example, by having both the best high hand and best low hand simultaneously. Also called “scooping” the pot.

hole, hole cards

1. Face-down cards. Also “pocket cards”. I think Willy has two more queens in the hole.
2. A seat, often preceded by a number relative to the button. Sara opened from the 2-hole.

hole cam

a camera that displays a player’s face-down cards (“hole cards”) to television viewers.

Hollywood

Overt acting to deceive other players. Karl had a big smile when he bet, but it seemed too Hollywood to me, so I called anyway.

home game

A game played at a private venue (usually the home of one of the players), as opposed to a casino or public cardroom.

hop the fence

The enter the pot with a cold call.

horse

A player financially backed by someone else. I lost today, but Larry was my horse in the stud game, and he won big.

hunt

Looking further into the deck after the hand is over to see what cards would have come next. Also “fox hunt”, “rabbit hunt”.

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