Poker Glossary - H

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M |
N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

H

HALF-POT LIMIT: A betting limit equal to half the size of the pot.

HAND: The best combination a player can make with the cards s/he holds plus the communal cards.

HAND CARDS: Concealed cards that are dealt face-down.

HAND PACE: The extent of betting, calling, raising, and bluffing compared to the size of the pot.

HANGER: A card that juts out conspicuously when a cheater is dealing.

HEAD TO HEAD: Two people playing poker.

HEADS UP: A game with only two players in it.

HEADS-UP PLAY: Only two players involved in play.

HEAVY: A pot with too much money.

HEDGE BET: A side bet to limit possible losses.

HEELER: A kicker.

HEINZ: Seven-card stud with fives and sevens wild and also penalty cards.

HELP: To improve a hand on receiving additional cards in stud or draw poker.

HIDDEN DECLARATIONS: A rule for declaring high-low hands by concealing different color chips in one's hand.

HIGH: The high hand is simply the best hand.

HIGH SOCIETY: The highest denomination of chips in a card room.

HIGH SPADE IN HOLE: Seven-card stud in which the hand with the high spade in the hole divides the pot with the high hand.

HIGHBALL: Poker in which the highest hand wins.

HIGH-LOW: A poker game in which the highest and lowest hands share the pot. Also called High-Low Split.

HILO POCALO: Five-card stud in which the up cards can be refused and passed to the player on the left (Take It or Leave It).

HIT: Meaning catching a good hand such as "the flop hit me".

HIT AND RUN: A player who has only been at the table a short amount of time and leaves after winning a big pot.

HOKUM: A stud variation providing an option to receive cards face-up or face-down.

HOLD 'EM: A form of poker in which players use five community cards in combination with their two hole cards to form the best five-card hand. Also called Texas Hold 'Em.

HOLD OUT: To cheat by concealing a card or cards for future use.

HOLD OUT DEVICE: A mechanical device used by cheaters to hold out a card or cards (See Bug, Lizard, Spider).

HOLE: The concealed card or cards.

HOLE CARDS: These are the Down Cards in front of the players. (Also known as "Pocket Cards")

HOLE-CARD STUD: Five-card stud in which betting starts on the first hole card.

HOLLYWOOD: Fifteen-card Cincinnati with five in each hand and ten table cards.

HOLY CITY: A big hand, usually with aces and picture cards.

HONEST READERS: The normal marks or irregularities on any deck of cards.

HONOR CARD: A ten or higher value card.

HOOK: Slang for a jack.

HORSING: After winning a pot, its the practice of passing a small amount of money to another player.

HOT DECK: A deck from which good hands are being dealt.

HOT HANDS: A run of high-value hands.

HOT POT: A special pot, usually played for higher stakes (Pistol Stud).

HOT STREAK: A run of good "luck" or winning hands (Spinner).

HOUSE: The poker room managing and dealing the game. The house makes its money off the rake.

HOUSE CUT: The amount cut from pots for the house, club, or casino.

HOUSE GAME: A poker game in which admission is charged or the pots are cut for the host's profit. Considered illegal in moststates.

HOUSE RULES: Rules, especially betting, agreed upon by the players.

HOYLES: Any accepted rules for card games.

HUMPS: See Belly Strippers.

HURRICANE: Two-card poker.