Glossary

Benny Plenty – a bet of $1100 in chips

Hollywood – 1. (n) Acting. “Quit the Hollywood; we know you’ve got the Holy City.” 2. (adj) In a showoff manner. When a player has only a few chips left, and someone bets him $1000, knowing that he can’t call even 1% of that bet, that’s a Hollywood move. 3. (v) Act; ham it up. “Don’t Hollywood me. If you’re gonna bet, do it; otherwise just show down your hand.”

Over-sized Chip Rule – The rule, enforced in many cardrooms, that, when responding to action, a player puts into the pot a single chip or bill with a denomination larger than the bet indicated at that juncture, but does not announce a raise, that player’s action is ruled to have been only a call. The over-sized chip or bill rule also applies when more than one chip is necessary to call a bet, but the last chip might be construed as a raise. The preceding applies to all rounds in limit games. In no-limit games, on the first round, the opening bet made with an over-sized chip or bill on the first round is considered a call of the bring-in amount; on any succeeding round, the first bet is equal to the size of over-sized chip or bill, unless an announcement to the contrary is made. In stud games a single oversized chip or bill does not automatically complete a forced bring-in bet unless it is verbally declared to do so. Two examples clarify this rule. Also known as one-chip rule. Examples: (1) The main chips in a $20-limit hold ’em game are $5 chips. John has just exchanged a rack of $5 chips for five $100 chips, and has only four $5 chips left. He loses these on the next hand, leaving him only those $100 chips. On the next hand, Susie limps for $20. John throws in one of his $100 chips. Unless John says “I raise,” or words to that effect,” by the over-sized chip rule, he has only called, and the house dealer would give John $80 change. There might be some raising. Say the betting is capped, perhaps at five bets. On the flop, Susie bets $20. John throws in another of his $100 chips. This is understood to be only a call. (2) In a no-limit game, the same happens. On the first round of betting of the hand in question, again Susie limps for $20. John throws in one of his $100 chips. Again, by the over-sized chip rule, he has only called. Now, Bill announces a raise of $80. Susie folds and John calls the raise the $80 in change the house dealer initially gave him for the $100 chip. On the flop, John is first to bet. He tosses in a $100 chip. This being a no-limit game, his bet is understood to be $100.

Poker Etiquette – See http://www.texasholdem-poker.com/poker_etiquette

String Betting – An illegal bet, because it was not made all in one motion. The concept of string bets is complicated (and not just because it is interpreted differently from club to club). If you want to raise a bet, you are supposed to have as many chips as you need to cover the bet plus your raise in your hand when you put your hand in the pot, and then release all of them before withdrawing your hand. Similarly, if you wish to bet more than the minimum in a no-limit game, you are supposed to have as many chips as you wish to bet in your hand. Most clubs permit you to say the magic words, “I raise” (or something that means the same, even something as nebulous as “Going up!,” or, in the case of a bet, “I bet” or something interpretable as synonymous), and then make one or more trips back to your stack for more chips. In the absence of the preceding conditions, you are likely to be guilty of making a string bet, the penalty for which is being permitted only to call the preceding bet, or put in the pot only as many chips as you currently have in your hand (or, in the case of a bet in a no-limit game, bet only the minimum for the game). Watch out! The string bet situation trips up more players than almost any other rule. The rationale behind prohibiting string bets is that, in former times, a player might put in part of his bet, hesitate long enough to see the reactions of other players, and then, based on those reactions, perhaps then increase the bet.

The Goulds – Pocket 3s