Cards speak

The rule that at showdown the actual value of the tabled cards determines the winner, regardless of what a player says they have. If you misread your hand but turn it face up, the dealer awards the pot correctly.

Example. She announced 'two pair' but had a straight; cards speak, so she won.

Related terms

Full glossary

Muck

The pile of folded and discarded cards, and the act of folding or throwing away a hand without showing it. Onc…

Showdown

The end of a hand when the remaining players reveal their cards and the best hand takes the pot. The last play…

Verbal declaration

In virtually all cardrooms a spoken action ('raise', 'call', 'all-in') is binding the moment it is said, whate…

2-7 Triple Draw

A lowball draw game with three drawing rounds where the best hand is 2-3-4-5-7 (not of one suit). Aces are hig…

Ante

A small forced bet every player at the table posts before the deal, on top of the blinds. Common in tournament…

Big blind

The larger of the two forced bets posted before the cards are dealt, by the player two seats to the left of th…

Blinds

The two forced bets (small blind and big blind) posted by the players to the left of the button before any car…

Board

The community cards in the middle of the table that every player can use: the flop (three cards), the turn (fo…