Learn How To Play Poker: Poker Terms

The secret language of poker! How exciting to be let in on this way of speaking. It is not difficult to know about the terms that are used when playing poker. Here are a few of them to keep you abreast of what is going on in the poker world:

Ante - This is the amount of money that goes in the pot at the beginning of the game. If you are playing a table game, this is the minimum to get into the game. Everyone has to "ante up" in order to get into the game.

Fold - This means to go out. You have less than a pair of jacks in your hand and everyone is in? Fold. When it comes time for you to bet or call a bet, you place your cards face down and say that you fold. Never, ever do this before it is your turn to see the bet or raise.

Raise - This means when you increase the current bet. Depending on the card game, the player to the left of the dealer usually gets to go first and set a bet. If he or she has a good hand, they will bet a certain amount. The decision to either stay in or fold then rests on the next player going clockwise. It goes around the table this way. If a player has a good hand, he or she may raise the bet. That means the betting has to continue around the table as it has been going and back to the original bettor. Everyone has a chance to "see" the bet, fold or even raise it some more.

See a bet - This means that you are not raising but are not folding. You are staying in the game and want to see what will happen.

Call a bet - This term is used at the end of the game when all bets are in; After there is no more raising and the last person involved as 'seen" the current bet on the table, that person can then say "I call." This means it is up to the person who initiated the betting to show their cards first.

Show your cards - The lead bettor has to display his hand to the other players. He was making all the bets, leading the bets so he is the first one to show his cards. It goes clockwise after him, although most people just lay down their cards.

Open - This is used when you are playing a game like Jacks or Better. In this game, everyone antes up and five cards are dealt face down. Everyone looks at their cards and if someone has a pair of jacks or better, they can open. It goes clockwise starting with the person to the left of the dealer. If no one can open, the cards re-dealt until someone has "openers" which would be a pair of jacks or better.

Companies add workers, but jobless rate rises

Companies added a net total of 67,000 new jobs last month and both July and June's private-sector job figures were upwardly revised, the Labor Department said.

Despite hiring, US unemployment rate seems frozen

Unemployment is stuck at high levels even though some companies are hiring. The problem, government data show, is that too few jobs are being created for the growing number of people looking for work.

U.S. jobless rate rises to 9.6% in August

Companies add 67,000 new jobs, but the unemployment rate ticks up as more than a half-million Americans resume their job searches. The unemployment rate rose in August for the first time in four months as weak hiring by private employers wasn't enough to keep pace with a large increase in the number of people looking for work.

Firms hire more help

Unemployment rate rises even as private employers add 67,000 new jobs [...] the unemployment rate rose because not enough jobs were created to absorb the growing number of people looking for work. Companies added a net total of 67,000 new jobs last month and both July and June's private-sector job figures were upwardly revised, the Labor Department said Friday. More than a half-million Americans ...

U.S. companies add thousands of workers, but jobless rate rises

Companies added a net total of 67,000 new jobs last month and both July and June's private-sector job figures were upwardly revised, the Labor Department said Friday.