Poker glossary: S
39 poker terms starting with S. Each entry has a clear definition, a worked example, and links to related concepts.
Poker solver
A poker solver is a Nash-equilibrium calculator that takes ranges, stack depth, and bet sizes as inputs and outputs a mixed-frequency strategy for both players. It's a study too...
Satellite
A satellite is a tournament whose prize is entry into a bigger event, not a scaled cash payout. The standard form awards multiple equal-value seats, so finishing first and finis...
Scare Card
A scare card is a community card on the turn or river that materially alters the board. It can add straights, flushes, or an obvious higher pair and change how strong hands appe...
Second-Nut Flush Draw
A second-nut flush draw is a draw to the second-highest possible flush on the current board. Usually a king-high suited holding when the ace of that suit is still unaccounted fo...
Semi-Bluff
A semi-bluff is a bet or raise with a hand that is not currently best but can improve later. Unlike a pure bluff, where you have little chance to win if called, a semi-bluff giv...
Set
A set is three-of-a-kind made by holding a pocket pair and seeing one matching rank on the board. Example: you hold 7♠7♦ and the flop is K♦7♣2♠; you have a set of sevens.
Short Stack
A "short stack" is a player with few big blinds relative to the blinds or table average. Big blind refers to the larger forced bet posted each hand. Short stacks have limited be...
Short-Handed
Short-handed means fewer players at the table (6-max or fewer). With fewer opponents, the chance someone holds a premium hand falls, so you must play more aggressively. Blinds-f...
Shove
Shove (All-In) - When and How to Push Your Stack
Shove/Fold
Shove/Fold: Push/Fold Strategy for Short Stacks
Showdown
The showdown is the final phase of a hand, occurring after all betting rounds finish. In Hold'em the last betting round is the river, the fifth community card. If two or more pl...
Showdown Value
Showdown value describes a hand's potential to win at the final reveal without bluffing. Recognizing showdown value helps you decide whether to call late bets or fold. In No-Lim...
Side Pot
A side pot is a separate chip pool created when at least one player goes all-in and others keep betting. (An all-in means a player bets their entire stack.) Chips the all-in pla...
Side-Pot Eligibility
Side-pot eligibility is the rule that each player can win only the pots they put chips into. After someone goes all-in, the chips split into a main pot every contributor matched...
Single-Raised Pot (SRP)
A Single-Raised Pot (SRP) occurs when one player opens preflop and another calls without any re-raises. Example: the button opens to 3 big blinds and the big blind calls, leavin...
Size Sequence
A planned sequence of bet sizes controls expected value by shaping fold equity and bluff ratio. If your sizes jump around, opponents map size to strength and exploit you. A repe...
Sizing Tell
A sizing tell is information inferred from a player's bet-size pattern when the size they pick correlates with strength, weakness, protection, or uncertainty. It is not the stra...
Slow play
Slow play is checking or calling with a hand strong enough to bet for value, hoping the opponent puts money in for you. It works in narrow spots and costs you in most of the res...
Small Blind
The small blind (SB) is the forced bet posted by the player left of the dealer button. Players post it before cards are dealt. The small blind is typically around half the size...
Small Blind (SB)
The Small Blind (SB) sits immediately to the left of the dealer button. The SB posts a mandatory bet before cards are dealt, usually about half the Big Blind. For example, in a...
Small Stakes
Small stakes is a band of cash games that sits above the very smallest micro-stakes games but below mid-stakes. The exact dollar cutoffs vary by site, room, and live versus onli...
Smooth Call
A smooth call is calling with a strong or playable hand when raising is also available, choosing the call to disguise strength, keep weaker hands in, or let an aggressive oppone...
Split Pot
A split pot in No-Limit Texas Hold'em occurs when two or more players show identical best five-card hands at showdown. Each player makes their best five-card hand from any combi...
SPR
SPR (Stack-to-Pot Ratio) equals the effective stack size divided by the current pot size. Effective stack means the smallest remaining stack among players in the hand. SPR shows...
Squeeze
A 3-bet after one player has opened and at least one other has called. Both must fold, so size larger than a standard 3-bet to deny them profitable calls.
Stab
A stab is a bet on the flop or turn after pre-flop action has been passive or betting checked. The goal is to "stab at the pot" and win it uncontested by exploiting checked weak...
Stack Depth
Your chip count in big blinds, measured against the smaller (effective) stack. The bb count picks the band: deep multi-street, medium mixed, short shove-or-fold.
Standard Deck
52 cards across 4 suits and 13 ranks, no jokers. Suits are equal in value; outs and equity math both rest on knowing what is dealt and what remains unseen.
Static Board
A static board is a flop texture unlikely to change hand strength on later streets. You see unconnected, unsuited flops with little straight or flush potential, for example A♣-8...
Steal
A steal is a preflop raise aimed mostly at winning the blinds and antes uncontested. Players often use less-than-premium hands, aiming to take the pot without seeing the flop. T...
Sticky Caller
A sticky caller habitually calls bets and rarely folds under pressure. In No-Limit Hold'em-where players may wager any or all chips-this tendency costs the caller and becomes ex...
Straddle
A straddle is a voluntary blind raise posted before cards are dealt, almost always twice the big blind, almost always from Under the Gun. It functions as a third blind and effec...
Straight
A Straight is five cards in sequential rank, for example 6-7-8-9-10, suits ignored. Suits don't matter, so 6♠7♦8♣9♥10♠ counts as a Straight. It beats single pairs and two pair,...
Straight Draw
A straight draw happens when your seven-card possibilities include four sequential ranks. You need one more card to make a five-card straight. This usually appears after the flo...
Straight Flush
A Straight Flush is five consecutive cards of the same suit. Example: 6♠ 7♠ 8♠ 9♠ T♠. It combines two hand types - a straight (sequence of ranks) and a flush (all one suit).
Street
A "street" names each stage when community cards are dealt and another betting round occurs. In No-Limit Texas Hold'em you combine two private cards (hole cards) with community...
Suckout
A suckout is a poker hand where the player who was behind catches the card they needed to win, often after chips went in with the favorite ahead. It is the underdog catching the...
Suit
A suit is one of four categories in a standard 52-card deck: hearts, diamonds, clubs, spades. Each suit contains 13 ranks, from ace through king. In Hold'em suits have no rankin...
Suited
A suited hand is two hole cards of the same suit. That suit link increases your chance to make a flush and improves post-flop equity. Suited cards also combine with connected bo...