Card game glossary: A comprehensive reference of card game terminology used across Hearts, Spades, Poker, Bridge, and other popular card games.

A

Ace — The card ranked 1 or, in most games, the highest card in the deck. In some games (like Rummy and Cribbage), the Ace can be high, low, or both.

All-in — In poker, betting all of your remaining chips on one hand.

Ante — A forced bet placed into the pot before cards are dealt. Common in poker and some rummy games.

Auction — A bidding phase where players compete for the right to choose trump, play as declarer, or set the contract. Used in Bridge, Pinochle, and Euchre.

B

Bag — In Spades, an overtrick (taking more tricks than you bid). Accumulating 10 bags results in a penalty of −100 points. Also called a sandbag.

Bid — A declaration of how many tricks (or points) a player expects to win during a round. Used in Spades, Bridge, Euchre, Pinochle, and other trick-taking games.

Blackjack — (1) The card game also known as 21. (2) A specific hand: an Ace + a 10-value card, paying 3:2.

Blind — A forced bet in poker placed before cards are dealt. The small blind is typically half the big blind.

Bluff — Betting or acting as though you have a strong hand when you don’t, intending to make opponents fold.

Board — In poker, the community cards dealt face-up. Also called “the board” in Texas Hold’em and Omaha.

Book — (1) In Spades, the first 6 tricks taken by a team (no value toward the bid). (2) In Hand and Foot, a completed meld of 7 cards, either clean (no wilds) or dirty (with wilds).

Bower — In Euchre, Jacks of the trump suit and same-color suit. The Right Bower (Jack of trump) is the highest card; the Left Bower (Jack of the same-color suit) is second highest.

Break — (1) In Hearts, “breaking hearts” means the first heart card played in a trick. Hearts cannot be led until broken. (2) In Spades, same concept for the spade suit.

Bust — In Blackjack, exceeding 21 points, resulting in an automatic loss.

C

Call — In poker, matching the current bet to stay in the hand. Also called “seeing” the bet.

Canasta — (1) A rummy-style card game. (2) A meld of 7 or more cards. A natural canasta (no wilds) scores 500 points; a mixed canasta scores 300.

Check — In poker, declining to bet when no one else has bet yet. Passing the action to the next player.

Community cards — Cards dealt face-up in the center of the table, shared by all players. Used in Texas Hold’em and Omaha.

Contract — In Bridge, the final bid that the declaring side agrees to fulfill. The contract specifies the number of tricks and the trump suit (or No-Trump).

Crib — In Cribbage, a separate hand of 4 discarded cards that the dealer scores in addition to their own hand.

Cut — Dividing the deck into two portions before dealing, typically done by the player to the dealer’s right.

D

Dead card — A card that has been discarded and cannot be retrieved, or a misdeal card removed from play.

Deal — Distributing cards from the deck to the players at the start of a hand.

Dealer — The player who distributes cards. The deal typically rotates clockwise after each hand.

Deck — A complete set of playing cards. A standard deck has 52 cards (4 suits × 13 ranks). Some games use modified decks or multiple decks.

Declarer — In Bridge, the player who plays both their own hand and the dummy hand. The declarer is the player from the winning side who first named the trump suit.

Defender — In trick-taking games (especially Bridge), a player on the team opposing the declarer’s contract.

Deuce — A card with rank 2. In some games, deuces are wild cards.

Discard — Removing a card from your hand, typically placing it on a discard pile. Also, the act of ending your turn in rummy games by discarding one card.

Discard pile — A face-up pile where players place unwanted cards. In many games, the top card of the discard pile may be picked up by the next player.

Double — In Bridge, a call that increases the penalty if the opponents fail their contract (or the reward if they make it). Can be re-doubled.

Draw — Taking one or more cards from the stock pile into your hand.

Dummy — In Bridge, the declarer’s partner. After the opening lead, the dummy’s hand is placed face-up on the table, and the declarer plays both hands.

E

Euchre — A trick-taking card game played with a 24-card deck (9 through Ace). Features Bowers (special Jacks) and a maker vs. defenders structure.

Exchange — Swapping cards from hand with cards from a draw pile, crib, or widow. Common in many card games.

F

Face card — A Jack, Queen, or King. Also called a court card or picture card.

Finesse — In Bridge and other trick-taking games, a play aiming to win a trick with a lower card by guessing the location of a higher card.

Flush — Five cards of the same suit (not consecutive). The fifth-highest poker hand.

Fold — In poker, surrendering your cards and forfeiting your bet. You are out of the hand.

Follow suit — Playing a card of the same suit that was led. In most trick-taking games, players must follow suit if they can.

Foot — In Hand and Foot, the second stack of cards (usually 11 or 13) that a player picks up after their first “hand” is depleted.

Four of a kind — Four cards of the same rank. Also called quads.

Full house — A poker hand containing three of a kind plus a pair (e.g., A-A-A-K-K).

G

Game point — In Bridge, reaching 100 or more trick points below the line within a single deal or across deals.

Gin — In Gin Rummy, going out with zero deadwood (all cards melded). Scores a 25-point bonus.

Go — In Cribbage, what a player says when they cannot play a card without exceeding 31 during pegging.

Going out — Completing the final play of a hand, either by melding all cards or meeting specific conditions (like having the required books in Hand and Foot).

Grand slam — In Bridge, winning all 13 tricks. Earns a massive bonus (1000 or 1500 points depending on vulnerability).

H

Hand — (1) The cards a player is holding. (2) A complete round of play from deal to scoring. (3) In Hand and Foot, the first stack of cards a player receives.

Hearts — (1) One of the four suit families. (2) A trick-avoidance card game where each heart taken scores 1 penalty point.

High card — In poker, a hand with no pairs, straights, or flushes. The highest card determines value. Also, a method for deciding who deals first.

Hit — In Blackjack, requesting another card.

Hole card — A face-down card. In Texas Hold’em, each player’s two private cards are hole cards.

J

Jack — A face card ranked between 10 and Queen in most games. In Euchre, Jacks serve as Bowers.

Joker — An extra card included in some decks, often used as a wild card. Many games remove Jokers before play; rummy variants and Hand and Foot use them.

K

Kicker — In poker, an unpaired side card used to break ties between equivalent hands. For example, if both players have a pair of Kings, the highest remaining card (kicker) determines the winner.

Kitty — (1) A pot of collected bets or penalties. (2) In some games, undealt cards set aside as a draw pool or prize.

Knock — In Gin Rummy, ending the hand when your deadwood total is 10 or less. The knocker reveals their hand and compares deadwood with the opponent.

L

Lay off — In Rummy, adding cards to an opponent’s existing melds on the table.

Lead — Playing the first card of a trick. The lead rotates based on who won the previous trick.

Left Bower — In Euchre, the Jack of the same color as trump (but not the trump suit). The second-highest card.

M

Maker — In Euchre, the player (or team) that selected the trump suit and must win at least 3 of 5 tricks.

Meld — (1) A combination of cards placed face-up for points: a group of same-rank cards or a run of consecutive same-suit cards. (2) The act of placing such cards.

Misdeal — An incorrect deal that requires re-dealing the hand.

Muggins — In Cribbage, a rule allowing an opponent to claim points you missed counting.

N

Natural — A card that is not wild. In Canasta and Hand and Foot, a natural canasta (book) contains no wild cards.

Nib — See “His Nobs” and “His Heels” in Cribbage. His Nobs is a Jack in hand matching the starter suit (1 point). His Heels is a Jack turned as the starter (2 points to dealer).

Nil — In Spades, a bid of zero tricks. Successfully bidding nil scores +100; failing scores −100.

No-trump — In Bridge, a contract played without a trump suit. The highest card in the led suit wins each trick.

O

Opening lead — The first card played in a hand, typically by the player to the left of the declarer (Bridge) or the player who didn’t deal.

Overtrick — A trick won beyond the number bid. In Spades, overtricks are bags (+1 point each but penalized at 10 bags). In Bridge, overtricks score above the line.

P

Pair — Two cards of the same rank. In Cribbage, a pair scores 2 points during pegging and hand counting.

Partner — A teammate in a multi-player game. In Spades, Hearts (not typically), Bridge, and Euchre, partners sit across from each other.

Pass — (1) In Hearts, giving 3 cards to another player at the start of each hand. (2) In Bridge, declining to bid. (3) In Euchre, declining to name trump.

Peg — In Cribbage, moving a scoring peg along the board. “Pegging” refers to the play phase where players alternate playing cards and scoring points for combinations.

Penalty card — A card worth negative points. In Hearts, each heart = 1 point, Q♠ = 13 points.

Pip — (1) The suit symbols printed on a card. (2) The number of pips represents the card’s value (e.g., a 7 has seven pips).

Pot — The total amount of chips/money at stake in a round of poker.

Q

Queen of Spades — In Hearts, the single most costly card, worth 13 penalty points.

Quads — See “Four of a kind.”

R

Raise — In poker, increasing the current bet. Other players must call, raise further, or fold.

Rank — A card’s numerical or face value (2 through Ace). Distinct from suit.

Renege — Failing to follow suit when able. Also called a revoke. Usually incurs a penalty.

Revoke — See “Renege.”

Right Bower — In Euchre, the Jack of the trump suit. The highest card in the game.

River — In Texas Hold’em and Omaha, the fifth and final community card.

Round — A complete cycle of play — one deal through scoring. Also called a hand in some games.

Rubber — In Bridge, a series of games. The first side to win two games wins the rubber and earns a bonus.

Ruff — Playing a trump card when unable to follow the led suit, thereby winning the trick.

Run — A sequence of consecutive cards, often of the same suit. In Cribbage, runs score 1 point per card. In Rummy, a run is a valid meld.

S

Sandbag — See “Bag.”

Set — (1) In poker, three of a kind when you hold a pocket pair and one matching card appears on the board. (2) In Bridge, to defeat a contract. (3) In Rummy, a group of same-rank cards.

Shooting the moon — In Hearts, taking all 13 hearts and the Q♠ in one hand. Instead of receiving 26 penalty points, the shooter gives 26 points to all opponents (or subtracts 26 from their own score).

Showdown — In poker, the point where remaining players reveal their hands to determine the winner.

Shuffle — Randomizing the order of cards in the deck before dealing.

Slam — In Bridge, bidding and winning 12 tricks (small slam) or all 13 tricks (grand slam).

Small blind — In poker, the smaller of two forced bets, placed by the player to the left of the dealer.

Spade — (1) One of the four suit families (♠). (2) In Spades, the trump suit for the entire game.

Starter — In Cribbage, the card cut from the deck after the deal. All players use it in their hand scoring.

Stock — The remaining undealt cards, placed face-down as a draw pile.

Straight — Five consecutive cards of any suit. The sixth-highest poker hand.

Suit — One of the four families of cards: Clubs (♣), Diamonds (♦), Hearts (♥), Spades (♠).

T

Trick — A round of play where each player contributes one card. The highest card (or highest trump) wins the trick.

Trips — Three of a kind in poker — specifically when one card is in your hand and two matching cards are on the board (as opposed to a “set” where two are in your hand).

Trump — A designated suit that outranks all other suits. A trump card wins over any non-trump card regardless of rank.

Turn — (1) A player’s opportunity to act. (2) In Texas Hold’em, the fourth community card (also called “Fourth Street”).

U

Undercut — In Gin Rummy, when the non-knocking player has equal or lower deadwood than the knocker. The non-knocker wins and earns a 25-point bonus.

Undertrick — In Bridge, a trick short of the contract. Undertricks give points to the defenders.

V

Void — Having no cards of a particular suit. Being void in a suit allows you to ruff (trump) when that suit is led.

Vulnerability — In Bridge, a state that increases the value of game bonuses and undertrick penalties. A side becomes vulnerable after winning one game in a rubber.

W

Wheel — In poker, the lowest possible straight: A-2-3-4-5.

Wild card — A card that can represent any rank or suit as the player chooses. Jokers and 2s are wild in many games like Canasta and Hand and Foot.

Widow — Extra undealt cards set aside, sometimes auctioned off or given to the winning bidder. Common in Pinochle and some Euchre variants.

Y

Yarn — Informal term for a very long, drawn-out hand or game.

Card Game Terms by Category

Poker Terms

Term Meaning
All-in Bet all remaining chips
Blind Forced pre-deal bet
Bluff Bet with a weak hand
Call Match the current bet
Check Pass without betting
Fold Surrender the hand
Kicker Tiebreaking side card
Pot Total chips at stake
Raise Increase the bet
River 5th community card
Showdown Reveal hands

Trick-Taking Terms

Term Meaning
Bid Declare expected tricks
Bower Top-ranked Jack (Euchre)
Follow suit Play the led suit
Lead Play the first card
Ruff Trump a non-trump lead
Trick One card from each player
Trump Suit that outranks all others
Void No cards of a suit

Rummy & Meld Game Terms

Term Meaning
Book 7-card completed meld
Canasta 7+ card meld
Deadwood Unmelded cards
Gin Zero deadwood
Knock End hand with ≤10 deadwood
Lay off Add to opponent’s melds
Meld Set or run placed on table
Wild card Substitute for any card