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Half-Pot Limit:

A betting limit equal to half the size of the pot.

Hand:

(1) Everything that occurs after the initial shuffling of the cards: the cards are dealt, the betting is completed, a winner is declared, and the pot is pushed. (2) The cards dealt to a player.

Hand Cards:

Concealed cards that are dealt face-down.

Hand Pace:

The extent of betting, calling, raising, and bluffing, as compared to the size of the pot.

Hanger:

A card that cuts out conspicuously when a cheater is dealing.

Head-to-Head:

Two people playing poker.

Heads Up:

A pot that is being contested by only two players.

Heavy:

A pot containing an excess of money.

Hedge Bet:

A side bet to limit possible losses.

Heeler:

See Kicker.

Heinz:

Seven-Card Stud, with penalty cards and fives and sevens wild.

Help:

To improve a hand on receiving additional cards in Stud or Draw poker.

Hidden Declarations:

A rule for declaring High-Low hands by concealing different colored chips in one’s hand.

High (High Hand):

The best hand.

High Poker:

Standard poker, as compared to low poker or Lowball. In high poker, the high hand wins.

High Society:

The highest denomination of chips in a card room.

High Spade in Hole:

Seven-Card Stud, in which the hand with the highest spade in the hole divides the pot with the high hand.

High-Low:

A game in which the highest and lowest hands split the pot.

Highball:

Poker in which the highest hand wins.

Hilo Pocalo:

Five-Card Stud, in which the upcards can be refused and passed to the player on the left. This game is also known as Take It or Leave It and Shove It Along.

Hit:

(1) If you hit it means you have at least paired a card on the flop or hit a draw. If you miss it means you have not matched anything or missed a draw. (2) A draw or catch that improves one’s hand.

Hit and Run:

A player who has been at the table for a short time and then leaves the table after scooping a big pot is said to have “hit and run”.

Hokum:

A Stud variation which provides the option of receiving cards face-up or face-down.

Hold’em:

The most common nickname for Texas Hold’em. See Texas Hold’em.

Hold-Out:

To cheat by concealing a card or cards for future use.

Hold-Out Device:

A mechanical device used by cheaters to out a card or cards See Bug, Lizard, and Spider.

Hole:

A player’s down cards are said to be “in the hole”.

Hole Cards:

These are the face-down cards dealt to each player in Stud, Omaha, and Texas Hold'em. See Pocket Card.

Hole-Card Stud:

Five-Card Stud in which betting starts on the first hole card.

Hollywood:

Fifteen-card Cincinnati, with five cards in each hand and ten table cards.

Holy City:

A big hand, usually with aces and picture cards.

Honest Readers:

The normal marks or irregularities on any deck of cards.

Honor Card:

A ten or higher value card.

Hook:

A jack.

Horsing:

The practice of passing a small amount of money to another player after winning a small pot.

Hot Deck:

A deck from which good hands are being dealt.

Hot Hands:

A run of high-value hands.

Hot Pot:

A special pot, usually played for higher stakes. This is also called a pistol stud.

Hot Streak:

A run of good luck or winning hands. Also known as a spinnner.

House:

Everything that constitutues the cardroom, such as dealers, management, etc. The house rakes money from the pot and develops and enforces house rules.

House Cut:

The amount cut from pots for the house, club, or casino.

House Game:

A game in which admission is charged or the pots are cut for the host’s profit. This is considered to be an illegal practice in most states.

House Rules:

Rules, especially betting rules, agreed upon by all players.

Hoyles:

Any accepted rules for card games.

Humps:

See Belly Strippers.

Hurricane:

Two-card poker.