BETTING
The game of poker as played today requires that players agree before play on allowable amounts for betting (called limits), and the use and amount of forced bets. These are collectively called the betting structure of the game.
The betting structure of a poker game is a more significant factor in its balance of luck and skill than the game variant being played. Higher forced bets and smaller limits increase the influence of chance. Smaller forced bets and larger limits increase the element of skill. Good games are carefully balanced so that skilful players will win in the long run while recreational players can win often enough for the game to be exciting to them.
Terminology
Open
The act of making the first non-zero bet in a betting round is called opening the round. On the first betting round, it is also called opening the pot. Some games may have special rules about opening a round that may not apply to other bets. For example, they may have a betting structure that specifies different allowable amounts for opening than for other bets, or they may require a player to hold certain cards to open.
Call
To call is to make the total amount of one's bet equal to the amount of the immediately preceding bet (which will be the largest bet made in that round). All players must eventually call an equal amount for the betting round to end, or else one player must bet an amount that no one calls, thus ending the entire deal and awarding him the pot.
The second and subsequent calls of a particular bet amount are sometimes called overcalls.
In a Fixed limit or Spread limit game, the act of calling a bet that includes two or more raises is referred to as a cold call.
In public card rooms and casinos where verbal declarations are binding, the word "call" is such a declaration.
Check
When no one has yet opened the betting round, one may check which is equivalent to calling the current bet of zero. The player declines making a bet; indicating that he does not choose to open, but that he wishes to keep his cards and retain the right to call or raise later in the same round if some other player opens. A common way to signify checking is to rap the table with a fist or an open hand.
A player with a live blind who chooses not to take advantage of his right to raise is said to check his option, which can be signified the same way.
Raise
To raise is to make the amount of one's bet greater than the amount of the immediately preceding bet, forcing all subsequent players to call the new amount. If the current bet amount is nothing, this action is considered the opening bet. A player making the second (not counting the open) or subsequent raise of a betting round is often said to reraise.
Except in the case of a live blind, a player may not raise the current bet amount if he is the one who first set it. If it is that player's turn to act who first set the current amount, the betting round is closed and no further betting may take place in this round. This occurs when all other players have either called the amount or folded. All remaining players will have bet an equal total amount.
A universal rule in casinos in the United States, and common in home games as well, is that any raise must at least equal the amount of the previous raise. Pot-limit and no-limit games do not have a limit on the number of raises.
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