Bet: Making the first wager.
Call: Paying the amount of a previous bet to stay in the hand.
Check: If no one has bet or raised before, passing the action onto the next player without making a wager with the option to call or raise later.
Raise: Making a second wager (doubling it) after one player has bet.
Re-raise: Making a third wager after one player has bet and another has raised.
Check Raise: To check and then raise after a player behind you bets. This poker tactic is useful in narrowing the field of players.
Fold: Getting out of the hand (before or after investing money).
Ante: Small bet each player makes at the beginning of every hand - pay to play - that ensures a minimum pot to seed the action before any cards are dealt.
Pot: The amount of money after antes, bets, raises and re-raises that a player wins when the hand is finished.
Dealer: The player or professional who is distributing the cards.
Muck: To fold - muck your hand. Also, the pile of dead - burned and/or folded cards not in play - in front of the dealer is called the muck.
Bluff: Betting or raising to appear strong with the intention of forcing players out of the game when holding a bad hand that has little chance to win.
Draw: Play a hand that could be good if the right cards come.