Glossary

Air

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Basic Definition

In poker, "air" refers to a completely worthless hand. Specifically, it means having no pair and no draw (no potential for a straight or flush).

Specific Situation

  • The flop is AsKdTc, and with a hand of 8h6h, this hand is a complete miss. It doesn't connect to any potential hand, and there's little chance for improvement.
  • The turn shows Jh9c4d9s, and having 7c5c in hand is a complete bluff. There was a backdoor possibility on the flop, but it completely lost its value on the turn.

Important Information

  • Even with air, you can win the pot by bluffing. This is particularly effective when you anticipate that your opponent is weak or when you have a positional advantage.
  • Forcing a call or raise with air is high risk, and in most cases, folding is the reasonable choice.

Examples of Term Usage

"I had a complete air on the flop, but since my opponent was passive on the turn, I decided to try a bluff."