Air

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 AKT, and with a hand of 86, this hand is a complete miss. It doesn't connect to any potential hand, and there's little chance for improvement.
• The turn shows J949, and having 75 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."