hole card

hole card

1. In poker, a card dealt face down to a player. It is common in stud poker for the player to receive a number of hole cards.
2. A secret advantage. Just when everyone thought Randy was going to lose the competition, he used his hole card and pulled into first place.
See also: card, hole
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

a hole card

mainly AMERICAN
A hole card is an advantage that you keep secret until you are ready to use it. The fact that I knew where she was and had in my possession a boxful of evidence were my only two remaining hole cards. Note: In five card `stud' poker, the `hole' card is the only card which is dealt to you face down so that the other players cannot see it.
See also: card, hole
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.
See also:
  • a hole card
  • order (one) off the field
  • order off the field
  • ante up
  • ante up, to
  • penalty box
  • second string
  • third string
  • one and one
  • a wild card
References in periodicals archive
Each player is dealt three cards, one at a time, two face down (hole cards) and one face up (up card/door card).
There's more than just Texas hold'em; Roy Brindley explains the rules of other poker games
The back of each card shows three community cards that would be great for the hole cards on front.
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My hole cards were: 9 of diamonds, Queen of spades, 7 of diamonds, K of clubs.
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Between his hole cards and what was on the table, Tom had a pretty good hand but was afraid to take a chance on it.
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Texas Hold 'em is a type of poker in which each player has only two hole cards, and all the players can use any of five face-up community cards.
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You are dealt two cards in your hand, known as Hole cards, and then there is the first round of betting.
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It built on a series of prototypes in the late 1960s, first by punched hole cards and later primitive computer systems such as the IBM 360.
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A final round of betting takes place based on players making the best possible five-card hand they can using their hole cards and three of the community cards.
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Texas Ask'Em Poker enters the world of Facebook poker games with a decent pair of hole cards, they have now amassed over 6,500 likes and their players have already sent over 150,000 game invites to their friends.
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Four hole cards, instead of the two that players receive in Texas Hold'em, make all the difference.
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In truth, the simple invention which resulted in viewers being able to see each player's hole cards the moment they're dealt has revolutionised poker broadcasts, but everyone knows there are moments when play can stagnate.
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Oak Hill was able to obtain copies of the back-nine hole cards from the Tufts Archives in Pinehurst, N.C., the repository for Ross memorabilia, but Tufts does not have the general plan.
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This week I'm going to explain why some hands that appear good are actually not so good and also what sort of plays you should be making if you receive certain hole cards.
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As the hole cards were turned over, the opponent recoiled when he saw the aces.
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Being dealt bad hole cards for a long period will also test your patience and will often result in bad players lowering their starting hand criteria.
Patience a virtue all poker players should aspire to