Gambling terms, explained straight

In cut card is not a poker variant, hand type or rule; it is purely a dealing aid used in casino card games.

Poker

Cut card poker

A cut card is a stiff plastic card placed under the deck during dealing to conceal the bottom card and prevent players from seeing it.

Purpose
Prevents the bottom card from being seen during the deal 12
Usage
Standard in casino poker; rare in home games 12

Key points

  • The cut card is held against the underside of the deck while cards are dealt, blocking sight of the bottom card 12.
  • It is a dealing device, not part of scoring, betting or hand play 12.

Where this term is used

Not the same as

  • 5 card poker rules — rules for a specific poker variant, whereas a cut card is a dealing aid
  • 5 card poker hands — hand categories, whereas a cut card has nothing to do with hand strength
Poker 4-card Omaha poker Omaha variant dealt with a cut card in casinos Poker 5 card stud poker rules Stud poker rules; the cut card is used during the deal Poker Draw poker A family of poker games where a cut card protects the deck Poker Quads poker Poker hand that uses a cut card during dealing Poker 4 card straight poker Poker game where the cut card is part of the dealing process Poker Fold equity Fold equity is the value a player gains from the pot when a bet or raise forces an opponent to fold

Sources

  1. Glossary of poker terms en.wikipedia.org Defines cut card in poker glossary context
  2. Poker dealer en.wikipedia.org Explains dealer use of cut card during dealing

Sources are drawn from regulators, universities and published research, and each one is labelled with what it actually is — a preprint is not called a paper. Bookmaker and affiliate pages are never cited here, because a page that sells betting is not a neutral authority on it.

Written and maintained by Ellis Warrender, writer and maintainer.

Last updated 28 July 2026. Spotted an error? Tell me and it gets fixed and logged on the corrections page.