Poker has its own language, from basic terms such as blinds and position to concepts including ICM, blockers and range advantage. Use the Poker Type terminology guide to search poker terms, browse the alphabet or quickly understand the phrases players, commentators and strategy writers use every day.
Browse Poker Terminology
Jump into the type of poker term you want to understand.
Search Poker Terminology
Search the glossary by poker term or phrase.
Updated: September 28, 2026
Poker Terms A–Z
ICM
ICM stands for Independent Chip Model. It estimates the monetary value of tournament chips by considering stack sizes and the remaining payout structure. Because tournament chips do not convert directly into cash, ICM can make the best decision different from a normal chip-EV decision.
Example
Near a final-table pay jump, calling an all-in can be poor in ICM terms even when the call would be profitable if chips had a fixed cash value.