Sailboats: Starting hand of 4-4.

Sandbagging: Holding back and calling despite the fact that you have a very good hand, usually to disguise strength, provoke bluffs, and to check-raise.

Scare Card: A scare card is a card placed on the board which has the potential to complete a player’s hand. An example would be: flop: 3s-7h-Kc, turn Qc, river Jc – the river card would be considered as scare card as it could complete a broadway straight, a normal straight or a flush (clubs). A scare card is usually a good opportunity to bluff at pots, but has the potential to be devestating!

Scoop: To win both the high and the low pot in split games (Omaha 8b / Stud 8b).

Sell: Similiar to sandbagging. Betting a fairly strong hand lightly in order to not scare the other players out of the pot.

Semi Bluff: Betting with a drawing hand which is currently weak, but could lead to a possible strong hand (or the nuts). Example: you’re holding Ac-7c, board: 3c-8c-Qh – you’re holding four clubs and would hold the nuts flush if another club hit the board, if you lead out and bet in this situation this would be considered a semi bluff.

Set: Three of a Kind. Also known as trips.

Shills: Poker Players paid by the house in order to start or maintain action at the tables.

Short Stack: The player with the least chips at the table and/or in a tournament.

Short-Handed: Form of poker where 6 or less players can sit at a table. Also referres to normal tables where not all seats are taken. Short-handed play normally involves quicker hands, more action and typically a more agressive style of play.

Showdown: When two or more players play down to the river, the showdown determines the strongest hand and hence the winner.

Side Pot: (A) separate pot(s) which is/are contested by remaining active players when one or more players are All-In.

Sit and Go: Also known as S&G or SNG. Tournament which starts as soon as the pre-selected number of players sits down to play.

Slowplay: see sandbagging

Small Blind: The smaller of the forced bets. The player left of the dealer must put up this forced bet before the cards are dealt. Also known as Small Bet. Short: SB

Speed Limit: starting hand of 5-5.

Split: starting hand of 7-10.

Stack, the: A pile of chips.

stack, to: To go All-In, to push the whole stack in the middle.

Steel Wheel: A five high straight (A-2-3-4-5) of the same suit.

Straddle: A straddle is a Blind bet which is usually double the size of the Big Blind.

Straight: Five consecutive cards of any suit.

Straight Flush: Five consecutive cards of the same suit.

Suckout: see BadBeat and Outdraw.

Suit: The four suits are hearts (h), clubs (c), spades (s) and diamonds (d).

Suited: A starting hand with two cards of the same suit.

Suited connectors: A starting hand with two cards of the same suit and consecutive in rank (i.e. Ac-Kc, sometimes simply denoted as A-Ks, s = suited not spades).