hole card

1. A card in stud poker that is dealt face-down and that the holder is not obliged to reveal before the showdown.
2. Informal. Something held in reserve until it can be used advantageously.

Any cards dealt face down to a particular player. These are exclusively their own cards and are commonly referred to as pocket cards. No other player may make a hand using these cards.

SoundPoker Says: In Texas Hold'em a players hole cards would be the two cards dealt face down to them. They would use their two hole cards plus the cards on the board to make the strongest possible 5 card poker hand. In a game like Omaha the hole cards would be the four cards dealt face down to each player. In draw poker all the cards in a players hand would be considered their hole cards.

See Also: One Pair, Pocket Cards, Wired Pair

The noun has 2 meanings:

Meaning #1: any assets that are concealed until they can be used advantageously

Meaning #2: (stud poker) a playing card dealt face down and not revealed until the showdown