other players to fold, thus winning the pot uncontested. A specialized version of this is buying the blinds by making a large raise in the first round forcing all other players out of the hand. C call To match a bet or raise. See main article: call. call the clock A method of discouraging players from taking an excessively long time to act. When someone calls the clock, the player has a set amount of time in which to make up their mind; if they fail to do so, their hand is immediately declared dead. In tournament play, any player can call a clock. calling station A player who frequently calls bets, but rarely raises them. A calling station is usually a loose passive player. See main article: calling station. cap A limit on the number of raises allowed in a betting round. Typically three or four (in addition to the opening bet). In most casinos, the cap is removed if there are only two players remaining either at the beginning of the betting round, or at the time that what would have otherwise been the last raise is made. Also, term for the chip, token, or object placed atop one's cards to show continued involvement with a hand cap game Similar to cap above, but refers to a no-limit or pot limit game with a cap on the amount that a player can bet during the course of a hand. Once the cap is reached, all players remaining in the hand are considered all-in. card protector In games where all of a player's cards are facedown, some players use items like specialty chips or glass figures to place on top of their cards to protect them from being accidentally discarded. cards Standard playing cards are used. In home games it is common to have two decks with distinct backs, and to shuffle the unused deck while each hand is in progress. Casinos typically use plastic decks that can handle the added wear and tear, as casino players often read their "hole" cards by peeking at the corner rather than lifting the card. Due to cost, home games tend to use paper cards. It is not unusual for paper cards to become bent quickly. Card quality can be preserved for longer if players agree not to bend cards, and proper shuffling techniques are used. cards speak See main article: cards