What is a Cripple in Poker?
1 minute
Last Updated: February 1, 2024
Crippling the deck in poker refers to situations in which the player has such a strong hand that it’s impossible for anyone to have a better hand with the current community cards on the board. Note that a player who crippled the deck might not always win, as they still might suck out on later streets.
Additionally, the term “crippled” in poker can also refer to a player who is down to a very short stack in the tournament. Their stack is crippled because they lost most of their chips.
Cripple Poker Example:
Let’s say that you have a Kc Qc hand, and the flop brings Jc Tc 9c to the board. This is an extreme example of crippling the deck, as you’ve flopped a straight flush. No matter which hole cards any other players might have, you’re guaranteed to have the strongest hand.
