Hitchhiker ( poker )


1) An unexpected participant in your pot; usually preceded by pick up a.
"I was trying to win all Jim's chips, but I picked up a hitchhiker, and she drew out on both of us."

2) An expected participant, generally someone you're trying to trap.
"Looks like I got a hitchhiker" could be heard from someone who raised a lot and probably will win the pot, including many chips from the fool (that is, the hitchhiker) who elected to trail along.

3) Someone who comes in cold to a pot, that is, someone who has not yet had the opportunity to call any bets and, when a pot has already been raised, calls the initial bet plus the raise.
For example, you open the pot in a limit game. I make it two bets, that is, I raise.
Now the action comes around to the player to the right of the dealer, who calls the two bets.
That player is called a hitchhiker. Also called fence hopper.