The following is a list of nicknames used for playing cards used in most card games which use the standard 52-card pack. Such games usually require the revealing or announcement of held cards, at which point the nicknames may be used.
Card Name |
Initial |
Alternative Names |
Collective Names |
Ace |
A |
As-Nas[1], Blackberry (A♣), Bull,[1] Bullet,[2] Death Card (A♠),[3] Eyes, Mastercard, One Spot,[1] Pig's Eye (A♦),[4] Puppy Foot (A♣),[1] Rocket, Seed,[1] Sharp Top,[1] Spadille (A♠),[5] Spike, Spot, Tax Card (A♠)[1] |
No-Spotter |
Whiteskin |
Wheelcard[6] |
Broadway Cards,[7] Honor Card |
King |
K |
Cowboy,[8] K-Boy, Knight, Monarch,[1] Sergeant, Alexander (K♣),[9] Charlemagne (K♥),[9] Charles (K♥),[10] David (K♠),[9] Julius Caesar (K♦),[9] King Without a Mustache (K♥), One-Eyed King (K♦),[11] the Man with the Ax (K♦),[12] Suicide King (K♥),[13] The Butcher of Baghdad (K♦)[14] |
Coat Card,[15] Court Card,[16] Face Card, Figure, Liner, Paint,[17] Paintskin, Picture, Picture Card,[18] Redskin, Rembrandt,[19] Royal Cards, Picasso |
Queen |
Q |
Bitch, Cowgirl, Dame, Lady,[20] Girl, Hen, Joy Girl, Painted Lady, Whore, mop-squeezer, Bedpost Queen(Q♠), Argine (Q♣),[9] Black Maria (Q♠),[1] Calamity Jane (Q♠),[1] Helen of Troy (Q♥),[9] Judith (Q♥),[9] Molly Hogan (Q♠), Pallas Athena (Q♠),[9]Fanny Kaplan (Q♠),[9] Stenographer[1] |
Jack |
J |
Boy,[1] Bower,[21] Fishhook,[22] Hook,[23] J-Bird, J-Boy, Jackal, Jackson,[1] Jacksonville, Jake,[1] John, Johnny,[1] Johnson, Knave, Valet,[1] Fish Hook, Eunuch (J♠), Hector (J♦),[9] Ogier (J♠),[9] La Hire (J♥),[9] Lancelot (J♣),[9] Pam (J♣), Roland (J♦) |
10 |
T |
Big Cassino (10♦),[1] Dime, Sawbuck, Bo Derek |
Spotter |
Whiteskin |
|
9 |
9 |
Neener, Nina Ross, Niner, Curse of Scotland (9♦)[2], Pothook,[1] Scourge of Scotland (9♦)[3] |
Pusher,[1] Spot[1] |
8 |
8 |
Fat Lady, Ocho, Snowman, 8 Land, Time travel |
7 |
7 |
Beer Card (7♦),[24] Candy Cane, Hockey Stick, Mullet, Salmon,[4] Walking Stick |
6 |
6 |
A Boot, Grace's Card (6♥)[4], Loyalty at the Risk of Death (6♥)[5], Sax, Sex |
5 |
5 |
Five Spot, Nickel, Pedro |
Wheelcard[6] |
4 |
4 |
Boat, Four Spot, One Legged Ace, Broken Ace, Sailboat, Sharp Top, The Devil's Bedpost (4♣)[4] |
3 |
3 |
Crab,[25] Trey,[26] Butts |
No-Spotter |
2 |
2 |
Deuce,[27] Dewey, Duck,[28] Little Cassino (2♠),[4] Swan, The Curse of Mexico (2♠)[4] |
The following is a list of nicknames for pairs of two playing cards, usually hole cards, used in poker derivatives such as Texas hold 'em and Omaha hold 'em poker. These nicknames are usually used by the player when announcing their hand or by spectators or commentators who are watching the game.
Card Initials |
Alternative Name |
Explanation |
AA |
Alan Alda |
An alliteration, Alan Alda was the star of the TV version of M*A*S*H[29] |
Albert Anastasia |
An alliteration, first mob boss killed gangland style in 1957[30] |
American Airlines (A♥ A♦) |
So called due to the commercial airline's acronym, AA[31] |
Banditerna (A♠ A♣) |
Swedish for "the Bandits"[29] |
Batteries |
AA like a AA battery commonly used in portable electronic devices |
Bullets |
Looks like bullets, possibly a reference to the Dead Man's Hand, two pair of aces and eights, suggesting that Wild Bill drew a third bullet in the back, which filled his hand in death[29] |
Eyes |
Probably from snake eyes in dice[29] |
Eyes of Texas |
From the song, probably an elaboration on dice[29] |
Flying Nazis[32] |
Probably because an A looks like a plane, and the Nazis had the most successful flying "aces" in their air force |
Joe Louis (A♠ A♣) |
Two black eyes, what you will get in the ring if you fight Joe Louis[33] |
Pocket Rockets |
Looks like rockets[29] |
Needles |
Looks like needles[29] |
Rocky Mountains |
Looks like mountains, from Mat Rampson[29] |
Sharp Tops |
Sharp on top, see also A4[29] |
Snake Eyes |
From dice[29] snake eyes is the outcome of rolling the dice in a game of craps and getting only one pip on each die |
Squirrel[34] |
Probably named because the hand is "the nuts". Possibly also a reference to the phrase "Even a blind squirrel can find a nut once in a while"[35] |
Sticks |
Looks like sticks[29] |
Teepees |
Looks like teepees[29] |
Two Pips[36] |
A pip is a mark indicating the suit or numerical value of a playing card |
Visine (A♥ A♦) |
Two red eyes, it gets the red out[37] |
AK |
Anna Kournikova |
Initials, Also looks good, but never wins.[38] |
Barry Greenstein(A♦ K♦) |
From 5th annual Jack Binion World Poker Open in Tunica MS, as per Hooter Huon[29] |
Big Slick |
It is a slippery hand that one can easily lose a fortune over[38] |
Kalashnikov |
Due to the name of a gun designed by Mikhail Kalashnikov, AK-47. |
Big Ugly (offsuit)[38] |
Imitating Big Slick, but "Ugly" if offsuit |
Exxon Valdez (A♠ K♠) |
Since it has a lot of black in it. This is especially true if the person throwing down the big Exxon Valdez is semi drunk and playing erratically as the captain was charged with being impaired at the time of the accident[39] |
King Arthur[40] |
Backronym of AK, named after the legendary British leader. |
Korean Airlines[40] |
Backronym of AK, named after the South Korean Airline |
Mike Haven (A♦ K♦) |
Mike played two pre-flops all-in in a row with these cards to win the final table, coming from behind[29] |
Salt Lake Pair[38] |
No explanation found. The "pair" refers to the cards being well matched, rather than of equal value. |
Santa Barbara |
Due to a big oil spill off Santa Barbara[29] |
Walking Back to Houston |
Gamblers who played this hand too strongly were often left with no getaway money.[29] Although other sources state its name was derived because the old time poker players would play this hand so well that they’d leave their opponents walking back to Houston[38] |
AQ |
Antony & Cleopatra[29] |
A for Antony and Cleopatra his queen. Named after the famous lovers and Shakespearian works |
Big Chick |
Imitating Big Slick[29](AK) |
Big Slut[41] |
Imitating Big Slick (AK). Hands involving Queens are often derogatory, especially if they don't win. |
Little Slick[41] |
Imitating Big Slick (AK) |
Mrs Slick[42] |
Imitating Big Slick (AK) |
Rocket Queen |
A song made popular from Guns N'Roses |
AJ |
Armani Jeans |
AJ is the acronym used by the brand Armani Jeans |
Apple Jacks[32] |
Backronym of AJ |
Ajax[36] |
Named after the foam cleaner due to the phonetic similarity between "Ajax" and "Ace-Jack" |
Blackjack[43] |
Named after the card game in which AJ (Or an Ace with a picture card or 10) is the highest possible hand |
Foamy Cleanser |
Ajax[29] |
Hijack[44] |
As in "High-Jack" |
Jackass[45] |
Imitative of "Jack-Ace" |
Trapasso[46] |
Likely to be named after the American Football player A.J.Trapasso |
AT |
Bookends |
2 ends of the highest straight[47] |
Johnny Moss |
It's speculated that Johnny Moss is associated with this hand because he began playing poker at the age of 10[48] |
A9 |
Rounders Hand |
From the movie[29] |
McDerment (A♣ 9♣) |
A corruption of the last name of Mike McDermott, the character played by Matt Damon in the movie Rounders, who lost all his money with this hand.[29] |
Jesus (Chris Ferguson) |
Chris Ferguson beat TJ Cloutier at the final hand of the 2000 WSOP Championship event holding A9 against TJ's AQ[48] |
Gimp Hand |
Because it's so much weaker than Ace-Ten. |
A8 |
Dead Man's Hand |
The hand gets its name from the legend of it having been the five-card-draw hand held by Wild Bill Hickok at the time of his murder (August 2, 1876). It is accepted that the hand included the aces and eights of both of the black suits; although his biographer, Joseph Rosa, says no contemporary citation for his hand has ever been found, the "accepted version is that the cards were the ace of spades, the ace of clubs, two black eights (clubs and spades), and either the jack of diamonds or the queen of diamonds as the kicker".[49] |
Asterix and Obelix[50] |
Named after the René Goscinny characters Asterix and Obelix. Asterix represents the Ace due to the matching initial with Obelix representing the 8 due to their similar shape. |
A7 |
Slapshot |
Nicknamed Slapshot as a hockey reference as sevens are sometimes called hockey sticks and aces are bullets[40] |
The Sonnert[51] |
Named after Bengt Sonnert for his success with it in the World Series of Poker Europe 2008 |
A6 |
Mile High Club |
Airplane and sex[47] (Aces are often nicknamed after planes due to their shape, "six" is phonetically similar to "sex") |
Tennessee Ernie Ford |
Singer famous for the song Sixteen Tons[52] |
A5 |
High Five[32] |
An Ace is high, combined with a five gives us a high five |
A4 |
Plane Crash[32] |
Aces are synonymous with flying (E.g. 'Flying Nazis', 'Pocket Rockets' and 'American Airlines') probably due to the shape of the 'A', a '4' is like an 'A', but with a missing 'wing', hence Plane Crash |
Stu Ungar |
Ungar won the last of his three World Series of Poker Main Event titles in 1997 with this hand, making a straight. |
Transvestite |
When you see the first card and it is an Ace, then you squeeze out the second card....if it is a four, you see the "conehead" of the four at first and your heart leaps a bit with excitement (another Ace!!), then you examine more closely, and you are quite disappointed. Transvestite.[53] |
A3 |
Ashtray |
Imitates Ace-trey[29] |
Baskin-Robbins |
Nicknamed Baskin Robbins because of their 31 different flavors of ice cream.[48] |
Thrace |
A portmanteau of "Three" and "Ace", also named after the historical and geographic area in southeast Europe Thrace[54] |
A2 |
Acey-Deucey |
From the game Acey Deucy[55] |
Riewoldt |
Playing number of St. Kilda Captain, Nick Riewoldt (12) |
Hunting Season |
Aces are known as bullets and twos are known as ducks, hence hunting season[48] |
Little Slick[32] |
Imitation of 'Big Slick' (AK) |
Card Initials |
Alternative Name |
Explanation |
KK |
Ace Magnets |
Ace Magnets because the ace is the only card you don't want to see[48] |
Brokeback[56] |
Named after the film that depicts the complex romantic and sexual relationship between two cowboys (KK also being called "Cowboys") |
Butchers of Baghdad |
Reference to 2003 invasion of Iraq and the most-wanted Iraqi playing cards |
Cowboys[32] |
No explanation found. The nickname is probably given for a number of reasons, including the association between cowboys and playing poker, the similarity between the "K" of "King" and the "C" of "Cowboys" and both characters are male. |
Elvis Presley[56] |
Named after the "King" of Rock and Roll |
Gorillas |
From King Kong[29] |
Gorillas in the Mist |
From the movie starring Sigourney Weaver,[29] a nickname taken from "King Kong" (Also KK)[57] |
Kangaroos |
Kangaroos are used on children's alphabet cards to illustrate a K[29] |
Kevin Keegan[58] |
An aliteration |
Knights[58] |
An association with the feudal king images on the cards |
King Kong[32] |
An alliteration |
Kinkerbells[59] |
Courtesy of Vince Van Patten on Celebrity Poker |
Krispy Kreme[32] |
An alliteration |
KQ |
Divorce (suited) |
If it loses[29] |
Ferdinand and Isabella |
A Spanish King and Queen[29] |
Lucy and Ricky |
The King and Queen of TV[29] |
Marriage (suited) |
If it wins, comes from the game Pinochle[29] |
Mixed Marriage (offsuit) |
Comes from the game Pinochle[29] |
Othello (offsuit)[32] |
This is reference to Othello and Desdemona, the fated couple from William Shakespeare's play Othello. Possibly also a reference to 'Mixed Marriage' |
Royal Couple |
A King and Queen![29] |
King of Queens |
American funny show |
Valentine's Day (K♥ Q♥)[48] |
A matched couple, both showing their hearts |
KJ |
Bachelor's Hand (offsuit) |
"Jack-King-Off"[29] |
Bill Fillmaff (offsuit) |
The "signature hand" of "Bill Fillmaff", a character parodying poker professionals in general and Phil Hellmuth in particular, portrayed by Internet personality Kevin Bowen[60] |
Harry Potter |
Written by J.K. Rowling[29] |
Just Kidding[32] |
Backronym of JK |
Jackie Kennedy |
Wife of JFK |
Joking |
'Jo' referring to the Jack |
Jordy Kooistra |
Initials of Dutch poker player |
King John |
JK[29] |
Kojak |
Mimics KJack,[29] thanks to the '70s crime drama starring Telly Savalas, who was himself a poker player and occasional participant in WSOP Main Events[57] |
Starsky and Hutch[61] |
Named after the famous crime fighting duo from the series of the same name |
Tucson Monster[32] |
No explanation found |
Amber's Hand (K♦ J♦) |
The favorite hand of an Austin-based poker player. |
KT |
Spiderpig |
A reference to it's difficulty in playing after the flop[62] |
Big Al |
A reference to a Wisconsin poker player named "Big Al" Emerson[48] |
Katie |
Imitation of K-T[29] |
Ken[58] |
A portmanteau of "King" and "Ten" |
Ike Turner |
Beats QT (Tina Turner – see below) |
Woodcutter (offsuit) |
Possibly from the Legend of King Edward and the Woodcutter[29] |
K9 |
Bow-wow[32] |
From canine |
Canine |
"K"-nine[29] |
Dogs |
From canine[29] |
Fido |
A derivative of canine[29] |
J-Ball |
The term "J-Ball" came about in Austin when a player would self-promote that his favorite hand was K9. He would always be sure to point out to people that K9 would have been the nutz for that flop or when he won with it, he made sure everyone knew. Soon people started calling the hand "J-Ball" after the player because they associated the hand with him[58] |
Mongrel (offsuit) |
From canine[29] |
Mutt (offsuit) |
From canine[29] |
Pedigree (suited) |
From canine[29] |
Rin Tin Tin[58] |
From Rin Tin Tin K9 cop |
Sawmill |
Byron 'Cowboy' Wolford says:
- Milton Butts and I were playing poker in Bryan, Texas, where they had a good game going on the weekends. We'd been playing for a couple of days when a hand came up in which I had a K-9. I made a pretty good hand with it, but lost the pot and went broke. As I was driving back home to Houston with Milton, feeling kind of disgusted about going broke with that K-9, we passed by a sawmill where a man was sawing logs in the lumberyard. "As hard as that guy works for his money, I'll bet he would never go broke with a K-9," I told Milton. And that's how K-9 got named "Sawmill." Some of those names are still going around – Doyle Brunson mentioned the sawmill hand in his book, Super/System[63]
|
K8 |
Kate |
A portmanteau of "King" and "Eight"[54] |
Feast |
What the 'King ate'[29] |
Kokomo |
Imitative[29] |
K7 |
Columbia River |
The Columbia River is famous for its salmon runs. "King Seven" sounds like "King Salmon"[48] |
Kevin |
Sounds like Kevin[64] |
K6 |
Kicks |
Nicknamed "Kicks" (if pig-Latin is used) for phonetic reasons[54] |
K5 |
Knives[58] |
A combination of "King" and "Five" |
Seattle Special |
The nickname refers to Seattle's NBC affiliate, channel 5 with call letters KING Seattle TV channel 5 based in King county, Washington, United States[54] |
K4 |
Core[58] |
A portmanteau of "King" and "Four" |
Fork |
4K sounds like "Fork"[48] |
Fork Off (offsuit)[58] |
4K sounds like "Fork" plus "Off" for offsuit |
Forking Idiot[58] |
From "Fork". Probably a suggestion that you would have to be an idiot to play the hand |
Oppression of the Masses |
The answer to the question: "What is a king for?" |
K3 |
Alaska Hand |
From Alaskan King Crab[29] |
Commander Crab |
A derivative of King Crab[29] |
King Crab |
3 looks like a crab[29] |
Sizzler |
The home of all-you-can-eat King Crab[29] |
K2 |
Big Fritz (suited) |
An unconfirmed reference to German poker player Andreas Fritz[54] |
Donald |
A reference to Donald Duck,[54] the "King" of ducks (since 2s are also known as "ducks") |
The Zepik |
An unconfirmed reference to Canadian poker player Kevin Zepik. Named for the resemblance K2 has to the initials "KZ". |
Card Initials |
Alternative Name |
Explanation |
QQ |
Bitches[54] |
As obviously named as cowboys. |
Calamity Jane[32] |
No explanation found, but the nickname is likely to come from Cowgirls the female equivalent of Cowboys (KK). Calamity Jane was also a friend of Wild Bill Hickok, a gunfighter who died during a poker game. |
P-CO |
the last two queens of England |
Canadian Aces |
Because Canadians revere the Queen of England[47] |
Canadian Rockets |
Because Canadians revere the Queen of England[47] |
Four Tits |
Vulgar[29] |
Hilton Sisters |
Jetset party girls Paris & Nicky Hilton[29] |
Jailhouse Rock |
Homosexuality in prison[29] |
Ladies[52] |
Because they're the only female cards. Queens tend to have derogatory names, especially when they lose, so Ladies is more likely to be used when they win. |
Pair of Wire Cutters |
Dykes[29] |
Pocket Tubmans (Q♠ Q♣) |
Reference to Harriet Tubman[29] |
San Francisco Wedding |
A gay reference[29] |
Siegfried & Roy |
Two Queens[29] |
Snowshoes[52] |
Probably because they're the shape of a traditional snowshoe |
QJ |
Quack[52] |
Combination of Queen and Jack |
Maverick |
From the Maverick TV show theme song, "Livin' on jacks and queens. Maverick is a legend of the west[29] |
Hawaii |
According to the pros if you don't play QJ for a year you'll save enough money to go there. |
Oedipus |
an allusion to Sophocles' Oedipus the King, the ancient Greek tragedy in which Oedipus (the "J" in this pairing) unwittingly kills his father and marries his mother, Jocasta (the "Q")[57] |
Pinochle (Q♠ J♦) |
The big hand in the game Pinochle[29] |
JQuery |
JQuery never loses |
QT |
Cutie[65] |
For phonetic reasons |
Goolsby |
Named for Everett Goolsby, well known Texas gambler. Crony of Doyle Brunson, Cowboy Wolford and Benny Binion[29] |
Tarantino |
Quentin Tarantino, a famous movie maker[57] |
Q-Tip[66] |
A backronym of QT. A Q-tip is a cotton swab. |
Tina Turner |
It always gets beat |
Quint |
Imitative[29] |
Robert Varkonyi |
In the 2002 WSOP, Varkonyi knocked out Phil Hellmuth and eventually won the final event with this hand[29] |
Q9 |
Quinine |
"Queen Nine" sounds like "Quinine", an early anti malarial drug,[48] from lowball[29] |
Q8 |
Fat Ally |
Named after Allison Hawkrigg, It can never be suited. |
Face Sitter |
Vulgar, what the 'queen ate'[29] |
Kuwait |
Nicknamed "Kuwait" for phonetic reasons[48] |
Q7 |
Computer Hand (offsuit) |
From an apocryphal story that a computer proved that these were the most commonly occurring cards on the Flop.[67]
There is also a story of an early computer simulation in which Q7 was a break-even hand[29][68]
Nickname for the IBM Q7 (AN/FSQ-7) SAGE computer. This type of vacuum tube computer was physically the world’s largest computer ever built.
|
Q6 |
Arnold Palmer's ex wife |
No explanation found |
Q5 |
Granny Mae |
If both spades, an old-time player, Granny=Queen, Mae=5th Month, some say Q5 spades was her favorite[29] |
Q4 |
Housework |
A joking response to the question, "What's a queen for?" |
Q3 |
Gay Waiter |
'Queen' with a 'tray'[29] |
San Francisco Busboy |
'Queen' with a 'tray'[29] |
Windsor Waiter |
'Queen' with a 'tray'[29] |
Q2 |
Daisy |
A reference to Daisy Duck,[54] the "Queen" of ducks (since 2s are also known as "ducks"). See also "Donald" – K2 |
Queen Liz |
A reference to Queen Elizabeth II |
Card Initials |
Alternative Name |
Explanation |
JJ |
Brothers[46] |
Two similar looking males, E.g. brothers |
Fishhooks |
They look like them, and because fish get beat with overpairs[29] |
Jaybirds |
Starts with J[29] |
John Juanda[32] |
An alliteration, John Juanda is an American professional poker player |
Colostomy Bag |
Vulgar, from "Pocket Jacks", 'Jacks' being a UK/Irish slang term for a toilet |
Kid Dyne-o-mite |
Signature expression of the character JJ from the TV show Good Times[40] |
One Eyed Jacks (J♠ J♥) |
Both side views[29] |
Rentboys |
Two young men, similar to pocket queen's "Prostitutes" nickname |
Suckers |
Cause Pocket Jacks are for suckers according to Maxim Magazine |
Two Jakes |
The movie sequel to Chinatown starring Jack Nicholson and Harvey Keitel[29] |
JT |
Justin Timberlake |
Justin Timberlake's initials. |
John Terry |
Named after the England Football Captain. |
J9 |
Braggars |
Jacks and nines are wild in the game of braggars[29] |
T.J. Cloutier (J♣ 9♣) |
T.J. flopped three straight flushes with this hand in one year[66] |
J8 |
Jeffrey Dahmer |
He 'ate Jack', serial killer who ate his victims[29] |
Jacket |
Sounds like jacket[29] |
J7 |
Jack Daniels[66] |
Named after Jack Daniel's Old No. 7 Tennessee whiskey |
J6 |
Railroad |
Say it rhythmically, jacks and sixes, jacks and sixes[29] |
J5 |
Jackson Five |
Michael Jackson's childhood group[29] |
Motown |
Record label for Jackson Five[29] |
J4 |
The New Motown |
Motown was named for the Jackson Five, but now there's only four |
Austin Squatty |
Named after John "Austin Squatty" Jenkins due to his penchant for raising and reraising with this hand[29] |
Flat tire |
What's a 'jack for'?[29] |
Kid Grenade |
After a poker dealer who when he played was "liable to go off at any moment"[69] |
J3 |
J Lo |
As in "J-lo", "lo" meaning "low card" or perhaps the resemblance the 3 has to a derrière[70] |
Lumberjack |
A Tree and a Jack |
Minus Michael and Jermaine |
Jackson 5 without two members, preferably clubs to resemble afros. |
J2 |
Heckle and Jeckle |
Nicknamed Heckle and Jeckle after twin cartoon jaybirds (2 Jays) that first appeared on television in 1946[54] |
Jack Shit |
Popular English phrase referring to "nothing", in this context referring to the fact there is a Jack with the worst possible kicker and also something widely regarded among poker players "nothing" hand. |
Card Initials |
Alternative Name |
Explanation |
99 |
Barbara Feldon |
Played Agent 99 on Get Smart[29] |
German Virgins |
Nein, nein![29] |
Phil Hellmuth (9♣ 9♠) |
He won the 1989 WSOP with this hand[29] |
Popeyes |
Look like Popeye's arm muscles[40] |
Pothooks[75] |
The 9 looks like a traditional pothook |
Wayne Gretzky |
Hockey player's uniform number[29] |
98 |
Oldsmobile |
The Olds 98 car[29] |
97 |
Persian Carpet Ride |
A term Antonio Esfandiari coined for his favorite hand, making joking reference to his Persian heritage. He used the term on Poker After Dark, apparently after his friends teased him about the hand, no further explanation given.[76] However, Esfandiari also used the term on the commentary track of the World Poker Tour Season 2 DVD set, so the term dates back to at least 2004. |
96 |
The Dirty |
69, sexual reference, always play thins hand[29] |
Big Lick |
69, sexual reference to Big Slick[29] |
Breakfast of Champions |
69, sexual reference[29] |
Dinner For Two |
69, sexual reference[29] |
Good Lover |
69, sexual reference[29] |
Happy Meal |
69, sexual reference[29] |
Big Love |
69, sexual reference |
Joe Bernstein |
A gambler from the 30s, a sharp road gambler. Joe was known as a dapper dresser at the poker table[29] |
Jaka Šubic |
Famous Slovenian improv comedian and poker player. |
Percy (offsuit) |
offsuit, 69 sexual reference[29] |
Prom Night (suited) |
If suited because they wear a tux on prom night, 69 sexual reference[29] |
95 |
Betty Hutton |
From a version of stud with nines & fives wild[29] |
Dolly Parton |
From the movie 9 to 5[29] |
Hard Working Man |
Works 9 to 5[29] |
94 |
Joe Montana |
49ers quarterback, borrowed from 92 Montana Banana, when he was benched the joke was 49 unsuited[29] |
Lost World Series |
Refers to the lost baseball World Series of 1994. Could also refer to the fate of a player who plays these cards incorrectly.[52] |
San Francisco |
49 refers to San Francisco's Football team, the 49ers, which in turn refers to men of the 1849 gold rush in the Sierra Nevada mountains east of San Francisco[48] |
93 |
Jack Benny |
For years Jack Benny claimed to be 39 years old[54] |
92 |
Montana Banana |
It is a widely asserted myth that this nickname originates from the legalization of poker in Montana by Proposition 92. However, poker was legalized in Montana by the Card Games Act, 23-5-311.[77] The nickname is referring to how it is more likely that bananas will grow in chilly Montana than this hand making money.[67]
Other sources suggest it is Joe Montana's quarterback rating[40]
|
Twiggy |
From the 70's model's top measurement of 29[29] |
Card Initials |
Alternative Name |
Explanation |
88 |
Dawg Balls/Doggie Balls |
Looks like them [29] |
Piano Keys |
There are 88 keys on a piano[66] |
Little Oldsmobile |
Big was Olds 98, smaller car called Olds 88[29] |
Racetracks |
Goes round and round like a race track[29] |
Snowmen |
Looks like two snowmen[29] |
Two Fat Ladies[78] |
Looks like two fat ladies[29] taken from bingo[79] |
Lacey |
Looks like shoe laces |
Pretzels |
Looks like two pretzels[29] |
Wurlitzer |
The number of keys on the organ[29] |
Time Travel |
The time travel speed (88 mph) used in the Back to the Future trilogy[29] |
87 |
RPM |
The very first record format was a 10 inch disc that spun 78 revolutions per minute[54] |
Tahoe |
From the seven/8 variation of holdem[29] |
86 |
Pooch |
Bill Puccio swears these cards win every time |
Jagr |
Named after hockey player Jaromir Jagr, who wore number 68 his entire career. |
Rick James |
Named after Singer/Celeb Rick James, who passed away on 8/6. |
Eubie |
If you play these, you be broke[29] |
Henry Bowen |
A Texas gambler[29] |
Maxwell Smart |
From TV show Get Smart, Agent 86, see also 99[29] |
Pacheco Nuts (offsuit)[80] |
The California Grand, in Pacheco is right along side Highway 680. |
85 |
The Hamilton |
This hand is so named after a well known Scottish player. It is of course not a powerful hand but can on occasion make a well disguised straight. Its main function, though, is to tilt other players.[29] |
Chad |
Football player Chad Ochocinco wears uniform number 85. Ochocinco, translated literally from Spanish, means "Eight Five." |
84 |
Big Brother |
From George Orwell's book titled 1984[29] |
Orwell |
Author of the book titled 1984[29] |
83 |
Most Feared Hand in Hold'em[29] |
A tongue in cheek reference to it being the third worst hand in poker |
Raquel Welch |
Raquel Welch still claims to be 38[48] |
82 |
Tadpole |
An answer to the statement, "What the duck ate." |
Card Initials |
Alternative Name |
Explanation |
77 |
Axes |
Looks like them |
Candy Canes |
Looks like them[66] |
Hockey Sticks |
Looks like them[29] |
Mullets |
Because of the hair style, flat in front, long in back[29] |
Saturn |
Saturn VII Rocket[29] |
Sunset Strip |
from 77 Sunset Strip a TV series that aired from '58-'64 starring Efrem Zimbalist Jr[29] |
Walking Sticks[66] |
Looks like them |
76 |
Trombones |
From the song 76 Trombones, from the musical The Music Man and its film adaptation[29] |
Union Oil |
Union 76 gas stations[29] |
75 |
007 (7♠ 5♠) |
reference to James Bond's winning hand in the 2006 movie Casino Royale |
Vietnamese Slick |
Year the Vietnam War ended |
Heinz |
The H. J. Heinz Company in Pittsburgh, PA has 57 varieties of condiments, the most famous being ketchup[48] |
Pickle Man |
refers to Heinz of 57 sauces fame[29] |
Assault Rifle |
refers to the famous assault rifle made by Fabrique Nationale the FN Five-seven |
74 |
Cambodia Slick (offsuit) |
Diamond Club, NYC. Some players are going 36 hours+. Players are a little delirious and talking crap. On the river, Heads up, Craig B. Swears to God "I have Big Slick" [Big Slick would be only ace high] and re raises. After about 4 raises, the other player just calls. Craig turns over 4 7 for the winner. The pissed off other player shouts "you swore to god you had big slick". Craig without hesitation says "This is Big Slick, [he pauses] In Cambodia". The next few minutes Craig B. explains that Hold'em is not popular in Cambodia and some players there, actually think that 4 7 is big slick.[81] |
Double Down[42] |
A Double Down is a player decision in Blackjack, in which you are betting that your hand can be won with one more card. A player may only double down on his first two cards dealt. When a player doubles down, the original bet is automatically doubled (a second chip appears) and the player receives one more card.[82] Since there are more 10 point cards than any other, doubling down is most worth-while on an 11-point hand, 7-4 being worth 11 points. |
Ghost Dog[46] |
Almost undoubtedley from the film Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai starring Forest Whitaker, but no explanation found |
Kalashnikov |
Most likely refers to the famous AK-47 and AK-74 assault rifles designed by Mikhail Kalashnikov |
73 |
Dutch Waiter |
Sven with a Tray |
Joe Hachem |
Joseph Hachem won the 2005 World Series main event holding 7♣ 3♠ when the flop came 4♦ 5♦ 6♥[48] |
Swedish Busboy |
Sven with a Tray, see also San Francisco Busboy and Dutch Waiter[29] |
72 |
Beer Hand (offsuit) |
It's called the Beer Hand because it's either time for a beer; or if you win with this you need to get other players a beer; or only a person full of beers would play this hand.[48]
The beer hand has the worst chance of winning of all possible pocket cards in a full table playing Texas Hold'em. It is slightly better in short-handed games because the fact that it is not possible to make a straight or flush without hitting four appropriate community cards is less important in short-handed games.[83]
|
Jeremy Beadle |
Bad Hand |
Hammer (offsuit)[78] |
The Hammer isn't specifically the 72 hand. At least not officially. In poker, the hammer is defined as the last position (the cut-off), particularly when you're heads-up. The 72 offsuit got the nickname as a result of a competition to play "The Hammer" on "The Hammer" and has been adopted into legitimate Oxford Dictionary poker parlance[84] |
W.H.I.P. (offsuit) |
Worst Hand In Poker[64] |
Card Initials |
Alternative Name |
Explanation |
66 |
Boots |
Looks like a boot[29] |
Cherries |
Nicknamed because of similarity to the shape of the number 6[54] |
Kicks |
Get your kicks on route 66[29] |
Route 66 |
The road from Chicago to LA[29] |
65 |
Bus Pass[34] |
UK bus passes are often available to citizens over the age of 65 (although this age varies)[85] |
Ken Warren |
Won with this hand at World Series of Poker[29] |
64 |
Billion Dollar Hand[34] |
In reference to The $64,000 Question |
Gilchrist |
Named after the Australian cricketer Adam Gilchrist for his ability to always hit 6's and 4's[54] |
Arlo |
Royal Arlo if suited, named after Arlo Payne, a long time regular poster to the usenet newsgroup rec.gambling.poker |
63 |
Blocky |
Another nickname of Broomcorn from the story in Doyle Brunson's Super/System. He used to play 63 as an ambush hand[29] |
Jimmy Summerfield (offsuit) |
Kevin Larsen says:
- One time while playing with Jimmy, she [the dealer] had noticed that trash cards were hitting the flop quite often especially 6's and 3's, so Jimmy wins a huge pot after she told him to play the 63 off he was holding. Thus was born the "Jimmy Sommerfield".
- Once, while playing down on the coast, a player wins a big pot. He slaps his cards down on the table and announces "I`ve got a Jimmy Somerfield!". Then Jimmy says "Let me introduce myself," and shows the player his ID.
- I was Dealing a four eight game one night to Jimmy, a few other dealers and a bunch of locals. A fairly loose game. The pot is capped six or eight way action. Jimmy announces preflop "I`ve got my hand !" Nobody believes him when the flop comes 6 6 3 He gets four or five callers to the river. Monster Pot![86]
|
Spanish Inquisition |
Nickname given to this starting hand by Iron Men of Poker. Refers to the fact that "Nobody Expects the Spanish Inquisition," a reference to the classic Monty Python quote.[87] |
62 |
Aimsworth |
Byron 'Cowboy' Wolford says:
- I was in San Antone playing a big no-limit game with Jack Straus, Sen. Red Berry, and a bunch of the old-time players. Jack was on top of you all the time, but in full ring games, he wasn't as tough as he was shorthanded or heads up. He had two aces and I took the flop with a 6-2. A deuce came on the flop, he made a bet, and I called him. Off came another deuce on the turn, he bet, and I called him. A third deuce came on the river and we got all in. When I showed him that 6-2, he said, "What the hell were you drawing at there, Cowboy?"
- "Oh, I wasn't drawing at nothing," I answered. "Just aiming at another deuce. I guess I'm Aimsworth."[63]
|
Card Initials |
Alternative Name |
Explanation |
55 |
Sammy Hagar |
After Hagar's song, "I Can't Drive 55"[29] |
Nickels |
Five cents per nickel[29] |
Presto |
There is debate as to where this term originated. The most commonly accepted source of the nickname is that many years ago, before Rec.gambling [6] was split into several groups, followers of the group who were blackjack players were fond of saying "Presto!" as they turned up a 21. This became a sign of recognition of fellow travelers. Around this time (circa 1991), the World Rec Gambling Poker Tournament(WRGPT), of which the first few were played slowly over email, came into being. During WRGPT2(92-93), the attribution of pocket fives as the "Presto Hand" was made by the player Howard Simonson, after using pocket fives to knock out several players from the tournament some number of times. [If a copy of the table-talk from WRGPT2 can be found and cited, this can be absolutely confirmed] Consequently, the term stuck among the rec.gambling minions, and has become a common poker term today.[88] There is also suggestion that the hand won more often than it should due to a computer glitch.[40]
However, there is a counter-argument that there used to be a club in London called the Presto Club. The address was 55 Victoria Street, London. Therefore, whenever someone was dealt 55 in hold'em, they'd say they were dealt "Presto", because of the club's street address. When English players played events worldwide, the word spread, and it caught on everywhere.[89]
|
Snakes[40] |
Looks like two snakes |
Speed Limit |
55 MPH[29] |
54 |
Colt 45 |
The gun, and the beer[29] |
Jesse James |
Because the outlaw was rumored to have been shot by a .45[29] |
Moneymaker |
Winning hand of Chris Moneymaker, 2003 World Series of Poker Main Event champion[48] |
53 |
Bully Johnson |
A poker player that Doyle Brunson described as being "laid back and quiet". He played this hand after being raised preflop and caught a straight on the flop to beat another guy's trip aces[54] |
Juggernaut |
Well-known Magic: The Gathering artifact card with power of five and toughness of three. |
52 |
Bomber |
B-52 bomber[48] |
Pick-up |
As in 52 card pick up[48] |
Quarter |
25 cents[29] |
Two Bits |
25 cents[29] |
Safai |
Named for a notorious (and costly) on-tilt play by amateur poker player Bob Safai. In fact there are two versions of the Safai: the "half Safai", where a player proceeds to fold his hole cards; and the "full Safai", where a player decides to play the hand (and loses). |
The following sets of playing cards can be referred to by the corresponding names in card games that include sets of three or more cards, particularly 3 and 5 card draw, Texas Hold 'em and Omaha Hold 'em. The nicknames would often be used by players when revealing their hands, or by spectators or commentators watching the game.
Card Initials |
Alternative Names |
J5 |
Jackson Five |
T2 |
The Todd Doyle |
KQ |
The Ice Breaker |
44 |
Fourtale |
AJ |
The Unrare |
A4 |
Aces |
A2345 |
First Street, Little Minnie, Little Wheel[7], Pup, Puppy, Spoke[8], Steel Wheel (suited)[9], Steel Wheel Bike (suited)[10], The Bicycle[11] |
A23 |
ABC |
AA88 |
Dead Man's Hand |
AA222 |
Marksman |
AA23 |
Princess Leia[12] |
2357J |
All The Primes |
KKKK |
Four Horsemen |
KKQQ |
Mommas and Poppas, Double Date |
KKK |
Alabama Knight Riders, Three Wise Men, Christmas Special, Ku Klux Klan |
KQJT9 |
Off-Broadway |
QQQQ |
Village People |
QQQ |
Six Tits, Daisy Hand |
QQ33 |
San Francisco waiters (Queens and Treys) |
JJJ |
"Hart, Schaffner and Marx" |
JJ55 |
Rock 'n' Roll, Motown |
JJ33 |
Hookers with crabs |
TTTT |
Larry (Larry Fortensky, Elizabeth Taylor's eighth husband) |
TTT |
Thirty Miles of Bad Road, Elk River, Gilroy, Judge Bean, Judge Duffy, San Jose to Gilroy, Dallas to Fort Worth |
T8642 |
Rizlo, Scotch Straight |
9988 |
Oldsmobile[96] |
9966 |
Dinner for Four |
777 |
21, 21 Miles of Rough Road, Jackpot,[68] Slot Machine[52] |
77744 |
Sailing Rednecks |
75432 (offsuit) |
Kansas City[97] |
666 |
The Devil, Lucifer, The Beast, Devil's Area Code, Kotch |
65432 |
Rabbit, The World Trade Center Straight[98] |
555 |
Pork Chop Sandwiches, Washington Monument |
4444 |
Yacht club |
444 |
Grand Jury |
365 |
Drievijfenzestig (Dutch for three hundred sixty-five) |
3333 |
Forest, Four Trees |
33222 |
Mites and Lice,[99] Nits and Lice[99] |
3322 |
Socks and Shoes, Mits and Mites, Mites and Lice,[99] Nits and Lice[99] |
2222 |
Mighty Ducks |
222 |
Huey, Dewey, and Louie |