Poker slang lingo, part 4 continues this gamerisms glossary dedicated to all passionate poker players.

• Nicknames For Poker Hands-Names For Texas Hold'em Hands
• Poker Hand Nicknames - The Complete List
• Cached
• Slang For Poker Hands: Nicknames For Hold'em Hole Cards
• Poker Hand Names Slang

• Sit in a poker game for any significant length of time, and you’ll hear some of the game’s most recognizable hands referred to by poker hand nicknames. “Pocket Rockets”, “Big Slick”, “Snowmen”, “Ducks”, and even “Doyle Brunson” are all common colloquialisms used as poker hand names.
• Poker Hand Nicknames and Rankings. Texas Hold'em Poker is a cultural phenomenon that has developed its own unique vocabulary. Mixing classic poker terms with modern cultural references, it's a lot.

While some hand nicknames are fairly transparent (American Airlines, Fish Hooks, and Jackson Five), the newer poker generation may have trouble with others (Broderick Crawford, Dead Man’s Hand, and Walking Back to Houston).

This section includes poker slang lingo and terms that are unique to this popular casino strategy game. For example, Overpair, Play on Your Belly, Rock, Rush and Scoot.
Understanding poker terms is critical to your game play, and this applies whether playing poker offline or online. Many of the terms below also apply to video poker, one of the most popular games at online casinos sites.

Poker Slang Lingo: N - O

• No-limit: poker lingo for wide open betting based on each players chips in hand.
• Nuts: the best of hands in the game thus far.
• Odds: calculated probability of winning a specific hand.
• Off-suit: cards that are not of the same suit.
• On the Finger: monies received on credit.
• On Tilt: going into wild play mode after a bad hand.
• Open: player who makes the first bet in a round.
• Outdraw: refers to receiving a better hand by drawing more cards.
• Outs: refers to unseen cards left in the deck that could result in a better hand.
• Overpair: refers to a higher pair than the best card on the board in flop games. Example: You hold KK and the flop is J94.
  

Poker Slang Lingo: P - Q

• Paint: poker slang lingo for a picture card--Jack, King or Queen.
  
• Pair: refers to two cards that have the same rank with a Pair of Aces topping the list.
  
• Pass: refers to no betting or folding.
• Passive Play: player who is not likely to bet and raise.
• Pat: this hand is it, no further cards required.
• Pineapple: poker version, known as Crazy Pineapple online, is similar to Holdem in that players are dealt 3 cards each and must toss 1 card after the flop is dealt.
  
• Playback: action whereby a player raises an opening bet.
• Playing the Rush: refers to a player who 'is on a roll' of good cards and pots won.
• Play on your Belly: refers to legal play, no cheating.
• Pocket Cards: refers to cards dealt face down.
• Position: poker term for a player's position at the table in reference to betting. Example: early position means that player is the first to bet.
• Post: to bet or wager chips in the pot or a position directly in front of you at the table.
• Pot: winning hand(s) take the spoils, either all the money in the middle of the table or a share of the pot in certain games.
• Pot-limit: refers to the maximum bet/raise that is of no greater value than the total pot.
• Pot Odds: refers to amount of money in the pot versus the amount of money required to call a bet.
• Proposition Player/Shill: refers to the casino/card room hired help whose duties include filling up tables or jump-starting games.
• Protect: poker lingo for increased betting or otherwise attempting to eliminate players who could outdraw your hand.
• Quads: four of a kind—a very sweet hand. Example: 4 queens.
• Qualifier: refers to the minimum standard a hand must meet to qualify for all or part of the pot. Example: with Caribbean stud poker, the dealer must have a minimum hand of ace/king to qualify and continue the round.
  

Poker Slang Lingo: R

• Rabbit Hunting: jargon for looking into the future as to what cards would have been if the round had continued. Do you want to see if you would have received that Full House? Some poker rooms forbid this hunting.
  
• Rabbits: poker jargon used for weak or amateur players.
• Rack: poker slang lingo for tray that holds poker chips.
• Rags: term for cards coming your way that do not help your hand.
• Raise: poker term for wagering more than the last bet thereby increasing the bet for other players in the game.
• Railbirds: spectators or lookie-lous watching the action.
• Rake: a percentage and/or flat fee deducted from the pot after each betting round for the casino services. These services include a dealer and equipment
• Rank: value of a set of cards.
• River: poker term for the last cards dealt in a game of Holdem, Omaha or 7-card Stud.
• Read: skillful players use this method to predict cards held by other players.
• Re-buy: purchasing additional chips after initial buy, if tournament rules allow.
• Represent: term for wagering in a specific way that tells you have a specific hand.
• Riffling or Zipping: method used to shuffle cards before dealing.
• Road Gang: poker jargon for a gang of cheating players.
• Rock: player who raises or folds and rarely calls, thus playing few hands.
• Rock Garden: poker lingo for a game consisting of tight players.
• Round: can mean either a betting round or round of poker hands.
• Rounder: skillful player who makes a comfortable living playing poker—a dream job for many poker players.
• Round of Play: a segment of game play that includes dealing, betting and a declared winner.
• Royal Flush: the best of the best, sequence of AKQJ10, all in the same suit.
• Running: you receive the cards you need from the last two cards dealt.
• Rush: poker lingo for a big win quickly—truly a rush.
  

Poker Slang Lingo: S

• Sailboats: poker jargon for a pair of fours starting hand.
• Sandbag: strategy used to check and then raise the opener to increase the pot.
• Scare Card: jargon for a dealt card that may produce a better hand. For example, a third card in an outside straight sequence (Jack, 10 and 9).
• Scarne Cut: refers to cutting the cards by taking a bunch of cards from the center of the deck and putting them on top of the deck.
  
• Schoolboy Draw: amateur draw, not using sound judgment.
• Scoot: poker lingo for sending some pot winning chips to another player.
• Seat Position: refers to the position of a poker player in accordance to other players. When it comes to betting in poker, position can be an advantage if you are the last to bet in a poker round.
  
• Seconds: lingo about the cheater who deals the second card instead of the top card.
• Semi-bluff: the difference from a bluff is that a semi-bluff has a higher certainty of a win.
• Sequence: refers to cards of consecutive value, example: 56789 straight.
• Session: term for time span for poker games played.
• Set: refers to 3-of-a-kind to include two in the hole or a method of play for paigow poker whereby cards are set into two hands of low-hand=2 cards and high hand=5-card.
• Shiner: cheaters use these mirror-like devices to view unexposed cards.
• Shorthanded: refers to a game where there are only a few players.
• Short Pair: refers to a pair that is lower than the openers.
• Short Stack: situation where a player does not have sufficient chips to cover the betting at the table.
• Short Stud: poker slang lingo for 5 rather than 7-card stud poker.
• Shotgun: game where betting begins once the third card is dealt.
• Shove them Along: version of 5-card stud poker where every player can either play the first upcard or pass to the next player.
• Showdown: poker term to describe the end of betting where a winner is declared by a show of hands by the remaining players.
• Shuffle/Shuffling: mix up those cards before starting another game.
• Side Pot: occurs when a player is unable to match the bet made, but continues play of the game. This pot is for players who have the funds and want to bet more. Winner of the side pot goes to the best hand from the players who participated.
• Slowplay: strategy to under bet an excellent hand.
• Slowroll: don't you just hate those players who ever so slowly, roll out their hand while the other participating players await the result?
• Smooth Call: method of holding back a raise in order to call additional bets with a very good hand.
• Snap Off: you call the bluffer and beat him/her with a not-so-hot-hand—'tis a sweet deal.
• Snarker: player who wins and taunts the loser—bad manners and strategy rolled into one.
• Soft Play: poker lingo for intentionally going easy on a player.
• South: poker slang lingo for player folding as in Going South.
• Spikes: here comes that stunning pair of Aces again.
  
• Splash the Pot: player who tosses chips in rather than putting them in front.
• Spread Limit: poker term for fixed minimum-maximum bets allowed per round.
• Squeeze Bet or Squeeze Raise: poker term for a third player with a weak hand who is in the middle of the squeeze and it's costing him/her because of the larger bets made by other players with better hands.
• Stack: poker term for total of all your chips.
• Steal: winning the pot by bluffing—a card sharp's specialty.
• Stenographers: Four Queens, also know as Administrative Assistants in the pc world.
• Still Pack: term for the deck set aside two card decks are used.
• Stonewall: player who remains to the bitter end holding a weak hand.
• Straddle: refers to doubling the blind wherein the player betting becomes the bigger blind. He/she who bets the straddle then bets last in the pre-flop round.
  As a straddle is designated as a blind, not a bet, the player can then raise if everybody calls his/her straddle.
• Straight: refers to 5-card sequence, example: 78910J.
• Straight Draw: refers to the game of draw poker that does not require openers.
• Straight Flush: beauty of a hand that has 5-cards of consecutive rank and are the same suit, example=78910J of clubs.
• Streak: run of either winning or losing hands—what streak do you prefer :-)
• Stringer: poker slang lingo for a straight.
• Stripping: refers to a method of shuffling/changing the order of the cards in a deck.
• Suicide King: poker lingo for the King of Hearts as the card displays a sword poised to the head.
• Suit: refers to the 4 suits in a deck of cards—clubs, spades, hearts and diamonds.
• Super Stud Poker: another name for Caribbean Stud Poker and Casino Stud Poker, however, with a Progressive Jackpot

Poker Slang Lingo: T

• Table Stakes: we are talking money here in reference to the amount a player places on the table that cannot be changed during the hand.
• Talon: poker slang lingo for the rest of the deck after the deal.
• Tap or Tap Out: you have bet all your money and if you lose, you are tapped out.
• Tell or Tell play: refers to a player giving out signals or 'telling' about his/her hand.
• Thirty days or Thirty miles: poker jargon for 3 tens.
• Three of a kind: 3 cards of the same rank, AAA.
• Tierce: refers to a three-card straight flush.
• Tiger: poker lingo for a low hand to include 23456 or 7.
• Tight Player: poker term for a cautious player who rarely bets on weak hands.
• Trap: poker lingo for a situation where a player may have to call a big raise to stay in the game.
• Trey: refers to the 3-card with 3 pips.
• Two-card Poker: version where the best 2 cards are winners.
• Two Pair: refers to a 5-card hand that includes two different pairs, QQ773.
  

Poker Slang Lingo: U - Z

• Underdog: card contest wherein the underdog is usually the loser.
• Under the Gun: refers to the first player's action once the blind bets are completed.
• Unlimited Poker: no bet or raise limits in this game.
• Washing the Cards: the dealer blends the deck of cards in a circular motion with both hands before a shuffle is performed.
• White Meat: poker slang lingo for profit or money made with the game of poker.
• Wild Card: card(s) that can sub for any other card to improve your hand.
• World Series of Poker WSOP: the granddaddy of all poker tournaments played at Binion's Horseshoe Casino in Vegas yearly. A gold bracelet awaits the winner.
  

After poker slang lingo, you can take a look at Poker Game Software Reviews
Online Poker Guide
Other Casino Clicks
Slot Machines Defined
Roulette Quiz
Video Poker Facts Trivia

Slang Terms for Different Poker Hands – and What Beats What

Poker is full of slang terms and acronyms. You will find most of the abbreviations and terms in our detailed Poker Glossary. This page keeps things simple. Here you will find the standard poker hand rankings, which shows the best 5 card poker hands in order of strength. After that is an entertaining look at the nicknames assigned to different starting hands.

Standard Poker Hand Rankings

The first thing any new poker player needs to learn is what beats what at the end of a hand. Poker uses 5 card hands. In the most popular game, Texas Hold’em, your best hand includes 5 cards out of the 7 total – your own 2 cards and the 5 community cards. It is possible to use any combination. This can be all 5 community cards, your own 2 cards with 3 community cards, or 1 of your own with 4 community cards.

Here are the ranks:

1. Royal Flush: Ace, King, Queen, Jack and Ten of the same suit is unbeatable in poker. If you hit a royal flush, make sure you celebrate – as a hand this strong is very rare.
2. Straight Flush: This includes any 5 cards of consecutive rank which are also the same suit. Essentially, a royal flush is the highest possible straight flush. Aces can count as low, so the lowest straight flush is ace to 5 of the same suit.
3. Four of a Kind: Known as ‘Quads’, having 4 cards of the same rank is a monster hand, beating everything except straight flushes.
4. Full House: This hand is two of one card, with 3 of another. For example, Ace-Ace-Ace-King-King.
5. Flush: 5 cards of the same suit is a flush in poker, this is a strong hand. In the event that more than one player has a flush, the player with the highest unique card wins the hand. For example, an ace-high flush beats a king-high flush.
6. Straight: 5 cards of consecutive rank. If these are the best possible 10 though to Ace cards, this is known as a ‘Broadway’ straight. Aces can count as a low card, as well as high.
7. 3 of a Kind: 3 cards of the same rank.
8. Two Pair: Two separate pairs using a combination of your own cards and the community cards.
9. One Pair: The winner of the hand where both players have a pair will have the highest ranked pair. If both players have the same pair, the player with the highest unique side-card wins the pot.
10. High Card: In the event that nobody can make a poker hand, the player with the highest unique card wins the pot.

Poker Hand Nicknames – Made Hands

Many made hands have slang terms. While these are not as prevalent as the nicknames given for starting hands, they are still worth knowing.

• Quads: This slang term is used for a 4 of a kind hand.
• Boat: This describes a full house. If you hit a card on the river (for example) giving you a full house, you are said to have ‘boated up’.
• Wheel: The lowest possible straight A-2-3-4-5 is called a wheel. This is important in games which involve split pots – like Omaha Hi-Lo. Here you can win the low pot with your wheel – and have a straight which can win the high pot.
• Trips: When you make 3 of a kind with one of your own hole-cards, and two more of that rank on the board.
• Set: Again, this is for a 3 of a kind hand. This time you have a pair in your hand – and hit one of the same rank on the board.
• Top Pair / Top Kicker: An example of winning with one pair is holding Ace-King, when the board contains an ace and lower cards. As long as nobody has 2 pair or better, you beat any ace with a lower side-card.

Pre-Flop Hole Card Nicknames

There are a lot of nicknames given to hands before the flop. Some of these are commonly used, while others are regional / out of favour. Some of them are derogatory and should be used with caution in public card rooms.

Nicknames For Poker Hands-Names For Texas Hold'em Hands

I have covered the most common nicknames for different hands, and simply listed the alternatives after each entry.

#1 – Pair of Aces

This is commonly known as ‘Pocket Rockets’ or ‘American Airlines’. The American Airlines is used as your hand matches the ‘AA’ that company uses on their planes. You might also hear this hand referred to as ‘Bullets’.

Alternatives: Snake Eyes, Needles, Two Pips, Tepees

#2 – Pair of Kings

Kings are called Cowboys when you are dealt a pair before the flop. Some players also call them ‘Ace Magnets’. This is because it always feels like an ace hits the flop when you raise and get called holding King-King!

Alternatives: King Kong, Krispy Kreme

#3 – Ace-King

This hand has a lot of different nicknames. The most common is ‘Big Slick’. Another name which caught the imagination is ‘Anna Kournikova’. This is used because the initials are shared with this famous tennis player. She was a model too – and the hand Ace-King is said to look good, though rarely win (just like Anna!).

Alternatives: Big Ugly, King Arthur, Korean Airlines

#4 – Pair of Queens

Poker Hand Nicknames - The Complete List

Surprisingly, this premium pocket pair does not have as many names as some of the other hands. Some players simply refer to it as ‘Ladies’. A more derogatory term is ‘Bitches’. This name probably appeared from the frustration of either aces or kings on the flop making play difficult.

#5 – Pair of Jacks

Cached

The most common name for Jack-Jack is ‘Fish Hooks’. This is more for the fact that novice players get hooked into playing them than their chances of catching fish at the table. With 3 different over-pairs available, post-flop play can be tricky.

Alternatives: Jakes, Brothers, Jaybirds

#6 – Pair of Tens

With the chances of an over-pair on the flop shooting up, some people refer to tens as ‘Tension’. This makes sense in the context of them being tricky to play, yet too high value to fold for a single bet.

Alternatives: Dynamite or TNT.

#7 – Smaller Pairs

The smaller the pair, the less you win with them, and the nicknames follow – with fewer and more obscure references the lower you go. Here is a selection of names for each lower pair:

• Nines:Phil Hellmuth (who won the WSOP with this hand).
• Eights: Snowmen, Pretzels, Fat Ladies
• Sevens: Hockey Sticks, Sunset Strip, Candy Canes
• Sixes: Cherries
• Fives: Snakes, Speed Limit
• Fours: Sailboats, Magnum
• Threes: Crabs, Treys
• Twos: Ducks, Deuces, Quack Quack

#8 – Hands Containing Aces

Slang For Poker Hands: Nicknames For Hold'em Hole Cards

Big Slick (ace king) was already covered above. This section includes notable nicknames for hands which contain aces and other side cards.

Poker Hand Names Slang

• Ace-Queen: Big Chick, Little Slick, Antony and Cleopatra
• Ace-Jack: Blackjack, Apple Jacks, Armani Jeans
• Ace-Ten: Bookends (as the hand has both ends of the highest straight), Johnny Moss (after the former WSOP Main Event champ)
• Ace-Nine: Rounders / McDerment, after the famous Poker movie character.
• Ace-Eight: Dead Mans Hand (this was held by gambler ‘Wild Bill Hickok’, when died at the table – the hand continued).

#9 – Notable Unpaired Hands

A few more hands which have picked up nicknames for various reasons are listed below. Some of these names are based on the shape of the digits, others for their play in major poker events.

• King-Jack: Kojack
• Jack-Ten: Justin Timberlake, TJ Hooker
• Jack-Five: Motown, Jackson five
• Ten-Two:Doyle Brunson (he won two WSOP Main Events with this hand)
• Eight-Four: Orwell or Big Brother