Last week at the Bellagio, a tourist asked what "Big Slick" meant when the dealer announced it. The entire table went silent. Nine players, including two pros, just stared at him. Not knowing that Big Slick means Ace-King marked him as the fish faster than if he'd worn a sign saying "Take my money."
Here's the thing about poker nicknames: they're not just colorful language. They're a code, a shorthand that instantly identifies who belongs and who doesn't. Know them, and you're part of the club. Don't know them, and you're the mark.
After twenty years at the tables, I've heard every nickname, learned their origins, and watched how using them correctly (or incorrectly) changes table dynamics. I'm about to give you fifty nicknames that'll help you sound like you've been playing since before online poker existed.
The Premium Hands: Nicknames Everyone Must Know
Let's start with the hands that matter most—the premiums that everyone talks about because they're the hands that build or break bankrolls.
Pocket Aces go by "Bullets" or "Pocket Rockets." Bullets because they kill everything in their path, rockets because they send pots to the moon. Some old-timers call them "American Airlines" (AA), though that nickname has faded as the airline has. I've also heard "Eyes of Texas" in Dallas games, and "Needles" from players who've had them cracked too often.
Ace-King is "Big Slick," and this one has controversy. The name comes from 1970s Texas road games where players said it looked good but could leave you sliding into trouble. It's slick, it's dangerous, and it'll cost you everything if you don't play it right. Also called "Anna Kournikova" because it looks great but never wins, though that joke's getting dated as fewer players remember the tennis player.
Kings are "Cowboys." Simple, classic, American. In Asian poker rooms, they're sometimes called "King Kong." The visual is obvious—two big gorillas. Some California players call them "Ace Magnets" because that's what always seems to flop when you have them.
Queens are "Ladies" or sometimes "Bitches" (though using the latter marks you as either old-school or crude). "Siegfried and Roy" was popular in Vegas for a while—two queens, get it? That nickname died with the act. Younger players sometimes say "Hilton Sisters," though most don't know that reference to Paris and Nicky anymore.
Jacks are "Fishhooks" or just "Hooks." Look at the J sideways—it's shaped like a hook. They're also called "Johnnies" or "Jaybirds" in some southern games. The nickname that reveals the most about poker psychology? "Disappointments," because that's what jacks usually bring.
The Middle Pairs: Working Class Heroes
These are the hands that pay the bills in poker—not glamorous, but they get the job done when played right.
Tens are "Dimes" or "TNT." Dimes is obvious—ten cents. TNT because they're explosive but can blow up in your face. Some players call them "Tetris" because of the T-T resemblance to the game. In Houston, they're sometimes called "Tension" because that's what you feel when you have them.
Nines are "Phil Hellmuth" because he won his first WSOP bracelet with them and won't shut up about it. Also called "German Virgins"—nein, nein! That joke kills in home games, dies in casinos. "Wayne Gretzky" (99) is popular with hockey fans.
Eights are "Snowmen" because two 8s stacked look like a snowman. "Race Track" because the 8 looks like a figure-eight track. "Piano Keys" specifically for two black eights—88 keys on a piano. Time your usage based on your audience.
Sevens are "Hockey Sticks" or "Walking Sticks." The shape reference is obvious. "Mullets" in some southern games because they're business up front (decent pair) and party in the back (straight potential). In Vegas, sometimes called "Sunset Strip" because of the 77 Sunset Strip TV show, though nobody under 50 gets that reference.
Sixes are "Route 66" or "Kicks." Route 66 for the highway, kicks from the old song "get your kicks on Route 66." Some players call them "Cherries" because of the resemblance to a pair of cherries on a stem. "Devil's Pair" because 666, though that's technically three sixes.
The Small Pairs: David vs. Goliath Hands
Small pairs are where nicknames get creative because these hands need personality to make up for their weakness.
Fives are "Nickels" (five cents) or "Speed Limit" (55 mph). "Presto" is the magician's term some players use because fives need magic to win. In some games, black fives are called "Piano Keys" like the eights. "Snakes" because the S looks like a 5.
Fours are "Sailboats" because the 4 looks like a sail. "Magnum" as in .44 Magnum—make my day. "Obama" in some games because he was the 44th president, though that dates your political awareness. "Darth Vader" because of the dark fours/force pun—yes, it's terrible.
Threes are "Crabs" because the 3 looks like crab claws. "Treys" is the formal name. "Thirty-three" spoken out loud sounds like "dirty tree" in some accents, leading to that nickname. In California, sometimes called "Gilroy" because of the garlic festival—"tree trees" sounds like "three threes" in certain accents.
Twos are "Ducks" or "Deuces." Ducks because a 2 sideways looks like a duck floating. "Pocket Swans" tries to make them sound prettier than ducks, but it never caught on. "Desmond" after Desmond Tutu (two-two), though most players don't know that origin anymore.
The Connected Hands: Dynamic Duos
These are the hands that play well together, and their nicknames often reflect famous partnerships or connections.
Ace-Queen is "Big Chick" (like Big Slick but with a Queen). "Rocket Queen" after the Guns N' Roses song. "Antony and Cleopatra" for the historically minded. In feminist-friendly games, sometimes called "Rocket Science" because it's a smart woman with power.
Ace-Jack is "Ajax" (the cleaner) or "Blackjack" for obvious reasons. "Armani Jeans" (AJ) in fashion-conscious LA games. "Apple Jacks" like the cereal. "Jackass" when it loses, which is often.
King-Queen suited is "Royal Marriage" or just "Marriage." Offsuit is "Mixed Marriage" in games where that's still considered clever. "Divorce Papers" when it loses. "Bonnie and Clyde" because they're partners in crime.
King-Jack is "Kojak" after the TV detective. "Jackie Kennedy" (JK reversed). "Bachelor Hand"—looks good but won't commit (to winning). "Justin Timberlake" because JT, though most players using poker nicknames are too old for that reference.
Queen-Jack is "Maverick" after the TV show where this hand won big. "Quack" (QJ sounds like quack). "Pinochle" because those are the only cards that matter in that game. "Oedipus Rex" in literate games—queen with her boy.
The Suited Connectors: Hidden Weapons
These hands look weak but can crack big pairs, and their nicknames often reflect their sneaky nature.
Jack-Ten is "Justin Timberlake" (JT) or "Johnny Cash" (J-Cash). "Bookends" because they're at the ends of the straight cards. "Doomsday" in some games because J-T sounds like "Jade" which sounds like "J-Day."
Ten-Nine is "Countdown" or "The Gretzky" (without the pair). "Dinner for Two" because T-9 sounds like "dine." "Railroad" because it makes so many straights it's like tracks everywhere.
Eight-Seven is "RPG" (Role Playing Game, because 87 is a level?). Most just call it "eight-seven suited" without a cute nickname. "Tahoe" because 87 is the highway around Lake Tahoe. See? Some nicknames are reaching.
Seven-Six is "Union Oil" after the old 76 gas stations. "Trombones" from The Music Man ("76 trombones"). "Philadelphia" because of 1776. These geographic and historical nicknames only work with the right crowd.
Five-Four is "Jesse James" (he was shot with a .45). "Moneymaker" because Chris Moneymaker won the WSOP with it. "Colt 45" like the gun or the malt liquor, depending on your audience.
The Garbage Hands: Nicknames for Nightmare Holdings
Even terrible hands get nicknames, usually to commemorate famous losses or just to make fun of them.
Seven-Two offsuit is "The Hammer" or "Beer Hand." The Hammer because it's the worst hand but can still hammer if you play it right. Beer Hand because if you win with it, everyone buys you a beer. In some games, there's a bounty for winning with 7-2.
Ten-Two is "Doyle Brunson" because Texas Dolly won two WSOP Main Events with it. Also called "Terminator 2" (T2). "Brunson" is so established that saying "I have Doyle's hand" means 10-2 to any serious player.
Nine-Five is "Dolly Parton" (9 to 5, like her song). "Hard Work" for the same reason. Shows your age if you use this one—younger players don't know the song.
Nine-Three is "Jack Benny" (he always claimed to be 39). "Gastone" because it's a French hand that surrenders (93 is France's country code). Cultural references that are dying out.
Eight-Three is "Most Feared Hand in Hold'em"—sarcastic nickname for a garbage holding. "Mitt Romney" because he was born in 1947 (4+4=8, 4-1=3). Yeah, some nicknames are really reaching.
Using Nicknames at Your Poker Table
Knowing nicknames is one thing. Using them correctly is another. Drop "Big Slick" naturally and you sound experienced. Force "Anna Kournikova" into conversation and you sound like you're trying too hard.
The key is matching your audience. In a serious casino game, stick to classics like Cowboys and Ladies. In a home game around your dining table, the silly nicknames like German Virgins get laughs and keep the game light.
Regional nicknames matter. Use "Dolly Parton" in Nashville and everyone gets it. Use it in Boston and you might get blank stares. Read your room.
Age-appropriate references are crucial. "Kojak" means nothing to anyone under 40. "Obama" for 44 dates you politically. "Anna Kournikova" is approaching irrelevance. Know your audience's reference pool.
Never explain a nickname immediately after using it. "I've got cowboys—that means kings" marks you as trying too hard. Either they know or they don't. Let the mystery add to your image.
Creating Your Own Legacy
The best part about poker nicknames? You can create your own. Win a huge pot with a weird hand at your regular game? That can become "The [Your Name] Special" forever.
I've got a regular game where 8-5 is called "The Johnson" because a player named Johnson won three massive pots with it one night five years ago. He's moved away, but the nickname lives on.
Another game calls K-4 "The Mortgage" because someone literally won their mortgage payment with it on a miracle river. These personal nicknames create game history and culture.
The point is, poker nicknames aren't just trivia. They're part of poker's oral tradition, a way of connecting to the game's history while making your own. Learn the classics, use them appropriately, and maybe you'll create the next nickname that sticks.
The Bottom Line on Nicknames
Poker nicknames are the seasoning of the game—not necessary for nutrition, but they make everything taste better. They create culture, build camaraderie, and occasionally provide strategic cover when you can reference hands without saying their actual values.
Master the common ones—Big Slick, Cowboys, Ladies, Fishhooks, Ducks. Know the regionally appropriate ones for your games. Drop them naturally, not forced. And remember, the goal isn't to impress people with your nickname knowledge—it's to be part of the conversation that's been going on at poker tables for decades.
Now next time someone flops "the nuts with Big Slick against Cowboys," you'll know exactly what happened. And more importantly, you'll sound like you've known all along.
Want to start using these nicknames in your own games? Set up a proper home poker game where you can practice the lingo while building your own poker culture and history.