The game of poker has come a long way from the trigger happy cowboys in saloons in the Wild West, all the way to being able to play on your phone whenever and wherever you want. Few games can compete with the type of secrecy and mystique that has always surrounded the poker tables.
Poker has always been the game where the best tables can be found in the back, hidden from the main gambling areas and the crowds. I mean, there’s a reason why there have been so many movies made about it. Blockbusters like Rounders and Molly’s Game will give you an idea what life at the tables can look like.
Creativity Runs Wild
With the type of reputation that Poker has, certain slang expressions tend to come with the territory and there’s no denying that Poker has some of the most creative nicknames. Meant to evoke a sense of camaraderie and a shared language, showing that you belong in the club the nicknames travel the world faster than any man could.
The origin can be as diverse as the poker hands themselves and a lot of them go far back in time. Understandably, it’s impossible to list all of them and if I’m being honest, not all of them are great anyway.
However, then there are some that are just perfect and I want to share some of them with you.
Let’s have some fun:
A hand full of Clubs
Club Flush
- Golf Bag – The fact that your hand is full of clubs makes it a very logical and fitting name.
- Puppy Feet/Puppy Prints – A fun name based on the club symbol being reminiscent of a dog’s paw print.
Love is all around
Heart Flush
- Valentine’s Day – No explanation needed.
A-A-A-A-K
- Knights of the Round Table – In the 12th Century, King Arthur and his knights made everyone feel equal by sitting at a round table.
- Monty Python and the Holy Grail – Honoring the entertaining 1970s British King Arthur parody. In the film, King Arthur and Patsy scour Britain for Knights of the Round Table recruits.
A-A-J-J
- Jackasses – Here’s a play on the words “Jacks and Aces.” If you keep an open mind and combine the words, Jack & Aces – Boom, say hello to Jackasses.
Wild Bill Hickok
A-A-8-8
- Dead Man’s Hand – Poker can be a rough game and one of the most recognized hands comes from the legendary gunslinging gambler, Wild Bill Hickok. Holding two pairs (Aces and Eights), he was shot and killed in a poker game in Deadwood, South Dakota, back in 1876.
Stone Cold Steve Austin
A-3-A-6
- Austin 3:16 – Even WWE wrestler Stone Cold Steve Austin has a hand named after him. It’s based on his catchphrase,”‘ Austin 3:16’ says I just whooped your ass.”
You can find Princess Leia in Detention Level AA23
A-A-2-3
- Princess Leia – For all you Star Wars fans out there. This hand refers to the Death Star location where Princess Leia was held (Detention Level AA23) in the movie Star Wars: A New Hope. What a detailed reference, right?
AK-47 Poker Hand
A-K-4-7
- AK- 47 – Gets the name of the AK-47 assault rifle that has been used by many armies around the world.
Three Wise Men
K-K-K
- Three Wise Men – Not only did Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar visit a newborn Jesus, they have also been honored in the game of Poker.
- Ku Klux Klan – With symbols like this, you can’t escape the connection to the “Ku Klux Klan,” and its acronym KKK.
Aerosmith song ‘Kings and Queens’
K-K-Q-Q
- Double Date – The Kings and the Queens are out on the town.
- Aerosmith – Based on their song title, “Kings and Queens.”
K-K-9-9
- Pair of Dogs – I’m sure you know the scientific term for dogs, canine. The abbreviation is of course K9 and since you’ve got two K’s and two 9’s, it’s a pair of dogs.
Q-A-A-A-K
- The Duck – With the hand Q-A-A-A-K, if you try to pronounce it it basically sounds like “Quack”.
Star Wars Stormtroopers
T-K-4-2-A
- Star Wars/Stormtrooper – A TK-421 just happens to be a stormtrooper from Star Wars.
6-6-6-7-J
- Devil’s Convenience Store – Number 666 is of course the symbol for the Devil. The 7-J then represents 7Eleven. Combine the two and you have a full poker hand. Clever!
The 555 ft tall Washington Monument
5-5-5
- Washington Monument – You can learn a lot through these nicknames. Did you know that the Washington Monument is 555 feet tall?
Set sail
4-4-4-4
- Yacht Club – Some say the number 4 resembles the sails on a big yacht, hence the nickname.
Joey and Chandler playing Cups
4-9
- Full Cup – There has to be a reference to Friends somewhere in Poker, right? If you remember, Chandler made up a card game called “Cups” in order to give Joey some money. When Joey mentioned he had 4 and 9, Chandler called out “full cup” and Joey won the game.
Say Hi to Pi
3-A-4-A-5
- Pi – We’ll finish off strong with everyone’s favorite mathematical constant pi(π). This Poker hand contains the first 5 numbers leading to the genius nickname.
Let’s Play!
Who’s eager to play some Poker and see which of the above mentioned hands you can come up with? In case you’ve missed it, I have a lovely Poker guide ready to help you improve your game. Just click here and you’ll be on your way!
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