For beginners, playing Texas Hold ‘em poker can be a daunting task, but once you have mastered the basics including hands, betting and bluffing, things become a lot more fun and enjoyable. However, these are not the only things you need to learn, poker has so many slang terms and phrases that sometimes it sounds like a different language. If you have ever watched late night poker or any of the other televised tournaments, and you do not have much of a background in poker you may well be wandering what on earth are the players saying. Well, fear not, here is a breakdown of some of the most common slang terms used in the game of Texas Hold ‘em and other types of poker.

Popular hole card slang terms:

A-A: Bullets, Pocket Rockets, American Airlines

A-K: Big Slick, AK-47

K-K: Cowboys, King Kong

K-8: NY Heart Attack (because a New York player actually dies holding this hand)

A-J: Ajax, blackjack

Q-Q: Dames

J-J: Fish hooks, Jokers

J-7: Jack Daniels

9-5: Dolly Parton

8-8: Snowmen

7-7: Hockey Sticks

6-6: Route 66

4-4: Sailboats

2-2: Ducks, Swans

7-2: – The Hammer (worst hand in Poker)

Other Slang Terms

Bad beat: When you are extremely unlucky and your great hand is somehow beaten by a rubbish hand. Everyone poker player has numerous bad-beat stories.

Fourth Street: The dealing of the fourth card on the board, which is also known as the turn.

Gut Shot Straight Draw: When you have almost hit a straight but you still need one more card, for example, you have 4-5 and on the table is 7-8-9 meaning you only need to hit the 6 to get a straight.

Hole cards: The two cards you are dealt to begin with.

Kicker: The second of your hole card and what also acts as the tiebreaker card. Say, for example, you and another player both have top pair, it comes down to your kicker to decide; whoever has the highest kicker wins.

Muck: Folding your cards without letting any other players see them.

Nuts: If someone has the nuts, it means they have the best possible hand available on the table.

Suited Connectors: Two hole cards that are in sequence and are also of the same suit. For example, 8-9 of hearts.

Trips: Three of a kind, usually a very strong hand.

Tilt: Someone who has been affected by a bad beat of a recent big loss can be described as going ‘on tilt’. They often play irrationally and let their emotions take over rather than thinking decisions through.

As you can see, some of these slang terms are rather comical, but it is fun to learn and easy to use and at least you know what everyone is talking about!

Now that you understand some of the terms used in the game of poker, educate yourself with Texas Hold ‘em rules and other basic information that will help you play the game better as a beginner.

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