When playing three card brag and other popular European card games you will be using a deck of 52 cards featuring numbers 1 to 9 along with jacks, queens, kings and aces in the four suits spades, clubs, diamonds and hearts. But did you know that there are playing card nicknames that are commonly used for the whole deck?
Aces are known as – ‘No-Spotters’, ‘Whiteskins’ or ‘Wheelcards’ along with names for suited aces such as ‘Blackberry’ for the Ace of Clubs and ‘Pig’s Eye’ for the Ace of Diamonds.
Kings are known as – ‘Coyboys’ or ‘Knights’ along with names for suited kings such as ‘Julius Caesar’ for the King of Diamonds and ‘King Without a Moustache’ for the King of Hearts.
Queens are known as – ‘Dames’, ‘Painted Ladies’ or ‘Cowgirls’ along with names for suited queens such as ‘Black Maria’ for the Queen of Spades and ‘Helen of Troy’ for the Queen of Hearts.
Jacks are known as – ‘Hooks’ or ‘Knaves’ along with names for suited jacks such as ‘La Hire’ for the Jack of Hearts and ‘Lancelot’ for the Jack of Clubs.
Tens are known as – ‘Dimes’ or ‘Sawbucks’.
Nines are known as – ‘Pothooks’ or the ‘Curse of Scotland’ specifically for the Nine of Diamonds.
Eights are known as – ‘Fat Ladies’ or ‘Snowmen’.
Sevens are known as – ‘Candy Canes’, Hockey Sticks’ or ‘Walking Sticks’.
Sixes are known as – ‘Boots’ or ‘Grace’s Cards’.
Fives are known as – ‘Nickels’ or ‘Pedros’.
Fours are known as – ‘Boats’ or ‘One-Legged Aces’.
Threes are known as ‘Treys’ or ‘Crabs’.
Twos are known as ‘Deuces’ or ‘Ducks’.
So the next time that you’re playing three card brag online or in person think about the cards that you’re playing with and the various names that they’ve acquired over the years.
