Updated on July 18, 2025
If you’ve ever sat at a poker table and heard someone start a bad beat story with “I had cowboys in the big blind”, you might have wondered what the heck they were talking about.
Don’t worry, they weren’t discussing the Wild West or a John Wayne movie. In poker, “cowboys” is one of many colourful nicknames for different hands, and it happens to be one of the most popular ones!
The world of poker is full of these quirky nicknames, and honestly, learning them is half the fun of poker games. In this guide, we’ll dive into everything you need to know about cowboys in poker.
So, dismount your horse and sit with us at the table.
What Are Cowboys in Poker?
The poker term cowboys refers to pocket Kings – that beautiful hand that makes your heart skip a beat when you peek at your cards, and for good reason!
| Pocket Kings is a strong starting hand, second only to pocket Aces, which some players call “bullets” or “pocket rockets.” (Why those names? Well, that’s a separate rabbit hole.) |
The nickname cowboys has been around forever, or at least it feels that way. No one’s exactly sure where it came from, but it makes a weird kind of sense. Kings are, well, kings, symbols of power and control.
And in American pop culture, cowboys have always stood for that lone-wolf, no-nonsense authority figure. So yeah, maybe there’s a link there.
Plus, “holding cowboys” just sounds cool.
What’s interesting, though, is how this nickname seems to have caught on pretty much everywhere:
- Vegas card rooms,
- Home games worldwide
- Random Twitch poker streams
It’s one of those rare bits of poker slang that seems to transcend borders. Everyone knows what cowboys means in poker.
That doesn’t happen overnight, and it proves that this nickname has been circulating in the poker world for a long time.
Cowboys Poker Strategy – Don't Go Broke!
Getting pocket cowboys is exciting, but many beginners mess up playing this poker hand because they either get too scared or too aggressive at the wrong times. However, you don’t need a poker cheat sheet to play Kings.
Let’s break down the basics of what to do when you see those two beautiful Kings staring back at you.
Firstly, let’s make something very clear: Cowboys are always worth playing (unless you have a VERY specific read on your opponent). You shouldn’t fold pocket Kings pre-flop just because you’re scared of your opponent having Aces.
Yes, pocket Aces beat cowboys in poker, but guess what? There are only four Aces in the deck, and the chances of your opponent having two of them are slim. Don’t talk yourself out of playing a great poker hand because you’re scared of that low chance.
Before the flop, you should raise with cowboys pretty much every time. If someone raises before you, go ahead and re-raise. This scenario isn’t the time to be sneaky and flat call. You’ll want to build the pot and narrow down the field to reduce the chances of someone getting lucky with a better hand post-flop.
And that’s where things get a bit trickier. Let’s say the dealer flips something like A-9-T. It’s not an automatic fold, but it is a moment to pump the brakes.
- Take a moment and think: what might your opponent have?
- Don’t just look at the flop in isolation.
- Try to piece it together with how the hand’s gone so far, and whatever reads you’ve got on the other player (even if they’re just gut feelings).
- Then go from there.
A player who was betting aggressively pre-flop and then bets big after an Ace hits. They might have you beat.
Cowboys in Poker – Don’t Get Married
The biggest mistake with pocket cowboys poker is when players get married to them. Poker is about making good decisions with the information you have. If the action gets crazy with multiple players shoving chips in the middle, sometimes the smart play is to fold your cowboys.
Wait for a better spot.
Oh, and don’t get discouraged if your Cowboys lose to Aces. Things aren’t going your way for a while, and suddenly you get pocket Kings accompanied by that glimmer of hope. This hand may change the course of the poker tournament!
You end up all-in pre-flop and see Aces across from you. No King on the board, and you leave empty-handed. It happens to everyone, and it’s part of poker.
The crucial thing is that you play Kings correctly most of the time, not winning with them every single time.
Pocket Cowboys Poker – Wrapping It Up
You may think that learning poker slang is silly, but it’s part of what makes the game so fun. Now that you know that cowboys in poker are pocket Kings with a cooler name, you won’t feel lost when someone starts talking about their cowboys getting cracked by rockets.
Call them cowboys, pocket Kings, or just “KK”, it doesn’t matter. What matters is knowing how to play them. Once the flop hits, things can shift fast, so pay attention and don’t be shy about folding if something feels off.
The hard part of playing Kings is making the right move when money is on the line and you’re second-guessing yourself. Happens to everyone.
Frequently Asked Questions - Cowboys in Poker
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What are cowboys in poker?
Cowboys is a nickname for pocket Kings (two Kings in your starting hand in Texas Hold’em). It’s one of those bits of poker slang you’ll hear thrown around constantly, especially in live games.
Why are they called cowboys?
No one knows for sure. The best guess is that Kings stand for authority and power, and in American culture, cowboys do too. Not a perfect match, but it stuck. It’s been part of the poker lingo for ages.
Should I always play them aggressively?
Pretty much, yes. Kings are a premium hand, and unless something weird is going on, you don’t want to let people see cheap flops. But like everything in poker, context is key.
What other names do people use for pocket Kings?
You might hear Ace Magnets (because it feels like opponents always have Aces when you have Kings), King Kong, or just KK. But ‘cowboys’ is by far the most popular nickname.
What should I do if an Ace hits the flop when I have cowboys?
That scenario is the classic sweat. Take a breath. An Ace doesn’t automatically spell doom, but it’s a stark warning sign. Watch how your opponents bet, think back through the hand, and be ready to let it go if the action starts heating up too much.
Originally published on May 31, 2019
