The roots of the phrase "poker nuts" are uncertain even though it is thought to have come from old slang meaning "delightful issue, practice or experience". It is actually a "delightful thing" needless to say, because in Texas hold’em the poker nuts would be the very best achievable hands that it is possible to have at any point in the game.
If you’ve the nuts, you cannot be defeated…at that level in the hand. This would be the crucial factor that a lot of unskilled players fail to take account of, the nuts can move from 1 gambler to an additional as well as your side which was the nuts earlier on can end up being smashed!
The following example ought to demonstrate the fickle nature of the cards in Texas hold’em poker and how your nuts can quickly turn to pulp!
You are playing a side of Texas hold’em poker and there are 3 players nonetheless in the game at the flop. You have dealt five of clubs, eight of diamonds; Amy has 5 of spades, five of clubs and Mike’s hands is King, nine of hearts.
The flop is dealt and the cards are nine of hearts, six of hearts and five of diamonds. This can be a good flop for you – you’ve got the poker nuts! At this point you may have a straight – 5, six, 7, eight, nine – which can’t be beaten by any other mixture of cards.
Now you determine to "slow play" your hand and try to draw a bet from somebody which has a great pair who will like this flop, so you simply check. Amy likes the look of her palm now as she’s flopped 3 5 spades so she makes a bet which is named by Mike as he now has a pair of 9s having a King kicker. You prefer the way it’s going so you call the bet.
The turn card is Ace of hearts. Mike is now grinning to himself as he has just been able to generate the poker nuts having a flush, his two hearts in his palm plus the 3 around the table with Ace King great now give him an unequalled hand. Mike bets as he knows he’s got the nuts but he wants to draw out the max cash from the table so he keeps his wager low enough to obtain called. You nevertheless assume you are succeeding with all the straight, in reality the Ace has strengthened that belief as you now reckon Mike possibly has an Ace in his hands and perhaps even 2 pairs.
He’s fallen into your trap! Or so you believe.
The river is dealt and it is the 5 of hearts. This can be a blow to you as there are now four hearts on view, so anyone having a heart is beating you having a flush. Mike is happy together with the 5 as he still feels he is succeeding with all the top flush, whilst his opponents may well also have manufactured a flush and assume they are winning. Amy naturally will be the real winner as she has just made the nuts with four 5s, her 4 of the kind can only be outdone by a directly flush or a better 4 of the kind. There are not enough connected hearts showing around the table to generate a directly flush and there is not a different pair showing so it really is not possible to make 4 of a kind.
Amy wins the pot while you and Mike reflect on what ought to have been.
Both of you held the poker nuts at 1 level in the casino game but failed to realise that the poker nuts – along with your fortunes – in Texas hold em can change completely with one turn of the card.
