The beginnings of the phrase "poker nuts" are uncertain even though it’s thought to have been dirived from old jargon meaning "delightful thing, practice or experience". It can be a "delightful thing" of course, because in Texas hold’em the poker nuts is the very best possible side that it is possible to have at any level in the game.
If you’ve the nuts, you can’t be outdone…at that point in the hand. This could be the essential factor that a lot of unskilled players fail to consider, the nuts can move from 1 player to one more as well as your palm which was the nuts previous on can end up being smashed!
The following example must illustrate the fickle nature of the cards in Texas hold em poker and how your nuts can quickly turn to pulp!
You are betting a side of Texas hold’em poker and there are three players still in the game at the flop. You have dealt seven of clubs, eight of diamonds; Amy has 5 of spades, 5 of clubs and Mike’s palm is King, 9 of hearts.
The flop is dealt and the cards are 9 of hearts, six of hearts and five of diamonds. This is a good flop for you – you’ve got the poker nuts! At this level you’ve a straight – 5, six, seven, eight, nine – which can not be beaten by any other mixture of cards.
Now you decide to "slow play" your side and try to draw a wager from somebody that has a great pair who will like this flop, so you basically check. Amy likes the look of her palm now as she has flopped 3 5s so she makes a bet which is known as by Mike as he now has a pair of nines that has a King kicker. You like the way it is going so you call the wager.
The turn card is Ace of hearts. Mike is now smiling to himself as he has just been able to produce the poker nuts that has a flush, his 2 hearts in his hand plus the three on the table with Ace King superior now give him an unbeatable hand. Mike bets as he knows he’s got the nuts but he wants to draw out the maximum cash from the table so he keeps his wager low adequate to acquire called. You nevertheless believe you are succeeding with all the straight, in fact the Ace has strengthened that belief as you now reckon Mike most likely has an Ace in his palm and perhaps even 2 pairs.
He’s dropped 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 you can find now 4 hearts on view, so anyone that has a heart is defeating you using a flush. Mike is happy using the 5 as he nevertheless feels he’s succeeding together with the top flush, although his competitors may also have produced a flush and consider they’re winning. Amy naturally could be the real winner as she has just produced the nuts with four 5 spades, her four of the kind can only be defeated by a straight flush or a better four of a kind. There are not enough connected hearts showing around the table to generate a straight flush and there isn’t an additional pair displaying so it is not possible to generate four of the kind.
Amy wins the pot while you and Mike reflect on what really should have been.
Both of you held the poker nuts at 1 level in the game but failed to realise that the poker nuts – and your fortunes – in Hold em can change entirely with one turn of the card.