Be Careful Or Your Poker Nuts Will Get Crushed!
By Ian McIntosh, Sat Dec 10th
The origins of the phrase poker nuts are uncertain although itis thought to have come from old slang meaning 'delightfulthing, practice or experience'. It is a 'delightful thing' ofcourse, because in Texas Holdem the poker nuts is the bestpossible hand that you can have at any point in the game.
If you have the nuts, you cannot be beaten...at that point inthe hand. This is the crucial factor that a lot of inexperiencedplayers fail to take account of, the nuts can move from oneplayer to another and your hand which was the nuts earlier oncan end up being crushed!
The following example should demonstrate the fickle nature ofthe cards in
poker and how your nuts can quicklyturn to pulp!
You are playing a hand of Texas Holdem poker and there are threeplayers still in the game at the flop.
You get dealt 7 of clubs, 8 of diamonds; Amy has 5 of spades, 5of clubs and John's hand is King, 9 of hearts.
The flop is dealt and the cards are 9 of hearts, 6 of hearts and5 of diamonds. This is a great flop for you - you’ve got thepoker nuts! At this point you have a straight - 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 -which cannot be beaten by any other combination of cards.
Now you decide to 'slow play' your hand and try to draw a betfrom somebody with a high pair who will like this flop, so yousimply check. Amy likes the look of her hand now as she hasflopped three 5s so she makes a bet which is called by John ashe now has a pair of 9s with a King kicker. You like the wayit's going so you call the bet.
The turn card is Ace of hearts. John is now smiling to himselfas he has just managed to make the poker nuts with a flush, histwo hearts
