Nut Hand Poker Strategy: What is the Nuts in Poker?

Imagine, instead, that you’re holding an unsuited 9 and 10, and the flop lands 6, 7, and 8 of different suits. You just flopped the nuts, and you’re in a strong position. But if the turn card is a 9, you can be beaten by someone holding a 10-J. If 10 lands on the river, your hand is useless, and anyone holding a single Queen will beat you.

Terms like “second-nuts” and “third-nuts” are also used to reference the second and third-best possible hand. You may hear the expression used in other online casino table games, but it’s rare.

Why Do They Call it “the Nuts”?

Unfortunately, the origin of this phrase has been lost to the ages. We only have apocryphal etymologies, which, as is often the case, likely have minimal basis in truth.

One of the most common-cited stories dates back to the Wild West and suggests players would place the nuts from their wagon wheels on the table after going all-in. It meant that they couldn’t quickly flee if they lost. The story goes that players would only make such a wager if they had the best possible hand, now known as the “nuts”.

It has also been suggested that the term comes from old English expressions meaning “the best of the best” or “a source of pleasure”.

Is “Nuts” Used in Other Poker Games?

The community cards in Texas Hold’em gave birth to this expression. Players must make the best possible 5-card hand using their two hole cards and up to five community cards. The hole cards mean there can be several different hands and countless possibilities on the board at any time.

It wouldn’t work the same in a game of Five-Card Draw, commonly used in video poker online games, where players all have five cards, and the best possible hand is always the Royal Flush.

Incidentally, the game of Omaha Hi, which uses five community cards and four hole cards, is often known as the “game of nuts”, as the winning hand is usually the best possible hand.

Poker Nut Hand Strategy

What happens when you flop a poker nut hand? Is there a preferred way to play this hand? Obviously, you want to maximize the hand value, but at the same time, you don’t want to get caught short, lose the nuts, and then find yourself in a difficult position with most of your chips in the pot and nothing to back it up.

So, let’s look at the best ways to play a poker nut hand:

Bet Out

You could take it easy, hide that you’ve got the best hand, and check/call. But that could lead to a passive hand and an empty pot. Yes, some players might fold when you bet, but that means they don’t have a strong hand and would have probably folded when you eventually bet. So, start building that pot, but don’t get too aggressive, or you’ll scare them away.

Prepare for a Change

Just because you flopped the nuts doesn’t mean you’ll have them by the end of the hand. If someone goes all-in, you should still call—never pass up that opportunity—but don’t get too confident. You should ensure your play is consistent and that you’re not making it clear that you flopped a strong hand, lost confidence, and now don’t have the nuts. If another player picks up on that, they’ll know what you’re holding.

Hope for a Big Hand

This is one of those times when you want your opponents to have a strong hand. If you have an Ace-High Flush and they have a King-High Flush, they’ll be more likely to call your bets, and you may even get a few raises from them. When that happens, they’ll be right where you need them.

Summary: What is the Nuts in Poker?

Now you know what the nuts are and how to play them, it’s time to put that knowledge to the test and see if the flop falls your way. Check in with our casino promotions before you start, as something big could be waiting for you. The only thing better than flopping the nuts is picking up a big bundle of free spins or bonus credits!