Poker1 min readBy

The Nuts

Quick Definition

The best possible hand at a given moment, based on the cards on the board.

"The nuts" is the best possible hand at any point in a poker hand, given the community cards on the board. If you hold the nuts, no other player can have a better hand right now.

The nuts can change as more cards are dealt. A hand that is the nuts on the flop might not be by the river.

How to Find the Nuts

Look at the board and ask: what is the strongest hand anyone could make with it? Check in order:

  1. Is a straight flush possible?
  2. Is four of a kind or a full house possible (is the board paired)?
  3. Is a flush possible (three or more cards of one suit)?
  4. Is a straight possible?
  5. If none of those, the best set (three of a kind) is usually the nuts.

Example

The board is A♥ K♦ 7♣ 4♠ 2♥.

  • No flush is possible (only two hearts).
  • The board isn't paired, so no full house or quads.
  • A straight is possible: holding 5-3 makes A-2-3-4-5.

So 5-3 is the nuts. A set of aces is a very strong hand here, but it isn't the nuts.

Related Terms

  • Nut flush: the best possible flush, usually the ace-high flush.
  • Second nuts: the second-best possible hand.
  • Drawing to the nuts: chasing a card that would give you the best possible hand.
  • Nut low: the best possible low hand in split-pot games like Omaha Hi-Lo.

Key Takeaways

  • The nuts is the best possible hand given the board.
  • It can change as the turn and river are dealt.
  • Check for straight flushes, paired boards, flushes, then straights.
  • Holding the nuts means you cannot lose the hand at that moment, although the pot can still be split.

Examples

  • On a board of Q♠ J♠ 10♠ 3♦ 2♣, A♠ K♠ is the nuts (a royal flush). K♠ 9♠, a king-high straight flush, is the second nuts.
  • On a dry board of K-8-3 with no flush draw, a set of kings is the nuts on the flop.

Related Terms

Poker Hand RankingsPot OddsExpected Value (EV)

Test Your Knowledge

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Do you know what Poker Hand Rankings means?

The order of poker hands from strongest (royal flush) to weakest (high card).

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is it called the nuts?

The origin is unclear. A popular story says players in the old West bet the nuts from their wagon wheels, which they would only do with an unbeatable hand, but there is no solid evidence for it.

Can you lose with the nuts?

Not at that moment, but later cards can change the nuts. You can also split the pot if another player holds the same hand.