Noun

The minimum amount of money or chips that a player expects to win or would consider neither a particularly notable loss nor a particularly significant win. Typically, wages for professional players and the break-even point for people who play for fun.

EXAMPLE: "I made the nut for the night, but didn't go home with any gravy."

APPLIES TO: Online and Land-based Venues

Adjective

Best possible hand of a specific type; the best hand of its kind that can be made given the community cards or exposed cards.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: A nut hand does not need to be the best hand possible overall but rather the best possible one of a specific rank. Example: If the community cards were Qs-Qc-Kd-Kc-7s, a player with a king in the hole would have the nut full house. However, the nut full house is not the best possible hand (or, "the nuts") because an opponent may have pocket Queens making four of a kind.

EXAMPLE: "I had the nut full house. It was just wasn't my night, though. My opponent beat me with four of a kind."

APPLIES TO: Online and Land-based Venues

GAME CATEGORY: Draw Games

USAGE: Describes a hand.

SYNONYMS: Lock

RELATED TERMS: Cinch Hand, Lock, Rock, Rock Garden

Noun

The best hand that can theoretically be made given the board cards at a particular point in the game, regardless of players' actual hole cards.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Example: If the flop is Kc-Qc-7s, the nuts at that point would be three of a kind Kings using the King on the board and two pocket Kings. The turn is Jd, making the board Kc-Qc-7s-Jd. The nuts would then be an Ace-high straight using the K, Q, and J from the board and an A and 10 in the pocket. If the river is a 2c, making the board Kc-Qc-7s-Jd-2c, the nuts would be an Ace-high flush using the Kc, Qc, and 2c from the board and the possible pocket cards Ac and any other club.

EXAMPLE: "I had the nuts and decided to go all-in."

APPLIES TO: Online and Land-based Venues

GAME CATEGORY: Draw Games

SYNONYMS: Cinch Hand, Immortal, Lock

RELATED TERMS: Nuts Player