If you’re just starting out playing poker, the concept of having “the nuts” can be confusing. What does it mean to have such nuts? How do you know if you have them during your poker game? And is it worth betting on a poker hand that’s not even good? Here’s everything you need to know about how poker player knows when they have the so-called “nuts” and what that means for their poker game.

The Nuts Are The Best Hand Possible

The abovementioned nuts refer to the hand with the highest probability of winning against any other hand. These are the most likely to win if you are playing against other players, and therefore it is important for you to know how to identify them when they come up in your game.

You will see these hands at all levels of poker, but they’re more common at higher stakes tables where players tend to be more sophisticated and well-rounded in their game knowledge.

You Can Have The Nuts Even If No One Else Knows It

The best way to know if you have the so-called nuts is to be able to figure out what other players think about their hands. If you can read your opponent’s face and body language, then you’ll know when to bluff, when not to bluff, and how much money should be in the pot pre-flop.

You Must Have A Pair Of Aces When There Is No Community Card

When there is no community card, then you must have at least a pair of Aces to have what they call nuts. You can have any other hand and still have it be better than another player’s hand, but only if that player has a better hole card than yourself.

For example, if you hold A-K on the flop and your opponent has A-Q, then your hand is not considered nuts yet because his straight draw makes him more likely to make his straight than yours does for you to complete yours.

In Hold’em, You Need At Least An Ace King To Have The Nuts

In hold’em, you need at least an Ace King to have the nuts. If there is no community card in play, then you must have at least a pair of Aces when there are no other cards on the board that could help your hand beat another player’s hand. For example, if two players have pocket Aces, then one player has the said nuts and the other does not, even though both players may think they have them!