The nuts?

Thunderball

Auto rep for belly laughs
Silver Member
Good gosh I hate to ask because I'm probably the only one here who doesn't know....

I waited on "speed" (not a term I've heard or used) to discribe ability,but I finally figured it out without asking (not hard)...but the NUTS?I'm still stuck on that one?What does it mean exactly?

Oh FWIW...I was speaking with a guy I don't know real well but have known for a while at the PH.He's says during the brief coversation "I'm (meaning me) the house pro" to which I laugh,but I think he was close to serious (and wrong) and then he mentioned my "speed".

Seriuosly.. that was the first time I had ever heard the word used that way...I would have been clueless if not having seen it here first.Not sure where he's from,but I'm gonna ask next time.

But whats the NUTS?If he (or anyone else) asked for em,I'd better know without having to ask.
 
Last edited:
the nuts

The term "the nuts" refers to a game you can't possibly lose, or that you will almost certainly win.
 
whitey2 said:
The term "the nuts" refers to a game you can't possibly lose, or that you will almost certainly win.

Ahh this explains why it changes from situation to situation/player to player ect.
Hell,If I hadn't asked I may never have gotten it lol....the longer I waited the more confusing it got.

Thanks Whitey.
 
Thunderball said:
Ahh this explains why it changes from situation to situation/player to player ect.
Hell,If I hadn't asked I may never have gotten it lol....the longer I waited the more confusing it got.

Thanks Whitey.

How long have you been playing pool???

Russ
 
whitey2 said:
The term "the nuts" refers to a game you can't possibly lose, or that you will almost certainly win.


like giving me the break in 9B, thats how bad I break :(
 
How long have you been playing pool???
from 17-19 and again from 27 or so until now (35) so for quite a while.But I don't gamble much so that may explain the "nuts" thing perhaps.

The "speed" thing is just not local verbage.
 
Thunderball said:
Good gosh I hate to ask because I'm probably the only one here who doesn't know....

I waited on "speed" (not a term I've heard or used) to discribe ability, but I finally figured it out without asking (not hard)...but the NUTS? I'm still stuck on that one? What does it mean exactly?...

There is no need for you to remain ignorant while the in-crowd befuddles you with their semi-secret vocabulary. Here is an extensive list of pool jargon: http://www.sfbilliards.com/jargon.html

Corrections/additions welcome.

A good resource for general pool/billiards words is Mike Shamos' Illustrated Encyclopedia which Amazon will deliver to your door for $12.50. It has over 2000 words defined and many are illustrated.
 
Nice jargon list...

Nice jargon list... But that doesn't mean I'll answer to "the Rock". :)
 
The expression "The Nuts" comes from the days when pioneers were spreading across this country. They would roll into town in their wagon and to prevent someone from stealing their wagon and all their worldly posessions, they would remove the nuts and sometime the wheels from their wagon's.


When they were forced to sell their wagons or when inticed into a pool or poker game (there was little to do do in these small towns and their saloons) where they thought that were holding an unbeatable hand or in a pool game where they thought they were surely the favorite, they would bet their wagons & contents. They would state that they "had the nuts" (instead of a pink slip). Removing 'the nuts' was their security and then betting 'the nuts' and then losing with 'the nuts' was devastating.

They would produce "The Nuts" to show that they were betting everything they had that they would WIN..... sometimes they lost and sometimes they were cheated.

Doug
 
  • Like
Reactions: sde
Rock, Speed, Rail Crack or Crack'em-using words like that makes sound like druggies to the un informed.
 
Smorgass Bored said:
The expression "The Nuts" comes from the days when pioneers were spreading across this country. They would roll into town in their wagon and to prevent someone from stealing their wagon and all their worldly posessions, they would remove the nuts and sometime the wheels from their wagon's.


When they were forced to sell their wagons or when inticed into a pool or poker game (there was little to do do in these small towns and their saloons) where they thought that were holding an unbeatable hand or in a pool game where they thought they were surely the favorite, they would bet their wagons & contents. They would state that they "had the nuts" (instead of a pink slip). Removing 'the nuts' was their security and then betting 'the nuts' and then losing with 'the nuts' was devastating.

They would produce "The Nuts" to show that they were betting everything they had that they would WIN..... sometimes they lost and sometimes they were cheated.

Doug


Doug has the nuts when it comes to being nuts. :rolleyes:
 
One of my favorite quotes.

Overheard at a Lexington All-Stars tournament.

"That's the only way I ever get a game. Give up the nuts and outrun it."

Alex Pagulayan

:D
 
I've always understood the term to mean that the person who has the nuts has some type of advantage, and would be the favorite to win. The advantage could simply be a small edge, and it could be skill, or psychological. For example, Player A and Player B might have the same skills, but Player A has a history of more wins, he may prefer the equipment they're using, he may have had more sleep, etc. Therefore Player A would have the nuts.

That is the sole reason for all the haggling that goes on between contestants prior to a potential match: they're each trying to get an edge, "the nuts".

In poker, the term is used to mean either an unbeatable hand, or the best possible hand of that type (e.g. the "nut flush")

BTW Tubster, April Fool's Day was several weeks ago...:rolleyes:

Doc
 
gulfportdoc said:
I've always understood the term to mean that the person who has the nuts has some type of advantage, and would be the favorite to win. The advantage could simply be a small edge, and it could be skill, or psychological. For example, Player A and Player B might have the same skills, but Player A has a history of more wins, he may prefer the equipment they're using, he may have had more sleep, etc. Therefore Player A would have the nuts.

That is the sole reason for all the haggling that goes on between contestants prior to a potential match: they're each trying to get an edge, "the nuts".

In poker, the term is used to mean either an unbeatable hand, or the best possible hand of that type (e.g. the "nut flush")

BTW Tubster, April Fool's Day was several weeks ago...:rolleyes:

Doc

I think that goes with the "wagon story". Why would you bet the "nuts" (everything you own) if you didn't think you had the advantage?
 
42NateBaller said:
I think that goes with the "wagon story". Why would you bet the "nuts" (everything you own) if you didn't think you had the advantage?
I can't tell if you really got it or you really didn't.:confused:
 
I worked in as many as I could:


So here I was at Joe's Billiards with the sweetest action a road player could find. I mean, the stone cold nuts. This guy makes himself out to be some shortstop but frankly, he's the biggest fish you can find. Last time I played, I was on the lemon for the entire set playing even up, then went around the world to beat him. All the while, I was firing air barrels.

So here I am again, giving this guy the 8-ball and he's liking it. All the nits form some corporation to back him against me only this time, they're insisting I post. I'm okay with this since I'm packing a few dimes so I say, "Let's freeze up $500 for ten ahead."

I'm in gear right out the gate and I've got his game completely clocked. I'm obviously the front-runner the entire time so I decide to ease up a little, let the score go back to zero a few times but this fish is just dogging his face off. I mean, he's ready to go on sky tilt and he probably knows I'm ready to turn on the heat at any moment. I sweat out a few games and then put a four pack on him to close him out.

Thinking he was done, I only then realized he was just ready to go off. As I dunk a 9 hanger, he retorts with, "Double up the bet, I'm using my own bankroll now but get off the stall. I want the last two and start off with three games on the wire." Obviously, I'm all over this. I was going to nix that spot in minutes and the last two might as well be straight up the way he was missing. "All these sweators are sharking me with their constant moaning. Goddamn mooches."

Obviously, this was going to be the last set for our session and I was skipping town the moment it was done so I was going to put on the heat. One of the railbirds says, "You gotta nice game and you're obviously the front runner in this. Since he's no longer my horse, I just wanted to say I hope you clean him out."

It didn't take long. I was playing jam-up pool now, putting him in jail every time I couldn't get out, holding whitey perfectly. I even ratted in the 9 twice so even the Pool God's were in my corner. On the hill, I break, make two and it's Mickey Mouse all the way through. FIFTEEN HUNDRED, throw the house man his gapper and I'm out the door, back on a train to Chicago thinking how sweet that cabin meal was going to be tonight.
 
Bob Jewett said:
There is no need for you to remain ignorant while the in-crowd befuddles you with their semi-secret vocabulary. Here is an extensive list of pool jargon: http://www.sfbilliards.com/jargon.html

Corrections/additions welcome.

A good resource for general pool/billiards words is Mike Shamos' Illustrated Encyclopedia which Amazon will deliver to your door for $12.50. It has over 2000 words defined and many are illustrated.

Great link. I'm adding it to my resource page. :)
 
Back
Top