When playing the online poker, it is compulsory that you come across some of the terms every now and then. But are you actually aware of some of the quite interesting history hidden about those terms. We guess you are not and hence, we have brought to you some of these terms and their history.
You and all your poker online friends will find that the origin and history of these words is actually pretty funny. Let’s explore:
The Nuts
This poker term means having the best possible hands. There are two potentials about how this term originated.
Back in old west, the poker players could bet almost anything they posses at a game. This anything comprised in the nuts which held the wheels of their wagon in place. Without the wagon wheel nuts, the player would get stranded and might die.
To the others players, it would seem that a player would make such a bet only with an unbeatable hand. As many games played indoors in the winter time, the wagon wheel nuts frequently got very cold and at times referred to as the stone cold nuts.
Also, a nut in Old English means a source of pleasure.
Grinding
Playing in a style with minimal risk and modest gains over a long period of time is termed as grinding.
In the beginning, grinding referred to using a hand mill to grind grain. One has to spin a wheel and make a couple of bags of flour by the end of the day. It was a very boring and dull job.
In 20th century, the definition of grinding began to take on a much broader meaning. People began to call almost any job the daily grind. In 21st century, grinding began to be used in videogames.
Robusto
To win lots of money in a short span of time is termed as robusto. There are two possibilities about how this poker term originated.
Cuban Robusto cigars are around $250 each. If you go on a good run, you might open a bottle of Dom Perignon champagne and whip out a Cuban Robusto. Another one, robust is meant as “exhibiting vigor, strength or control”.
Baller
Baller is a successful high-stakes poker player who is flashy with his money and makes insane prop bets.
Originally, a baller referred to. a person who was very successful in basketball. Now, it can refer to approximately anyone that’s rich and flaunts their wealth.
Tilt
Tilt is playing sub-optimally due to emotional distress.
Pinball began to become popular in the 1930’s. Early machines had a grave flaw – players could lift up a corner of the machine and be certain not to lose. By the 1950’s pinball machines began to penalize players that tilted the machines by making them lose a turn. A few players continued to tilt, kick and punch the machine out of frustration even though it lowered their score.
Texas Hold’em
Texas Hold’em is a game that began in the South or Southwest United States in the early 1960s. It originally called “Hold Me Darling”, “Tennessee Hold Me” and “Texas Hold’Em”. Unsurprisingly, “Texas Hold’Em” is the name that stuck.
Poker
Originally, it came from the German word “pochen” which means to “to brag as a bluff”. The literal translation is “to knock”. The earliest version of poker in English was called “brag”.
Happy reading and happy playing poker!