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Nit

Slang for an extremely tight player who only plays premium hands.

James Carter
James CarterVerified

iGaming Journalist & Crypto Casino Analyst

What Is Nit?

Nits fold the vast majority of their starting hands and rarely bluff, making their bets and raises highly telegraphed and easy to read. While this style avoids many costly mistakes, it sacrifices value by missing profitable marginal spots and becomes exploitable once opponents identify the pattern. The term is often used pejoratively to describe overly cautious, unprofitable tight play.

Examples

1

Everyone at the table folded to the nit's raise, assuming he only had aces or kings.

2

He was labeled a nit after folding to three consecutive all-in reraises without ever showing a hand.

Strategy Tips

Fold to a nit's aggression unless you hold a very strong hand, since their range is heavily weighted toward premiums. Steal blinds and pots aggressively against nits, who fold too often to continuation bets and preflop raises. Avoid bluffing a nit who has already shown strength, as they typically won't continue without a genuinely strong hand. Watch for nits loosening up in late tournament stages when ICM pressure changes their incentives.

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