The meaning of "Nit"

[MaxPower]

Many people on this forum use the term to refer to a weak-tight player.

From my understanding, a nit does not necessarily have to be a weak-tight player. You can be an excellent player and still be a nit.

There is probably no simple definition of the term, but I always thought that it refered to someone who absolutely refuses to play unless he has an advantage or someone who does things to ruin the game such as treating players badly or being rigid about the rules.

I don't know the exact meaning, but I think using the term to refer to someone being weak-tight is incorrect.

Here are two columns on nits from Daniel Negreanu:

Don’t be Such a Nit! — Part I (http://www.cardplayer.com/poker_magazine/archives/?a_id=12395&m_id=26)

Don’t be Such a Nit! — Part II (http://www.cardplayer.com/poker_magazine/archives/?a_id=12431&m_id=28)

Any opinions?

Am I being a nit for being so preoccupied with the definition of nit?

[CCx]

From urbandictionary.com:

1. nit
gambling term. usually found in poolrooms. Refers to:
1. Someone who's so afraid to lose a bet that they have to be coddled and convinced for an hour that they're going to have a great time and probably win, too. Eventually they may play, but by the time they get on the table the stakes are so low the table-time will eat any winnings you make.
2. someone who won't play unless they have a guaranteed sure win.
3. someone who'll squeeze a dollar 'til george's eyes pop out of the paper.

[skp]

Nit and weak-tight don't overlap but there appears to be a strong correlation between the two.

Sklansky (who I am sure is anything but weak tight) has been called a nit. Cloutier or someone calls him that in a book and gives as an example the fact that when Vegas rooms allowed you to get in the game without posting, David would do that and then often pick up his chips and walk away when the blinds came to him. Apparently, Vegas changed the rule because of Sklansky.

I don't know if that is a true story. But if it is a true story, well David then surely was a nit (though not likely weak tight given his propensity to bet T9 on a A76 flop into a gaggle of players in a raised pot...heh).

Another example of nittish behaviour that bugged the hell out of me in my live games is when the casino used to close at 2 am and the poker supervisor would announce "last 3 hands of the night, guys". Well, lots of guys would just quit right then instead of posting the blinds. I always felt that it was nittish behaviour for winning players to do that. Hell, we beat the game pretty damn good. What's a few bucks in blinds on the odd occasion when they call "last 3 hands" at an inopportune time. To keep the fish happy, I always played my blinds in these spots.

[Luv2DriveTT]

If you watch David Sklansky's DVD, he uses the term "Nitwitt" numerous times. Nit is short for Nitwitt, hence my definition of the term. There is also a "nit picker", which when combined with nitwitt creates the ideal definition of a nit as someone who is acting like and idiot for sweating the small details that are most obviously not important.

IMHO the perfect definition when applied to razzing on some 2+2 posts.

TT /images/graemlins/club.gif

TT

[dogmeat]

FWIW, when I started playing in Vegas and Reno 25 years ago the word used was Knit - as in: The guy is a knit - meaning he would sit there knitting until a good starting hand came along. This was a variation on "being tighter than a nun's c..."

Also from this old guys memory:

A player away from the game was "lobbying", as in - he's in the lobby.

There was no "CO" or cut-off, you were next to the button.

Some hold'em games had only one blind, some had a third on the button.

Nearly every game in Vegas was straight bet, nearly every game in Reno/Tahoe was spread limit. Harrah's even had a $2-$10 anytime limit game that was great. It might be $12 to go preflop (with a $10 raise), and all the way to the river all you could bet or raise was $10. There's much more in the old memory banks, but usually I get a half dozen responses that call B.S. so that's enough. Whatever, I was there.

Dogmeat /images/graemlins/spade.gif

[Ray Zee]

nits were people that did things for small amounts. like-

buy in for the minimum and double up and quit.
beat the blinds a couple of times and quit.
short by whenever possible.
move seats to beat the blinds
order two drinks so they only have to tip once.

it is a derogorty expression. but all nits werent bad, just trying to survive in a tough world

[Rick Nebiolo]

[ QUOTE ]
order two drinks so they only have to tip once.{/quote]

I've done that, but its mostly because poker room cocktail service in Las Vegas was so damn slow.

~ Rick

[Justin A]

A nit is someone who agrees to take half your action in a 20/40 game, and then takes it back when he sees that you're in the game with a few 2+2ers.

NLSoldier = nit.

[NLSoldier]

[ QUOTE ]
A nit is someone who agrees to take half your action in a 20/40 game, and then takes it back when he sees that you're in the game with a few 2+2ers.

NLSoldier = nit.

[/ QUOTE ]

If by "few 2+2ers" you meant, Tommy Angelo, Andyfox, the dude, and Clarkmeister. Then yeah I guess there were "a few"

[Tommy Angelo]

Dear MaxPower,

I take great pride in having learned and then refined the loftiest reaches of nitness and in having trained myself to release my inner nit onto my poker-room decision matrix on purpose.

I'd like to speak on behalf of the good nits everywhere and point out that you mentioned a couple things that I don't think necessarily are required to always go hand-in-hand with the word "nit."

You wrote: "someone who does things to ruin the game such as treating players badly or being rigid about the rules."

May I say then that I don't think that all nits do things to ruin the game such as treating players badly or being rigid about the rules.

However, this other thing you wrote:

"I always thought that it [nit]refered to someone who absolutely refuses to play unless he has an advantage ..."

Now that doesn't sound like such a bad idea, does it?


Tommy the nit

[MaxPower]

Dear Tommy the nit,

Nothing derogatory intended. Just trying to clear up the definition for myself.

To paraphrase Ray Zee, not all nits are bad, just trying to survive in a tough world.

People with Tommyangeloitis are a whole other matter /images/graemlins/tongue.gif

MaxPower

[Tommy Angelo]

"To paraphrase Ray Zee, not all nits are bad, just trying to survive in a tough world.

People with Tommyangeloitis are a whole other matter."

I agree. It's easier for them.

Tommy

[Rick Nebiolo]

Tommy,

You are a good nit (sort of like a good witch versus the wicked witch).

[ QUOTE ]


"I always thought that it [nit]refered to someone who absolutely refuses to play unless he has an advantage ..."

Now that doesn't sound like such a bad idea, does it?


Tommy the nit

[/ QUOTE ]

I think for example a wicked nit won't hold a game together with a temporary disadvantage even if it figures to get good a bit later if it holds.

~ Rick

[beerbandit]

[ QUOTE ]
order two drinks so they only have to tip once

[/ QUOTE ]

if people really do this - thats hilarious


i order two drinks at once alot, this is far from the reason


cheers

[FrankLu99]

i order only 1 drink because if i order 2 i would feel compelled to tip. with only 1 drink ordered i feel like i can shaft them.

actually they should pay me since without me (the casino customer) they would have no job.

[Luv2DriveTT]

[ QUOTE ]
actually they should pay me since without me (the casino customer) they would have no job.

[/ QUOTE ]

nit. /images/graemlins/club.gif