Ni han?

[Gamblor]

as opposed to nice hand?

?

[Greg (FossilMan)]

When many of the Asian players, particularly in California, say "nice hand", it often sounds like "ni han".

Thus, this term, and in a similar vein "ai-yah", have entered the lexicon of online poker players.

Later, Greg Raymer (FossilMan)

[J.A.Sucker]

Ai-yah!!! is a great term - it captures that feeling of known pain so much better than any English phrase. I have even seen it start to creep into traditional writing, though I can't recall exactly where.

[Gamblor]

I always thought that looked exactly like the way they say it. You notice these things living in Toronto and playing at Casino Rama. At the 20-40 game the other night I was the only (seriously- the only) caucasian player at the table. 9 Asians and me. All very nice, but I swear I may as well have been completely deaf.

Ai-yaa!

[Gamblor]

[leon]

It also has a semi derogatory conotation, as in "nice hand, SIR" when what you really mean is "well done fish, what luck you needed to make that garbage you play a winner".

I'm Asian. Usually I don't say anything at the tables but every now and then... you know. So anyway, I speak English fluently, but I do say "ni han" just for humor and to get my point across. It's funny when I've been playing with someone for several hrs, chatting along etc and then in broken Chinglish say "ni han". It usually elicits some quizzical looks. /images/graemlins/grin.gif

Leon

[slavic]

Chinglish

Lol what a word!!!