Stand-up · Nit · Squid game
Know what every seat is paying.
In the stand-up game, the player left without a button pays everyone. That presses an effective ante onto every seat. nitsolver computes those antes — penalty equity and the full heads-up matrix — exactly, from first principles. No heuristics, no presolved library.
What nitsolver calculates
- Average ante per player — the effective ante each seat is contesting against, given who holds what right now.
- Penalty equity per player — expected settlement from the side game, in big blinds.
- Heads-up perceived-ante matrix (N×N) — hero's exact ante against every specific opponent. It is not symmetric.
Why exact math matters
The perceived ante in the stand-up game varies by player and by opponent. A player who is one of the last two standing faces a much larger ante pressure than a player who is already safe. nitsolver computes these asymmetries using closed-form settlement math, not look-up tables or heuristics. Same inputs always produce the same answer.
Game formats supported
- Nit game / stand-up game — all players start standing; last one sitting pays a bounty to all others.
- Squid game — players collect squids on their first hand; remaining squid holders pay a penalty at session end.
Frequently asked questions
What is the nit game?
The nit game (also called the stand-up game) is a poker side game where all players start standing. When a standing player wins a qualifying hand, they sit down and become safe. The last player left standing pays a bounty (typically expressed in big blinds) to every other player at the table. This creates an effective ante pressure on every seat.
What is the squid game in poker?
The squid game is a poker side game where players collect "squids" (buttons) on the first hand they play. Players with squids left at the end of the session pay a penalty based on how many they hold; the players with zero squids collect.
What is a perceived ante?
The perceived ante (also called the effective ante or heads-up ante) is the extra equity a player is contesting in a pot due to the side game. It is the difference in a player's penalty equity if they win the pot versus if they lose it, against a specific opponent.
How is penalty equity calculated in the stand-up game?
In the stand-up game with N total players and k players still standing, a standing player's penalty equity is –B × (N–k) / k, where B is the bounty in big blinds. A safe (seated) player's penalty equity is +B. The heads-up perceived ante for a standing hero against a standing villain is B × N / (k–1); against a safe villain it is B × N / k.
Is nitsolver free?
nitsolver is a one-time $199 lifetime access purchase. This gives permanent access to all game modes (nit game, squid game), all output types (penalty equity, average ante, full heads-up matrix), and all configuration options.