Poker Essays

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2.5 Know the rules

"A wildcat is only good once a night."

That's the punch line from an old poker joke.

A player goes to a draw poker card club for the first time. After a couple of hours he gets four aces and bets heavily. He gets called by a player who shows a hand of Q9732, 4 different suits. The dealer starts to push the pot to the player with the Q high hand. Our hero says, "Hey, I've got four aces." The dealer says, "Yes, but he's got a wildcat," pointing to a sign on the wall that says, "A wildcat consists of Q9732 and is the best hand."

Well, as you might have guessed, later our hero gets a Q9732 himself and, after much betting, gets shown the sign that says "A wildcat is only good once a night."

Although few clubs have a wildcat rule these days (although some California clubs do have some weird house rules), a novice casino player does need to realize that the house rules aren't going to be the same as the rules at home games. String betting is an example. Showing all your cards at the showdown, even when you aren't using them all to make your hand, is another. Sometimes a violation of these rules will cost the novice a bet. Sometimes the pot.

Knowing the house rules is important. Watch, listen, ask questions. Some rules are relatively standard. I discuss a few of them here. But, there is always the possibility of a weird house rule. It pays to ask.


2.5.1 Protect your hand

Sometimes, particularly if you're in a seat adjacent to the dealer, the dealer will accidentally grab your cards and put them into the muck. If that happens then your hand is dead. It's as if you have folded. It's your responsibility to keep control of your cards. You can't move your cards over the edge of the table, so the best thing to do is to place a chip on top of your cards whenever you leave them lying on the table. That will prevent the dealer from accidentally scooping your cards.


2.5.2 Keep your cards on the table

Don't pick your cards up and hold them close to your chest to look at them. Leave your cards on the table, cup your hands over them, and bend up the edges of the cards to look at them. Watch the other players to see how it's done.

The reason for this is a rule that says that no card can cross an imaginary barrier at the edge of the table. If you do move your cards behind the edge of the table, your hand can be ruled dead.

Most cardrooms do not strictly enforce this rule at the low-limit tables. But, you will be corrected if you do it, and if you persist in doing it, you will eventually have your hand declared dead. Just don't do it.

On a related note, should the dealer accidentally deal your card to you in such a way that if flips off the table onto the floor, do not reach down and pick it up. You are not supposed to touch any card that's off the table. The floorman will come over and pick up the card. The reason for these rules is to protect the integrity of the deck.


2.5.3 Show both cards

Your hand consists of the two cards you're initially dealt. You don't have to use both those cards to make up your poker hand, but you must have both of them to win. Show both your cards at the showdown by simply turning them face up. Do this even if only one of them is being used to form your poker hand.


2.5.4 One player to a hand

Don't ask a friend for advice at the table and don't give advice to a friend, even if one of you is not involved with the pot, even if your friend isn't playing at the table. Consulting with another person about how to play a hand isn't allowed. Also, don't show your hand to another player, even if they are not involved in the pot and even if you are folding.