Champion of Poker

Hi,

Before anything, I would like to say first that I admire you so much for all the efforts you’ve done on this site and also for all the great, helpful information you’ve shared. And thanks as your site has been a great help to millions of poker enthusiasts.

Well, now, I would like to share with you why I am here. I would like to ask something about exposing turn card.

At a certain poker room, the turn card was disregarded and for the flop betting round the action was completed. Afterwards, the dealer burned a card and then turned it up. It would have been the river card actually.

Eventually, betting round started and right after the dealer shuffled the cards that were left which included the card that was exposed for the turn. And without burning a card, he then turned the river card.

In your own point of view, should the card exposed at the turn be the only card changed? And that such card still can come out on the river eventually?

What do you think? Any thoughts?

I’m looking forward to hearing from you soon.

Thanks again and congrats for the site!

Stubblefield
Stubblefield,

What you witnessed is one way to take care of a problem of exposing the turn early. The card at the turn is the only card that needed to be changed. And yes, there are times that this will result in the same card coming out on the river.

The above example is probably the fairest way to resolve an early turn card.

Hello,

Just the other day, I played no limit at Poker Stars. At some point, I was not allowed to do the raising and all. Blinds by the way were $100/$200.

With Qt of hearts, I was small blind. Eventually, for 200 two players called while for $100 I called. Later on, big blind checked, thus leaving him $435 left by which was in chips. Flop came and was Kc 9c Jh, hence providing me the straight. After analyzing everything, I then placed a bet of $400 while big blind raised all in to $435 without any doubts. Other two players called then the raise. When my turn to act came, I was permitted to only call the $35 and take note, without raising. By the way, other two players were not all in as long as I can remember.

Why do you think I was only allowed to call the $35? I don’t totally understand. I believe I should have been given the chance to raise.

Thanks and great site!

I hope to hear from you soon.

Regards,
Herb
Herb,

The reason that you were not allowed to raise is because the big blind’s raise was less than a half the size of the required raise amount. This actually does not constitute a true raise.

Hello,

I would like to ask something but I don’t know if it would make sense. What will you do if you want to use the facilities or want to get some of the free grub? Will you leave your chips or take them with you in case?

Another thing, what if while you are gone, one of the blinds passes you by, ante up one more time?

Thanks,
Norman Morisset
Norman,

You leave your chips at the table. If the blinds pass you by while you are gone, it depends on whether you are in a cash game or a tournament. If you are in a cash game, you must post the small and big blind to receive a hand. Otherwise, you must wait until it is your big blind again to play. If you are in a tournament, you will continue to be dealt and your blinds and antes posted while you are gone. When you come back, you play as normal.

Hi there!

Assume that the river card was already revealed and no betting to expect. Then when revealing of the pocket cards came, player A flipped just one card over, he had a pair of Q’s. Player B followed and flipped his two cards over, he had a straight then and so started to collect his winnings. However, before he was able to collect everything, player A flipped his other card over and surprisingly he had a full house. Player B was upset but then insisted that once player 1 unveiled he had a pair of Q’s, he can’t already change that. Player B also said that player A can’t use his other card to have his full house because it was already too late.

Is it significant, the way you reveal your cards?

Thanks in advance.

Kind regards,
David Myers
David,

How you reveal your cards does not matter. Since Player A had a full house, he gets the pot. This is however a serious breach of etiquette known as slow rolling. In tournaments you can receive a penalty for such actions. In a cash game, you are likely to receive a punch in the face.

Hello,

I’m just thinking if what happens next when another player at the table bets out of turn? Any rule to consider?

Thanks in advance.

Regards,
Matthew Gilberg
Matthew,

When a player bets out of turn, their bet stands if nobody acts before it indeed become his turn to bet. If someone bets before it’s his turn, then he has the option to pull his bet back and continue as normal. In a tournament he will also receive a warning. Repeatedly acting out of turn can result in a penalty in a tournament.

Hi,

I played no limit holdem with some business partners. Well, one hand came down to two players, player A and player B. Before the river, player A was hoping back then for a flush with clubs in the pocket and two on the table. Player B was already committed to pocket with QQ. River card came and good for player A as he got his flush. Suddenly, without betting or even checking, he showed his cards. A keen observer who was around since the start of the game said that he mucked. Later, he admitted his mistake that he had forgotten however everyone at the table believed then it was a muck. What do you think? And if in case no one went all in, what will be the verdict?

Thanks!

Schultz
Schultz,

This was not a muck. He just prematurely showed his hand. Action could continue as normal, but the other player would have added information.

Hello,

I believe the incident that was said to be a “mucked” was just a question of intention. Well, if a player never directly said he’d fold or else surrender his cards then he is actually up to play the hand. I guess the simplest and just solution is to consider the player to be in an all in status.

What do you think? Do you have anything in mind?

Thanks!

Warm regards,
Timothy M. Bates
Timothy,

It depends on a couple of factors whether the hand would be allowed to play. If he went to show and the cards hit face down and he is reaching out like “Wait, I meant to show that” then yes he should be allowed. But if it is a case where the dealer pulled his hand in because it looked like he had folded it, then he has no recourse.

Players are required to protect their hand at all times. Now if he had a chip or something on it and the dealer mucked it, then he has recourse.

Hi,

I’m just wondering if a player who is posting the big blind can actually ever raise before cards are even dealt, particularly when in no limit holdem. In some of the games I was able to witness, players with few chips left should put in what they still have prior to the dealing of the cards.

Any idea on the stuff I’m troubled of?

Thanks,
Bob Llewelyn
Bob,

The only person that could “raise blind” and get away with it would be the first person to act after the big blind. Some people will do a “straddle bet” which is a third blind that is used to force action. Players in other positions may not do this. The reason the first player to act may is because they are first to act and it’s their action anyway.

Hello,

Say in a heads-up action, there were two players and the blinds were at 400 & 800. Player 1 was the small blind and then player 2 was the big blind. Eventually, player 1 called the big blind and then expressed verbally he’d raise. Player 2 then went all in and so player 1 folded. By the way, player 1 was not given the chance to say how much he’d raise.

So now, what do you think happens next right after player 1 folded? At some point, I thought that player 1 should raise but I don’t know how much. What do you think?

In advance, thank you.

David White
David,

Player 1 must raise. Since he did not declare an amount or push any chips out, he is only forced to put a raise in of the minimum, which is the size of the big blind.

Hi,

In a cash NL game held yesterday, I was the dealer. Unfortunately, I made a mistake. The player to act first placed a bet right after the flop. I remember he had a caller then. A player was in the hand, however his cards were concealed behind his hand and it was an honest mistake, I forgot he was still in the hand. Turn card came and I flipped it over before he made a move. Just few seconds after, he announced that he was going to call and therefore the hand continued.

Any comments about what happened? Base on the rules, was everything acceptable?

Thanks!

Landon Woffer
Landon,

If I were there, I would have let it go with the way it happened. In a casino, it is the call of the floor person. Some may let it go at his word and others may require that you pull back the turn and burn and turn a new turn. Then you take the old turn card, put it back in the deck, shuffle it, and then burn and turn the river.