But I have seen it many times and I am sure you have committed the sin many times yourself, you called with a hand when you KNEW full well that you were beat. Your calling instinct took over and it was as though you were not in control of the hand for that split second. All top poker professionals have this character flaw but some have it more than others.

I am sure that you will have seen some player on television try to explain why he has just called his entire stack off thinking that a player was bluffing, they try to get away with it by saying that they “had a read” on the player and this was why they made the call.

But televised poker rarely shows players calling their money off simply because it does not make for good television. They edit the program and show successful bluffs, bluffs that were picked off and big pots with big hand vs big hand unless it was a hand where someone got knocked out. So beware of that calling reflex but look out for it in others as well.

There comes a time in every poker players life when they are facing an out and out bully on their table. Being the bully is something that I rarely am over all simply because at the level that I play at the players will simply not stand for it for long. I try to be the bully in selected moments when I am in a pot (selective aggression) and I feel that this style works better for me personally rather than playing in a maniac kind of a way.

But you will encounter these players on your table and like I said in an earlier piece, it is very important where these people are sat in relation to you on your table.

Firstly you have to establish what type of a bully they are. Are they being a bully in general by betting and raising almost anything that moves or are they a selective bully type like me. The selective bully is far more difficult to combat because they are playing in such a way that it seems like they are not bullying at all but just betting their strong hand that seems to come around with the correct frequency which makes it look like they have a hand even more.

Carl “The Dean” Sampson

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.

In a recent game by which my friend was in, something happened. At preflop, there was betting. Then flop came and after that two players remained, player A and player B. Player A went all in. While player B without any doubt, immediately flipped his cards and afterwards said “I flopped a straight”. I was not there actually so I am not certain if the cards that were flipped touched the muck pile or not. Well, I think they didn’t. There’s just one thing I am certain of, player B had turned his cards over however never call, go all in or fold.

Do you think what player B did is already a call or else a fold? Any idea?

Thanks!

Jeffrey Anderson
Jeffrey,

Most will assume this to be a call. The dealer should have asked if he was calling. That would have solved it right there. If this happened in a casino, the dealer would ask his intentions and then move on. If there was a debate, then the floor would be called, but the fact he flipped his cards up and declared his hand would have been ruled an intention to call the bet.

At a local casino yesterday, I played at a 3/6 limit holdem table. I remember I had K 10 unsuited then. Flop came and was K Q 10, rainbow. At some point, I was confident having my 2 pair because I was the one who started the betting and another thing, no one raised me. Of course, later on, turn came and was an A. Betting came and many players were eliminated, two players were left, me and another guy. Then the river came and was a Jack. On the board then was a A-high straight, unfortunately, no hope for a flush. I placed a bet then and he raised. After few seconds, I called him. Revelation time came and he showed an A and a 10. I didn’t revealed my cards then however pushing them while looking down the common cards. I then said “my best hand is on the table”.

In the end, the pot was given to the other guy because the dealer insisted that my cards were mucked. I don’t totally agree with the dealer yet I believe I can’t do anything more about it.

Any advice or thoughts about what happened?

Thanks a lot!

Mike Lewis
Mike,

In the event that your best five card hand is on the board, you must show your cards to get part of the pot. If you toss your cards into the muck, it is considered a fold. This is such a common occurrence that a rule was written out in tournament rules just for this reason.

At later part, someone who had folded looked at my cards and then announced that I had an Ace. Do you think it was a misdeal? If so, then what should happen next? Also, in case a player who is not actually in, reveals someone else’s hand, is there anything he has to face? Just an information, I allowed him to look at my cards but not to announce what are they.

Thanks!

Eddie McBright
Eddie,

This is not a misdeal, but in a casino, the floor should be called. Chances are he will receive a warning. There is a good chance they will kick him out. Personally, I would have kicked him out of the game.

You should not show your cards to anyone else while you are in a hand.

Just last Sunday evening, I played NL Texas Holdem with several friends. At preflop, me and a very close friend of mine went all in. By the way, in the hand, it was just me and him. Eventually, we opted to lay our cards down. Back then, I have Ace King suited while he has Ace Deuce suited. Flop came while he held his deuce. Next was, turn came and was a king. Dealer finally knew that he didn’t burn a card before he has laid the king down.

What’s on your thoughts on this? And what if this happens in a casino or card room? By the way, do you think the king should remain or be burnt or what?

I hope to hear from you soon.

Thanks!

Bryant
Bryant,

In this event, the king becomes the burn card, and another turn card is dealt. Sorry about your bad luck there.

First, I would like to let you know that I love your site so much. It has been a great help to me and to my family. And keep up the good work!

Well, I am here now as I know you’re the person who could help me out find the answer to my questions.

1. Most of the games that I was able to witness, there’s one thing I notice. Most of the players that come into play bring their girl/boy friend, at times even their best friend, brother, cousin, etc. Typically, they sit next to each other and assist or help each other in critical moments. Honestly, I believe there’s nothing so big about bringing someone but there are cases that this already bothers other players at the table. So do you think it would be a poor etiquette, rude, or unlikely to separate “pairs” at the table?
2. It’s quite impossible actually, but for several times already my games end with two players, me and another player. This another player never changes, it’s always him and I don’t know why. Well, I noticed that if he is chip lead by a huge margin then he calls it off, and gives up my buy in. At times if it is reversed he tears me a new one. I believe he’s a tight player. But wait, sometimes he’s also the loose type or the passive one, in fact even aggressive, depends on the situation. Now, I’m wondering, can I crack him down? If so, how?
3. I must admit it I guess, I can’t afford to play in a casino or card room. But despite of this, I want to learn more and eventually be a much better poker player. Is there any possible way for me?

Please, I badly need your help.

Thanks!

Truly,
Perkins
Perkins,

1. There is nothing wrong with someone sitting at the table if all they are doing is observing. If they are assisting the player they are with, that is cheating. There is a one player to a hand rule that should be enforced.
   
2. When you are heads up, you should loosen up your requirements. See more flops and see them cheaply. When you flop solid, then punish him. Play a form of small ball poker. When you get big hands, push your advantages. Chances are you are playing too tight heads up.
   
3. Play online poker. This will help you to learn how to play better as it is live competition, just on the computer. You can also buy you some books or DVD’s to help educate you more regarding poker.

In a live Texas Holdem game, there were two players left for the pot. The dealer then had KK as hole cards while the big blind QJ. Flop came and was A J 10. Turn followed and was 7. The river was the next and was 3. Afterwards, big blind placed a bet of 10k. Eventually, the dealer called the bet the moment big blind announced an A high straight. Maybe because no one was looking, nobody saw the dealer finally threw in his pair KK. However, big blind was so ashamed to find out in the end that he only had JJ and not A high straight. Who do you think should win, if ever you were there present?

Thanks a lot!

Cheers,
Fred Buysse
Fred,

If the K-K showed his hand, he should have won the hand. In a casino, cards speak. What this means is that it is the responsibility of the dealer running the game to read the hand and award the pot appropriately. If a person miscalls their hand, that does not matter. In most home games, the rule is also cards speak. Some require that a hand be called to get the pot.

If the person called their hand and the kings mucked, then his hand is dead. The player should have made sure the other player indeed had the straight.

I played poker with some friends yesterday evening. At some point, three players were playing a hand and right after the turn card, one of them folded and threw the cards on another player’s hand rather on the muck pile, which I guess should be actually. Later, the player with buried cards can’t remember the cards he had and therefore just wanted to call it a misdeal. Eventually, he wanted his chips back. Any thoughts about what happened? What do you think should we have done? Please, I need to hear from you.

Thanks a lot!

Regards,
Boddicker
Boddicker,

If this happened in a casino, the floor person would take the person that folded aside and ask him what he folded. The floor person would then look at the four cards and remove what the person that folded said. That is what you should have done here as well.

I would be suspicious about the person that claimed he didn’t know what he had. It sounds like he was just trying to get his money returned.