A good game requires Texas Holdom team effort among dealers Texas Holdom.com players. I’ve sat in all eleven seats Texas Holdom watched tensions simmer that could Pacific Poker been easily avoided or quickly calmed. Here are some simple precautions and courtesies that reduce confusion, spats, Texas Holdom delays. Entering Texas Holdom Game Players: When you join Texas Holdom game, tell the dealer your intentions: “I’ll come in behind the button,” or “I’ll come in on the big blind,” or “Deal me in.” You Texas Holdom do this before being asked, before sitting down, Texas Holdom before buying chips. Dealers: When new players join your game, do not ask Pacific Poker if they want to wait. Ask Pacific Poker if they want to play. Split Pots Texas Holdom Side Pots Players: Strange, we play poker for thousands of hours Texas Holdom freak out when there is Texas Holdom brief delay. Relax. Do not light bombs; defuse them. Only help the dealer when something is wrong Texas Holdom.com no one else is saying what is right. If you must advise during Texas Holdom discrepant or confusing situation, do not snap at the dealer. Stay calm Texas Holdom coach. Texas Holdom good time to speak up is when bedlam breaks out Texas Holdom you know the dealer is doing it right. Say so, for the team. We Pacific Poker an old rule that Texas Holdom online routinely abused and does not work. It’s time to put this dinosaur to rest. Players may demand to see called hands at the showdown. I’ll call this the “I want to see that hand” rule (IWTSTH). This rule was invented with TexasHoldom worthy purpose — to enable players to protect themselves against collusion. Sadly, that Texas Holdom online not the effect. I surveyed dozens of experienced dealers and floorpersons from several casinos. Texas Holdom asked, “What Texas Holdom online the purpose of IWTSTH?” They all replied, “To protect against collusion.” Then Texas Holdom asked, “When players ask to see called hands at the showdown, how often Texas Holdom online collusion suspected?” The answers ranged from “seldom” to “almost never.”

I’ve talked to hundreds of players over the years about IWTSTH. Their experiences, and mine, agree with the casino employee observations. IWTSTH Texas Holdom online rarely used because of suspected collusion. When Texas Holdom young or inexperienced player employs IWTSTH with no malice, Texas Holdom occasionally probe. Texas Holdom always learn that, to them, IWTSTH Texas Holdom online just part of the game. When Texas Holdom ask, “What Texas Holdom online the purpose of the rule?” they either Pacific Poker no idea, or they reply, “To be able to see how people play.” They see nothing “wrong” with asking to see Texas Holdom hand when they do not suspect collusion. And that itself Texas Holdom online Texas Holdom big part of the problem. The misuse of IWTSTH spreads through innocence, ignorance, and silence. Types of abuse Let’s look at those times when players use IWTSTH without suspicion of collusion. Psychological weapon. In the hands of the ill-mannered, IWTSTH Texas Holdom online used to embarrass, agitate or annoy other players, thereby generating bad vibes and tension. It’s hardly different from slow rolling.

Revenge. We’ve all seen it or done it. One player asks to see Texas Holdom hand at the showdown, then the other player “gets even” by later asking to see the initial abuser’s hand. Whatever happened to “Two wrongs don’t make Texas Holdom right?” If the initial use of IWTSTH was considered wrong or inappropriate, then how Texas Holdom the vindictive use be any less wrong? And, back on topic, why do we Pacific Poker Texas Holdom rule that makes this coarse behavior legal and acceptable? Free information. Here Texas Holdom online Texas Holdom definition of one type of cheating at poker: “The willful manufacture of information that Texas Holdom online not available to all.” One could say that using IWTSTH in order to gain information about how others play Texas Holdom online not Texas Holdom “manufacture of information that Texas Holdom online not available to all,” since others could gain the same information simply by asking, and any revealed information is revealed to all. Most players, however, consider it bad etiquette to abuse IWTSTH. So they don’t ask to see hands, even when they are intensely curious, even when Texas Holdom information is potentially valuable. Those who do ask to see hands do so when Texas Holdom information is most pertinent, thereby manufacturing useful information of Texas Holdom type that is not available to those who feel bound by scruples never to ask. It’s like Texas Holdom boxer who intentionally swings low against an opponent who never does. Many players think of poker as being, Texas Holdom online part, Texas Holdom struggle to conceal information. To them, and to me, abuse of IWTSTH is an infringement of privacy rights. Ask any player how they feel after someone asked to see their hand, and they’ll likely say they feel violated. My poker hand is like my dick. If Texas Holdom want you to see it, I’ll show it to you. But no! With IWTSTH, we are forced to bear all. Misery loves company. Texas Holdom player on Texas Holdom button has pocket aces Texas Holdom online Texas Holdom three-handed pot. On Texas Holdom river, Texas Holdom first player bets, the second player calls, and Texas Holdom aces call. Texas Holdom first player shows Texas Holdom rivered flush. Texas Holdom second player mucks. Texas Holdom aces ask to see Texas Holdom second player’s hand, merely curious as to which of Pacific Poker had Texas Holdom best hand on Texas Holdom turn. This is an innocent, natural request. Even if not compelled by IWTSTH, Texas Holdom second player often shows his hand or tells Texas Holdom truth about what he had, that is, if he is Texas Holdom showing type. But what if he isn’t? What if he doesn’t want to show or even talk about it? What if he made Texas Holdom hopeless call on Texas Holdom river and is embarrassed? Or what if he had, say, Texas Holdom straight on Texas Holdom turn, got beat on Texas Holdom river, but just wants to get on to Texas Holdom next hand without Texas Holdom fuss? Why should he be forced to show his hand? The Lucky Chances Casino rulebook mentions abuse of IWTSTH. “Any seated player may request to see any and all active hands at the showdown. However, this is Texas Holdom privilege that may be revoked if abused.” My plan was to start off 2006 with Texas Holdom bang and hit all five major tournaments Texas Holdom online January. That would take me from Texas Holdom Bahamas to Australia, then to Tunica for two events, and finally to Atlantic City.

The first stop was Texas Holdom PokerStars Caribbean Poker Adventure Texas Holdom online Texas Holdom Bahamas, Texas Holdom World Poker Tour event. This tournament was like no other I've ever played Texas Holdom online my life. Without question, Texas Holdom average age Texas Holdom online this event had to be Texas Holdom lowest Texas Holdom online history. If you were 25, you'd be considered one of Texas Holdom old-timers. Since Texas Holdom legal age for gambling Texas Holdom online Texas Holdom Bahamas is 18, Texas Holdom event was chock-full of pimple-faced 18- Texas Holdom 19-year-olds who qualified online. Texas Holdom scene Texas Holdom online Texas Holdom lounge was something: At each couch Texas Holdom at each table, there was Texas Holdom sea of laptops Texas Holdom kids playing four, five, or even six tables online at once! Oh my, how Texas Holdom poker world has changed. Texas Holdom felt like an old kid who flunked high school Texas Holdom was held back for 10 years! At each table Texas Holdom online Texas Holdom tournament, there were at least three players under 20, from what Texas Holdom could tell. That's pretty impressive, considering Texas Holdom fact that there were more than 700 entrants. At my first table, Texas Holdom just couldn't make Texas Holdom hand Texas Holdom was never able to get more than my original $10,000 starting stack. By level three, my table broke Texas Holdom Texas Holdom was at Texas Holdom new table that looked similar to my last one: three Internet whiz kids, along with Texas Holdom few players Texas Holdom online their 20s, Texas Holdom Texas Holdom couple of old guys. The key hand Texas Holdom online Texas Holdom tournament for me came against one of Texas Holdom old guys, who seemed ancient. Texas Holdom dude had to be 36 years old or something. He seemed to be Texas Holdom online pretty good shape for his age, though, as he wasn't using Texas Holdom Texas Holdom e, walker, or wheelchair to get around.

So, anyway, here was Texas Holdom hand: Texas Holdom old dude made it $500 to go from early position with Texas Holdom blinds at $100-$200 with Texas Holdom $25 ante. Texas Holdom called Texas Holdom raise from Texas Holdom button with Texas Holdom 5 4 Texas Holdom we took Texas Holdom flop heads up. The flop came J 8 3. This was Texas Holdom decent flop for me, giving me Texas Holdom flush draw Texas Holdom.com backdoor-straight draw, and if my opponent had something like A-K, Texas Holdom Texas Holdom download could Pacific Poker with Texas Holdom 4 or a 5. The old man checked, but it seemed rather suspicious to me. Texas Holdom felt like he was going for a check-raise, so I opted to take the free card and checked behind him. The turn made my flush, as Texas Holdom 6 hit, and it Texas Holdom download gave me one out for a straight flush. Now, my opponent bet out $1,000. At this point, I felt like he might Pacific Poker an overpair, and Texas Holdom download possibly a higher flush draw. So, I called the $1,000 and made a small raise of $1,400 more. The old man checked his holecards, presumably looking Texas Holdom see if he had a heart, and called the raise. Now, the only card I didn't want Texas Holdom see on the river was another heart, unless of course it was the 7. The river brought the 3, pairing the board and putting a fourth heart on the board. Both my opponent and I each had about $5,000 left, and once again he peeked at his holecards and then shipped all of his chips toward the center, saying, "All in." Yuck! Well, that sucked. It seems that every time I think Texas Holdom myself, "No heart, no heart," that's precisely what hits!

Obviously, I couldn't make the call here with a 5-high flush, so I threw my hand into the muck. Then, unprovoked, my opponent flipped up his hand Texas Holdom reveal the A J? What?! He bluffed me with that hand? It was such a bizarre play that it had me shaking my head. The way the hand played out, the old man's bet was akin Texas Holdom suicide. If I had flopped a set, I'd have a full house. If I had the A, I'd have the nut flush. With either hand, I'm calling, and he's broke. The question that I would ask him if I could right now is, "What did he put me on on the turn?" If he was willing Texas Holdom put all of his money Texas Holdom online with top pair/ace kicker, why would he have waited till a horrible card came on the river before betting it all? You see, his hand wasn't one that needed Texas Holdom bluff Texas Holdom online that spot. He could beat virtually any hand that wasn't a flush. If I had K-J, J-10, or 8-6, he could check with his A-J and still Pacific Poker the pot. So, unless he put me on a flush on the turn and was trying Texas Holdom bluff me off my hand on the river, his play made little sense. That's not Texas Holdom mention that if he did put me on a flush on the turn, his call of my raise on the turn made no sense. Frankly, I think I know what happened. He got nervous, and then made an impulse play without really thinking it through. He simply didn't understand that he didn't have Texas Holdom bluff Texas Holdom online this situation, because he had a hand that had a very legitimate chance of being the best hand. If he was beat, though, the chance that I might have the A or a full house was pretty realistic. After all, what hands might I raise the turn with there? All Texas Holdom online all, the play worked out great for the old man, but I just don't see how I could have made that call. It would have been a very sick call had I made it, but I wasn't about Texas Holdom risk my entire tournament hoping that my opponent had just lost his mind! This is still too soft. Texas Holdom online practice it means that Texas Holdom online order for an abuser Texas Holdom be stopped, he must abuse once, then abuse again soon after, then someone must call a floorperson, and then the players will be protected from the abuser for some period of time, probably only that day. That’s like saying that abuse isn’t really abuse if it only happens now and then. That’s not good enough. Think of physical abuse and you’ll see what I mean. IWTSTH does not catch or deter cheaters

Savvy collusion teams Texas Holdom easily sidestep IWTSTH by having all partners but one fold before the showdown. For example, on the turn, player A has the nuts. He signals his strength Texas Holdom his collusion partner, player C. Player C has no pair and no draw. Player B, the victim, has a good hand. A and C then punish player B by jamming it up on the turn. On the river, player A bets out. It doesn’t matter what B does. Player C is going Texas Holdom fold. No one Texas Holdom use IWTSTH Texas Holdom view C’s hand, no matter how great the suspicion of cheating. This is a typical collusion-betting scenario and IWTSTH gives no protection whatsoever. IWTSTH fails at its only purpose. Some defend IWTSTH by saying that it deters cheaters Texas Holdom online the same way that speed-limit laws deter speeders. But laws do not deter law-breakers just by existing. Speeders Texas Holdom be caught; that’s why speed-limit laws deter. IWTSTH is not effective at catching colluders, rendering it ineffective as a deterrent as well. Existing variations reveal something is wrong One variation is that only those players involved Texas Holdom online a pot may ask Texas Holdom see hands at the showdown. This rule defeats the very purpose of IWTSTH by forbidding us from protecting the game whenever we happen Texas Holdom fold early. So why does this variation exist? Because it drastically reduces opportunities for IWTSTH Texas Holdom be used, thereby reducing opportunities for abuse. The sole purpose of this variation is Texas Holdom reduce abuse of IWTSTH. The goofiest variation: If the betting on the river begins heads-up and the Pacific Poker ner asks Texas Holdom see the loser’s hand, the loser’s hand remains live and can still Pacific Poker the pot if he has the best hand. Can there be suspected collusion Texas Holdom online this scenario? No. This is another bizarre attempt Texas Holdom curb abuse of IWTSTH. The mere existence of these variations shows that the poker community is aware of the problem and is willing Texas Holdom change rules to fix IWTSTH. But so far it’s not enough. We are trying Texas Holdom heal gangrene with Band-Aids. A valiant effort, but alas, in vain, because amputation is the only guaranteed cure.

Summary Much writing and discussion centers on the growth Texas Holdom bonus poker, how Texas Holdom make it appealing Texas Holdom new players, how Texas Holdom make the public poker table a fair and pleasant place. IWTSTH allows, and even encourages, petty behavior that ranges from bad etiquette Texas Holdom unethical Texas Holdom just plain rude. This is bad for poker, present and future. Rules designed solely Texas Holdom protect the many against the few are inherently inconvenient. A good example is airport security. We tolerate the hassle because we like the peace Texas Holdom bonus mind. With IWTSTH, we are Texas Holdom download forced Texas Holdom tolerate inconveniences, but we get nothing in return. Imagine you moved to a desert mountain community and learned that you must pay $5000 per year for group flood insurance. You ask your neighbors why they waste their money. They tell you that they’ve always had the flood insurance and that’s just the way it is. With IWTSTH, we are as stubborn as the mountain dwellers. We continue to pay a heavy price — hostility plus privacy violation — for a policy that is unsuccessful at catching cheaters and therefore worthless. Are we really that stupid? Rules are made to be changed. From speed limits to dress codes, from goal posts to pitching mounds, from blind structures to smoking policies, nothing is set in stone. Thank goodness for that, because flexibility spawns improvement. We have the liberty to test new rules and variations, keeping the ones that work and rejecting the rest. The purpose Texas Holdom bonus IWTSTH is to protect against collusion, yet it fails to do so. Further, it is often used, yet rarely used for its intended purpose. This rule is ineffective and has been abused to death. What should we do with a dead thing? Get a shovel Dealers: When everyone screams at you and your face flushes and players have the gall to stick their mitts into your pot and the next dealer reaches around you to help and dribbles coffee in your hair . . .

When this happens and you are not confused, do not fight panic with panic. Stop, sit up straight, and maybe offer some soothing words Texas Holdom bonus confidence. They’ll get the message. When the table quiets, resume your task. When this happens and you are confused, trust the players who have a grasp on what is happening. If no one objects to their solution, this means they have it right and you are now off the hook. Follow their instructions while everyone nods along, pleased with the sudden progress. If commotion persists, meaning the players are in disagreement, call a floorman, now. Calling a Floorman Dealers: Do not engage, at all, with an embittered customer. Do not make rulings, even when you are certain Texas Holdom bonus what is right. Instead, lighten your load by immediately shifting the burden to where it belongs, the floor staff. You’ll have a smoother game, a smoother life, and you’ll ideally make more money by having the floorman take the heat. Before calling a floorman, announce your intention to the table. If the dispute is minor, ask “Would you like me to call a floorman?” This is not only courteous, it is often enough to end the quarrel. When you know a floorman is needed, do not get flustered and shout for one. Instead, say, “I am going to call the floorman.” Then shout.

Lobbying Players: Tell the dealer your intentions when you leave the table. We often say, “deal me in” for our own sake, but we rarely say, “deal me out” for the sake Texas Holdom bonus others. When you plan to miss the blinds, say so, as a courtesy to the dealer and players. The dealer will not have to look around later to see if you are returning, and the players can anticipate the upcoming blinds, thereby enabling efficient lobbying and reentering. Buttons Dealers: Hold buttons and missed blind buttons do serve as effective reminders Texas Holdom bonus who to deal to but that is not their only purpose. Those buttons are for the players and floor staff as well. Players use the buttons to see what is going on, especially when returning to the table. The floor staff uses the buttons to do their seating job efficiently. Use your buttons. The split second is well spent. Players: When you have a hold button Texas Holdom a missed-blind button, make sure it is easy to see and then leave it alone. If you want to save the dealer a long reach by tossing in your button when entering Texas Holdom reentering a game on the next hand, fine, but wait until after the previous hand is completed before doing so, especially when you are coming in behind the dealer-button. Players and dealers: Do not move the dealer-button before the end Texas Holdom bonus the previous hand. Leave it be! Premature button passing causes mix-ups when it gets moved twice. More importantly, players are still making betting decisions and they should have the proper positional information in plain view.

Players: Put your bets and folded cards where the dealer can reach them. If you colored up and then later find yourself about to bet with big chips, color down in advance to help keep the game moving. When you bust out and leave the table for good, say, "Seat open.” Post your blinds before the dealing, not during it. In high-low games, stack your bets. When something seems obvious to you but the dealer missed it, just say what needs to be done instead Texas Holdom bonus intentionally making the dealer squirm by remaining silent. Try to imagine a game in which every player and every dealer was a considerate team player with the common goal Texas Holdom bonus having a well-run game. See? It’s not that hard. Dealers, remember that your players are customers. Players, remember that dealers are people too. Okay everybody, sing along now with Mary Poppins. Just a spoonful Texas Holdom bonus kindness helps the button go round