Hi,

I’m wondering if you can explain to me the betting etiquette for no limit. Can you? And do you know what makes players mad in casinos with betting? How about the rules with string betting, any idea?

Say player 1 raises 20 chips. Player 2 then calls 20 chips by placing those chips into the pot. He then reaches back after the 20 chips is in, he goes all in.

If in case, I might say (along with some friends) that Player 2′s 20chips in the pot, without saying “raise” and after pulling his hands out of the pot, is a call. But if he later chooses to leave the rest of his chips in, it will be considered as a bet in the dark.

Another thing, if players 1, 2, and 3 are involved in a hand and player 2 drops one of his cards accidentally and player 1 sees it, 1 and 2 now know one of 2′s pocket cards. Do you think player 2 has to flip the card for the rest to see? Your thoughts?

Thank you in advance.

Best regards,
Herbie
Herbie,

First, Player two made a string bet. When you make a raise, you must either do it all in one motion or verbally that you’re going to raise. Player 2 just called in that case.

Also, player 2 may not leave his chips out as a dark bet, unless he is first to act the next hand. If he is first to act and wishes to bet dark, he may.

In the case where a card was exposed, yes, he must flip it over for everyone else to see that is in the hand. Show one, show all.

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Hello,

I remember in the movie Mavrick, James Coburn at some point said something to the effect of “I only have two pair, Aces and Aces”. Do you think what he said has some negative effects?

By the way, your site is so great. Keep up the good work!

All the best,
Wesley
Wesley,

Actually, Coburn said, “I have two small pair. Eights, and Eights.” I love Maverick. It’s a fun move and involves my favorite game, Five Card Draw. Coburn didn’t do anyone a disservice by calling his hand like this. In most casinos, cards speak. What this means is that the dealer determines the winner of the hand by identifying the winning hand. You don’t have to know your exact hand to win, although you should.

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Hello,

I’ve been hosting tournaments for some time now and also been playing at casinos and online. Just recently, my wife also decided to try poker and then later on thought of a social event that we could both host. Well, I believe her idea is okay but the problem is that the tournaments I hold are actually with 4+ table. I can’t see my wife throughout the night with such set up.

The other day, we finally came up with a poker league that goes like this:

• 5 couples, 10 players to 1 table.
• 1  night every week for 5 weeks. Every couple must share a place and there’ll be a pot-luck dinner with the hosting couple serving the main course.
• League fees are $5 per person per week.
• Every league night, one can get 10,000 in chips. Blinds raise every 15 minutes.
• Player who’ll get the first place will have 10 points while player who’ll get the tenth place will get 1 point. Each week, max points will be 50 while the least will be 5.
• On the sixth week, there’ll be a tournament of champions with all 10 players. We haven’t yet decided if it will be a winner take all or pay out to 3rd place or even all the way to 10th getting something like $5. But one thing we’re sure, a player will get 5,000 in chips plus 1,000 chips for each point.

If I may just share, I play not just because of money. I love the intellectual challenge of poker so I also play because of the thrill and all.

Any thoughts?

Hope to hear from you in no time.

Best regards,
Sam
Sam,

I like your setup. It sounds like it will be fun. I would get feedback from your players too and see what they like and dislike and look into ways to change things. This will make them feel a part of the process and make the game seem like their own. You will keep players longer this way and hopefully make more money. Good luck to you.

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Hello,

I was in a home game the other night and the game was full of cackling and loud laughter. Some players were fond of saying crazy, nonsense lines like “I’m gonna take you down”, “I’m gonna kick your ass this hand”. I believe in casinos there is little conversation and noise as most players don’t know their opponents personally. I like more playing in the casinos.

Any thoughts?

Warm regards,
Bill
Bill,

If I am playing among friends, then that sort of banter is fine, but if it’s people I don’t know, I agree with you. Casinos control players like this a lot better than you can at home games. If players get out of line, they are escorted out by security or by the police.

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Hello,

In a certain cash game, one guy placed a straddle while another guy wanted to place a “sleep” bet. Honestly, I haven’t seen it in a casino cash game yet, what is it? Do you have any idea if it’s allowed in casinos or it’s just a local rule?

Thank you.

All the best,
Marc
Marc,

I’ve played in casino’s all over the United States and have even played tournaments at a professional level, and I have never heard of a sleep bet. This sounds like something the cash game where you played allowed.

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Hello,

I regularly play with some friends. In one of our games, an argument about the move of a certain player at the table came up.

At some point, only two of us were left in the hand. I remember I’ve stated that I was all in. Other player then tossed over his cards to show what he had. I figured then out that maybe he finally folded and so I flipped my cards over and started gathering the chips. I saw him then having a peek at my hand. Consequently, he called my all-in. He then said his intention was to think for a while if he would call or not. However, for me his gesture really meant he finally folded. Any thoughts? Who should take home the pot?

Thank you.

Regards,
Joe Darwins
Joe,

In this case, if he had the better hand, he wins. Sorry.

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Hello,

I’ve been into poker just this year. I guess I’ve been playing for just about 7 months now. Well, as of the moment, I’m more into no limit, mainly online. At times, I also play at the casinos.

Just recently, I was in an online no limit sit and go tourney. A certain hand came up and I think I have misplayed it.

I remember the tourney started with 10 players and with 1500 starting chip amount. Blinds were 10/20 at the beginning but then moved up later. After more than 20 minutes of play, tourney-blinds were 25/50 with 9 players.

At some point, I was in the small blind and was dealt K K, club and diamond. My stack was around $1900. There were three players who limped in, including the button who was the chip leader with around $3,500. He was actually playing aggressive on the post flop, normal preflop.

Later, I raised to four times the blind, thus masking it $200 to go. Flop then came and brought 9 which was a diamond, 7 another diamond, and 5 a heart. Afterwards, I placed $400 bet with a desire to take home the pot with a flush or straight draw on the board. After a while, button re-raised me to $800 and so I place him on one of these hands: nut flush draw (A-x diamonds), top pair strong kicker (A-9), a set (9s, 7,s or 5,s), and straight draw (JT).

I had so many things in mind then but later I chose to go all in. He then flipped over 8 which was a club and 6 which was a spades. Well, turn and river didn’t gave anything good so I was busted out.

Honestly, every time I remember such tourney I don’t feel really bad. However, what if I folded and picked my battles with the other more predictable tight players, could the results have been much better for me? What’s on your thoughts?

Thanks!

Regards,
Carron
Carron,

You pretty much got unlucky in my opinion.

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Hello,

Once you stated that “The rule is clear: If your cards touch the muck, it is considered a fold. It doesn’t matter if the cards are face-up or face-down”. Can you please explain this to me more?

Sorry if look funny here but I just want to understand things right.

Thank you very much in advance. I hope to hear from you soon.

Cheers,
Jones
Jones,

The muck is the pile of cards from players that have folded in the hand. In some casinos, when a hand hits this pile, the hand is dead. It doesn’t matter if the hand was is face up as in showdown, or mucked in a fold.

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