Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[Simon Galloway]

As my tuppenneth on cash games 'on their backs' and perhaps as a prompt to get around to writing up your answer(!) I would much prefer all hands to be exposed, if only so that you can establish exactly what your clean funking rights are. 

For example, you hold top straight with middle set and back-door clubs, how the hell do you know (apart from your opponents reluctant call perhaps) if you are on a freeroll against a naked straight (and therfore funking for your redraws) or are you up against a massive draw (top set+better clubs) and funking for your made straight to hold?

[wormster]

I've not forgotten I need to answer Simon Galloway's Post, & Question, that'll be later.

For now, though, a Question for everybody.

In any well run CardRoom - I'll use DTD as an example, where the Dealers are perfectly trained & consistent - but it applies to any good Poker Playing Venue.

When the Dealer is about to be changed at a Table, he/she fans the deck of cards out, face-down, in that sort of semi-circle-arcy thing. And THEN they do an odd thing - they turn ONE CARD face up.

Today's question is - why?

I've asked almost every Dealer I ever saw do it, & not one knows the answer - except, often, "because that's the way we are trained to do it". Fair enough - but why?

Oh - I don't know the reason either. I'm just curious. Some would say I'm very curious. Odd, even.

ok, here's my go. Could it be that the leaving dealer fans the cards & turns the last card face up so that the new dealer then uses the face up card to turn up the other cards?

[kinboshi]

I've not forgotten I need to answer Simon Galloway's Post, & Question, that'll be later.

For now, though, a Question for everybody.

In any well run CardRoom - I'll use DTD as an example, where the Dealers are perfectly trained & consistent - but it applies to any good Poker Playing Venue.

When the Dealer is about to be changed at a Table, he/she fans the deck of cards out, face-down, in that sort of semi-circle-arcy thing. And THEN they do an odd thing - they turn ONE CARD face up.

Today's question is - why?

I've asked almost every Dealer I ever saw do it, & not one knows the answer - except, often, "because that's the way we are trained to do it". Fair enough - but why?

Oh - I don't know the reason either. I'm just curious. Some would say I'm very curious. Odd, even.

ok, here's my go. Could it be that the leaving dealer fans the cards & turns the last card face up so that the new dealer then uses the face up card to turn up the other cards?

I see what you're thinking, and it makes sense.


With regards to having the cards on their backs if it's an all-in situation in cash, it'd certainly stop the messing about where players are reluctant to turn their cards over for the showdown.  Players will 'half-announce' their hand, or show one card before reluctantly showing the other when the other player demands.  if you're going to play a hand to showdown, you've got to be prepared to show the bloody thing!

[rex008]

Maybe it's so the loser can muck and not give information when they may be buying in again. No point in a tournament as the loser is out.

Or not?

[tikay]

As my tuppenneth on cash games 'on their backs' and perhaps as a prompt to get around to writing up your answer(!) I would much prefer all hands to be exposed, if only so that you can establish exactly what your clean funking rights are. 

For example, you hold top straight with middle set and back-door clubs, how the hell do you know (apart from your opponents reluctant call perhaps) if you are on a freeroll against a naked straight (and therfore funking for your redraws) or are you up against a massive draw (top set+better clubs) and funking for your made straight to hold?

Thanks Simon, you & me too. But it does not answer the Question. I will, however, answer your Question today, but sadly, it's not a very interesting answer.

[tikay]

Maybe it's so the loser can muck and not give information when they may be buying in again. No point in a tournament as the loser is out.

Or not?

Sorry Rex, that can't be the answer, as if the bigger of the two stacks loses, the low-stack survives.

[tikay]

I've not forgotten I need to answer Simon Galloway's Post, & Question, that'll be later.

For now, though, a Question for everybody.

In any well run CardRoom - I'll use DTD as an example, where the Dealers are perfectly trained & consistent - but it applies to any good Poker Playing Venue.

When the Dealer is about to be changed at a Table, he/she fans the deck of cards out, face-down, in that sort of semi-circle-arcy thing. And THEN they do an odd thing - they turn ONE CARD face up.

Today's question is - why?

I've asked almost every Dealer I ever saw do it, & not one knows the answer - except, often, "because that's the way we are trained to do it". Fair enough - but why?

Oh - I don't know the reason either. I'm just curious. Some would say I'm very curious. Odd, even.

ok, here's my go. Could it be that the leaving dealer fans the cards & turns the last card face up so that the new dealer then uses the face up card to turn up the other cards?

Hi Steve,

You may - just may - get the Prize, though I've no idea if it's correct, but it's the best answer yet, & does show some originality of thought.

Missing you mate. Have you grown taller yet, or are you still miniature?

[tikay]

So, in short (not talking about Wormster now), nobody knows why the "reveal" is compulsory in Tourneys, & not in Cash Games. Flushy gave a reasonable reply, but, like my bladder, I'm not sure it holds water.

I'm just amazed so many players accept these follies of the game without a moment's thought, despite poker being largely populated by Moaning Minnies who, given a zinth of a chance, will question anything.

"It's always been done that way".

[RED-DOG]

So, in short (not talking about Wormster now), nobody knows why the "reveal" is compulsory in Tourneys, & not in Cash Games. Flushy gave a reasonable reply, but, like my bladder, I'm not sure it holds water.

I'm just amazed so many players accept these follies of the game without a moment's thought, despite poker being largely populated by Moaning Minnies who, given a zinth of a chance, will question anything.

"It's always been done that way".

I suspect it was once compulsory to expose top and bottom cards (or some such) when changing dealers to prove, for instance, that the deck has not been stacked.

Now, like shaking hands to prove you have no weapon, the custom remains even though it no longer serves a purpose.

[TightEnd]

have you ever witnessed a group of rookie dealers being trained in a major casino chain tikay?

I have, and it baffled me.

They went onto dealing in small comps completely unprepared for the customer interaction, and  many froze in the headlights

What of course you cannot train is the natural spark and confidence to do the job well with 10 pairs of  (often) cynical eyes looking for every mistake

[tikay]

So, in short (not talking about Wormster now), nobody knows why the "reveal" is compulsory in Tourneys, & not in Cash Games. Flushy gave a reasonable reply, but, like my bladder, I'm not sure it holds water.

I'm just amazed so many players accept these follies of the game without a moment's thought, despite poker being largely populated by Moaning Minnies who, given a zinth of a chance, will question anything.

"It's always been done that way".

I suspect it was once compulsory to expose top and bottom cards (or some such) when changing dealers to prove, for instance, that the deck has not been stacked.

Now, like shaking hands to prove you have no weapon, the custom remains even though it no longer serves a purpose.

I'm not convinced Tom, because how would that prove the deck had not been "stacked"?

But I never knew that's why we shake hands, & now I'm wondering why I never wondered why. But shaking hands, though not done for it's apparent original purpose, at least still has a purpose, & we all know what it is, it's a sort of physical "hello, I'm pleased to see you". Sadly, younger folks do it less & less. And some people have that wishy-washy limp wet sponge handshake that so betrays their feeble depth of character. A firm handshake, eye-contact, & a smile, says so much. It's a psychological thing.

[Simon Galloway]

After observing the number of people that walk out of the toilets without washing hands, I have gone right off handshakes in card rooms, as well as eating anything at the table.

Is there a 100% correlation between a feeble handshake and depth of character?

[kinboshi]

So, in short (not talking about Wormster now), nobody knows why the "reveal" is compulsory in Tourneys, & not in Cash Games. Flushy gave a reasonable reply, but, like my bladder, I'm not sure it holds water.

I'm just amazed so many players accept these follies of the game without a moment's thought, despite poker being largely populated by Moaning Minnies who, given a zinth of a chance, will question anything.

"It's always been done that way".

I suspect it was once compulsory to expose top and bottom cards (or some such) when changing dealers to prove, for instance, that the deck has not been stacked.

Now, like shaking hands to prove you have no weapon, the custom remains even though it no longer serves a purpose.

I'm not convinced Tom, because how would that prove the deck had not been "stacked"?

But I never knew that's why we shake hands, & now I'm wondering why I never wondered why. But shaking hands, though not done for it's apparent original purpose, at least still has a purpose, & we all know what it is, it's a sort of physical "hello, I'm pleased to see you". Sadly, younger folks do it less & less. And some people have that wishy-washy limp wet sponge handshake that so betrays their feeble depth of character. A firm handshake, eye-contact, & a smile, says so much. It's a psychological thing.

More ageism.

[Karabiner]

After observing the number of people that walk out of the toilets without washing hands, I have gone right off handshakes in card rooms, as well as eating anything at the table.

Is there a 100% correlation between a feeble handshake and depth of character?

I feel sure that there are LAG and TAG handshaking styles, although I am in the latter camp...

[tikay]

After observing the number of people that walk out of the toilets without washing hands, I have gone right off handshakes in card rooms, as well as eating anything at the table.

Is there a 100% correlation between a feeble handshake and depth of character?

Not really. It's more like 93.6%.

Hand-washing in Cardrooms after visiting the loo is another matter though, & a fascinating one.

We all know that the poker table, with that constant interchange of cards & chips, must be THE most effective germ-passing venue on earth. At some stage, almost everyone touches every card & every chip, it's well-efficient as a means of germ-transferrance. Remember, too, that almost everyone at a poker table also subsequently touches their face at various stages of poker.

Murray Brown - the great Stud Player, & more recently, male half of Hinge & Bracket, came up with a spiffing ploy at Luton. Murray reckons that THE most efficient germ-passing medium is the door pull handle as you exit the Gents Loos. And if you think about it, he's not far wrong. He uses a tissue or hankie in his hands to open that Door. Neat, eh?

But that pre-supposes a long-time given, which, personally, I don't accept, as it falls foul of my "why?" Test.

Washing ones hands after visiting the loo is supposed to be hygienic, but I doubt 50% actually do so. In which case, it's a bit odd that more of us don't contrct illness from all those wee germs, especially pokerists, where the germ-transferrance opportunity is so fertile, surely? And thus, by extension, I contest the notion that not washing our hands, post-pee, is as bad a thing as is made out to be. I think the old wives have been nattering again. And they are alway right. Until you apply the "why?" Test......