Cutting the Cards
The tradition of cutting the cards precedes the dealing of cards in poker. It has a simple purpose that is sometimes distorted to a point of being ridiculous and sometimes annoying. The only reason we cut the cards is to change the card on the top and the bottom of the deck, there by eliminating the possibility of the person dealing from controlling the order of the cards, or cheating.
Some people like to make 3, 4, 5 or more little piles of cards and then pick them up in a random order. My 85 year-old mother does this for luck when she needs a good hand in pinochle. It is fine to do with family and friends as long as you also do the reassembly of the deck. But please don’t try it in a casino – it’s distracting and could be considered by some to be an attempt at card manipulation.
A simple cut does the job and insures an honest deal of the cards. Please keep it simple when you play poker, it is simply the best way.
Paul Smith
Poker Night in America
