Category Archives: Poker Night in America

Lowering your “playable hand standard” 

In Texas Hold-em, you must lower your playable hand standard as the playing field shrinks. For example king 4 off suit in a 10 handed game goes directly into the muck. However in a 3 handed game it looks pretty good and is playable, even if you are first to act. 3 handed you could easily be high hand with just the king high. The flop and the betting of your opponents will make the difference from there but as the number of players at the table dwindles, the lower your standards are for staying in to see the flop. Failing to make this adjustment will cost you dearly in your chip stack with higher blinds coming around at lightning speed. They will eat you alive. It is time to stretch out, see more flops and play more poker as you see the number of players lessen. Everybody wishes they could play more hands and now is your chance.

It’s simply survival

Paul Smith
Poker Night in America

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