AboutChris Expertise I am a professional poker player and game theory expert. I can answer almost any question related to poker, from your local home game to winning big tournaments or playing at a casino. I am the head cash game instructor at pokerxfactor.com, and I run a site for poker coaches at http://www.foxpoker.com, give lessons (I'm usually booked at least two weeks ahead of time) and I know a little about the online poker affiliate business as well.
Experience I've been playing poker for a living for 4 years, and have written about the subject extensively. I have sold articles to places like twoplustwo.com and Deal magazine, and I write a monthly column called The Online Fox in Poker Pro Magazine and Poker Pro Europe. I run a poker magazine at www.blindstraddle.com and a rakeback site at www.pokerwhip.com.
Education/Credentials I've read the books, talked to the old timers, and done my time at the tables. That's all the education a poker player gets. I own over 100 poker books and have read them all at least once.
Awards and Honors "Best Article" award on pocketfives.com for 2005 for my bankroll management article. All my other "awards" have been in cash, and I've already spent them. Poker isn't about trophies, it's about money.
Many major tournament wins online.
Past/Present clients Too many to list. I run http://wwwfoxpoker.com I also work for PokerXFactor.com as a consultant and fixed-limit Hold Em expert.
Question i would like to know the rules for dividing up the pot when several players go "all in" with varied dollar amounts.How does the dealer determine who gets how much of the pot?
Answer In order to split up the pot, the dealer should take the smallest stack and take that same amount from each player, along with whatever is already in the pot. This is the "main pot" and the best hand will win it.
Then the dealer should take the remaining chips from the next shortest all-in stack and take that amount from everyone else who is still in the pot. This will be side pot #1.
Side pots can continue to be created this way until only one all-in player remains with chips, and that player will be given his remaining chips back.
The main pot will be decided first, with the best hand winning the pot. Then the hand belonging to the shortest stack will be mucked because he is no longer eligible to win anything. The first side pot will be awarded, and the shortest stack will be mucked, and on and on.
Example -
Stacks
1. 500
2. 1000
3. 2000
4. 3000
Everyone goes all-in.
The main pot will be 500 from each player, since that is all that player 1 can win from each of them. So the main pot is $2,000.
The first side pot will for player #2's stack, which is 500 more from each of the remaining players, for a total of $1,500
The second side pot will be for player #3's remaining $1,000, and only player 4 has the chips to cover it, so that pot will be $2,000.
The main pot will be awarded to whoever has the best hand, because everyone is in it. Then player 1's hand will be mucked, whether he won the main pot or not. Side pot #1 will be awarded and then player 2's hand will be mucked because he can no longer win anything more, and the final showdown for side pot #3 will be between players 3 and 4.
