About Andy Glazer Expertise I am a poker expert and probably the leading poker tournament writer in the world. I am also an expert at almost every form of casino gambling (author, Casino Gambling the Smart Way). I can answer specific questions about a game, send people towards other resources, or provide lessons.
Experience More than 30 years gaming in casinos. I write the weekly gaming column for the Detroit Free Press, the largest paper in the country to have a gambling column. I am also Tournament Editor for Poker Digest Magazine, and am the online poker guide for www.poker.casino.com. I have taught gaming seminars for The Learning Annex in New York, San Diego, Los Angeles and San Francisco, and for similar organizations in many other cities.
Publications Detroit Free Press, Chance Magazine, Esquire, Card Player Magazine, and probably half a dozen smaller ones I don't recall at the moment.
Education/Credentials I'm a recovered lawyer, please don't hold that against me.
Awards and Honors I've won all kinds of poker, blackjack and backgammon tournaments.
Question Hi Andy,
My name is Jim and i'm writing to you from London England, I was just wondering if i could ask you to clarify a few poker rules for me. First off - when you are dealt 5 cards face down and then may change as many cards as you like (but only the once) without anyone seeing any of your cards - is this called 5 card stud?
Second when "checking" on a betting round can this only be on the first round of betting before anyone makes a bet?
Thirdly, when betting can you raise higher than the amount needed to see someone and am I right in saying you need double the bet to see?
And lastly when two people get the same hand e.g. a pair of kings, then is the winner of the pot then card high or is it a split pot?
Thanks very much for your time and help with this, kind regards,
Jim Cawley
London, England.
Answer Hi Jim,
Some of your questions are easy and some vary too much from home game to home game to answer. Number one falls into that category. You can't "switch out" cards in casino poker, and so there are no standard rules for how to do it, but whatever the answer, you are most definitely not describing five card stud!
As to "checking," usually the first round is the only round when you CAN'T check, because there is a forced bet, either a "bring-in" or a "blind," that succeeding players must either call, raise, or fold to. On succeeding rounds, people can check until someone bets.
When raising, the raise usually must be not double but instead at least the same size of the previous bet, but be careful. Suppose for example you are playing 10-20 hold'em, and the betting goes $10, raise to $20, raise to $30. This is perfectly legal. The first raiser did double the bet, 10 to 20, and the third bettor made a legal raise by increasing by the same $10. You can raise less than the maximum if you are putting your last few chips in.
If two people each have a pair of kings, the pot goes to the hand which contains the next highest card. For example, K-K-A-2-3 beats K-K-Q-J-10.
