Chapter 3

The "limit," of course, does not refer to the total amount of a player's stakes, and it is understood that a player may stake _less_ than the limit at any time, but not _more_.

After being seated, the players cut for the deal, and the player who cuts the lowest card deals first. If two or more players cut equal lowest cards, these players must cut again for the deal.

[32]

The duty of dealing in each game after the first, devolves upon the player to the left of the previous dealer.

Before beginning play, every player has a right to shuffle the pack; the dealer has a right to the last shuffle. After being shuffled, the pack must be cut by the player to the right of the dealer.

The player to the left of the dealer then stakes a certain fixed sum (generally small in comparison with the limit) which is called the "ante." This initial stake must in every game be laid by the player to the left of the dealer, before the cards are dealt. He is, in fact, identified with this initial stake, and is known as "ante" throughout the game.

After "ante" has staked, the player to his left, who is called No. 1, has the option of "straddling," _i.e._ of staking a sum double that of the ante. If No. 1 does not straddle the ante, no other player may do so, and the dealer proceeds to deal the cards.

If No. 1 straddle the ante, the player to his left has the same option, and may increase the straddle by the amount of the ante. This may go on round the table, each player in turn having the right to increase the straddle before the deal; but the ante may not be increased by any straddle, or by successive straddles, to an amount exceeding one-half of the limit.

To illustrate this, let us suppose the limit be two shillings and the ante be one penny. This latter sum is staked (_i.e._ placed in the middle of the table before him) by the player on the left of the dealer. No. 1 then has the right to straddle the ante, and he may stake two pence. No. 2 then has the same option, and may, if he wish, increase the straddle by one penny. When the sum staked in this way by successive players reaches one shilling (half the limit), the straddling must cease, and the cards must be dealt. [33] It should be fully understood that if No. 1 does not exercise his right to straddle, no other player may do so.

The dealer, beginning with the player at his left hand, then deals one card, face downwards, to each player (himself included) in succession, until every player has received five cards.* He then places the remainder of the pack before him on the table, face downwards. After the cards have been dealt the betting before the draw begins.

*These five cards constitute the "hand," and in no case may a player have a greater or less number of cards than five.

_If the ante has not been straddled_, the player to the left of ante has the "say," and may begin the betting before the draw.

He looks at his cards, and may either--

(a) Reject them, and elect not to play.

(b) Accept them, and so "open the game."

If (a) he reject his cards, he throws them, face downwards, on the table, and is out of the game until the next deal.

If (b) he accept his cards, he must stake a sum at least twice the amount of ante. He may, of course, increase the ante by any sum not exceeding the limit; but it is not usual or advisable to do more than double the ante.

No. 2, who is the player on the left of No. 1, has now the same option. He looks at his cards, and may reject them without staking (throwing them, in this case, face downwards, on the table), or he may accept them and elect to take part in the game. In this latter case he must stake a sum equal to that staked by his predecessor, or he may increase this sum by an amount not exceeding the limit.

Each succeeding player, including and ending with the [34] dealer, has, in his turn, the same privilege. He must either reject his cards and not play until the next deal, or accept them and stake a sum at least equal to that staked by his predecessor.

It is not advisable for any player to increase the stake on this first round, since to do so would probably cause succeeding players with moderate hands to reject their cards and not stake. The dealer or last player frequently, however, raises the stake with the object of inducing ante, who may hold a weak hand, to relinquish his initial stake.

Ante is the last to look at his cards, or in other words, has the last say.

If he pass, _i.e._ elect not to play, he throws his cards, face downwards, on the table, and retires from the game until the next deal, losing his original stake. If he accept his cards and elect to play, he must make his stake at least equal to that of the player on his right.

_If the ante has been straddled_, the player to the left of the straddler (or of the last straddler, if there be more than one) has the say, _i.e._ has the option of beginning the betting before the draw. He may, after looking at his cards, either

(a) Throw them, face downwards, on the table, and elect not to play.

(b) Accept them and "open the game."

If he open the game, he must stake a sum at least equal to double the ante and straddles together, and he may also, if he choose, stake a further sum not exceeding the limit. Whichever he elect to do, the say afterwards passes to the player at his left hand, who has a similar option; and so on round the table. The last straddler has thus the last say.

Beginning with ante, or with the first player on the left of the dealer, each player may then exchange all or any number of the cards he holds for others from the remainder [35] of the pack. He must first throw on the table, face downwards, the number of cards he wishes to exchange (this is called "discarding"), and the dealer then gives him an equal number from the top of the pack. Before exchanging any of his cards, however, each player must make his stake equal to that of ante, or of the last player.

It is not compulsory for a player to exchange all or any of his cards; but he must exercise or relinquish the privilege of doing so when his turn comes, once for all; and he cannot afterwards modify his choice, nor take back any card or cards he may have discarded.

Whether he exchange any of his cards, or whether he retains the hand first dealt out to him, each player must make his stake equal to that of ante, or of the last player, so that when all players have been supplied with, or refused, new cards, the stakes are all equal, and are all placed in the pool.

To give a practical illustration of this process, let us suppose that there are five players taking part in the game, that the ante is fixed at threepence, and the limit at a shilling. The players cut for deal, and the deal falls to _A_.

____ (No. 1) C / \ D (No. 2) ( ) (Ante) B \____/ E (No. 3) A (Dealer)

_B_ then is ante, _C_ No. 1, etc.

_B_ (ante) stakes threepence.

[36]

_C_, who has the right to straddle the ante does not do so, so no other player may.

_A_ then deals five rounds of one card each to each player, beginning with _B_, and then puts the remainder of the pack on the table.

_C_ (No. 1) then looks at his cards, elects to play, and stakes sixpence (double ante's stake).

_D_ (No. 2) looks at his cards, rejects them, throwing them face downwards on the table, and retiring from the game until the next deal.

_E_ (No. 3) looks at his cards, elects to play, and stakes sixpence.

_A_ (dealer) looks at his cards, elects to play, and stakes one shilling and sixpence (he must stake sixpence, but he raises the stakes by the maximum amount allowed).

_B_ (ante) looks at his cards, elects to play, and stakes one shilling and threepence, making his stake equal to _A's_. _B_ then discards two of his cards, places them face downwards on the table, and receives from _A_ two in their place.

_C_ (No. 1) adds a shilling to his stake, making it equal to _A's_ and _B's_, and throws down all his cards, receiving five new ones in their place.

_E_ (No. 3), rather than increase his stake to one shilling and sixpence, relinquishes his hand, throwing down his cards, and losing the sixpence he has already staked.

_A_ (dealer), who has already staked one shilling and sixpence, throws down one card and takes another in its place from the top of the pack.

There are now three players, _A_, _B_, and _C_, each of whom has staked one shilling and sixpence on his hand, and there is a sum of five shillings, including _E's_ first stake in the pool.

No. 1 then begins play by betting a sum not exceeding [37] the limit. He may, if he choose, "stand," decline to bet until the next round, or he may throw his cards face downwards on the table and retire from the game, losing the money he has already staked. The turn then passes to No. 2. Let us suppose, in the first place, that he does bet.

The next player on his left must then--

(_a_) Make his stake equal to that of No. 1, in which case he is said to "call" No. 1, and he has the right to see No. 1's hand when the game is over, or--

(_b_) Make his stake greater than that of No. 1 by a sum not exceeding the limit, in which case he is said to "raise" No. 1; or--

(_c_) Resign the game, place his cards face downwards on the table, and lose the sum he has already staked.

Each player in succession has a similar choice. He must--

(_a_) Call the preceding player; or

(_b_) Raise the preceding player; or

(_c_) Resign his stake and the game.

If No. 1 had "stood," _i.e._ not bet when it was first his turn to play, he would have to do so when the turn came round to him again, or else relinquish his cards and his stake.

When all the stakes are equal, each player throws his cards face upwards on the table, and the player with the best hand takes the pool and all the stakes.

It will be seen thus that there is no play of the cards in Poker, as in most other card games. The best hand exposed wins the game and takes the stakes; and the play of the game consists in estimating the probable value of the opponents' hands as compared with the player's own hand.

[38]

To resume our illustration (page 36).

_C_ begins play by betting sixpence.

_A_ also bets sixpence, making his stake equal to _C's_, and by doing so is said to call _C_.

_B_ bets one shilling and sixpence, _i.e._ raises _C_ a shilling. He makes his stake equal to _C's_ and _A's_, and has exercised his right to increase it by a sum not exceeding the limit.

_C_, whose turn it now is again, adds two shillings to his stake, raising _B_ a shilling.

_A_ will not stake more, so relinquishes the game and his stake, placing his cards face downwards on the table.

_B_ adds one shilling to his stake, making it equal to _C's_, and _C_ is therefore compelled to show his hand. It happens to be better than _B's_, so _C_ claims _B's_ stake (two shillings and sixpence) and the pool (five shillings and sixpence); and the game is over.

_VALUE OF THE_ "_HANDS_."

The "hands" at Poker are as follows, in order of value:--

No. 1. _Sequence Flush_, or _Straight Flush_.--A sequence of five cards of the same suit. In sequences the ace is the lowest card, and therefore ace to five is the lowest possible sequence. Nine to king is the highest possible sequence, and if a "flush," _i.e._ all the cards of the same suit, is the best possible hand in Poker.

No. 2. _Fours_, or _Four of a kind_.--Four cards of equal value, and one other card of no value. Four aces take precedence, then four kings, etc.

No. 3. _Full Hand_.--Three cards of equal value, and two [39] cards of equal value (for instance, three queens and two aces). The relative values of two or more "full hands" are fixed by the threes they contain, the highest three taking precedence, without regard to the value of the other two cards. Thus, a "full hand" consisting of three tens and two fours, is better than a "full hand" consisting of three nines and two kings.

No. 4. _Flush_.--Five cards of one suit. The relative values of two or more "flush" hands depend upon the value of the cards they comprise, --the highest card taking precedence.

No. 5. _Sequence_, or _Straight_.--A sequence in value of cards, not being all of one suit. Nine to king is the highest sequence, and wins, of course, against any lower sequence.

No. 6. _Triplets_, or _Threes_.--Three cards of the same value, and two other cards which are of no value. Three aces are highest, then three kings, three queens, etc.

No. 7. _Two Pairs_.--Two sets of two cards each, of equal value (_i.e._ 2 knaves and 2 fours for instance), and one card of no value. The relative values of two or more "two pair" hands is decided by the highest pair. If two hands have equally high pairs, the value is decided by the second pair.

No. 8. _A Pair_.--Two cards of equal value, and three of no value. Two aces are the highest pair.

If, when the cards are exposed after a game, no player holds any of the foregoing "hands," the player whose hand contains the card highest in value wins the stakes. If two or more players hold cards equally high in value, the player who holds the next highest card wins.

[40]

_THE JACK-POT_.

If all the players reject their cards, declining to play, ante's stake remains in the pool; and the deal passes to him. Before he deals, however, he and every other player must put into the pool a sum equal to the ante. The next hand is called a Jack-pot, and the game cannot be opened by any player unless he has at least a pair of knaves in his hand. Any better hand entitles him to open the game of course, but he must have at least two knaves. If there be no players in a Jack-pot, the stakes still remain in the pool, every player again puts in a sum equal to the ante, and the deal passes on as before. In this second Jack-pot, however, two queens is the lowest hand with which the game may be opened. If there are again no players, the pool is again replenished, and the next game cannot be opened with anything less than two kings; then the Jack-pot comes down to two knaves again, and continues the same series of minimum hands--2 knaves, 2 queens, 2 kings--until the game is opened by a player holding the requisite or a better hand. A Jack-pot having been opened, the winner takes the accumulated pool, and the succeeding game reverts to the ordinary conditions, _i.e._ may be opened by any player in his turn and without reference to his hand. If a player open a Jack-pot, and all the other players pass, he must, before he can claim the pool, show, by laying his cards face upwards on the table, that he really does possess the minimum hand necessary to open the game with. If he have the minimum hand, or better, he takes the pool; but if he have not, the next game is a Jack-pot, just as if the previous game had not been opened, and the player who opened the game improperly must pay a sum double that of the ante into the pool as a penalty.

[41]

_MODIFICATIONS_.

Modifications of the game have been from time to time introduced, but few have any claim to permanence or popularity. The best known in this country are the Blaze and the Joker.

_The Blaze_ is an additional hand which consists of five court cards. It takes precedence of two pairs, but is beaten by triplets. The relative values of two or more blaze hands are fixed by the highest card, a hand containing ace or aces being best.

_The Joker_ is an additional card, sometimes included in the pack, and to which any value may be given by the player holding it. If for instance, a player hold king, queen, knave, and ten of hearts, and the joker, he may call the joker ace of hearts, and so claim a sequence flush. The joker is a higher card, moreover, than the actual card whose name it takes, _i.e._ a joker which is called the king of spades is better than the real king of spades.

_TECHNICAL TERMS_.

For convenience of reference we annex explanations of the few technical terms used in Poker.

_Age_.--The eldest hand, _i.e._ the player to the left of the dealer. Generally called the ante-man or "ante."

_Ante_.--The first stake in the game. It must be made before the cards have been dealt, by the player on the left of the dealer. It is the only compulsory stake, and for this reason the amount is fixed, and is generally small. It must not exceed one half the limit.

The player to the left of the dealer is identified with his stake, and is familiarly called ante.

[42]

_Bluff_.--To stake an unwarrantable sum on a weak hand for the purpose of inducing the other players to relinquish their stakes rather than continue betting. To pretend to have a good hand.

_Blaze_.--A hand consisting of five court cards (see p. 41).

_Chips_.--Counters. An American term, little used by English players. _To chip_ means to stake chips, to bet.

_Call_.--To call the preceding player is to stake an amount equal to his stake (see p. 37).

_Discard_.--To throw away cards so as to receive others in exchange for them (see p. 35).

_Draw_.--To receive cards from the dealer in exchange for an equal number discarded.

_Eldest Hand_.--The player to the left of the dealer. See _Ante_.

_Foul Hand_.--A hand containing more or less than five cards. Such hand must be relinquished, and the owner must retire from that game, losing any sum he may have staked.

_Go Better_.--See _Raise_.

_Go in_.--To stake a sum equal to double the ante and any straddles or raises which may have been added to it, in order to qualify for drawing and playing for the pool.

_Hand_.--The five cards held by any player.

_Jack-pot_.--The game which follows an unopened game, _i.e._ which follows a game in which every player had rejected his cards (see p. 40).

_Joker_.--An extra card, to which any value may be assigned by the player holding it (see p. 41).

_Kitty_.--A portion of the stakes set aside in every game, either to defray the expenses of the table, or as a reward for some specially good hand.

_Limit_.--The maximum amount by which stakes may be [43] increased at one time. The limit, which has a tendency to prevent wild and unreasonable betting, is generally fixed before play begins.

_Make Good_.--To make good is really the same as to call, but a player may make good his previous bet, _i.e._ may make it equal to that of the previous player, and may afterwards raise.

_No_. 1.--The player to the left of ante--the next player is No. 2, and so on round to the dealer.

_Pass_.--To give up the game. To throw the cards, face downwards, on the table, and cease playing until the next deal. The player who passes loses any sum he may have staked.

_Pat_.--A term used in reference to the hand originally dealt to each player in a game. To play pat is to bet on the hand originally dealt, without drawing. A pat hand is a hand of high value, which has been dealt to the player, a hand which he cannot hope to improve by drawing.

_Player_.--This is not strictly a technical term, but the tyro should note that the persons seated at the table are not necessarily all players. One or more may retire from the game, and on doing so forfeit all their interest, and cease to be players in that game. There are seldom more than two or three players remaining at the end of a game.

_Pool_.--The whole of the stakes in a game.

_Pot_.--The pool.

_Raise_.--To raise the preceding player is to stake a sum in excess of that staked by him.

_Rise_.--See _Limit_.

_Say_.--The option, which comes to each player in turn, of playing, and therefore betting, or of passing, _i.e._ throwing down his cards and resigning the game.

_See_.--To see or call your opponent is to make your [44] stake equal to his. If the stake be not then raised by succeeding players, every hand must be exposed (see p. 37).

_Show_.--The exposure of a hand or hands at the end of the game.

_Skip Straight or Skip Sequence_.--A sequence of alternate cards--two, four, six, eight, ten, for instance. This hand is sometimes introduced, and takes precedence of _triplets_. It is beaten by an ordinary sequence.

_Straddle_.--To raise the ante. To double the initial stake made by ante in every game before the cards are dealt. Straddling the ante gives the straddler (or the last straddler, if there be more than one) the advantage of the last say before the draw.

_Straight_.--A sequence, a series of five cards in regular order (see p. 38).

_THE STAKES_.

As before stated, the ante and limit should be fixed before play begins, and once fixed should not be altered in any circumstances. Players who have lost sometimes apply to have the limit raised. This should be refused.

The ante should be a small sum, the smaller the better. It must not exceed half the limit, and for general play a much lower proportion is desirable. If the limit be one shilling, the ante may be fixed at one penny.

Counters are desirable for play in all cases; they are in every way more convenient, and avoid the constant trouble of giving change. They should be circular in form, and all of one size, but of three values, represented by different colours:--

1, say Red; the value of ante.

2, say White; treble the value of ante.

3, say Blue; the value of the limit. [45] The counters should be sold to each player before the game begins, and be bought back at the same rate after play.

_HINTS TO PLAYERS_.

A few words of advice to the tyro may not, in conclusion, be out of place. They will not make him into a good player--practice and experience alone can do that,--but they may prevent him paying for his experience more than is necessary:--

Do not play with folk you do not know.

Never play with a man you cannot implicitly trust. The game needs all your attention, and it becomes a toil instead of a pleasure if you have to be on the watch for unfair play.

Never play for a stake you are not prepared to lose.

Fix a limit to your losses and cease play at once when they reach it. The temptation to continue is greater when losing than when winning.

Fix a time to cease play--and keep to it.

Perfect self-control is, it is needless to say, essential to successful play.

The man whose losses make him ill-tempered, must not play at all. He certainly cannot win, since loss of temper involves loss of judgment. A game like Poker, which it must be confessed is not calculated to rouse the finer feelings of humanity, is only tolerable when played under the severest self-imposed restraint.

Avoid playing, moreover, with an opponent who cannot keep his temper. You will beat him, no doubt, but anger is infectious, and, unless you are blessed with extraordinary self-command, the risk of catching it is too great.

Neither voice, manner, nor features should give the [46] slightest clue to your hand. One or other will do so at first inevitably, and all will need a constant effort to control. The perfect Poker player sits like an automaton, and his face is a mask.

Study your opponents, their features and manner, in success and failure. To an accurate observer they will generally betray themselves. An American authority says, "the study of my adversaries is, of more value than the study of my cards."

Bluffing is at best a very dangerous game, seldom worth the risk, and it involves, even for its occasional success, a very just estimate of your opponents. Remember that you cannot bluff even a tyro out of "fours."

If you do bluff, bluff when you are winning, and have established a fear of your hands in the minds of your opponents.

To bluff when losing is insanity.

In actual play there are few maxims which hold good for all cases. All depends on what is termed luck, and nearly every Poker player recognises luck, whatever that may be, as an important factor in the game--one they often allow to override calculable chances. Some players seem to have almost persistent good luck, and win with comparatively poor hands. Others are just as unlucky, losing with high cards.