Dealer Question

The_Scary_Man

I've been watching the world poker tour and late night poker on TV recently and I can't figure out why the dealer puts a card to the side before dealing the flop puts another to the side before dealing the turn and another before dealing the river.

Does anyone know why they do this?

Hyzepher

yep - its called 'burning a card' - its to ensure that no one gets a look at the next card by accident or the dealer can influence the cards dealt. Basically its an insurance thing against anyone getting an advantage

Hyzepher

DeVore

Since you handle the cards you could nick the side of an ace with your nail or something. Then you could know if the next card was a ace at some time in the future.

DeV.

TwoShedsJackson

Originally posted by The_Scary_Man
I've been watching the world poker tour and late night poker on TV recently and I can't figure out why the dealer puts a card to the side before dealing the flop puts another to the side before dealing the turn and another before dealing the river.

Does anyone know why they do this?

What channels/times are these on?

DeVore

Challenge TV
(Discovery) Home and Leisure (+1)
and Sky are starting to show it too afaik.

The first two have regular series on and you just have to check as they tend to move the times around a bit. H&L show it from 11:30 (if they arent showing fishing, or some builders arse).

DeV.

The_Scary_Man

Thanks for clearing that up for me lads.

So I presume that in a home game it's up to yourself whether or not you trust the other players at the table

MrPudding

Originally posted by The_Scary_Man
So I presume that in a home game it's up to yourself whether or not you trust the other players at the table

No not really. It has nothing to do with trust. Burning a card before turning a card is simply how it is done. It is not eccentricity of the game that is only carried out in casinos for fun, it is how the game is played wherever it is played. Not burning a card would be like deciding that 2 pairs beat three of a kind, it would just be wrong.

MrP

DeVore

Also if you dont burn a card you learn to deal incorrectly. Its not at all unknown for you to have to deal for yourself in the lower stakes casino tournaments and you will have to burn cards then for certain or be ridiculed.

Every serious home game I've been to play as close to casino rules as possible so that you get practise for when you are playing ina tournie...

DeV.

The_Scary_Man

Cheers lads.

Looks like we'll be changing things a little at our home games.