Dealing Instructions For Texas Holdem
A dealer in a Texas holdem game has two primary responsibilities. Not only does the dealer have to get the right number of cards to the players and on the table at the right time, he also has to assure that the cards are delivered so that no one player gets a look at a card dealt to another player and has an advantage.
Dealing starts by preparing the deck so the cards are in a random sequence when the cards are dealt. Cards can be shuffled in different ways, depending on the formality of the game—casino games or more casual “home” games.
In casinos, dealers (who don’t actually play in the game) “wash” the cards before every hand. They spread the entire 52 cards face down on the table and swirl them around, much like the action of a washing machine (hence the term “washing”) before re-stacking the deck. Experts claim this to be the best way to insure the randomness of the deck
Regular shuffling satisfies the criteria for randomizing the cards in most “home” games. The dealer grasps about half the deck in each hand and riffles them together by pressing down with the forefingers and pulling up with the thumbs. Opinions differ as to whether it takes from three to seven shuffles to sufficiently mix up the cards. After completing the shuffle, the dealer offers the player to his right the chance to cut the cards—lifting a portion of the cards from the top of the deck, putting it down towards the dealer and putting the bottom portion on top
Casino dealers also have a strict regime to follow when delivering the cards to each player to further avoid exposing one player’s card to another player. They grasp the deck with the left hand, thumb on the outside and forefinger facing the table. With the right hand, they then slide the top card with right thumb and forefinger from the deck and flip it to the appropriate player. The cards should be flipped to each player as close to the table as possible, again to insure that only the appropriate player can see what the card is.
In casinos, after the dealer has prepared the deck, he pats the table three times with his empty right hand. The two-fold purpose is to let the players know that cards are being dealt as well as showing that all the cards are still in his left hand.
The first three cards off the top of the deck in a casino game are “burned”, dealt face down off to the side and left unused. The dealer then deals two cards down to each player and betting begins. After all the bets have been placed, the dealer again slaps the table with his empty right hand, “burns” the top card of the deck and deals three community cards (the flop) face up in the middle of the table. Another round of betting ensues. After its completion, the dealer slaps the table once more, “burns” the top card of the remaining deck and turns over the fourth community card (the turn). Another round of betting, another slap on the table by the dealer, another card burned and the final card (the river) is turned face up on the table before the final round of betting and the showdown.
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In a home game, whether and how many cards are burned before each deal is usually decided by the host or the players as group when the game begins. The important factor in these choices is that they be established before play begins.
Completing the distribution of the cards doesn’t end the dealer’s responsibilities.
Besides passing out the cards, the dealer has to make sure each player puts the right amount of chips in the pot and the pot total is correct before each card gets dealt. He has to keep the game moving by making sure each player knows when it’s his turn to play. If there’s a time limit for a player to make a decision, the dealer has to keep track of the time. In casinos, a supervisor usually becomes involved when a player takes too much time. And at the end of each hand, the dealer ‘s responsible for passing the chips in the pot to the winner.
In home games, some of the above-mentioned responsibilities are handled by all the players as a group. If no time limit is set, peer pressure will usually induce a reluctant player to make a decision.
In Texas holdem, dealing two cards to each player and five community cards sounds like a simple matter. However, doing it at the proper time and without giving one player a particular advantage makes a big difference, no matter how much money is involved, a few dollars or thousands of dollars.
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