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The Proper and British Poker Manner |
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Jul 01, 2007 - 8:03 PM - by John D
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The Proper and British Poker Manner
You’ve finally decided to go for it. After several months of playing online poker, you feel that it’s time to engage in a live poker game. You’ve got the cash, your clothes are all pressed and ready to wear and your mind and body are prepared for the game.
First Steps
Where do you start, though? The best approach is to check the casinos in your area, rather than going to a game in a place ‘recommended’ by friends. Casinos, after all, are licensed establishments and they have to follow strict guidelines to assure your safety, ensure that there is no cheating in the game and to make sure that you have a reasonably good time. There are at least 120 casinos in Britain offering poker games; the phone book or various websites can provide you with the information you need.
Live Game Etiquette
The most important thing to remember when playing live poker is courtesy. Your actions at the poker table speak not only of your upbringing but will determine whether you will or will not be welcome at subsequent games. Here are a few words of advice.
Table manners are important. Remember, you are playing one-on-one with other people so show them the respect that they deserve. If somebody is with you, refrain from showing him your cards. Likewise, don’t engage in chitchat with the railbirds – they’re not part of the game at all, and this may distract the other players from their game.
Avoid making side comments when the game is in progress. Called ‘coffee housing,’ this is considered unethical in Britain (although not in the United States). Therefore, keep quiet while the hand is in play. This will not only make your poker playmates happy, this will also prevent you from inadvertently giving out tells.
Don’t ever abuse the dealer, whether verbally or otherwise. Bad behaviour is totally unforgivable. You may get thrown out of the game and the casino because of this. Keep in mind that it is not the dealer’s fault if you are losing.
Keep your cards in plain view at all times. Keeping them in front of you on the table is best. Take a quick peek by lifting them up and covering them with your hands, and then put them face down on the table. Holding them to your chest or showing them to friends is considered bad form.
Keep your chips (or checks) out in the open at all times. Remember that the only ‘money’ you’re allowed to use are the chips you have. Most casinos do not allow cash to be used during the game; ‘hidden money’ – cash or chips placed under an ashtray or a cigarette packet (in smoking-allowed rooms) are not included in bets.
Don’t toss chips carelessly. Put together your bet and push it out to the centre of the table. This is a courtesy to both dealer and the other players – they can see what you’re betting and how much, and can easily compute how much is in the pot without resorting to counting the chips out.
Lastly, and most importantly – enjoy the game. Bear in mind that a marvellous side-benefit of live poker games is the chance to socialize and to interact with other people face-to-face, so take advantage of that fact. Have fun with playing proper British poker!
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Copyright © Flop or Fold 2007
This must not be printed or duplicated without prior permission
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0 Replies | 846 Views
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“The Curse of Scotland” in Poker |
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Jul 01, 2007 - 8:00 PM - by John D
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“The Curse of Scotland” in Poker
You’ve decided that it’s your last hand – the game has been going on for hours, you have a respectable pile in front of you, and – all in all – your winnings outweigh your losses.
The hand is dealt – you’ve got a good hand and are about to ante up when the guy across – whom you suspect is a few inches short of a tilt – mutters “May the Curse of Scotland be upon you” in a thick brogue – as he looks you straight in the eye.
You hear the others gasp; you see the dealer looking on with glassy eyes and you see him swallowing nervously. The guy across you is trying to stare you down and you feel yourself gulp. Do you fold or play?
The “Curse of Scotland”
Before you start having nightmares of Mel Gibson’s painted face bearing down on you with a sword, calm down – the “curse of Scotland” refers to the nine of diamonds.
The myths surrounding the reasons why such an unremarkable card became associated with such a rank name are enough to fill a small book. The tales range from those that claim the Scottish crown could only afford nine diamonds (unlike other countries which have ten diamonds) to those which say that it relates to a game called Pope Joan where the “Pope” (nine of diamonds) is the anti-Christ to Scottish Presbyterians. Other stories have various warlords scribbling instructions to massacre their enemies on the back of a playing card – the nine of diamonds.
Some historians believe the last story to be the closest to the truth, although writing the orders on the back of the nine of diamonds is perceived as an exaggeration. The story refers to John Dalrymple (1648-1707), a Scottish nobleman who is best known as the person who gave the order – and masterminded the plot - for the notorious Massacre of Glendoe where 38 members of the Clan Macdonald of Glencoe were butchered while they slept by British soldiers led by Captain Robert Campbell (of another Scottish clan with the same name).
Dalrymple was an important member of William II’s throne, but that is neither here nor there. His association with the “Curse of Scotland” comes from his being named 1st Earl of Stair (his birthplace) by Queen Anne in 1701 – when his coat of arms bears nine “lozenzes” and has a conspicuous similarity to the nine of diamonds. Soon after his death in 1707, the first mention of the nine of diamonds in association with the “Curse of Scotland” came out (in 1710).
The Curse of Scotland in Poker
Given the above story, what then should you do if a “Curse of Scotland” is dealt your way? In a word – nothing.
It is, after all, a single card and will gain significance only in combination with other cards. You even have the option of discarding the card if you so choose – unless you’re holding a “dead man’s hand” of the black aces and eights plus the nine of diamonds.
This combination, however, shows up only in the HBO series “Deadwood” – and can still win you the pot if you know how to bluff.
The moral of the story? Winning at poker still depends on how you play the cards dealt to you – not on whether you’re holding a Curse of Scotland in your hand.
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Copyright © Flop or Fold 2007
This must not be printed or duplicated without prior permission
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0 Replies | 661 Views
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Poker Is NOT as “American as apple pie” – It May Be Irish |
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Jul 01, 2007 - 7:59 PM - by John D
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Poker Is NOT as “American as apple pie” – It May Be Irish
There is a deep-seated belief that poker is an American invention – an idea strengthened by years of Westerns (in books, cartoons and movies) which always have a saloon with at least one table of cowboys playing cards, combined with gangster movies where the bad guys (and sometimes, even the good guys) are playing cards – always assumed to be poker.
In truth, poker’s origins are European – probably French or German while some claim it is Irish – and it was brought to the United States by immigrants. It has been developed over the years, but much of its language and terms are believed to be Irish, mangled through bad pronunciation or tin ears over the years.
The “History” of Poker
Most writers and historians trace poker to the Spanish card game “Primero” (1526) which had three cards that were dealt to each player and where bluffing or placing high-stakes bets while holding poor cards in order to mislead opponents was a distinct game characteristic. Primero later evolved into the French “Poque” card game which was popular in the 17th/18th century and was brought to Canada by French immigrants.
The game was brought to the United States by a tough group of French-Canadians when they founded New Orleans. In 1834, the writer Jonathan H. Green noticed the game being played and he mentions rules to the “Cheating Game” that he saw replacing the then-popular (and easy to cheat at) three-card monte. It was Green who called the game Poker and documented it in his book.
Poker History with a Twist
Daniel Cassidy, an Irish-American academic, posits a different view. While he doesn’t dispute poker’s beginnings in the French Poque, he takes note of the fact that the Irish were a strong influence in gambling both in the Old and New Worlds. He traces the Irish influence in France to the original Irish continental migration in the 1600s and 1700s when Irish sailors and soldiers served the monarchies of France and Spain; many of the French “Irish Regiments” were demobilized in 1607 by Louis XIV and formed gangs which quickly turned to highway robbery, smuggling and gambling.
The Irish and other people with Irish blood were the power in the American underworld during the 19th/20th century and constituted 20 to 25 percent of the mid-18th century population of New Orleans – poker’s North American sowing ground.
Cassidy notes that Green was a former professional gambler and card shark who claimed to have become a born-again Christian with the mission of exposing the scams of a secret gambling brotherhood who communicated in a secret language. Cassidy points out that many of the words that Green mentioned in his book about this secret gambling brothers were actually the American phonetic spelling of common Irish words – and many of these words (and the rules of the game) continue to this very day!
Among these words are Button (beart t-aon in Irish, meaning the one dealing); Jack (coming from the Irish Tiach, or wallet), which evolved into Jackpot; Check (Irish teacht, freeze) which in poker means betting nothing; Muck (Irish much, to cover over or suppress) which now means to fold but also refers to the discard pile; and Brag (coming from breag, which is a lie or exaggeration) which has become synonymous with bluff – the key ingredient in poker games.
The origins of poker provide a fascinating story, especially with the “Irish connection” to the game. It may be time for the Irish to reclaim the game as their own.
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Copyright © Flop or Fold 2007
This must not be printed or duplicated... [Read More]
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0 Replies | 775 Views
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Is a Poker Party at Home Legal in Britain and Ireland |
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Mar 21, 2007 - 6:22 PM - by John D
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You’re getting together with several London residents you’ve met through online poker games and you’ve all decided it would be nice to go from online to live games. Rather than play at a casino, you all feel it would be better to practice among yourselves first before venturing into the ‘real world.’
Your online friends come in. As they greet you, each passes you £10, as agreed – five for the accommodations (including the food and drink you’re providing), and a fiver for the dealers, to recompense for the night off they’ve lost.
After several hours of play, you’re waiting for the river when a knock at the door surprises you. When you check it out, it’s the Metropolitan Police. They’ve gotten an anonymous tip that you’re running an illegal game and they’ve come to check it out. One look behind you and they know the tip panned out – the evidence is in plain sight: players, checks, money on the tables.
You sigh and hold out your hands for the handcuffs to be put on – or should you? Are you, in fact, running an illegal poker game?
The Law on Gaming in Britain
The Gaming Act of 1968 is the basic law which governs ‘gaming’ in Great Britain, with various Regulations made through the years to define or refine certain aspects of the law. Card games which are played for money or ‘money’s worth’ (e.g. tokens and the like which can be exchanged for money) constitutes gaming under the law.
While the law is perceived as intricate and complex, its two core principles are simple and direct: One, that public places gaming should be banned unless there is specific authorization for it; and second, that gaming from which the promoter or facilities provider stands to gain income should also be prohibited, unless specifically authorized by the appropriate authorities.
Another factor to consider is that the Gaming Act of 1968 covers ‘alcohol-licensed’ establishments – casinos, public houses, taverns, as well as private clubs and the like. It does not cover private residences or homes, and in fact, the Gambling Commission makes a distinction for this, although regulations for other aspects of the game are covered.
“Money Poker” At Home
Your case may fall into a gray area, simply because some aspects of it may be considered illegal under the law.
Technically, the police or the Gambling Commission have no jurisdiction over what you did because the games are in a private residence (your apartment), the players are all your friends (whom you’ve met online), and the games are not open to the public.
Even though you and the others are playing for money, there is no legal jurisdiction since you are at home and with friends. The only ‘questionable’ point is that you accepted money from your visitors. This may be construed as an ‘entrance fee’ for participating in the game, and moves it from being a private affair into the realm of gaming or gambling.
It may be best to seek legal advice before you decide to set up a poker party in your home.
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Copyright © Flop or Fold 2007
This must not be printed or duplicated without prior permission
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3 Replies | 617 Views
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Why Being British is an Advantage in Poker |
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Mar 08, 2007 - 6:07 PM - by John D
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People the world over tend to have preconceptions about other people’s nationalities – Americans (as a rule) are loud, vivacious people; the British (and to a large extent, Scots) are invariably courteous, controlled and keep a stiff upper lip; Italians are spirited and full of life, and so on.
These preconceptions extend to other people of the same nationality – Americans generally expect other Americans to be the same and act the same whether they’re in Saugatuck or London; the natives of Great Britain (including Scotland and Wales) expect the same whether they’re playing in Monte Carlo or Las Vegas.
It is these preconceptions about a person’s nationality that can be used to your advantage when playing poker, especially in terms of establishing a ‘table image’ whether in live or online games.
Poker Table Image
Everyone has a poker table image – something which we seldom think about because it is ‘the way we do things.’ We either play ‘tight’ (controlled, careful bets, deciding quickly to fold or play) or ‘loose’ (aggressive play, playing even with weak hands).
The point is that many people will assume that Brits will play tight, passive games – a reflection of their perceived national character. The key, therefore, is to turn their preconceived notions about your nationality to your advantage – giving them what they expect, and then turning it around at key moments in the game.
“Confusion to Thy Enemies”
If you are by temperament, a naturally ‘tight’ player, turn this to your benefit.
Let the other players think you have a good hand by betting pre-flop. When you win the blinds, act delighted and if you are called, let it go. Follow-up bets on the flop make it a difficult time for a good player to call. If the flop shows up big (for example, ace, king, knave), the other players will likely assume you have a hit and fold. If the flop turns up low and your weak hand strikes, it may turn out even better as they will think you have an even larger hand.
Aggressive Playing As an Advantage
Being aggressive has its own advantages, most especially if your opponents expect you to be a passive player. Surprise them by playing aggressively and “out of character” (if you’re a Brit or Scot) – they’ll either fold (while trying to work out what you’re playing at) or call.
Play your hand forcefully and challenge them: call, call again and call yet again.
Poker Is a Mind Game
Bear in mind that the skill in poker comes from the mind – it is, in the end, a mind game and your nationality (and your opponent’s preconceptions) is a potent tool in your arsenal. Show them what they want to see or expect – and then pull the rug out from under them. Show them that you can be as good – or even better – than what they expect.
One last point – if you’re playing against Americans they may have a preconceived notion that you’re a novice at the game (James Bond aside). Show them otherwise – play to their preconceptions, and then still pull out the rug.
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Copyright © Flop or Fold 2007
This must not be printed or duplicated without prior permission
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0 Replies | 554 Views
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