The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-06-23

bluff, it is. good play to follow the rule
already decided on, and come in on a
pair or better, precisely as if no raise
had been made. The chance of i'm
proving the hand is not affected by
the raise, and although the cost of
coming in is increased, the odds re-
main the same. providing no one else
is kept out. If the player believes.
however. that the raise was not
bluff, but was made on the strength
of good hand, it would be counted
good play 10 throw down anything
less than two pairs. unless it were a
four-fiush or a four-straight AS to
the wisdom of raising before the draw,
that is another question which does
not enter into a discussion of the prln-
ciples of the draw.
Still another situation arises when
the raise is made after the player has
put UP his ante. It is to be supposed
if he has done this that he has cards
to draw tO-a pair or better-and hav-
ing his money up, he must decide
whether his chance is good enough to
justify paying more money before he
can draw. In making this decision he
has to consider his own hand, the
number of hands out against him. and
the probable strength of the player
who made the raise. This last, of
course, he can only judge by guessing,
and the only guide he has to his guess
is his knowledge of the way the other
player usually plays. Each successive
raise before the draw if there be more
than one, theoretically exposes in
creased chances against the player,
but, on the other hand, each time ne
sees a raise the odds of the bet are
increased so that he is justified in tax
ing a long chance.
This statement about the increase of
odds requires a word fexplanation. In
a game Of seven players, providing all
come in, the odds before the draw
stand at 6 to l against each player
when the pot is completed, but there
are constant variations in that before
the completion. The only correct way,
or safe way to figure is that the money
already put in is gone, and the odds
against each player every time he
makes an addition to the pot are meas
ured by the proportion which that par
ticuiar contribution bears TO the whole
amount in the pot. To make this clear,
designate the players by letters. A
deals. B antes. If c comes in he gets
only 1 10 2. D gets to 5. Z to 2. F
to 2, and A 9 to 2. II B then fills he
is getting II to l. since he can no longer
count the ante as his own money. This
explains clearly why B can afford to
draw to much smaller hand than c
can
But suDDosing A, when it comes his
turn, not only goes in with the required
ante, but raises it FIVE white chips. The
figuring must all be done over. and each
man must decide anew as to the advis-
ability of drawing cards, keeping in
mind the hand he has to draw to, the
odds he gets on the bet hehmust make
before he can draw. and the chances of
the five hands out against him, with
the presumption that A has a strong
hand or is bluffing.
b then gets odds of II to if he fills
and sees the raise. G gets p to g. D q
to 5, E 80 to 5, and F 81 to 5. But if
all stay, by the time it has reached F
he will have to face the probability Of
several strong hands being out, and
though the odds in the bet are greatly
in his favor, the chances against him