The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-01

the table lie must watch il like hawk. TO
the neglect 81 his duty n Watching what
the other players draw and bet
In the hurry and confusion &C game l.
is difficult enough to keep ones hand and
draw from being interferod with and 20
follow tie play. without having to take
care ui "a single and detached card lying
on the table a. well There is no place
whore such a discard car lie put without
calling attention Ia H.. and that IS the OBJ
lection 10 r.
The nailed discard is also open 20 serious
abuse. What j. 60 prevent The opener from
laying aside his discard IN this manner.
as If he had nothing LETT but a tohtail TO draw
to. when in reality he holds aces up, or
three or even four OF a kind:
Many players, IN the Ordinary run Of the
game, not having opened a lack. on being
raised viii discard the smaller Of two pairs
on the chance OF making threeS out Of the
other pair Suppose the opener wishes 10
take advantage Of the privilege Of split
ting his opener. and lays aside two cards
which are the smaller Of two Pairs
The difficulties of watching over them
may not be increased hui the betrayal Of
the hand Is greater ~ a filed flush or
straight is much more TO be feared than "A
draw 10 a small pair. The opportunities for
bluifing arr also enlarged. as the two cards
laid aside may be absolutely worthless,
the hand still containing three aces. instead
Of a small pair and kicker
Another but less common practice is
TO compel the opener TO show both his
openers before he splits them and TO dis
card one of them face up This provides
against his showing a pair Of aces and
then putting them back into his hand,
discarding some card not shown and draw
ing one card to two, three, or. perhaps. even
four aces.
The objection 70 ,his method Is that
showing such high cards az openers may
seriously affect the draw or play Of others
at the table
Another method Is 10 make the opener
law aside both openers "a discard when he
wishes TO split, without showing them
and 10 allow him 10 draw one card 10 the
three remaining In his hand II the card
drawn fills "A flush or straight with either
Of the two cards on the table 10 complete
the hand the play shows for itself and there
IS no possible question about the Legitimacy
of the openers because they have never
been separated
In this method. it j. obvious that bluning
IS impossible, "a one OF other of the cards
laid aside J.. lost and cannot be taken back
to conrlete the hard
Al these nailed disoards are open 90 the
same objection, that they force the player
To disclose his play; and il cannot be too
strongly insisted upon that this is a viola
ton Of one Of the fundamental principles
Of our national game The protected
discard compels the player 10 admit 10 the
table that although Re hes opened the pot
-
A method which il very little known.
probably because 40 writer on the game
ha1 sug ge- ted n. docs away With this OBJ
lection in a very effectual manner. This
/, 10 compel the opener Of a jackpot always
to preserve his entire discard. no matter
what he draws 70, or whether he is splitting
his opener, or not
When this rule "a adopted tho openers
discard is pushed under the chips already
in the pool SO that il shall not be nHd-
cards. This method absolutely precludes
any possibility Of inference n 10 the oDener's
play because the discard Is always pre-
served
The usual practice IS for the opener
10 preserve hi- discard only when he splits
and that calls attention 20 the fact that or
such occasions he Is splitting The desg-
mated place for the discard. under the chips
in the pool IL also very strong point in
favor OF the new method.
There i still another solution Of the ques
ton Of splitting openers. The practice
is not new. but the reason for II is
II the idea of fixing upon jacks or better
was 10 demand that the opener Of jack
pot should hold hand of certain value
this value should BE- easily a7certained bv
calculation The relative values VI al
poker hands are determined 10y the odds
gaiuet getting them Nuw. there should
ne no objection 20 allowing a player 80
open with any hand which can be demon
=trated 20 be equal IN value 10 JACKS or better.
that IS equally difficult 10 get provided
the hand j. one tLat can be simply classified
and named
II ,- very curious that there : no com
bnation ~ CARD in poker which so nearly
approaches the average value OF Jacks
or better IA a. four card hush or straight,
and this is the very hand which the opener
always holds when he wants 10 split "a
single pair of openers.
without going into the details Of the .