Running the Game
In seven card stud eight-or-better, because of the large split pots and the difficulty in accurately reading hands, it is common for there to be several dealer errors during a playing close attention, you may get the worst of it.
In many cases, it’s necessary for the players to assist the dealer in running the game and to make sure that he or she does the job properly.
But this doesn’t mean that dealers should be screamed at when they make mistakes.
Such behavior only serves to make some dealers upset and nervous, and the game will be ruined as a result.
When required, you should politely explain the proper procedures to those dealers who may be unfamiliar with stud eight-or-better.
It may even be necessary to delegate one player as the “table captain,” so speak, who will take on the responsibility of ensuring that the game is run properly.
Dealers should never be allowed to “play with the pot.” When splitting a pot, the dealer should split the bills first, then the biggest chips, and then the rest of the chips in descending order down to the smallest denomination.
This is very important, as when the pot is divided in a haphazard manner, it’s tough to determine whether the split is correct.
The online poker players also may need to instruct a dealer that when three or more people are in the pot and the action has stopped, the dealer should rake all the bets into the center.
He or she then should divide the pot when either the hand is over or there is a slowdown in the action.
If a pot becomes heads up, the procedure is different. Now any additional bets should remain near the players’ hands, and the dealer should not touch the chips except to verify the amounts.
If the pot is split, the players take their bets back, and the dealer needs to divide only what already was in the middle.
If there is only one winner, the dealer will push that person the whole pot. By adhering to these procedures, the bets are always kept straight.
Normally, only the dealer should split the pot. But there is an exception.
When two players agree to split, which they sometimes do in smaller pots, one of them usually will say something like, the dealer should push the pot to one of the players and let that player do the splitting.
This practice should be permitted as long as the pot is being contested heads up.
If it is not allowed, the players may just check the poker hands down and then split the pot later.
But the dealer should not to the splitting when two players mutually agree to “chop it.” The dealer should push the pot to one of the players, and the players should then split the pot between themselves.
Notice that the house has no further responsibility for the split.
In addition, any player at the table has the right to see the hands when the pot is “chopped.”
If this request is made, the players should turn their hands face up for viewing, and the dealer should then get on with the game.
Players should be in the habit of stacking their bets so they can be seen as individual bets.
This is much better than putting all the bets in a pile, which will require the dealer to break them down.
Another habit that all players should acquire is to announce their entire hands on the end when there is a bet and a call.
For example, you should say something like, “Eights up for high and an eight for low.”
Introduction / Playing in Tight Games / Playing in Loose Games / Playing Short-handed / Big Games Versus Small Games / Running the Game / Afterthought
