Are aces always high in five and seven card draw? Someone had a hand that
included an Ace,1,2,3,4. And the won the pot. Is that a real way to use that ace?

Answer 1:

No. aces usually can play both high or low, played low as in A-2-3-4-5 for a straight. Seven card draw is probably not a game you have played. Perhaps you are thinking of seven card stud, which has no draw phase. The hand you transcribe is technically a pair of aces. “Ace”, “A” and/or “1″ are all the same card in this notation (an Ace), although generally people taking notes like this would not mix the three forms. Perhaps a pair of Aces won that pot? Or maybe you mistyped, meaning to type Ace, 2, 3, 4, 5, for a straight? In any case, i hope this was of some help. Feel free to “Search” your newsreader for the terms: “poker faq” (for Frequently Asked Questions) and i am sure many other questions you may have about poker will be answered. And finally, try to ignore that court jester (Paul P) who answered you first in another part of this thread. There is one in every crowd. Thankfully (and unfortunately), he is unique.

Answer 2:

When making a straight, you can use the ace high as in A-K-Q-J-10 or as a “1″ to go with 2-3-4-5. You cannot wrap around a straight as in Q-K-A-2-3. In a Hi-low game where the pot is divided between the best hand and the worst hand, the A-2-3-4-5 is a great hand because it is a nice little straight and also the lowest hand possible and thus allows you to win both the high and the low hand.  People call it a “wheel” or sometimes “bicycle wheel”.

Answer 3:

While we’re on the subject, a pair of Aces is commonly mistaken in home games as simply a high pair. A pair of Aces, however, can also be used as a low pair. If you were playing 5-card stud hi/lo, your pair of Aces might win you both halves of the pot, played high for one hand and low for the other.

The game is Omaha hi/lo, structured as a $2-$6 range game with a single $2 blind. Here’s what happened. Dealer puts the flop out; there are 5 players in the pot. The first player goes all-in for $1, the second player says raise and puts out $7. The dealer gives the second player $1 back and informs him that he may make it $6 as the $1 all-in is not a legal bet and that it could not be raised but that the player had the right to make a $6 bet. The floor man agreed with the dealer. Later, when the card room manager was asked, he said that the dealer was wrong and that the second player should have been able to make it $7, raising the $1. Who was right? And Why?
Answer 1:
You’ve probably heard this before Chuck, but it all depends. What is the rule of the house about all-in bets that determines if it is considered a bet or not? At the Shoe in Las Vegas it is considered a bet if the amount is at least half or more. If that’s the rule in the house you were playing, then the $1 all-in bet is half the bet (minimum bet is $2 right?). The next player can 1) fold 2) call 3) call the $1 and raise it 2,3,4,5,or 6 more. So the $7 that the raiser put out there seems correct. He could have put $6 out there and still been correct too.
Answer 2:
The card room manager. The first player is not raising. He’s calling a $2 blind with a $1 bet. Therefore the current bet is $2, and the next player is raising the blind, not the $1 bet. A bet of $7 here is a legal $5 raise of the $2 blind. The exception would be if all bets and raises other than all-ins must be in $2 multiples, which is sometimes the case in these games. In this situation, the raiser could raise to either $6 or $8, but not $7.

Answer 3:
It’s a 2-6 game. The min bet is 2. The 1 is 1/2 that. 1/2 the min bet is a bet and can be raised. The raise stands, make it 7. The error the dealer made was in thinking that the bet size on the flop was 6 (I’m guessing everybody always bets 6 on the flop). The bet size was 2-6.

I will be in phoenix this week and want to know of best place for 5-10 he game? Might be a dumb question but there are no places to play out here in nc,
Answer 1:
Check pokerpages.com, cardplayer.com, gocee.com/poker all these have card room listings. Personally, I have only played at Casino Arizona, Indian Bend and found the experience very enjoyable. You won’t be hurting for games. There are several other card rooms, Fort McDowell, Gila River, Harrah’s(I think they have a room)all within what I will describe as the general metro area.

Answer 2:

I don’t know of a 5-10 game. There are 4-8 games with a full kill. Sometimes you’ll find a 6-12 at Casino Arizona.
Answer 3:
Hold em is exactly what is played here in Phx. These players seem to hold them cards a lot longer than most. Casino Arizona has 3/6, 4/8 and 10/20 holdem. Gila River has 3/6, 4/8 and 6/12 holdem.

Need some tactical advice on playing Anaconda (or ‘pass the garbage’) - anybody play this variation who can offer some advice? Or perhaps point me to a web site?  Someone has introduced this variation into my regular Thursday night game and I’m losing a lot of money playing it!

If you’re playing hi-low and 54 is the perfect, never go in with less than a boat or a 6 low after the pass. If there’s much pre pass betting never go in with less than two pair, trips (keep a medium kicker not an Ace) and only try to pull one for a low, but never bet on getting a 5 or 6.

Answer 2:

Definitely be prepared to fold a lot…I only play low if i have low nuts, or a very close proximity. As for high, its anyone’s guess what it’s going to be. This is where knowing your competitors come in handy. The one thing I always try and do, though, is constantly screw the person who is after me. I give him high cards, then low cards, then high cards again (or vice versa). This way you know at least he’s screwed, and if he gets screwed hopefully it will affect the whole table.

Answer 3:

Draw to a lot of flushes.

-Expect to miss them all

-passing 3 of one suit lessens the odds of giving up a flush believe it or not.

-a *lot* of hands go to flushes so consider you high card very carefully.

-Anytime you opponent gives you pretty cards is as good as having high cards showing, since the prick will more than likely advertise the fact for you.

-straights are worthless can be tough because if an opponent gives you a pair then he has very good cards and your boat may be no good.

-Put a lot more emphasis on what you hold than what you give up-you have no idea what he wants.

-I saw AAAA lose once

-since one hand may go to two pair, and the next to a straight-flush: consider your relative position and use it!

-You must learn to fold.

-ONLY bluff heads up!

-bluff a lot heads up.

-Take all of this advice and bend it to fit your opponents.