THE WORLD'S #1 POKER MANUAL - Card Games

Poker Book, Policies
c. Inequitable rules (71)
The good player may favor a chronic loser with an inequitable rule interpretation in order to keep him in
the game (to everyone's benefit). Yet, he interprets and applies a rule with favorable bias toward a loser
only if the financial value of that loser outweighs the financial value of interpreting all rules consistently
and equitably.
d. House rules(72)
House rules are very important to the good player. They concern betting and playing procedures plus
any other rules the players wish to adopt. The house rules determine not only the game stakes but also
the game pace.
Since most players fail to differentiate between the house rules and poker rules, they often let the good
player control the house rules because of his fairness in interpreting poker rules. Important house rules
that the good player seeks to control and manipulate concern--
● stakes and antes
● games permitted
● rules for betting (e.g., betting limits for each round, table stakes, pot limit)
● rules for raising (e.g., pick-up checks, check raising)
● treatment of discards to be redealt (such as placing unshuffled discards on the bottom of the deck)
● courtesies (such as showing noncalled hands and hole cards).
The good player avoids well-defined or written rules to retain the flexibility needed to change the rules
when advantageous.
In the Monday night game, John Finn verbally insists on adhering to the rules, but he carefully
avoids any reference to specific rules. Instead, he mediates all disputes fairly, even when it costs
him the pot. In his black notebook, he records his rule interpretations and dispute settlements. As
a book of law, he refers to those entries in settling future problems. The entries in which he loses
money are marked by big stars and recorded in accurate detail. He remembers those entries, and
at every appropriate opportunity he reminds everyone how his honest rule interpretations cost
him money. Of course, he never mentions the interpretations that favored him.
With his consistent policy of "integrity", John wins the confidence of the players. They know he is
fair--everyone trusts him. They ask him to settle disputes, and they abide by his decisions. They
accept him as the controller of the rules. Failing to realize that the poker rules bear no relationship
to the house rules, they let John's influence spill into the house rules, thereby giving him a key tool
for controlling the game.
Using his influence over the rules, John slowly alters and then obliterates the original house rules.
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