That Ubiquitous Ace
21 July 2006
By Mark Pilarski
Dear Mark,
Could you please explain the ace as it relates
to poker, both using it as high or low, and
using it in a straight? Also, can the Ace ever
be used in this scenario: Queen-King-Ace-2-3 to
form a straight? Ray W.
The genesis of the Ace's mighty rise to power
can be traced back to the French Revolution,
when the lowest numbered card (in that era the
one) was positioned above the King to represent
victory over the monarchy by the common man. Its
chest did swell with pride, Ray.
Many games today, such as poker and blackjack,
allow the player to choose whether the ace is to
be used as a high or low card. For example, in
Hold'em poker, an Ace is considered the highest
card in the deck, with one exception: it can
help form what's called "the wheel," or the
lowest straight possible; an Ace - 2 - 3 - 4 -
5. With this 5-high straight, the five is the
top card, not the Ace. Conversely, the highest
straight, called an ace-high straight or
"Broadway," is
Ten-Jack-Queen-King-Ace. Unless you are playing
a game where an Ace is specifically given a high
or low value, it's usually played as either,
never both. Wrapping the Ace, Ray, a
Queen-King-Ace-2-3, would never constitute a
straight.
When playing best low hand, there are some poker
games that permit the Ace to play low, ignoring
both straights and flushes. For example, the
5-4-3-2-Ace is the best possible low, even if it
makes a straight or straight flush. Other games
count straights or flushes against you, but let
the Ace play low, making 6-4-3-2-Ace the best
possible hand. In games where the ace is ranked
below the deuce, a pair of aces would also score
lower than a pair of deuces.
Dear Mark,
Here is a tip your readers might be interested
in. When ordering a cocktail in a casino, you
might as well order a quality drink. Why get
Scoresby when you can order Johnnie Walker
Black. Robin L.
Holy befuddled with booze, Batman! Robin's got
it right. Casinos will actually serve you the
best call liquor behind the bar, that is, if you
ask. But, Robin, if you're trying to hustle
premium drinks versus some hooch from the well
to offset your losses at the table, fugedaboutit.
A little select spirits might be a good thing,
but too much of it and you'll find yourself, not
the drink, on the rocks. Besides, they don't
call it chip remover for nothing.
Dear Mark,
Can a player toss in his cards, then change his
mind, and get them back from the dealer? Jay F.
No way, Jay, afterthoughts are not allowed in
poker.
That collection of face down cards near the
dealer composed of discards and folded hands is
called the muck, garbage pile or trash. When
someone throws one's cards into it, the thrower
automatically withdraws from further
participation in the current pot.
Gambling Wisdom of the Week: "Poker is a
microcosm of all we admire and disdain about
capitalism and democracy. Poker can be
rough-hewn or polished, warm or cold, charitable
and caring, or hard and impersonal, fickle and
elusive, but ultimately poker is fair, and
right, and just." -- Lou Krieger
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