07-27-04, LearnTexasHoldem:
Fairness and The Best Five Card Rule
I've just recently started getting into the nuiances of poker, particularly texas hold-um and during one of our games we ran into a debate.
The hypothetical situation we have been arguing overs was the community cards making a winning hand like a straight 10JQKA in the community cards with player 1 with an Ace and whatever card vs player 2 who has 5 and 7
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My argument is that poker isnt just playing the hand that we are dealt but include factors like luck, psychology, and strategy of playing your opponent through betting and playing the odds. and that player 2 is entitled to half that pot because even though they had a stronger chance of losing, they should be entitled because they played and took that risk. That having the stronger hand at the beginning doesnt always entitle you to a win and that next card can change the dynamics of the game.
After going home and looking up the on the internet and learning that I was right about the ruling, im still plaqued with the question why is this so? I'm certain my friend will have this same question and will argue against this rule because he thinks its unfair..so please help me what is the logic behind this ruling why is this fair?
Answer: Let me be the first one to tell you that poker is anything but fair. If you are looking for justice and fairness, poker isn't going to deliver. The rules apply to everyone but because there is a degree of randomness in the game it can feel very unfair at times. You can do everything right and someone else can do everything wrong and yet still beat you. That's the nature of the beast.
The logic behind the best five cards win in community card games like Holdem and Omaha is because the alternative wouldn't be much of a game. By deciding who has the best hand at the end of the round instead of right after the deal we make the game more complex and fun -- instead of everyone just waiting for AA all day.
If we make exceptions for hands where the original bettor had his hand "counterfeited" (his hole cards place on the board so everyone has them too), then it would undermine the whole structure of holdem that affords people drawing hands. The one rule that is above all other rules is that the best hand wins. The best hand is the hand at the river -- however brutal that may be.
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