Poker Blinds

A blind or blind bet is a forced bet placed into the pot by one or more players before the deal begins, in a way that simulates bets made during play. The most common use of blinds as a betting structure calls for two blinds: the player after the dealer blinds about half of what would be a normal bet, and the next player blinds what would be a whole bet. This two-blind structure, sometimes with antes, is the dominating structure of play for community card poker games such as Texas hold-em. Sometimes only one blind is used often informally as a "price of winning" the previous hand, and sometimes three are used this is sometimes seen in Omaha. In the case of three blinds usually one quarter, one quarter, and half a normal bet amount, the first blind goes "on the button", that is, is paid by the dealer.

    For example, in a $2–4 limit game, the first player to the dealer's left who, if not for the blinds, would be the first to act posts a small blind of $1, and the next player in turn posts a big blind of $2. After the cards are dealt, play begins with the next player in turn third from the dealer, who must either call $2, raise, or fold. When the betting returns to the player who blinded $1, he must equal the bet facing him toward which he may count his $1, raise, or fold. If there have been no raises when action first gets to the big blind that is, the bet amount facing him is just the amount of the big blind he posted, the big blind has the ability to raise or check. This right to raise called the option occurs only once: if his raise is now called by every player, the first betting round closes as usual.

Similarly to a missed ante, a missed blind due to the player's temporary absence i.e. for drinks or a restroom break can be denoted by use of a special button. Upon the player's return, they must pay the applicable blind to the pot for the next hand they will participate in. The need for this rule is eliminated in casinos that deal in absent players as described above. Also the rule is for temporary absences only; if a player leaves the table permanently, special rules govern the assigning of blinds and button see next subsection.

In some fixed-limit and spread-limit games, especially if three blinds are used, the big blind amount may be less than the normal betting minimum. Players acting after a sub-minimum blind have the right to call the blind as it is, even though it is less than the amount they would be required to bet, or they may raise the amount needed to bring the current bet up to the normal minimum, called completing the bet. For example, a limit game with a $5 minimum bet on the first round might have blinds of $1 and $2. Players acting after the blind may either call the $2, or raise to $5. After the bet is raised to $5, the next raise must be to $10 in accordance with the normal limits.

Computer poker players are computer programs designed to play the game of poker against human opponents or other computer opponents. They are commonly referred to as pokerbots or just simply bots.

These bots or computer programs are used often in online poker situations as either legitimate opponents for humans players or a form of cheating. Whether or not the use of bot constitutes cheating is typically defined by the poker room that hosts the actual poker games. Most if not all card rooms forbid the use of bots although the level of enforcement from site operators varies considerably.

Player bots

The subject of player bots and computer assistance, while playing online poker, is very controversial. Player opinion is quite varied when it comes to deciding which types of computer software fall into the category unfair advantage. One of the primary factors in defining a bot is whether or not the computer program can interface with the poker client in other words, play by itself without the help of its human operator. Computer programs with this ability are said to have or be an auto player and are universally defined to be in the category of bots regardless of how well they play poker.

The issue of unfair advantage has much to do with what types of information and artificial intelligence are available to the computer program. In addition, bots can play for many hours at a time without human weaknesses such as fatigue and can endure the natural variances of the game without being influenced by human emotion or tilt. On the other hand, bots have some significant disadvantages - for example, it is very difficult for a bot to accurately read a bluff or adjust to the strategy of opponents the way humans can. In addition, bot operators have to beat the rake in addition to their opponents. For this reason, many bots can only be reasonably expected to generate a reliable profit at the lowest stakes.

House enforcement

While the terms and conditions of poker sites generally forbid the use of bots, the level of enforcement depends on the site operator. Some will aggressively seek out and ban bot users through the utilization of a variety of software tools. The poker client can be programmed to detect bots although this is controversial in its own right as it might be seen as tantamount to embedding spyware in the client software. Another method is to use CAPTCHAs at random intervals during play.

House bots

The subject of house bots is even more controversial due to the conflict of interest it potentially poses. By the strictest definition, a house bot is an automated player operated by the online poker room itself, although some would define more indirect examples for example, a player operating bots with the knowledge and consent of the operator as house bots as well. These type of bots would be the equivalent of brick and mortar shills.

In a brick and mortar casino a house player does not subvert the fairness of the game being offered as long as the house is dealing honestly. In an online setting, the same is also true. By definition, an honest online poker room, that chooses to operate house bots, would guarantee that the house bots did not have access to any information not also available to any other player in the hand the same would apply to any human shill as well. The problem is that in an online setting the house has no way to prove their bots are not receiving sensitive information from the card server. This is further exacerbated by the ease with which this can be accomplished in a digital environment without being detected. For the house to even prove they are not using any house players to begin with is essentially impossible - probably the only real way that could be done would be to disclose the confidential personal information of every player and that obviously cannot be done due to privacy considerations.

Poker Jacks Back

Draw Poker Jacks Back

Draw Poker Jacks Back is played with a standard 52-card deck and one Joker. The Joker may be used as an Ace or as any card that completes a straight, flush, or a straight flush. All players place their ante in the pot.

Players are dealt five cards face down, one at a time, in rotation. A round of betting begins (check, bet, call, raise, or fold). If no player has a pair of Jacks or better (higher) after the initial deal, the game converts to the game of Lowball, i.e., California or Kansas City Lowball.

If a player has a pair of Jacks or better after the initial deal, the remaining players may discard any number of their original cards and have the same number of cards replaced by the dealer. Another round of betting occurs. The player with the highest ranking five-card poker hand wins. Five Aces is the best possible hand (four Aces and the Joker). In the event of a tie, the pot is split equally.