Dakota Kid Presents - Deadwood Nuts

Kardma

By
Mike Randall

      The word Kardma was coined by Ruben, a blackjack dealer at the Saloon #10, who also enjoys playing poker. He derived it from the word karma, the Buddhist teaching that ethical or good behavior will result in good for that person and conversely unethical behavior will result in bad things for that person. I don�t believe in simple good luck and bad luck because of your actions, but doing what is unethical can certainly �haunt� you with bad results down the road along with a bad conscience and doing what is right can have a good effect on what happens to use and most certainly gives a feeling of well being for having done what was right. Ruben�s definition for Kardma is upholding or protecting the integrity of the Game while playing the game. This brings to mind a couple of different situations where players have employed the good or bad side of kardma.

      The first time I remember having an impact on a decision by a dealer took place while I was on a trip to Reno about three years ago. I was playing in an action packed $4 - $8 game at the El Dorado one day when the following hand occurred. I was involved in the hand with five way action including a raise making a big pot before the flop. The flop was queen, ten, rag with a flush draw. I didn�t catch anything and folded to a bet and a raise. The other four players stayed in to the river. The last player to bet was in middle position and when called showed top pair of queens with a bad kicker. The other three players turned over there hands, the dealer surveyed the hands and declared pair of queens winner. The two late position players voluntarily tossed there inferior hands and the dealer pulled then to the muck. The dealer then looked at the remaining hand in the one seat, called out pair of tens and transferred the hand to the top of the deck. The player immediately said �wait, I had three tens not two.� Having noticed that the dealer had put his hand on top of the deck I quickly told the dealer as much and ask him to reveal the hand. The hand was indeed pocket tens for three tens and the winning hand. The player with the pair of queens was enraged, saying that the hand had been mucked and was a dead hand and he should still be the winner. The floor supervisor was called and after reviewing the facts, declared the three tens winner, but would review the tapes if necessary. The player with the pair of queens then grudgingly conceded the pot to the rightful winner.

      As players we should intervene in defense of a dealer or point out an error to a dealer when proper procedure is not followed. In this case at the end of the hand all hands were turned face up on the table for the dealer to see. Once this is done the rule is that the cards read themselves, meaning that even if the dealer makes a mistake on who wins that decision can be reversed if he is proven wrong. It was then correct for me to intervene so the mucked hand had a chance to be read correctly. By doing good kardma, did I have good fortune? I don�t remember a good run of cards after that, but our game was not interrupted by a lengthy review of the security tapes, a good result of my actions.

      An example of following improper procedure during a hand, �bad kardma�, and the possible bad effects, occurred during a game at the Saloon #10 this past month. The rules not followed were revealing hole cards while a hand is in progress.

      The hand developed with three players seeing the flop. On the turn a small card paired the board. The first player checked, the second player bet, and the third player raised. The first player called and the second player mucked his hand face up on the table, revealing a four with a small kicker. When there are only two players in the hand there is nothing wrong with revealing your hand when conceding, but when there are more than two it is an improper and unethical action. When the player was reprimanded for his unethical actions by the dealer he defended his actions by saying that he was not acting in a way to aid another player (collusion), but simply trying to get a reaction or read on the player that raised him. He also claimed that as a dealer himself he observed this kind of behavior going on all the time.

      My response to this is two fold. First, this rule is meant to not only to prevent collusion, but also the mere appearance of collusion and also even if you are not trying to cheat you still will give other players in the hand an unfair advantage with the information the exposed cards give. Second, just because other people break the rules, does not make it right for us to break the rules. If we were to play the game like that it would result in pure anarchy and we would be back in the old west shooting each other for cheating. It is the dealer�s job to enforce these rules, and it can be a tough job, and we as players need to support and respect there decision.

      When playing the game and you see an error in procedure speak up, support the dealer or ask the floor supervisor for a second opinion and then abide by it. Do this and you will have good Kardma.