Chasing the Rabbit

Dear Mark,

In poker, what are your thoughts about a player requesting that the dealer to show the next card, even if the hand is officially dead? The group of a dozen or so I normally play with has three players who want to see the next card or cards that could have made their hand. I, on the other hand, believe once the hand is over, it's over, and if a player really wants to see the next card then that player should have bet. We'll go by your ruling.

Melvin G.

I'm with you, Mel. "What if" players should shove their chips in the middle if they want to see whether they would have hit their straight, flush, four-of-a-kind, etc.

In gamblese, it's called rabbit hunting, where you ask a dealer to show you the next card(s), even though a player has already won the pot without a showdown, and the hand is over.

Most card clubs, casinos and poker tournaments prohibit rabbit hunting, although I have played in a few games where rabbit hunting is permitted, once all live hands have been surrendered to the dealer.

I have found that when you permit a look-see at the "next" card(s) of an unmatched wager, the privilege is always abused. Solution for your kitchen table game: allow it, but, if a player really wants to know whether he/she could have won by staying in the hand longer, a contribution is called for – one, possibly two additional betting units to the next pot. That should keep those curious sorts from having a dealer deal the flop, turn or river cards to see what would have, should have, could have been.

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 Kriege