Readers this week ask about Michael Phelps as an aspiring poker player and about a ruling in a hand where a hole card was flashed.

Q: I see where Olympics swimming champion Michael Phelps wants to play in the World Series of Poker. Do you think this would be a boost for poker in general? — Jody N. in Geneseo, Ill.

A: The poker world was electrified during the Olympics last month, Jody, when Phelps casually mentioned to a reporter from his hometown newspaper, The Baltimore Sun, "It would be cool to play in the World Series of Poker" and to "meet some of those poker guys."

He'll have to wait until next summer for the WSOP, but last week Phelps and some friends hooked up for dinner in Las Vegas with poker legend Doyle Brunson and several other top-echelon players.

The next day, Brunson exclaimed in his blog, "What a nice kid!" He wrote that "Michael said all he wanted to do in life was to eat, swim and play poker."

Phelps' penchant for poker is no surprise to those he played against at Caesars Windsor casino in Canada while training in nearby Ann Arbor, Mich. In Beijing, Phelps and his teammates enjoyed card games in their hotel when they weren't winning medals. Phelps also plays online.

Immediately after the Baltimore article, Phelps and his agent fielded a stack of poker endorsement opportunities and invitations to big-time tournaments.

Which brings us back to your question, Jody.

Aside from pure promotional value, I don't think Phelps endorsing an online poker site, for example, would be a good thing. He's not a proven champion player (yet), and the relationship may never advance beyond the look-who's-wearing-our-logo stage.

The game, and Phelps himself, may be better served if the superstar pursues his love of poker in a more low-key way — improving his skills, competing in high-profile events, and, above all, letting everyone watching his every move see just how enjoyable it is to play America's game.

Q: Did you miss trips in your ranking of the hands in last week's column? — Gary H. in Highland Village, Texas

A: I can't believe I did that, Gary! Old age is awful!

Trips, also known as a "set" or three cards of the same rank, falls between a straight and two pair on the list, of course. Sorry about that. Thanks for spotting the oversight.

Q: What do you do when somebody incorrectly calls an "exposed card"? This happened with four of us left in a hold 'em tournament, and the other three players quickly mucked their hands out of turn. Should this have been a misdeal, or was my hand on the button still live? — Klondike, no hometown available.

A: This hand raises excellent points that all players should understand, Klondike.

After everyone had their two down cards, the player first to act told the dealer he saw the jack of diamonds dealt to the player in the small blind. The small blind actually had 7-4 offsuit, which he immediately turned face-up, calling for a misdeal. The big blind player then quickly folded, and the player who thought he saw the flashed card abruptly also tossed in his hand.

"We ultimately redealt the whole hand and nobody was shot, but I would love to clarify the situation should a similar event happen in the future," Klondike wrote.

A: Under the circumstances, I think the dealer's decision was reasonable. What he should have done, however, was immediately stop the action when a "flashed card" was announced and call a supervisor to the table for a ruling. He lost control of the situation.

Here are some lessons from this hand:

— Even after the other players folded, you could have held on to your cards and asked for a ruling. You had nothing to lose, and a supervisor might have declared your hand live. You would have won the blinds.

— Every player is responsible for the integrity of the game. If you see a flashed card, or think someone else may have seen one, speak up immediately and let the dealer take it from there. Just say, "Dealer, I saw that card."

— Because a jack in no way resembles a four or a seven, the dealer should have been suspicious and issued a warning to the player who supposedly saw the flashed card. Don't be that player who "shoots angles" and disrupts the game.

E-mail your poker questions and comments to russ@luckydogpoker.com for use in future columns. To find out more about Russ Scott and read previous LuckyDog Poker columns, visit www.creators.com or www.luckydogpoker.com.

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