Lucky Dog Poker by Russ Scott

Many poker players hate listening to someone's "bad beat" story about how an opponent outdrew them on the last card. A "bad beat jackpot" story, however, is a whole different thing.

A reader in Texas wants to know the correct blind-versus-blind strategy in a cash game that features a bad beat jackpot. Let's help him out.

Q: Normally in a card room cash game, it's customary for the blinds to "chop" if no one else enters the pot. But if a bad beat jackpot is at stake, why wouldn't you always want to see the flop, even if just the blinds are left in the hand? — Cecil O. in Kaufman, Texas.

A: Great question, Cecil. Although winning a bad beat jackpot is mostly luck, there still is quite a bit of strategy involved to put yourself in position to capitalize on the bonanza being offered.

The jackpot, as you know, is paid out when a qualifying hand, such as four of a kind, is beaten by a better hand. The minimum qualifying hand varies among card rooms, so always ask what it is when you sit down. The jackpot is funded by taking $1 out of every pot that reaches a certain amount, usually $10 or $20.

When the jackpot hits, the player who lost with a monster qualifying hand — a "bad beat" — gets the biggest share of the money, typically 50 percent. The winner of the hand receives 25 percent, and every player dealt into that hand gets an equal share of the remaining 25 percent.

Invariably, cheers and applause erupt around the table when the jackpot goes!

Now, about your "chop" question. This often happens when everyone folds pre-flop, leaving just the small and big blinds to act. If both players agree to chop, then they pull back their bets and the hand is over.

Chopping the blinds mostly occurs in lower-stakes limit hold 'em games.

It's a reasonable strategy, mostly because the house rake is a bigger proportion of the final pot with just two active players.

Indeed, the practice of chopping the blinds in a friendly game is so common that some players announce in advance they will chop no matter what cards they are dealt. It certainly speeds up the game, if nothing else.

The strategy changes, however, when the game offers a bad beat jackpot.

Because jackpots often are so large, you simply have to see a flop from the blinds with any pocket pair or suited connectors. Actually, if you're truly playing for the jackpot, you ought to stay in with those hands from any position if the betting doesn't get crazy.

For example, let's say everyone folds to you in the small blind and you hold the 2-3 of diamonds. Yes, it's a lousy starting hand, but it has jackpot potential. What if your opponent in the big blind has the 7-8 of diamonds and the final board shows the 4-5-6 of diamonds?

Granted, that's a long shot, but I've seen it happen! By tossing in a couple of chips to face the big blind, you are in position to win perhaps thousands of dollars!

There are rules to follow in jackpot poker, such as:

— You can't discuss jackpot possibilities during the hand.

— There must be at least a certain amount in the pot at the end of the hand, usually $20.

— Both of your hole cards must play.

— You must be dealt into that hand to qualify for a player's share.

I have seen jackpot hands nullified because of rule violations, Cecil, so you should always read a card room's requirements — usually posted on the wall — before you play.

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.

COPYRIGHT 2009 RUSS SCOTT

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