Ask Frank: The Rake and Bad Beat Jackpots

Frank,

Love your column.

Question: I was playing poker at a card room in LA (Hollywood Park). The Hold 'Em game had 3 blinds: a big blind, small blind, and the button has an additional small blind, which doesn't go into the pot, but into a "coin" drop as part of what I assume is the rake. Is this the norm in Southern California? I've never seen it in Vegas. What do you think of how this changes the game? The button has to pay a blind, which takes away some of the advantage of being on the button (at least during the first round of betting). It also increases the amount a player is forced to contribute per trip the button makes around the table. What do you think, Frank?

O'Keeya

Dear O'Keeya,

Hollywood Park has a Bad Beat Jackpot. Instead of taking the money out of the pot with the rake, they have the player on the button put in a half bet that goes directly toward the jackpot. In a way this distributes the cost of the jackpot to all the players in the game. If you think about it you are not giving up too much. During the first rounds you still have the blinds to act after you. Since the bet is live you get to play for half a bet and you still have best position after the flop. When a cardroom has a Bad Beat Jackpot you pay for it one way or another. This is the first I have heard of this way of collecting it, but in all honesty I have not played in the California cardrooms as yet.

If you don't like this arrangement, you can choose to play elsewhere. I would suggest in the future if you are planning to visit a new cardroom that you call ahead and ask them if they have a bad beat jackpot. You can also ask them how much they take for the rake. I do know in some cardrooms instead of a rake you pay an hourly price for your seat. This is something else you may want to inquire about when you call.

All the best!

Frank Scoblete

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