Draw Poker

Chapter 4.  The Deal.

The cards must be shuffles face downwards above the board.  Any player in the game has the right to shuffle the cards, the dealer always having the right to shuffle them last.  The player at the right of the dealer must cut the cards, and then the dealer must give to each player one card at a time in rotation, beginning with the age and dealing to the left.  In this order he must deliver to each player five cards.

If a deal is made without the cards being properly cut, or if a card is faced in the pack, there must be a fresh deal.  The cards must be re-shuffled and re-cut, and the dealer must deal again.

If a card is accidentally exposed by the dealer while in the act of dealing, the player such card is dealt must accept it as though it had not been exposed. 

If the dealer should give to himself or anyone of the other players more or less than five cards, and the player receiving such improper number of cards should discover and announce the fact, before he lifts his hand from the table, it is a misdeal.  The cards must be re-shuffled and re-cut and the dealer must deal again.

If the dealer should give to himself, or any one of the other players, more or less than five cards, and the player receiving such improper number of cards should lift his hand from the board before announcing the fact, no misdeal occurs, and the player holding the foul hand must retire from the game for that deal.

The last two rules are among the most important in poker, and yet through ignorance or carelessness they are more often slighted than any others.

The deal must go round the table in rotation from right to left.