[TenPercenter]

Assumption: It's a home game where the dealer (designated or not) is also a player in the game. There are two decks on the table, where you keep one shuffled and ready to deal when the current hand ends.

Who shuffles the deck that is going to be used on the next hand?

• The person who will deal the cards should shuffle them.
• The person who "just" dealt cards should shuffle that deck and pass to the new dealer.
• The person to the right of the person who will deal the cards should shuffle them.
• The person to the left of the person who will deal the cards should shuffle them.
• Anybody can shuffle, there is no common policy.

[WolfPack]

Originally Posted by TenPercenter

Assumption: It's a home game where the dealer (designated or not) is also a player in the game. There are two decks on the table, where you keep one shuffled and ready to deal when the current hand ends.

Who shuffles the deck that is going to be used on the next hand?

• The person who will deal the cards should shuffle them.
• The person who "just" dealt cards should shuffle that deck and pass to the new dealer.
• The person to the right of the person who will deal the cards should shuffle them.
• The person to the left of the person who will deal the cards should shuffle them.
• Anybody can shuffle, there is no common policy.

The person who "just" dealt cards should shuffle that deck and pass to the new dealer.

[TenPercenter]

Originally Posted by WolfPack

The person who "just" dealt cards should shuffle that deck and pass to the new dealer.

I found (over my last poker marathon) that this caused a lot of "passing" across the current dealer, and was slightly disruptive to the game.

[BRProPoker]

Ideally, it should be the big blind who deals passes it to the new dealer (which is the small blind) and then have the previous dealer (now UTG) cut. That way, if you have any card mechanics in your group, you have three people manipulating the cards so it is hard for just one person to set up a deck.

However, we have gotten into the habit of the small dealer (next dealer) shuffling and the previous dealer (next UTG) cutting. This increases the possibilities of having a deck set up, especially since the new dealer is shuffling, but it is now a habit in all of our local games. It especially irks me when the person that is supposed to cut doesn't because it is a superstition for them to cut.

[BRProPoker]

Originally Posted by TenPercenter

I found (over my last poker marathon) that this caused a lot of "passing" across the current dealer, and was slightly disruptive to the game.

I agree. But, I think it is something that you can get used to. This is why we now have the habit of the small blind shuffling since they just hold on to the deck since they will be dealing next.

In the ideal situation, you should have a non-dealer shuffler and a different non-dealer cut. Then, the dealer just deals out the cards without having a chance to manipulate them.

[tomb1]

Most of the games I play in use the "shuffle behind" method where the dealer shuffles the deck he just dealt.

But I prefer the "shuffle ahead" method as described above, where the big blind shuffles. The BB is last to act so it gives him more time to shuffle, plus there is no passing across. Just one move to the right and the (old) SB can take the cards, get them cut by the (old) button, and deal away. And no cheating.

[BCR_9er]

When I use two decks, the player who just dealt shuffles. But before he starts shufling, he cuts the pre-shuffled deck on his right to the person on the left to deal.

[abby99]

Originally Posted by BCR_9er

When I use two decks, the player who just dealt shuffles. But before he starts shufling, he cuts the pre-shuffled deck on his right to the person on the left to deal.

This method has been working well for both groups that I play with.

[UW85]

Originally Posted by BCR_9er

When I use two decks, the player who just dealt shuffles. But before he starts shufling, he cuts the pre-shuffled deck on his right to the person on the left to deal.

Ditto -- most of the time.

[BigBlue]

Person who is going to deal them, shuffles them. Anyone is free to shuffle the deck, but most of the time you shuffle the deck you will deal.

Cuts are offered to the right. Always get cut.


It's a home game. We'll learn our lesson when someone cheats us.