Poker Brain-Teaser (easyish)

In texas hold-em every straight has either a 5 or a 10 in it, right ? (For example A-2-3-4-5 or 10-J-K-Q-A)

So your holding 5-10 in the hole in a texas holdem game. Name a straight you can NOT make ?

You can't make a 9-high straight, because you would have a 10-high straight, if that makes any sense.

A 9 straight you would be using the 5.... 5,6,7,8,9....A,2,3,4,5...10,J,Q,K,A

There is no other straights to be done without using a 5 or a 10..Need 5 cards to make the straight. No matter where you start you are still going to be using a 5 or a 10... 2,3,4,5,6.... 3,4,5,6,7......4,5,6,7,8.....6,7,8,9,10..
7,8,9,10,J...8,9,10,J,Q.... 9,10,J,Q,K....

Other then that in hold-em there isn't a single straight without a 5 or a 10.

Dorkus is right - if you are holding 5,10, you cant have 9 straight. For 9 straight the board would have to show 6,7,8 and 9 to go with your 5 - you're holding the 10, so you've got a 10 straight on this board.

Dorkus is right. If you're holding the 5 and the 10 the only strait you can not make is a 9 high strait. Simply put you would have to have 10 high. Excelent call Dorkus.

Dorkus wins the watch, good answer Twizzy but if your holding the 10 and the 5, you cant make the nine high straight.

Twizzy but if your holding the 10 and the 5, you cant make the nine high straight.

You still make the 9 straight with the 5.. 5,6,7,8,9.. .. hold the 5,10...yes it is the 10 high straight or if you prefer the dummy straight..

You specifically asked "Name a straight you can NOT make?" and thats how I read it.. I didn't read it as "Name a straight you can't make using both cards at the same time"...Dorkus would be correct in the 9 straight but I'd be correct with your straight forward question.

If that's the case then there would be a few straights one couldn't make using both cards.

THANK YOU

Twizzy, it wouldn't be the nine high because you've got the 10 in your hand, thusly using said 10 to make a 10 high rather than a nine high. Why would you use the nine high when you've got the 10 high?

Why would you use the nine high when you've got the 10 high?

Cause of such a simple question...

Name a straight you can NOT make and the 9 high can be made.

Question didn't say you have to use the straight 9 in the game or both cards. Just said name a straight that can't be made. Last I recalled the 9 high straight can be made. Never disagree that it doesn't change into the made 10 straight but last again I as I recall, you don't have to use every single card... Why would someone choose a 9 straight over a 10 straight would be behond me, but yes it can be done.

Well, I can't argue with that logic! LOL I see your point...

Are you sure twizzy that you can choose whatever 5 cards you want?
From what i know about the rules, you must choose the 5 cards that make the best possible hand, so if the board shows 6-7-8-9 and you hold 5-10, then you MUST choose the 10, because the 10 high straight is better than the 9 high straight.
Actually, when you show your hand you aren´t the one that choose the community cards that you want to use, that is a work for the dealer and he must choose the best hand.
For example, player A holds KJ and player B holds 2Q. The board shows J222Q. In the showdown, the dealer is the one that shows player´s B 2 with the other 3 2s (he pushes a little bit the 5 best cards to separate them from the others). Player B can´t tell the dealer: "Hey, i want to use my Q instead of the 2". Well, if he go with my straight forward quote, actually player B can tell that to the dealer, but the dealer is not going to do it

I was just about to post nearly the same thing JL. REppp'd You are correct with the rules there. Holdem rules state that you hand is your hand. You cannot "say" your 2 pair beats aces when in fact you have a house. Your hand is a house. Announcing that you have a straight when in fact you have a staight fush dosnt matter, you still have a s/f.

Now some variants of poker that i have played punish these mistakes, if you announce a lesser hand you keep it. This is NOT a rule of holdem.

So I stand by my origional brain-teaser, didnt think that it would spark any debate at all

Wasn't this a brain teaser to start with?

you must choose the 5 cards that make the best possible hand
Cards speak (cards read for themselves). The dealer assists in reading hands, but players are responsible for holding onto their cards until the winner is declared. Although verbal declarations as to the contents of a hand are not binding,

So no there is no rule that says you must choose the 10 high straight. Have fun looking it up cause there is nowhere that says you "must" choose. You can even muck the hand if you so choose. The dealer assists stating you have the 10 high straight when in fact you still have both.

So it "that is a work for the dealer and he must choose the best hand".. he assists you.. not choose for you. So in fact you can say "I have a 9 high straight" which is a MADE hand.

Actually this is getting old, but if you want to get technical. The rules of Texas Hold'em states that you are playing the best 5 cards between you and the board. So your best 5 would have to include the 10.

For the love of god every one put this one to sleep.
Take it out behind the wood shed and shoot it.
Lift up the rug and sweep it away.
From the movie Road House: "Cut it the f**k loose."