Howard5252 Loc: New York / Florida (now)

PLEASE SUBMIT YOUR ANSWER USING THE PM FEATURE (PRIVATE MAIL). Any questions should also be submitted using the PM. I reserve the right to publish your question on the thread so that all might see what you asked me.

Two men play a game of poker in the following special manner. They spread a deck of cards face up on the table so that they can see all of the cards. The first player draws a hand by picking up any 5 cards he chooses. The second player then does the same, from the remaining 47 cards. The first player may now keep his original hand (stand pat) or discard any number of cards up to and including all five cards, replacing his discards by picking cards from the remaining 42 cards on the table; his discards are put aside, out of the game. The second player now has the same option and may now draw like-wise from whatever number of cards still remain. They now compare hands with the higher hand being declared the winner. After a while the players discover that the first person can always win if he draws his first hand correctly. What hand must this be?
The game is played exactly as described, each player can see the cards the other one is drawing.

Notes: Suits have equal value (EG. two flushes or two straights would be a tie unless one was made up of higher cards). There are no jokers or wild cards.
I suggest that you get a deck of cards, a friend, and play the game. You might as well have fun while you’re trying to solve this puzzle. I will post the answer and winners tomorrow at 8am; that will be 24 hours from now.

jaymatt Loc: Alexandria, Indiana

Royal flush in hearts?

Howard5252 Loc: New York / Florida (now)

If this is your answer I have TWO suggestions 1- re-read the part about how to submit your answer. 2- re-read the part about flushes and straights,in the NOTES.

Howard5252 Loc: New York / Florida (now)

Here is the ANSWER to the Face-Up card game:

The first person selects the four 10’s and any other card. This selection enables him/her to draw either a straight flush consisting of 10 – J – Q – K – A OR 6 – 7 – 8 – 9 - 10. The second person can only block one of those possibilities but not both and the second person will not be able to match either hand.

No correct answers were submitted.

SonyBug

Whaaaat? You don't play poker much do you?

If you take the 4 tens out of the deck, then you can't get a straight (flush or not) on the second hand with the tens in the hand. If you take the 4 tens, then I will as second player just take the 4 aces and I win. You screwed that one up for sure.

SonyBug

Here is the correct answer...

first player draws a royal flush
second player does too TIE

Repeat above. TIE

first play draws another straight flush starting with the 9 thru 5
Same for second player TIE

Repeat TIE

No more straight flushes left

First player draws 4 4's and a 3
Second player can only draw a smaller hand - first player wins.

Jack47 Loc: Ontario

What if the 1st player does not choose a royal flush?

SonyBug

Then the second person will and at that point #2 wins. If blocked from a royal flush by a 4 of a kind, then a straight flush will let #2 win.

juan_uy Loc: Uruguay

There is no winner or tie after the first draw. Each round has two draws as traditional poker (initial draw and possibility of changing cards). After that you have to see the winner of that round.

That is why the answer posted by OP works.
The 1st player draws four 10s, preventing the 2nd player from making a straight.
The 2nd player can't prevent all possible straight flush combination with his first draw and won't be able to match any straight flush from the 1st player after 2nd draw (whatever straight flush ends up choosing 1st player).

PS: I may confuse some terms as English is not my first language and may not have all the poker vocabulary.

jayluber Loc: Phoenix, AZ

Second player can prevent all future straigh flushes by drawing all four 5's.

juan_uy Loc: Uruguay

If that is done in the first draw, the 1st player will be able to exchange three 10s and the extra card for Ace, K, Q, J of the same suit making a straight flush.

If that is done in the second draw: too late, see previous paragraph

SonyBug

Juan, OK, I get your answer. If there is a limit to the draws, like in regular poker, then your strategy would work. I did not get that limit in the original posters rules.

Howard5252 Loc: New York / Florida (now)

Who said anything about taking 4 tens out of the deck????? Where did you read that? The first person chooses 4 tens and any other card. Re-read the answer before you tell me I screwed up.

Howard5252 Loc: New York / Florida (now)

Sonybug:
STOP CHANGING THE RULES TO FIT YOUR ANSWER. If you want to play under other rules, make up your own puzzle. Did I really have to tell you that after each hand, the deck is shuffled. What kind of poker do you play where the deck is not shuffled. Do I also have to explain to you that when a winner is declared, the hand is over???

Howard5252 Loc: New York / Florida (now)

For those who did not notice, the game is the same as 5-card Draw Poker ... without the betting, and a more liberal discard allowance. That' all it is ..... and of course face-up cards!!