Lesson 2
Managing the Pot
How to gather chips, calculate rake, and organize the pot.
Pot Management
A messy pot leads to mistakes. Learn to keep the pot organized and verifiable.
Making the Pot
- Gathering: Pull bets into the center only after the betting round is complete.
- Stacking: Stack chips in readable towers (usually 20s) for easy counting via 'splash' or columns.
- Splash Pots: Avoid "splashing" the pot (throwing chips into the mix) before counting them if verification is needed.
The Rake
If you are dealing in a cash game, you must take the rake (house commission).
- Calculation: Usually a percentage (e.g., 5% or 10%) capped at a certain amount.
- Timing: Take the rake before pushing the pot to the winner.
- Drop: Drop the rake clearly into the drop box.
Key Takeaways
- • Gather bets only after the round ends.
- • Calculate rake before pushing the pot.
- • Keep the pot clean and countable.
⚠️ Common Mistakes
- • Splashing the pot (throwing chips in loose).
- • Taking rake after pushing the pot.
Worked Example
A betting round finishes with 3 players calling 100.
The dealer pulls all 300 into the center, stacks them neatly, drops the rake, and prepares for the flop.
Knowledge Check
Test your understanding to complete this lesson.
Question 1 of 3