Former BNP Derivatives Trader Andy Frankenberger breaks down his transition from Wall Street to the poker table.

I’m in high school, so you can bet there is a real emphasis on sports. I am a runner myself, so getting better is one my top priorities. But my education is a higher one of course. But in the real world, does anyone really even care if you can throw a football or not?

I play in a weekly poker game with some guys and there is this one guy who always seems to have GREAT hands when he’s the dealer. I would say 90% of the time I go heads up with him when he’s dealer, I lose to a pretty good hand. Aside from this, he also is very loose on asking others to cut the deck when he deals. Which everyone else does.

So the question is, is it possible to stack the deck in your favor if you’re the dealer? I can see insuring yourself one good hold card but to make it so that you had two good hold cards and a good lay down on the table just seems impossible to me. Just wondering if I’m either paranoid or should stop going heads to heads with this guy.

This is for Texas Hold’em Poker. Thanks.
Damn it! I was actually hoping the answer would be negative but inside I knew better.

Is there anything I should look for then when he’s dealing? Is it possible to cheat even if I cut the deck? I try to do that but I don’t always get to it before he deals or I’m in the middle of a conversation with another friend. Thanks in advance everyone.