Playing five-card stud poker with two friends one night, one of them, Kevin, accidentaly drops one of his cards on the table, the ace of hearts. My other friend, Nick, laughs and says, "I also have at least one ace in my hand." I have no reason not to believe him. Now, I do not have any aces in my hand, but I do have a pair of kings. Which of my friends is more likely to have at least a pair of aces (that is to say, at least one more ace) in his hand?

In five card stud, only one card is dealt face down.  Since Kevin dropped his, you know it's the only one he has as the other four are face up.  So you can see all the other cards.  Therefore, Nick is more likely to have a pair of aces.  The reason you "have no reason not to believe him" is because you see the ace face up.  Since nothing else was said about this problem, I assume all five cards have been dealt by this point and therefore Nick is more likely to have a pair of aces since you haven't seen his one face-down card.

 

see http://www.casinocity.com/rule/five_card_stud.htm for rules.

L

Posted by larry on 2005-03-02 00:55:30