Dear Mark:
I disagree with you in that a player at third base in blackjack has no effect on the outcome of the game. I'mve seen dumb players take the dealer'ms bust card far too many times to believe otherwise. Willy H.

I'll stick by my past statement that poor play on third base does not affect the overall outcome of all hands dealt. Each card dealt is random and since you, the dealer, fellow players, and yes, even the player at third giving the house a 4-5% edge by playing poorly, has no idea what the next card is, the play at third will not have any repercussions on the game in general, just on his or her hand.

Also, Willy, you overlook in your statement the times when a player took a card that would have helped the dealer, resulting in the dealer's going bust with the following card dealt. For the decade plus that I had dealt cards, or oversaw a pit full of dealers, I can tell you unequivocally that having viewed a kazillion hands, I have seen it go both ways about equally.

Dear Mark:
At our weekly Texas Hold'em game, we had a disagreement over a player who accidentally showed his cards before the betting rounds were complete. The debate was over whether that player'ms hand was automatically dead. Yeah or nay please. We will stand by your decision. Dan M.

In Texas Hold'em, Dan, an exposed card or hand by any player would still be considered a live hand, not a dead one.