Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/10148
CINCO DE MAYO AT THE LA By: Daniel Albert Any Southern Californian worth their weight in tacos knows that Cinco De Mayo is celebrated as much in Cali as it is in the holiday's home country. Each year on the Cinco (that's 5th for all you non- Spanish speakers) of Mayo ("May") Southern Californians get together and adorn themselves with giant sombreros, fill up their mugs with frosty margaritas, fire up the grills and throw down some carne asada, in honor of the day when in 1862 the Mexican army became the unlikely victors over French forces at the Battle of Puebla. If this seems like a far removed holiday for Southern Californians to celebrate, that's because it is. But rest assured, it will be celebrated. We here at LIVE have decided to celebrate a little differently this year by hitting the LA Casinos and playing a game that honors the country of origin on this magnificent day: "Mexican Poker." Mexican Poker is an adaptation of poker that is similar to 5-Card Stud and is played with an everyday standard deck of cards that has been "stripped" down to 41 cards by removing the 8's, 9's and 10's. The Joker, however, will remain in the deck. To receive a hand, each player posts a collection when required and the cards are then dealt clockwise, beginning to the left of the dealer button, which will rotate clockwise after each hand is complete. 4 • After the first two cards are dealt, (one card up and one card down), a betting round will begin. • The player with the high card clockwise of the dealer button will make a forced opening bet, which will start the action. • After the round of betting is complete, the players may expose their down cards, if they wish, at their discretion. The exposure of the card must be completed prior to the deal of the third card, which may be delivered up or down depending on whether or not previously dealt down cards have been opened. • When the third card has been delivered, the next round of betting then occurs. The fourth and fifth cards are then dealt and played according to the same format, maintaining that one card must be face down at all times and the player with the highest ranking hand-- wins the pot. MEXICAN POKER Each player receives a total of 5 cards, one of which must be face down.