the dealer shuffles the cards and then hands the pack to a player to cut it, who then lifts at least three cards from the pack. In games where the deal is clockwise, this player will be on the right of the dealer; however, if the deal is anti-clockwise, this player is on the left of the dealer. The dealer generally distributes cards to each player individually or in packets in the direction of play, beginning with eldest hand, also known as forehand. The cards are dealt face-down in front of the players, and the dealer places any left-over cards face-down in the centre of the table. Other duties The duties of a dealer differ from game to game. Their job usually involves distributing cards for games such as poker, contract bridge, blackjack, roulette or skat but may also involve other duties, for example: Contract bridge: the dealer is an opener who opens the auction and makes the first call, after which the auction progresses clockwise. In poker, the dealer controls the action during a hand and manages the pot. In blackjack, a player plays against a dealer, or "house". If the hand of a player is closer to 21 than the dealer's, without going over, the player wins. In a three-player skat game, the dealer takes on the role of rearhand. The player sitting on the left of the dealer is called the 'forehand', and the player sitting to the dealer's right is called middlehand. Casino dealers Casino dealers must have a comprehensive and accurate knowledge of the games for which they deal. They should know the rules of the different card games, understand the odds of winning in various situations, and they must be able to communicate this information correctly to all levels of players. It is also the responsibility of the dealer to watch the play carefully and check to make sure that no one is cheating. See also Glossary of card game terms Footnotes References Literature Card game terminology