What do the terms "raise to your left" "raise to your right" mean

[jackblack10]

What do the terms "raise to your left" and "raise to your right" mean. I know this is probably a stupid question. But given that poker is played in a circle there seems to be some room for ambiguity. I want to make sure I know the difference while I'm learning to play.

[axioma]

first off, before everyone jumps on you, this is the magazine forum...

in answer to your question, poker is not really played circularly, thats just an illusion. It is played in a linear fashion, starting with the player to the left of the dealer button, and concluding with the player to the right of the button, and repeted as is necessary.

if there is a 'raise to your left', it is a raise after you have acted on a particular pass along the line; a 'raise to your right' is a raise from someone before you have acted on that particular pass.

[k8as8ey]

Thanks for that post, axioma. It shows a lot of class. When I saw the post, I thought "Here come the flames". If we are going to keep this game popular and filled with new blood, we have to stop treating newbies like sh#t. There is no such thing as a bad question. We have to have new players constantly joining the games. Otherwise, no one will take the place of the weak players when they bust out. They will just pick up and go home, quiting the game. Then we'll have just a bunch of rocks sitting around all day waiting for pocket aces. Anyone around in the late 80's knows what that is like.