Dear Mark, I think that you're right on with your answer regarding counting
cards at blackjack. The pit crews are almost paranoid now regarding card counters--witness
one of the last episodes of American Casino. I guess they think that everyone
is as good as the MIT students. Card counting is hard work and boring. You're
right, just learn the basics first, and besides, most people can't, or not even
willing to play perfect strategy. Besides, I think it is much better to learn
to play video poker. The strategy is as easy as blackjack, and the comps are better.
Jean H.
And Right on to you, Jean. Playing on a full-pay Jacks-or-better machine that
pays 9 coins for a full house and six coins for a flush, along with comps, puts
you in positive territory against the casino over the long haul, so long as
you (Repeat after me) use a casino slot card to get credit for your play. Nationwide,
casinos give away over a billion dollars in comps each year, and as a video
poker player, you deserve your share of the goods. Comps are generally based
on the number of coins you cycle through a machine, so you might as well get
credit for all those quarters that once were yours. Always make sure though
to shop casinos for comp value and ask how many points you will receive per
dollar played. Then find out what those points are worth in comps. You always
want to treat "comps" not as a form of profit, but rather as a balm
to ease the pain. You never want to gamble just to receive them, any more than
you'd roll in poison ivy so as to feel the relief of the calamine lotion
later on,
You are also right, Jean, in noting that it's easier to play basic strategy
in video poker than it is in blackjack. And as in BJ, it reduces the house edge
to less than one percent. So, pray tell, how do you become skilled at video
poker basic strategy? For starters, by purchasing one of those laminated cheat
sheets sold for about $3-$5 a pop in some casino gift shops. Believe, me, they
are worth their weight in some yet-to-be discovered super-metal. But instead
of giving the casinos any more of your hard-earned money than they deserve,
allow me to send you, and other sophisticated readers of this column, a strategy
card FREE. Yep, you're reading it right, FREE. Just, send a self-addressed
stamped envelope to: Winners Publishing, ATTN: Video Poker Strategy Card, P.O.
Box 1234, Traverse City, MI 49685.
Dear Mark,
Last week while playing video poker, I got four aces and a joker before the
draw. What are the odds of that happening? Larry G.
The probability of being dealt 5-Aces (53-card deck-including the Joker) before
the draw are 2,869,684 to one. Last week I also happened to be playing on a
similar type machine and I received four to a royal and the joker dealt naturally.
The odds against that hand were 119,569 to one.
Gambling quote of the week: "All casino strategy is designed
to chloroform the human lollipops so they can be separated from their money
as painlessly as possible." Lyle Stuart, Winning at Casino Gambling
