A break on a mistake is
only a stay of execution
9 August 2004
By Mark Pilarski
Dear Mark,
I may be over stepping my boundaries by
commenting on the decision that you wrote about
concerning setting a pai gow hand improperly,
however, I think the pit boss was legally right
but morally wrong with the decision to foul the
hand. My background is in live poker and I have
been on both sides of the fence in that arena by
playing the game and managing a room as a means
of livelihood. An old timer that I had much
respect for taught me to give the player the
benefit of the doubt in a case like you
described, but, just do it ONCE. Then you must
have a conversation with him. You never know,
you will quite probably alienate a player by
crushing him with a hardcore ruling on their
first error. If my understanding of pai gow is
correct, it is a high hold game for the house so
you are going to get the bet back sooner or
later if he keeps playing, and you stand a good
chance of cultivating a regular player with a
simple diplomatic decision. I have done this
many times in a poker room on the Gulf Coast and
it worked well for me. Just thought I would add
my two cents. Bobby G.
Your opinion, Bobby, is dead on. Like you, I am
from the old school where the casino lets you
keep your first mistake, because, as we both
know, the house will usually get it back on the
next hand. When I explained to Jim in his
inquiry that the pit boss was correct in
technically NOT paying him, I was only trying to
explain why his cash was snatched and placed in
the tray.
Casinos where customer service prevails will
always side with the player unless the mistake
is illegal or egregious. It just doesn't make
sense to lose a customer for life over a $10 pai
gow poker slip-up. They realize the math is
always on the side of the casino, and that the
casino will eventually win a unintentional faux
pas by the player.
Nevertheless, casinos do render contrary
decisions. When I worked for a Harrah's
property, we would by and large give you a break
on a first mistake. However, a few unnamed
joints where I was employed, fuggedaboudit! A
boo-boo by a player was always theirs.
Evidently, Jim was playing in the latter.
Dear Mark,
Can you explain why a six or an eight hard-way
has correct odds of 10 to one? I am having some
trouble with the math. Scott B.
To win a hard-way bet, your number not only has
to appear before the seven, it has to emerge
with two dice of equal value. For example, if
you are betting a hard six, it must be a pair
only (3-3) in order for you to win your wager.
If it shows as a 4-2, 2-4, 5-1, 1-5, or if the
seven rolls, you lose.
Sticking with the six as an example, the correct
odds on making the six is 10 to 1, calculated as
four easy ways of making the six (4-2, 2-4, 5-1,
1-5) plus, six ways of making a seven (1-6, 6-1,
5-2, 2-5, 4-3, 3-4), totaling 10, divided by the
one way of making a hard six (3-3). Thus, Scott,
if there are ten ways to lose, and one way to
win, there is your 10 to 1.
Though the true odds of a hard six or eight
materializing are 10 to one, I'm sorry to say
your friendly casino is only going to pay you a
paltry 9 to 1, giving them a 9.1% edge on either
the hard-way six or eight.
Hey, Scott, they don't call them hard-ways for
nothing.
Gambling quote of the week: "The fool knows
little and thinks he knows more. The great
gambler knows something about himself, and
everything about his territory." --Stephen Dunn,
American poet
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