Those itsy-bitsy
advantages still count
1 July 2005
By Mark Pilarski
Dear Mark, I know to hold any combination of
three cards leading to a royal flush in Jacks or
Better. Does the same hold true in Deuces Wild
with a deuce and two other high cards leading to
a royal flush? Also, should you hold three cards
leading to a straight flush in Jacks or better
such as a 6-8-9 of one suit? Mike
Yes, Mike, your deuce with two cards to a royal
is a slightly better hand than if you were to
discard the two high cards and just hold the
deuce. Other keepers when holding a deuce would
be a deuce with a two-card straight flush (e.g.
a deuce, 5 and 6 of hearts), and a straight
flush with either a single or double inside draw
(like: deuce, 5, 7, 9 of hearts, or deuce, 4, 5,
and 7 of hearts).
As to your second question, holding a 3-card
straight flush in Jacks-or-better, the answer is
yes, even if the other two cards form a two-card
royal. But note that the expected additional
value (based on the average value of all
attainable wins after the discards are replaced,
assuming that the optimum cards are retained) is
minuscule. . Additionally, Mike, in your opening
sentence you wrote; "I know to hold any
combination of three cards leading to a royal
flush in Jacks-or-Better." Actually, though ever
so slight, the expected value of a high pair is
a little better than that of a three card royal.
Dear Mark, In your discussions with Joey S. in a
recent column, you gave his examples of betting
$200 initially on a hand, and then when going
down for double, turning the card over and
putting down another $200. My question here is:
Can the player betting, for example $200
initially, lay only $100 on the double down? Can
it be $25, $50, or even $175 if that is all he
has left? E. W. T.
When you're dealt a pair of favorable cards,
normally a 9, 10, or an 11, the casino gives you
the opportunity to double the amount of your
wager. The only disadvantage to doubling is that
you are only allowed to draw one additional
card. The strategic reason for doubling down is
that you are more likely to win the hand than to
lose, and, having this advantage, you should
always wager the maximum amount possible.
But if you happen to be light in the pocketbook,
yes, you may double for less than your original
bet. When the rules permit doubling, you may
double your bet by any amount, up to, but never
more than, the original wager.
Dear Mark, Is a croupier and a dealer one and
the same? Justin G.
Yes, Justin, today we use the word Croupier --
borrowed from the French -- to describe the
casino dealer, though its true meaning in
French, is literally one who rides the rump of a
horse.
You generally only hear croupier used in the
games of baccarat and roulette, not the other
table games like craps or blackjack. The
croupier on a roulette table sells you chips,
spins the wheel and pays those lucky winners who
buck the 5.26% casino advantage. In baccarat a
croupier controls the dealing, drawing and
calling of cards, and pays off winning bets.
It's much better to make the acquaintance of a
croupier on a baccarat table, as the house edge
on two of the three bets offered is well under
two percent.
Gambling quote of the week: "The restaurants,
the themes, the nightclubs, the eternal ringing
of slot machines, the endless hordes of people
having fun, and that wild sense of freedom that
comes with walking along the strip at night.
It's a blast!" --Adam Fine
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