Milking the Pair
22 September 2006
By Mark Pilarski
Dear Mark,
For years I have always played a low pair before
the flop, but on one of the television poker
shows they said that wasn't always smart, yet
they didn't give a detailed reason why. What are
your thoughts of playing a low pair, such as 2's
or 3's? Perry H.
Probably one of the most important aspects of
Texas Hold 'em is the value of your starting
two-card hand before the flop. How you play
those first two cards, Perry, is parallel to and
predictive of your probability of winning.
When you get a pair of deuces as a starting
hand, position (playing order) becomes extremely
important. The later you act, the more
information you will then have about your
opponent's cards, from seeing how they were
played. The earlier you are to play, the more
selective you should be, even if they are a
pair. The announcer was correct in that a pair
of 2's or 3's is usually worth playing before
the flop in late position only, never in the
early position.
Although far too many players play a twosome in
any position, here's how I would normally play a
starting hand match. Seven's and higher in any
position; 5's and 6's in mid or late position,
and 2's through 4's in late position only.
Dear Mark,
With today's modern slot machines, does pulling
the lever at different speeds have any effect on
the overall odds of the machine? Sherry F.
Your typical slot machine's action, (like the
kind you're playing in Reno or in any other
gaming jurisdiction for that matter) is
determined by the draw of random numbers, which
are mapped to particular stops on the reels at
that split-second when the player initiates
play, either by yanking the handle or by
pressing the play button.
Because today's modern slot machines are
computerized, the odds are whatever they are
programmed to be and the lever is there for
historical and entertainment purposes only -- or
as a temporary support in the event of
catastrophe.
Dear Mark,
In baccarat, how much of an edge am I gaining if
I'm only paying 4% commission on a bank bet
versus the standard 5%? Tommy M.
A 4% commission on the bank bet in baccarat
lowers the house edge on that wager to 0.6%,
which is significantly lower than the house edge
of 1.06% on the banker bet with a 5% commission.
By the way, Tommy, you didn't mention where you
are finding a 4% commission on the bank bet, but
I'm sure readers currently betting on one of the
best wagers in the house, even at 5%, would love
to know.
Dear Mark,
Which pays back more, video keno or a live game?
Nancy T.
Although video keno typically offers a better
return, based on their paytables, than does live
keno, it's also played at a much faster pace.
This means, Nancy, that the low roller parked in
the keno lounge, will lose far less money per
hour at live keno than the same intrepid would
seated in front of a keno machine, where
monetary servitude to the house will end up
being much, much more painful.
Gambling Wisdom of the Week: "Players can learn
how to win if they sincerely want to, if they
set their minds to it, if they can find the
desire to stand up and challenge the casino,
breaking away from the passive crowd of losers."
--John Gollehon
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