A push is NOT a win
Dear Mark,
When playing Video Poker, I consistently win by getting high
pairs but struggle for the higher hands. Can I successfully beat
the house on a high pair alone? Rhonda T.
Rhonda, we need to separate the wheat from the chaff. One of the
reasons video poker is so popular is that it returns your investment
for a pair of jacks to aces. But, Rhonda, never consider a push
a win. The psychological effect of returned coins from a push
has at best, dubious value. All it does is make you feel like
a winner, when in reality you're not. Treat even-money payoffs
not as a win against the casino but just getting YOUR hard-earned
money back.
Personally, I've always felt that this erroneous impression of
winning is one of the most powerful false hope methods the casino
has against you, not only with your high pair scenario but also
when it's a push on a blackjack table or a one-cherry payoff on
a pull handle slot machine.
So do you want to win more consistently, Rhonda? Find 9/6 video
poker pay tables or 8/5 machines with progressives nearing $2,200,
then play perfect basic strategy. A high pair now and then will
make you consistent all right, a consistent loser.
Dear Mark,
In Las Vegas, I saw a casino advertise that on their selected
video poker machines your return can be more than 100%. Is this
possible? Isn't the casino going to lose money? Mary S.
Yes, Mary, the casinos would lose money if every player had unlimited
access to "selected machines," plus understood and used
perfect basic strategy. But because fewer than one percent effectively
play perfect basic strategy, the casino won't lose money by making
such an offer. You also answered part of your question by stating
"on selected machines." Sometimes those "selected
machines" can be as few as two on the whole casino floor.
No chance of two expert players grinding away at the house and
affecting the casino quarterly report. Plus, the casino will generally
surround those "selected machines" with others that
have pay tables offering significantly lower payoffs, guaranteeing
even more winnings from the uneducated masses.
Like casino mogul Steve Wynn says, "If you wanna make money
in a casino, own one."
Dear Mark,
I have found a couple of web sites that survey blackjack conditions
at various casinos and sometimes they quote a "Penetration
Percentage." Exactly what is that? Is there anything a player
can do to influence it? Dennis L.
How many cards a dealer pitches from his deck before he shuffles
is called penetration. If he deals all the cards out, that's 100
percent penetration. For the average Joe playing on the game,
penetration has little significance. However, for the card counter,
the depth of penetration is a key variable on whether to play
on that game. The deeper a counter can go into a deck, the better.
You also asked, Dennis, if you can influence it? Sort of. Every
casino has a set policy on how deep they will allow their dealers
to go before they want them to shuffle-up. But casinos do have
lazy dealers who don't like to shuffle. Shuffling forces them
to be certified friendly and converse with the customer. Believe
me, no amount of Prozac is going to get a stiff dealer yapping.
One dealer told me that for 10 years, working in four different
casinos, he always dealt to the bottom of the deck to avoid conversation.
Not once did a pit boss or the "eye in the sky" ask
him to change his rogue conduct.
By the way, that dealer is now running a casino in the Midwest.