On Tuesday, February 15, (Happy Birthday to me!), at 1 p.m., I’ll begin another 10-week semester of free video poker classes at South Point. This is my eighth semester at this casino, and perhaps my 50th semester since I began teaching classes in 1997.
What will be new this time is I’ll be teaching 9/7 Double Bonus and 9/6 Double Double Bonus Poker, and both those classes will be on February 22. While adding additional games to the curriculum isn’t all that rare, choosing these particular games is a serious break from what I’ve done before.
When played perfectly, 9/7 DB returns 99.11% and 9/6 DDB returns 98.98%. I’ve never taught classes returning less than 99.45% previously. A player playing these games has no long-term chance to win, except in rare circumstances. My entire teaching career has been devoted to teaching players to play games where, with perfect play, they can have the advantage over the casino — including the slot club, mailers, and other promotions. So why the “lapse” from previous Bob Dancer standards? There are many reasons.
1. DDB is the most popular video poker game in the country today. However much I recommend players play higher-returning games, players still come back to this one. If players are going to play it, they might as well learn to play it right.
2. Several players have asked for the game. When I tell them it’s a bad game, they say they want to learn it anyway.
3. DB and DDB are both core video poker games — along with Jacks or Better and Deuces Wild. Well-rounded players “should” be familiar with this one.
4. These games are played virtually identically to their higher-paying cousins (the strategy exceptions will be noted in class.)
5. Since we’ll have students from around the country, in many casinos these are the best games available.
6. There are variations of these games that will be taught later in the semester — including 9/5 Super Double Bonus, 9/6 Double Double Bonus Quick Quads (Yes! This game is has returned to the South Point!), and 9/7 Triple Double Bonus (which in different ways is related to both of the February 22 games.)
7. Frequently to take advantage of a promotion, you need to learn a new game quickly. The more games you’ve had exposure to, the easier it is to pick up a new one. I’ve personally played both 9/7 DB and 9/6 DDB in Las Vegas casinos within the past year.
8. Players need refreshers. I’ve taught every other class in the semester previously, so a new class title will give players an excuse to come back. Every class they go to helps put them into the “intelligent video poker” frame of mine.
9. I’ll be teaching only the recreational level of both games. Players who wish to learn either or both games at a higher level will be provided with a roadmap to do so.
To give you an idea as to whether you could profit from these classes, let me give you a dozen hands. I will tell you at the outset that four hands are played identically in both games and eight are played differently. Can you tell which are which? If you miss more than one of these, you could probably use the refresher. (Some players will correctly identify one or more of the hands that is played identically — but will mistakenly make the wrong play in both games!)
a. Ah Kh Th 7h 5c
b. Jd Th 9c 8s 8h
c. Qd Jd 9d 7c 7h
d. Ad Qh Js 7d 4s
e. Kd Qd 9s 4c 2d
f. Qd Js Ts 7c 3s
g. Ad Qs Ts 7c 2d
h. Ac Kd 5d 3c 2h
i. Ad 8h 6c 4c 2c
j. Ad Qh Jh Tc 4s
k. Kd Td 8d 7c 5h
l. Kc Qh Th 7s 4d
Here are your answers. This test should be manageable if you’re a knowledgeable recreational player, although I intentionally picked some of the trickier plays that should be in the recreational player’s arsenal. If you had trouble with it, you probably should consider the classes.
a.Both games — Ah Kh Th 7h
b.Both games — Jd Th 9c 8s or Jd Th 9c 8h
c.DB: Qd Jd 9d DDB: 7c 7h
d.Both games — Qh Js
e.DB: Kd Qd 2d DDB: Kd Qd
f.DB: Qd Js Ts DDB: Qd Js
g.DB: Qs Ts DDB: A
h.DB: Ac 5d 4c 2h DDB: A
i.DB: 6c 4c 2c DDB: A
j.DB: Ad Qh Jh Tc DDB: Qh Jh
k.Both games — Kd Td 8d
l.DB: Qh Th DDB: Kc Qh
How did you do? Many players overestimate their level of competence — and this recreational-level quiz provides you a fair evaluation of your skill level. A lot of players play many different games “more or less” the same. Today’s quiz should highlight that these players are making bigger donations to their neighborhood casino than they should be.
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