This is a continuation of last week’s column. You may wish to read that one before you start here. I actually suggested you do some homework between then and now. I understand that many of you did not do the homework (it’s not too late!) but those of you who did will get more out of this.
The Wizard of Odds strategy calculator provides a basic strategy and a list of exceptions to that basic strategy. These exceptions are generally caused by what are called “penalty cards.” This is going to be the area where we’re going to find our strategy deviations. A 1% change in hard-to-get hands is not going to cause major differences.
In the group of hands where it says you should hold the J instead of the normal unsuited AJ, the top nine hands are as follows:
- 2♣3♣4♦J♥A♦
- 2♣3♣4♦J♥A♠
- 2♣3♦4♣J♥A♦
- 2♣3♦4♣J♥A♠
- 2♣3♦4♦J♥A♣
- 2♣3♦4♦J♥A♠
- 2♣3♦4♥J♠A♣
- 2♣3♦4♥J♠A♦
- 2♣3♦4♥J♠A♥
These hands may look the same to some of you, but they are all different. The difference between the first two, for example, is whether the ace and four are suited with each other or not. Sometimes the two and three are suited with each other; sometimes not. Once you focus in on these types of differences, you can see they are all different.
What’s more, each one stands for a variety of hands. The first one stands for all cases where the ace and four are suited, the two and three are suited (in a different suit that the ace and four), and at the same time the jack is unsuited with each of the others. There are actually 24 different hands that are represented by that one line. In every line where there are three or four suits (which include all of these), there are 24 different hands represented.
What I did is copy all of the hands for the regular SDB strategy and pasted them into an Excel spread sheet. There turned out to be 334 of them. I then copied and pasted the hands from the Dotty’s version of SDB and pasted them side-by-side with the regular SDB hands. There were also 334 of them. I spot checked the two lists side by side and determined they were identical. Therefore, I concluded that I had to look elsewhere for the strategic differences.
The next type of hand I looked at was being dealt an unsuited ace king and only holding the ace. In the regular SDB version, there are 276 cases where only the ace is held. ALL of these 276 cases include a ten unsuited with the ace. In the Dotty’s version, there were 48 hands which did not include a ten, and also 354 that did include a ten. That means there are at least two types of strategic changes to identify.
I’m going to print, in black and white, the 48 cases where there is no ten and we hold the ace by itself rather than AK. How would you describe these hands in a way that accurately describes these hands and no other ones?
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The three features you need to notice are:
- Each of the three bottom cards is in the range six through nine.
- None of these three cards are suited with the ace.
- The three bottom cards are not all the same suit.
On my strategy sheet, I omit the third element above simply because a 3-card straight flushes with no high card and either one or no insides are quite a bit higher than either an unsuited ace king or an ace by itself.
I write the other two rules as AK . . . . (< A with no fp and no lsp)
The “fp” stands for “flush penalty” and refers to a card suited with the ace. The “lsp” stands for “low straight penalty” and means a 2, 3, 4, or 5.
Now let’s look at the 78 cases, including a ten, where you hold the ace rather than AK when you’re playing the Dotty’s version rather than standard SDB.
| 2♣3♣10♣K♦A♥ | 2♣4♦10♣K♥A♠ | 3♣4♦10♥K♥A♠ | 3♣5♦10♣K♥A♠ | |||
| 2♣3♣10♦K♣A♥ | 2♣4♦10♦K♣A♥ | 2♣5♣10♣K♦A♥ | 3♣5♦10♦K♣A♥ | |||
| 2♣3♣10♦K♦A♥ | 2♣4♦10♦K♦A♥ | 2♣5♣10♦K♣A♥ | 3♣5♦10♦K♦A♥ | |||
| 2♣3♣10♦K♥A♠ | 2♣4♦10♦K♥A♠ | 2♣5♣10♦K♦A♥ | 3♣5♦10♦K♥A♠ | |||
| 2♣3♦10♣K♣A♥ | 2♣4♦10♥K♣A♠ | 2♣5♣10♦K♥A♠ | 3♣5♦10♥K♣A♠ | |||
| 2♣3♦10♣K♦A♥ | 2♣4♦10♥K♦A♠ | 2♣5♦10♣K♣A♥ | 3♣5♦10♥K♦A♠ | |||
| 2♣3♦10♣K♥A♠ | 2♣4♦10♥K♥A♠ | 2♣5♦10♣K♦A♥ | 3♣5♦10♥K♥A♠ | |||
| 2♣3♦10♦K♣A♥ | 3♣4♣10♣K♦A♥ | 2♣5♦10♣K♥A♠ | 4♣5♣10♣K♦A♥ | |||
| 2♣3♦10♦K♦A♥ | 3♣4♣10♦K♣A♥ | 2♣5♦10♦K♣A♥ | 4♣5♣10♦K♣A♥ | |||
| 2♣3♦10♦K♥A♠ | 3♣4♣10♦K♦A♥ | 2♣5♦10♦K♦A♥ | 4♣5♣10♦K♦A♥ | |||
| 2♣3♦10♥K♣A♠ | 3♣4♣10♦K♥A♠ | 2♣5♦10♦K♥A♠ | 4♣5♣10♦K♥A♠ | |||
| 2♣3♦10♥K♦A♠ | 3♣4♦10♣K♣A♥ | 2♣5♦10♥K♣A♠ | 4♣5♦10♣K♣A♥ | |||
| 2♣3♦10♥K♥A♠ | 3♣4♦10♣K♦A♥ | 2♣5♦10♥K♦A♠ | 4♣5♦10♣K♦A♥ | |||
| 2♣4♣10♣K♦A♥ | 3♣4♦10♣K♥A♠ | 2♣5♦10♥K♥A♠ | 4♣5♦10♣K♥A♠ | |||
| 2♣4♣10♦K♣A♥ | 3♣4♦10♦K♣A♥ | 3♣5♣10♣K♦A♥ | 4♣5♦10♦K♣A♥ | |||
| 2♣4♣10♦K♦A♥ | 3♣4♦10♦K♦A♥ | 3♣5♣10♦K♣A♥ | 4♣5♦10♦K♦A♥ | |||
| 2♣4♣10♦K♥A♠ | 3♣4♦10♦K♥A♠ | 3♣5♣10♦K♦A♥ | 4♣5♦10♦K♥A♠ | |||
| 2♣4♦10♣K♣A♥ | 3♣4♦10♥K♣A♠ | 3♣5♣10♦K♥A♠ | 4♣5♦10♥K♣A♠ | |||
| 2♣4♦10♣K♦A♥ | 3♣4♦10♥K♦A♠ | 3♣5♦10♣K♣A♥ | 4♣5♦10♥K♦A♠ | |||
| 3♣5♦10♣K♦A♥ | 4♣5♦10♥K♥A♠ |
The two features here are:
- There is a ten unsuited with the ace. It may or may not be suited with the king.
- There are exactly two cards in the range of 2-5, neither of which is suited with the ace.
The second rule can lead you astray if you’re unfamiliar with regular SDB advanced strategy. In the regular strategy, AK (<A with no fp, a T, and at most one lsp). In the Dotty’s version, we have simplified to AK (<A with no fp and no T).
Something to keep in mind is that ace king is exactly equivalent to ace queen and ace jack. So, using an H as a “high card lower than the first card listed” our rule becomes
AH …. (< A with T and no fp) (<A with no fp and no lsp)
A few weeks ago, I wrote a column about having an ace with a suited jack ten. Those rules take precedence over the ones I’m discussing today.
Next, I looked at a suited jack ten versus an unsuited king jack. Since a suited jack ten could become either a straight flush or a royal flush, and both of those pay schedule categories had a 1% increase, it’s possible there’s a change here. But copying and pasting the lists of exceptions to an Excel spread sheet side by side told me the two cases were identical — hence no strategic changes here.
For the suited queen ten with a flush penalty, sometimes you just hold the queen. It turns out there is a difference between the two games. I can print out the differences and let you see if you can figure out the rule, but you can do that yourself if you like. I’ve shown you enough examples so that you get the idea. In regular SDB, you hold the Queen by itself in these cases where one or more of the following conditions apply.
- There is at most one card in the 2, 3, or 4 range.
- There is an 8 in the hand.
- There is a 9 in the hand.
In the Dotty’s version, the first condition disappears and to hold the queen by itself there must be an 8 and/or a 9 in the hand. That is, on a hand like Q♣T♣3♣ 5♦7♥, in regular SDB you hold the queen while in the Dotty’s version you hold queen ten. In both games, on a hand like Q♣T♣3♣ 4♦ 7♥, you hold the queen ten. You might remember from last week’s column that you get fewer quad Js-Ks in the Dotty’s version of the game. This one type of hand is the primary reason why.
I checked the rest of the hands and couldn’t find any more differences. If you can identify some other case where the strategy varies, I’d appreciate you letting me know.
Finally, the question sometimes arises as to whether I really attempt to play these games taking into consideration all of these things. The answer is: “Yes I do.” It’s part of playing the game correctly and that’s my aspiration. I don’t always succeed and I sometimes make mistakes for a variety of reasons (mainly being tired, sticky buttons, or simply mis-fingering), but my goal is to play perfectly.
If one ignores fp and sp strategies, approximately how much ev are they giving up in DDB?
The short answer to your question is “not much.”
A more precise answer depends on what version of DDB you’re playing and how close to perfect “basic strategy” (defined as: as close as you can get without considering penalty cards — including, but not limited to, flush penalties and straight penalties.
For example, how do you play A♠ Q♥ J♣ 6♦ 2♠? And how about K♥ K♣ 7♦ 7♣ 3♦? And what about K♣ T♣ 5♣ 6♦ 3♦? If you hold the A in the first one or KK in the second you are making basic strategy errors having nothing to do with penalty cards. In the third hand, there are versions of DDB where K is correct, another where KT is correct, and another where KT5 is correct. If you select a play without specifying which version you are playing, you are automatically wrong!
It has been my experience that most players who ignore penalty cards are making a significant number of other errors, whereas players who study penalty cards get so they play basic strategy perfectly as well.
For you individually, it’s your money you’re spending and you may play however you like.
Also, please note that the article was talking about SDB. Your question and my reply were about DDB — which are not the same games.
This is sort of off-topic but I’ll ask anyway. Apparently, EV is only positive in VP when you factor in comps. But comps and maybe other rewards that aren’t strictly “comps” as APs define it, are voluntary payments by casinos. You can’t complain to the Gaming Commission or Control Board that you’ve been cheated on comps if casinos reduce or eliminate yours. That being the case, why do casinos cooperate in turning the house edge to a player edge by giving comps? They must be able to tell what you’re doing by auditing your play which is all recorded. Why do they encourage you to return and play more by giving you a free room if they can tell they are losing money on you?
Good question, Sandy.
There are a lot of factors in the answer. Rather than address them here, I’ll devote an entire column on your question. I have some other columns in the pipeline, so look for this one mid-January.
If you only play 100+% machines with correct strategy(and luck) the EV is positive. The comps are another matter.
As an out of town player, I play on average about 100K annually on quarter machines. I walk with 2-3-K per year on average. A fun hobby.(and no 1099 G forms and no hand pay tips anymore with ticket in ticket out)
The free rooms and food comps are a bonus. Some years up, some down but over all ALWAYS AHEAD without counting the comps. Be sure to make friends with a host you like and occasionally you will get a great comp surprise 😉
As with virtually every single endeavor in life, learning and applying penalty card considerations is subject to both opportunity cost and diminishing returns. Your time has value, and therefore using it to do something, such as learning a penalty card strategy for a specific game, has an opportunity cost.
Even if I “paid myself” minimum wage, it’s difficult for me to imagine a scenario wherein learning the penalty card stratagems for a particular VP game would be worth the time to do so. If I save one three-hundredth of a penny per hour I play, it’s going to take quite a while before I recoup the opportunity cost of learning how to do that. Of course, if one plays at Danceresque stakes, it may indeed be worthwhile. But is it worth it for the .25 or dollar player? My opinion is, probably not. (And, quite frankly, it wasn’t worth my time to pick through the arcane nuances of this article, especially since I rarely play SDB and fervently hope that if I ever set foot in a Dotty’s, a kindly friend will be on hand to shoot me.)
As Bob implies, time may be better spent in perfecting one’s basic strategy than in learning penalty card situations. Blowing a basic strategy play over and over is much more costly than not making the right hold when you have the four of clubs, an Ace, and a one-eyed Jack and it’s Tuesday on a full moon.
Kevin wrote: “…and fervently hope that if I ever set foot in a Dotty’s, a kindly friend will be on hand to shoot me.”
Wait a minute, what’s wrong with Dotty’s? They offer some of the best high denomination video poker in Nevada, and some neighboring states. Because of this, the big box casinos tried to shut them down. You can find the history of Dotty’s by searching the inter-webs.
I doubt the quality of their high limit VP is why Stations wanted to shut them down. It’s because they want Grandma who plays nickel slots and VP 3 times a week to have to go to Sunset Station to play instead of going to a corner bar.
What’s wrong with Dotty’s?
1. The places are smokier than a WWII-era coal plant. I wouldn’t be surprised if having a lit pigarette danging from your mouth was an actual requirement for playing.
2. The clientele are 95% frumpy housewives who are bleeding away the rent money.
3. There are few or no facilities other than the machines–a small bar and maybe a sandwich counter.
4. The machines, the loopholes reported and exploited by Bob notwithstanding, have pretty poor paytables and returns. Especially at lower denominations.
5. The general atmosphere is like that of a Greyhound bus terminal, only smellier and with less charm.
9-5 SDB is one of the better paytables, you will only find it at the better casinos. I think the casinos like it because it’s not a 9-6 game, for whatever reason casinos hate 9-6 games. As always, there might be some better games, if you look for them. If your game is only FPDW, then other casinos are better, but it’s rare to find FPDW above the quarters level.
Has anybody seen my 3-hole paper punch? I can’t find it anywhere.