I was helping Bonnie learn an advanced square dancing move called “Cast a Shadow.” (I know this is my hobby and not yours, but bear with me. We’ll get to video poker very shortly.) This is a move that starts out with two parallel lines composed of four dancers in each line.

Without describing the move in detail, I was asking her in which direction the dancers on the ends of the lines turned first. First she guessed “right,” (which I told her was wrong), and so then she guessed “left” (which I told her was also wrong.) This frustrated her. She (correctly) knew the only ways to turn were left and right and now I was telling her neither was correct. Continue reading It Depends

In last week’s column, I addressed hands which contained both a Q of one suit and JT7, J97, or J87 of another suit — where the correct play depended on the fifth card in the hand. In today’s column, I will discuss some additional hands in that same game.

Consider a K of one suit and a JT7, J97, or a J87 of another. We know that KJ is considerably less valuable than QJ (because of the number of potential straights), so after last week’s exercise it shouldn’t surprise us that we usually prefer the J-high 3-card straight flush to the KJ. Continue reading Some More Fine Points of 8/5 Bonus Poker

Several years ago, I wrote an article which stated that successful video poker playing required a juggling act of sorts. Pretend that one ball is getting the right pay schedule; another ball is knowing how to play each hand; another ball is understanding the slot club and promotions in effect and not playing unless the combination is high enough; another ball is playing while rested and sober enough so that you’re at your best; etc. Continue reading One Ball Hits the Ground

It’s been more than a year since Shirley and I parted ways, and this past April I began seeing a lady named Bonnie. That relationship is going very well and we plan to marry this coming May. Prior to our wedding, Bonnie and I have had to arrive at a financial understanding regarding my gambling profession. I’m certain that other couples have had to deal with similar situations.

In financial terms, both Bonnie and I are reasonably comfortable. Although her relatives like me well enough, it scares them to death that she could actually be sharing her estate with a professional gambler who might need her to bail him out from bankruptcy. Although I feel that I’m at the top of my craft and believe that there is essentially a zero chance of me ever losing all of my assets, her relatives don’t understand that. In their mind ‘gambler’ means ‘loser in the long run.’ Continue reading Sharing a Bankroll