Pardon the simplicity of this question, but how do they figure who deals, and when, when I am watching televised poker?
Dear Mark,
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Pardon the simplicity of this question, but how do they figure who deals, and when, when I am watching televised poker? Tammy J.
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When you watch televised poker, you are watching Texas Holdıem played with as many as 10 players. Look closely at the TV image next time, Tammy, and youıll notice a small disk (brings to mind a hockey puck but usually white) sitting just in front of one of the contestants. This disk is called the "button."
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The button shows who would be dealing the cards if he or she were actually the dealer. Holding the dealer button is an advantage in Texas Holdıem because the dealer is the last player to act. By acting last, that player has valuable additional information when itıs betting time. This positional advantage remains throughout the hand, then passesclockwiseto the next player for the next hand. Thus, all players in the game have equal opportunities to hold this rotating positional advantage.
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Dear Mark,
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Once a month I go to the casino. I only play keno, eat at their buffet (they have a great senior discount for the lunch buffet) and never stay more than two hours. Last May I hit a solid six spot for $2,200, and last month I won $280 on a 10-spot ticket. I usually alternate between a six and 10 spot ticket. What do you think of my system of play? Marge H.
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The Gambling for Experts school answer is "Hey, Marge, donıt you realize youıre making one of the worst bets in the casino, the one with a minimum house edge of 25%?"
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Mathematically, the School is on the ball: the chances of hitting 10 of 10 are one in 10 million at best. Readers of this column know that Yours Truly has spelled out those long odds and pitfalls of keno with anguishing regularity.
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B U T, without even counting your winnings, Marge, I still have the latitude to salute your play, for a few non-mathematical reasons.
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For starters, you are obeying money management rule #1: Betting money you can afford to lose. Bravo! Also, if you are not winning, at least you are losing S L O W L Y. With keno games played roughly every ten minutes, at a dollar a pop you wonıt go bust in a two-hour keno stint.
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And finally, it seems to me that youıre really having fun. If itıs fun risking $1 to win $50,000, play. Thatıs what youıre there for Marge, to have fun, right?
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Oh yeah, about that cheap buffet at senior prices. Next time you write me, Marge, donıt forget to include place and price. My readers would love to know. Heck, Iıd like to know.
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But, back to business: putting your winnings into the equation, I figure you to be ahead of the game for at least the next four years.
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So, whatıs Marge doing wrong? That famous trioNada, Zilch and Nothing!
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Source: Mark Pilarski, Quad City Times
