One of my goals in 2006 is to expand Unknown Poker and make it a
more useful resource to more poker players. Something that's been
missing from this guide up until this point is a guide to casino
poker games, which I define as poker games where the player is
competing with the casino rather than with the other players.
This would naturally include video poker games like Jacks or
Better and Deuces Wild, but would also include some of the newer and
more exotic table games like Pai Gow Poker, Let 'em Ride, and
Caribbean Stud.
I've already put together a primer on
Black Jack, probably the king of the casino table games.
It will also include sections on new table games as their brought out, like the Poker Ride Progressive that is being offered at the microgaming casinos.
What's Included in the Casino Poker Games Section of the Site
Being a new section, it doesn't include much, but I plan to
include tutorials and strategy guides for the following casino poker
games:
New poker games seem to be introduced on a regular basis in
casinos. Some of them take off, while some of them fizzle out really
quickly. As new table games that are poker-related start taking off,
I'll try to get some information posted in this section about those
too.
I'll also include information about some of the online casinos
who offer variations of the poker games listed above, and the
appropriate strategies for the different softwares. Microgaming's
video poker rules are different than Playtech's, so strategy
adjustments are necessary to maximize your payback percentage.
What I Like About These Kinds of Poker Games
I'm a social creature by nature, and I enjoy the camaraderie and
table-talk that goes along with playing traditional poker games with
other players. But sometimes I'm in the mood to gamble, but I'm not
in the mood to be with other people. In those types of situations, I
prefer to play something like video poker.
Whether you're playing video poker or one of the table poker
games like Caribbean Stud though, there is also still a skill
element involved that affects your payout percentage. Even though
the house has an edge in almost all casino poker games, you can
reduce that edge to such a low amount that if you're savvy enough to
pick up some comps, you can still parlay that into a positive EV
situation.
What I Don't Like
The other side of the coins of the opinions above are the
drawbacks to playing casino poker games. The inevitable casino edge
is a drawback, but people accept that all the time, and if the edge
is small enough, then the poker gambling is cheap entertainment.
And video poker is fun for a while, but no matter how droopy I
am, I eventually perk back up and I'm ready for some social
interaction, and the best place to get that interaction is at a
poker table (and sometimes a sports or karaoke bar).
