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Poker
Why poker gives skillful players the best chance in the casino

Of all the casino games, there is none as familiar to the public as poker. Although its roots are said to spring from European card games of the middle ages, poker could be described as the one truly All-American game. Since the 1850s, poker has been a staple in any gambling hall, legal or illegal. More Americans have played poker than have played golf, tennis and backgammon combined.

Whether they learned around the kitchen table, with a wise aunt or uncle showing you the ropes, or got involved in a hot game in the boys' room in grammar school, most poker players can trace their joy of the game back to childhood. And whether they play for big stakes, nickels and dimes, or for matchsticks, the players' enjoyment of poker is the reason it is undoubtedly the most popular card game.

Even when casino gambling was legal only in Nevada, poker could regularly be found in fire halls, social clubs, church basements, and fraternal organizations. It is now played legally in more than half the United States, and semi-legally in all the other states and territories. Casino poker varies a bit from your kitchen table variety, but the basics are essentially the same. What is most different in the casino is the skill levels of the players.

You might be the card shark of your neighborhood, but when you play poker in a casino, there are many other factors to consider, other than which player has the best hand.

You've seen that there are professional blackjack players who can make a living playing a game in which they can reduce or eliminate the house edge. And you learned that good sports bettors can handicap a sporting event through knowledge of specific details unknown to the average better. But since poker is a game that has no house edge, you must be prepared for a large collection of players who are trying to make a living off poker. There are more professional poker players than any other type of gambler.

Don't be fooled into thinking that all the "professionals" are playing the high limit games, and if you play games with $1 minimum and $4 maximum bets, you won't have to worry about the pros. That's not true. You'll meet the professional poker players at every level, whether they are on the way up the ladder, or have been knocked down and are looking to get back up.

Should this deter you from playing America's most popular game in a casino? The answer is a qualified "no."

Because poker requires skill, it's not something where you can hope to stumble across enough good luck to win. While there is some debate on how skill is acquired-Are good poker players born or made?-you can read enough about the game to understand its nuances to sit down and enjoy a lively session. Just remember that you never stop learning about poker. After getting the basics down, your education is just beginning. The various plays, the different combinations, but most of all, the variety of players is what often makes the game the most fascinating game of all.

There are many different kinds of poker games. Five-card draw and five-card stud may be popular around the kitchen table, but are now a rarity in the casinos. Forget about the "wild card" games they play down at the fire hall. You won't see any Deuces wild, one-eyed Jacks, or Jokers added to a poker game in a casino. The two most popular poker games by far in a casino are seven-card stud and Texas hold'em.

While there are many other poker permutations that you can find-Omaha hold'em, Omaha Eight-or-better, razz, lowball draw and many more-for purposes of brevity and comprehension, you'll be wise to concentrate on the two most popular games, which will be covered in this book.

Additional Learn To Play Links:
Taking the Plunge:
The Beginnner's Guide To Gambling

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